Reasons to be optimistic ahead of game 7.

[celticmaestro]

When we lose in that fashion, we always respond.

In win-or-go-home situations, this team always performs.

Doc has become a very, very good coach and has out-coached Jackson this series.

No one plays harder as a unit -- 1-15 -- than our boys.

We have too many weapons and too many points to prove to let this slip away.

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Please post other reasons to be optimistic in this thread and keep it going and look back over it to shred any doubt prior to tip-off on Thursday. COME ON BOSTON!

[Rida]

I totally agree, I think you will see a special game 7 that will forever define the big 4 era in Boston.

History is on our side, we haven't lost a game 7 to the Fakers and Phil Jackson has never been in a game 7 in the finals.

If I was Doc I would get Russell to speak to the team before game 7 and talk about his last game as a Celtics when he beat the Lakers in 7 on their floor.

Plus the pressure is all on the Lakers, not on us. They are at home, they are expected to win and Kobe's legacy is on the line.

[Drucci]

I do agree that we have always rebounded (and in good fashion) every time we've lost this postseason, especially after blowouts like that. That's why I'm confident.

However, I'm just really worried about Perk and I think our chances basically rely on his status so... I hope he gives it a go and can be effective on the court. If he can, then I really like our chances. If he can't... I'd rather not think about it to stay positive in this thread's spirit.

[Rida]

While I think Perk status is a huge factor, its not the be all end all.

Other guys have to step up on the boards and rebound and Sheed has to play well and score in double digits to give us a shot.

[CoachBo]

I'd be VERY surprised if Perkins plays, given the nature of the injury. Bynum's issues may well negate that loss.

The bottom line is effort. Rebounding is effort and attention to detail. We have to have it, or we're going to lose Thursday night. That will have MUCH more of an impact on the game than Perkins.

[slamtheking]

Reasons to be optimistic:
* Artest and the Laker bench shot far better in game 6 than usual.  this is not likely to be repeated in game 7.  if Artest missed most of his shots in the 1st quarter like he usually does, the lakers do not build the lead as fast and C's may have been able to hang in there long enough to get their act together.
* The C's can't get much worse on offense.  just can't. 
* There's no next game to worry about.  no reason to hold back on the effort or conserve energy for a next game.  team should be able to go all out on D and run the break on O. 

[Cman]

* There's no next game to worry about.  no reason to hold back on the effort or conserve energy for a next game.  team should be able to go all out on D and run the break on O. 

On a related note, no need to worry about getting T-ed up and being lost for the next game.  Obviously not having Perk is a big loss in this department, and all series I have been waiting to see how Perk plays without having to worry about picking up T #7.  Same for SHeed.

[Cman]

Another reason:
Celtics are the underdog.  I like their chances as the underdog.

[kw10]

With game 5 being the only close exception, our team has not played well as a unit and we have not had more than 2 players playing decent/good in a game in the finals.

This is game 7, just you wait.

[FallGuy]

You know... I can deal with them losing (I think).

I just can't abide another effort like game six.

I'll see these guys in a different light if they don't put out 48 minutes of focused effort in game seven.

[celticmaestro]

Another reason to be optimistic - the Lakers fans are awful and there's no way they'll unsettle our players. We're not easily rattled by "Jack", the idiot.

[kenmaine]

Simple- the Celtics are a better team.
I don't know what happened in game 6- a bizarre lack of focus in a title-clinching game.
Maybe they just wanted the challenge of a game 7? Or more to the point, they realized game 6 wasn't truly a must game.
IMO this series is practically a toss-up, but I'm pretty optimistic right now. The effort will be there for sure and it should be a great game- I'm hoping for a 40 point C's win because I just can't stand a nailbiter.

[RAcker]

* There's no next game to worry about.  no reason to hold back on the effort or conserve energy for a next game.  team should be able to go all out on D and run the break on O. 

On a related note, no need to worry about getting T-ed up and being lost for the next game.  Obviously not having Perk is a big loss in this department, and all series I have been waiting to see how Perk plays without having to worry about picking up T #7.  Same for SHeed.

I thought about the T situation too.  Screw it now.  Play nasty.

[SalmonAndMashedPotatoes]

I'd be VERY surprised if Perkins plays, given the nature of the injury. Bynum's issues may well negate that loss.

The bottom line is effort. Rebounding is effort and attention to detail. We have to have it, or we're going to lose Thursday night. That will have MUCH more of an impact on the game than Perkins.

CoachBo is right--Game 7, like every other game in the Finals, will be all about EFFORT.  For one game, we can overcome the loss of Perk and LA's homecourt advantage--if we come out with supreme effort, defend the perimeter, box out, and make all the 50/50 plays.

This team plays loves being the underdog and right now everyone, outside of hardcore Celtic fans, is assuming that Game 7 goes to the Lakers.  This creates pressure on the Lakers and motivation for the Celtics.

The blowout loss in Game 6 also creates momentum for Game 7, much like Game 1's loss created Game 2's win.  The Lakers are human, and the beatdown in Game 6 will cause some of them to let down in Game 7. 

Perk's injury, while debilitating for our defense and toughness, makes this team much harder to defend.  And even though we were completely outplayed in Game 6, the Lakers still didn't break 90.  The Celtics will come to play defensively on Thursday, but they'll only win if they're able to make shots.  Having Sheed and Baby in there will create more lanes for Rondo, and hopefully will minimize the scoring lulls that seem to hit us every game.  We'll still need to make shots, but Baby and Sheed are vastly superior to Perk when it comes to catching the ball, converting in traffic, hitting jump shots, and making the defense respect them.  This is all good news for our offense.

[slamtheking]

I'd be VERY surprised if Perkins plays, given the nature of the injury. Bynum's issues may well negate that loss.

The bottom line is effort. Rebounding is effort and attention to detail. We have to have it, or we're going to lose Thursday night. That will have MUCH more of an impact on the game than Perkins.

CoachBo is right--Game 7, like every other game in the Finals, will be all about EFFORT.  For one game, we can overcome the loss of Perk and LA's homecourt advantage--if we come out with supreme effort, defend the perimeter, box out, and make all the 50/50 plays.

This team plays loves being the underdog and right now everyone, outside of hardcore Celtic fans, is assuming that Game 7 goes to the Lakers.  This creates pressure on the Lakers and motivation for the Celtics.

The blowout loss in Game 6 also creates momentum for Game 7, much like Game 1's loss created Game 2's win.  The Lakers are human, and the beatdown in Game 6 will cause some of them to let down in Game 7. 

Perk's injury, while debilitating for our defense and toughness, makes this team much harder to defend.  And even though we were completely outplayed in Game 6, the Lakers still didn't break 90.  The Celtics will come to play defensively on Thursday, but they'll only win if they're able to make shots.  Having Sheed and Baby in there will create more lanes for Rondo, and hopefully will minimize the scoring lulls that seem to hit us every game.  We'll still need to make shots, but Baby and Sheed are vastly superior to Perk when it comes to catching the ball, converting in traffic, hitting jump shots, and making the defense respect them.  This is all good news for our offense.

not to dump on the optimism here but to be fair, the lakers didn't break 90 because they had their scrubs in for a good chunk of the last quarter.