Boston's lack of toughness and the Boston crowd are to blame.

[goz421]

Went to a game earlier this year, and it was a big party. I watch the tv and I don't see that old home crowd hanging on every play. Feels like a Lakers game. Maybe we have become to used to winning. I have seen Hayward and Tatum getting hammered all year, and the crowd is silent. Let's face it, people hate Boston and there is no love for the Celtics.  Boston crowd needs to get behind the team like the old days.

Iv'e also seen this team go stone cold and get bullied. They can not get to the foul line nor get offensive rebounds.  They need that player who can get to the line when needed, and break other teams runs with toughness the way Paul Pierce used too.  Kyrie can on occasion carry them, but let's face it. He is never healthy and therefore disrupts chemistry though lack of team consistency.

Why are these players always taking days off? The 86 Celtics didn't take days off like this?

[Jiri Welsch]

It’s the audience’s fault that the orchestra played poorly.

[goz421]

If you have watched the C's for 20 plus years, as I have you would notice that in the past when a player got hammered, and the game was close, and there was no call, the ref would feel for their safety as the crowd would erupt. I don't see that anymore.

The C's game is now like a family picnic. I saw Hayward get knocked to the floor the other day and it was ho hum.. To much Boston winning I think.

[ozgod]

Having been to games this season as well as past seasons the crowd has been loud as it always is, it's one of the better crowds in the NBA when it comes to a) showing up to the games and b) getting involved. Obviously when the team gives up big leads it's harder for the crowd to get into it. That's on the team to play better.

[goz421]

 If you have been a ref you know how much that home crowd can sway a game. Why do you think home court is such a great advantage in all sports? Part of it is familiiarity, bu the other part was the crowd. Did you to notice the players commenting on the crowd int he SuperBowl?

[goz421]

Having been to games this season as well as past seasons the crowd has been loud as it always is, it's one of the better crowds in the NBA when it comes to a) showing up to the games and b) getting involved. Obviously when the team gives up big leads it's harder for the crowd to get into it. That's on the team to play better.

Iv'e noticed a big difference. I don't feel the fans behind this team the way they need to be.

[PhoSita]

I think the lack of free throws are a feature of Brad's system.

I'm not exactly sure how or why, but it's been a consistent trend over the years, with the lone exception of IT, who garnered tons of free throws two years ago during his peak season.

I wonder if it comes as a result of the emphasis on always finding a better shot.  It seems to me that maybe getting to the free throw line, sometimes, is a matter of deciding to force a shot up against pressuring defenders and pressuring the refs to call something.

If you're always passing the ball to somebody else that might be more open than you, that's generally a good thing -- open shots are better shots -- but it might also result in significantly fewer opportunities to draw contact.


I don't know.  Open shots are good and the Celts generate more than almost any other team in the league.  But free throws are vitally important as well, especially when your jumpers aren't falling and you want to maintain a lead.

[goz421]

Free throws control flow of a physical game. The Lakers commented in their run they got more physical with the Celtics.

[Roy H.]

The NBA experience is different now than in the 80s. There’s dancing and cheerleaders and hip hop, etc.  It’s a fun experience even for casual fans.

During the action, though, the crowd seems loud and invested to me. 

[KGBirdBias]

I said 10 games in that Stevens needed to emphasis getting to the FT at the start of games to set a tone. The first 5 possessions should be drives of dumps in the paint and anyone who doesn't should come out the game...period. That's not asking a lot of an NBA player to be aggressive. They can take 3s at any time in games but setting a physical inside out tone would help get others open shots later. But....🤷🏾‍♂️

[gpap]

Lol.

I've been to a few games.

I'll take the blame. Maybe that will make things easier now that the Celtics know the root cause of their issues.

[goz421]

Face it Boston was behind the Red Sox and Pats. We need get behind this team. Give them a nice lift. They need it. Booing is not helping.

[Donoghus]

Face it Boston was behind the Red Sox and Pats. We need get behind this team. Give them a nice lift. They need it. Booing is not helping.

Don't blow 28 point leads then.   

Crappy play leads to booing in any sports crowds.  If the Sox or Pats are getting lit up or there is lackluster play, they'll hear it from the crowd. 

[JBcat]

Went to a game earlier this year, and it was a big party. I watch the tv and I don't see that old home crowd hanging on every play. Feels like a Lakers game. Maybe we have become to used to winning. I have seen Hayward and Tatum getting hammered all year, and the crowd is silent. Let's face it, people hate Boston and there is no love for the Celtics.  Boston crowd needs to get behind the team like the old days.

Iv'e also seen this team go stone cold and get bullied. They can not get to the foul line nor get offensive rebounds.  They need that player who can get to the line when needed, and break other teams runs with toughness the way Paul Pierce used too.  Kyrie can on occasion carry them, but let's face it. He is never healthy and therefore disrupts chemistry though lack of team consistency.

Why are these players always taking days off? The 86 Celtics didn't take days off like this?

Actually players on the 86 Celtics say they could have easily won 70 plus games, but some games they coasted until the playoffs started. 

Through the course of a very long season most teams are going to have bumps in the road, and it’s better to look at the recent big picture instead of 1 or 2 games, but I am starting to think the rotations need to be adjusted again.

[goz421]

Face it Boston was behind the Red Sox and Pats. We need get behind this team. Give them a nice lift. They need it. Booing is not helping.

Don't blow 28 point leads then.   

Crappy play leads to booing in any sports crowds.  If the Sox or Pats are getting lit up or there is lackluster play, they'll hear it from the crowd.

Not saying they didn't deserve it at end of the game. I'm saying there was no life when they collapsed. No momentum swings. Was like watching a funeral.