Celtics got lucky tonight.

[payjo]

I'll take the Lakers scoring less than 90 7 days a week and twice on Sunday....and that isn't luck, thats the #1 defense in the league.

[nickagneta]

Celtics played half a game in the finals and won. 


That's some amazing luck.  (and I will take it)


But from this point on, the Celtics need to play their level of defense all game long. 


1st game jitters in the 1st half caused the defense to break down.  Fine.


just don't let it happen again. 



2nd half showed what this Celtics team can (and did in the regular season) do to this Lakers team. 

Dude, are you ever going to be happy and enjoy all of this?

Luck had nothing to do with tonight's win. The Celtics played down to the level of LA's competition in the first half and played their game in the second half. There are going to be tough quarters and inconsistent halves.

This is the Finals and the Lakers are a great team. We will probably lose 2-3 games. This is a war and we won the first battle because we were tougher and more determined and had more heart.

That's not luck.

Not even close.

I am happy. 


The Celtics were lucky to be that close going into the half the way the defense played. 

They played great the second half and won the game. 

But they weren't lucky because of the way the offense played. There will be halves and quarters and games where the defense rules the day. But there will also be times when the defense is quite there and it's up to the offense to carry us through. That's what happened in the first half.

BTW didn't we hold the Lakers to something like 42% shooting in the first half? What is so bad about holding an offense that usually shoots 47.5% to 42%? The defense had some problems with the pick and roll and some interior rotations in the first half but that ws cleaned up after halftime.

They shot over 50% in the 1st half, under 40% in the second half.


The defense had problem being in the right spot in the 1st half.  They were allowing penetration. 


Celtics didn't play the level of defense they should in the 1st half against one of the top offenses, and was able to beat them in the 2nd half. 

Sorry, I thought I saw a stat shown between the 2nd and 3rd that had Celts shooting 44% and LA 42%. That was probably after the 3rd then.

Still there will be times when the defense will be not that good. If the offense keeps us in the game during those stretches that's not luck, that strength of character knowing that you still have to perform on the other end too.

Just my opinion. In games of these types the only way luck should be talked about is about the bounce of the ball in the wrong direction.

[wdleehi]

Celtics played half a game in the finals and won. 


That's some amazing luck.  (and I will take it)


But from this point on, the Celtics need to play their level of defense all game long. 


1st game jitters in the 1st half caused the defense to break down.  Fine.


just don't let it happen again. 



2nd half showed what this Celtics team can (and did in the regular season) do to this Lakers team. 

Dude, are you ever going to be happy and enjoy all of this?

Luck had nothing to do with tonight's win. The Celtics played down to the level of LA's competition in the first half and played their game in the second half. There are going to be tough quarters and inconsistent halves.

This is the Finals and the Lakers are a great team. We will probably lose 2-3 games. This is a war and we won the first battle because we were tougher and more determined and had more heart.

That's not luck.

Not even close.

I am happy. 


The Celtics were lucky to be that close going into the half the way the defense played. 

They played great the second half and won the game. 

But they weren't lucky because of the way the offense played. There will be halves and quarters and games where the defense rules the day. But there will also be times when the defense is quite there and it's up to the offense to carry us through. That's what happened in the first half.

BTW didn't we hold the Lakers to something like 42% shooting in the first half? What is so bad about holding an offense that usually shoots 47.5% to 42%? The defense had some problems with the pick and roll and some interior rotations in the first half but that ws cleaned up after halftime.

They shot over 50% in the 1st half, under 40% in the second half.


The defense had problem being in the right spot in the 1st half.  They were allowing penetration. 


Celtics didn't play the level of defense they should in the 1st half against one of the top offenses, and was able to beat them in the 2nd half. 

Sorry, I thought I saw a stat shown between the 2nd and 3rd that had Celts shooting 44% and LA 42%. That was probably after the 3rd then.

Still there will be times when the defense will be not that good. If the offense keeps us in the game during those stretches that's not luck, that strength of character knowing that you still have to perform on the other end too.

Just my opinion. In games of these types the only way luck should be talked about is about the bounce of the ball in the wrong direction.

I agree that the defense isn't (and doesn't have to be) as good as the 2nd half all the time for the Celtics to win.


But it can't be like the 1st half again.  The Lakers are to good for that.


But like I said, I figure it has a lot to do with game 1 jitters.  It just took a half to work it out.  We shouldn't see that again.

[nickagneta]

As an aside, if luck gets us 3 more wins.....I'm down with that!

GO CELTICS!!!!

[DutchHoops]

I say the Lakers got lucky that the C's don't use the opportunities they get for running away. Every time they get ahead by a few and get possesion after excellent D, they miss a few shots or produce some turnovers. Why can't they make the kill when they should, so much better for my heartrate....
Fantastic 4th, by the way, bench and all.

[wdleehi]

As an aside, if luck gets us 3 more wins.....I'm down with that!

GO CELTICS!!!!

If it is luck that gets them the three wins, that fine.



I just don't think that it will be luck that gets the next three wins. 

[BASSTHUMPER]

if i spit my game rite i might get lucky too~

"excuse me shorty"~

[bandonox]

sure... luck....
cuz most teams with a week off don't come out of the gate a little slow. seriously...
why would one entertain this ridiculous notion.
luck.
ha.

[Bahku]

While "luck" certainly applies to things like poker and gambling, I don't quite buy it for basketball ... unless when assessing what officials we end up with, etc. I know where you're coming from here and understand the sentiment, but I'm just not sold on "luck" in a sport like hoops.

[ChainSmokingLikeDino]

Celtics played half a game in the finals and won. 


That's some amazing luck.  (and I will take it)


But from this point on, the Celtics need to play their level of defense all game long. 


1st game jitters in the 1st half caused the defense to break down.  Fine.


just don't let it happen again. 



2nd half showed what this Celtics team can (and did in the regular season) do to this Lakers team. 

The Celtics entered the second half down 5 points. 5. The Lakers ARE a good team. They had a few shots that could have/should have fallen in the first, a couple ridiculous calls (the charge against the C's, on who? too late in the evening to remember  ) But, my point is, to be down only 5 at the half to that team isn't luck. They played well, we played not bad. Not great but simply ok. The C's played very well in the 2nd half and took control and closed the game out. But lets give credit where credit is due. I understand your position, that if they play that first half again they might not get away with it, but then say it, don't give us this lucky junk. Did The Celtics respond? Yes. Did they play a great second half? Yes. They weren't "lucky" to win this game, they earned it in every respect.

[cdif911]

there was no roulette wheel that determined the outcome of this game.  The Celtics worked harder than the Lakers.  The Celtics experienced a magical, epic sports moment from their captain and fed off of it.  The Celtis worked harder than their opponent on both ends of the floor and came up with a win.  I know you say you're happy about the win, but why try to find a negative when there really isn't one.  If the Celtics play at the level they were at in game 1, I believe they will win the title.  Can they play even better?  Yes.  If they play even better, they will also win the title.  Optomism rocks.

[Roy Hobbs]

Eh...  people are making too much of the "luck" thing.  I don't think he was saying this was some random occurrence.

What he's saying is that we're *fortunate* to have been in a position to win, after the way our defense played in the first half.  There's probably something to that.

The great thing is, if we play our best game the Lakers can't even hang with us.  Screw the media, we're just a better team.

[CoachBo]

I don't know if I'd go so far as to call it lucky.  They were getting burned pretty badly one basic play over and over again.  They adjusted, then it turned into Kobe-fest and they D'd up great on that.  Offensively I have no problems with what they were doing.  I don't think the Lakers were bothering them much.  If KG doesn't go cold, this game was over much sooner than it was.

When the game was up for grabs. they grabbed it.

TP, agree totally. I don't see this as luck at all.

I see the game as defensive adjustments and exposing some very obvious Laker weaknesses - defense in general, especially in the paint, rebounding, etc. If Garnett shoots normally, we win by 20.

[TrueGreen]

wdleehi---I don't think the Celtics got lucky at all. They've played this way all thru the playoffs. The just can't seem to get 48 consistent minutes of offense or defense. But, due to their character they came up big and TOOK this game, despite all the problems. It wasn't luck at all.

[celticmaestro]

I don't know if I'd go so far as to call it lucky.  They were getting burned pretty badly one basic play over and over again.  They adjusted, then it turned into Kobe-fest and they D'd up great on that.  Offensively I have no problems with what they were doing.  I don't think the Lakers were bothering them much.  If KG doesn't go cold, this game was over much sooner than it was.

When the game was up for grabs. they grabbed it.

well said redz.

kg really needs to maintain that attitude he came out with at the beginning of the game throughout the whole game.