Pathetic effort for the second game in a row. Getting outworked and outhustled by guys that have been slugs all year like Korver, Hill and Thompson.
Many here fail to give the Cavs credit. They're playing well, hustling and still have LeBron. Their rebounding really gives the Celtics problems.
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That might have a little something to do with them going big and us refusing to respond and staying small, all while switching everything and gifting them mismatches to exploit left and right.
I'd like to see someone ask Brad about that post game.
Which part?
I'm more frustrated with the switching scheme than the staying small. I think that smaller lineup can still work against their bigger lineup if guys are hitting their shots, but that we kept up with the switching of Rozier on Bron and allowed single coverage for the vast majority of the last two games is just mind-boggling.
They asked him about it. He said the numbers say it's more effective to switch than not.
A) LOL
B) How do those numbers look after tonight?
C) It's not even like they were forcing most of the switches; we were walking into half of them and giving them what they wanted without a fight. That's not the "spirit" or the point of switching; you still try to fight through it as much as possible and only switch when necessary.
So frustrating. That just reeks of a coach that is too invested in his own scheme/what the "analytics" tell him to see the empirical evidence right in front of him that contradicts his style.
I dunno if it's Brad's fault if Brown doesn't fight past a screen to stay on LeBron and make sure Rozier isn't stuck with him. That's something Brown needs to learn. In the regular season you could bench him for that.
but now? It's too deep in the playoffs. And the team was at least somewhat unglued on the road again. The defensive focus isn't there like it will be once the young guys get more experience. Comes with the territory. But it should improve.
Tommy made an interesting point post game saying the switching makes it harder to keep Thompson off the boards because someone's always late finding him in time to box him out. Thompson killed them tonight - as he has in the past.
The guy that seems like he has changed the series is Tristan Thompson. He is just a celtic killer with the off rebounding, def plays, garbage offense. 13 points and 12 boards for him tonight. I don't see WHY we don't bring Baynes in to counter him? Horford for whatever reason has trouble with TT on him.
For game 5, bring Baynes in to start. Let Brown start on Lebron (especially at home he will do better on D against him). Let Morris and smart come in early as the first two off the bench (Rozier and Tatum to the bench). Stay big in the lane. Stay attached to their other guys and don't let them have easy shots. Lebron is going to score 40 on whomever guards him, it almost doesn't matter. Stop the other guys from beating us like we did in games 1 and 2.