Time To Panic? I Think So

[gouki88]

Denver appear to be having the same problem. Oh the drudgery of trying to end the regular season 

Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone was critical of his team's effort following Tuesday night's 125-110 loss to the Toronto Raptors, saying that being in first place for so long has made them complacent.

The slumping Nuggets (46-23), who have lost four straight but maintain a four-game lead in the Western Conference, are winless since a March 6 home victory over the Raptors.

"Right now we're just in chill mode, and you can't be in chill mode with 13 games to go in the season," Malone said. "We've got to try to find a way to get our swagger back."

"Maybe we've gotten a little soft with success," Malone said. "We've been on cruise control for so long, No. 1 in the West since like December 15. I just told our players we've gotten away from who we are."

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35861978/michael-malone-slump-nuggets-cruise-control

A little bit of adversity for the Cs to teach them some humility and give them a sense of their own mortality before the playoffs might not be a bad thing. Just as long as they can dig themselves out of it that is 

Or maybe teams are ramping up and actually exerting the effort to exploit Jokic defensively more now.

Why would they only start doing that at the end of the season, especially when some of these teams are actively tanking? Illogical explanation given this has been something teams have sought to do against Jokic for 5 years

Edit: you beat me to do it. This was a swing and a miss on an off the wall strategy of bashing jokic. I will give credit for the creativity of the spurs ramping up their defense at this point of the season.

It is quite curious. The Spurs, in a 3 way race for the best odds at who looks like a generational talent in Wembenyama, decide to go all out against the #1 Nuggets, because... ?

Because the bottom 3 teams all have the same odds for the #1 pick.  The Spurs are 4 games off of Charlotte of #4, so trying to win a game or two won’t hurt them.  Same thing with Houston.

I think it's a bit risky given Charlotte have played a couple more games and have a similarly tough run home, especially if SAS keep doing things like pushing playoff teams to OT like they did against Dallas. I think with something like form it can get away from a team quickly, positively or negatively, and the Spurs could quickly jump to #4 odds.

[celticsclay]

Denver appear to be having the same problem. Oh the drudgery of trying to end the regular season 

Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone was critical of his team's effort following Tuesday night's 125-110 loss to the Toronto Raptors, saying that being in first place for so long has made them complacent.

The slumping Nuggets (46-23), who have lost four straight but maintain a four-game lead in the Western Conference, are winless since a March 6 home victory over the Raptors.

"Right now we're just in chill mode, and you can't be in chill mode with 13 games to go in the season," Malone said. "We've got to try to find a way to get our swagger back."

"Maybe we've gotten a little soft with success," Malone said. "We've been on cruise control for so long, No. 1 in the West since like December 15. I just told our players we've gotten away from who we are."

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35861978/michael-malone-slump-nuggets-cruise-control

A little bit of adversity for the Cs to teach them some humility and give them a sense of their own mortality before the playoffs might not be a bad thing. Just as long as they can dig themselves out of it that is 

Or maybe teams are ramping up and actually exerting the effort to exploit Jokic defensively more now.

Why would they only start doing that at the end of the season, especially when some of these teams are actively tanking? Illogical explanation given this has been something teams have sought to do against Jokic for 5 years

Edit: you beat me to do it. This was a swing and a miss on an off the wall strategy of bashing jokic. I will give credit for the creativity of the spurs ramping up their defense at this point of the season.

It is quite curious. The Spurs, in a 3 way race for the best odds at who looks like a generational talent in Wembenyama, decide to go all out against the #1 Nuggets, because... ?

Because the bottom 3 teams all have the same odds for the #1 pick.  The Spurs are 4 games off of Charlotte of #4, so trying to win a game or two won’t hurt them.  Same thing with Houston.

I think it's a bit risky given Charlotte have played a couple more games and have a similarly tough run home, especially if SAS keep doing things like pushing playoff teams to OT like they did against Dallas. I think with something like form it can get away from a team quickly, positively or negatively, and the Spurs could quickly jump to #4 odds.

Also the spurs sat three starters tonight. They definitely are not going all out to try and beat jokic to teach him some arbitrary lesson. It’s a pretty ludicrous concept that we have already given to much oxygen. The biggest problem for the nuggets has actually been murray. He has cost them at least two of the games during the skid. They need him back in form to compete.

[ozgod]

Denver appear to be having the same problem. Oh the drudgery of trying to end the regular season 

Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone was critical of his team's effort following Tuesday night's 125-110 loss to the Toronto Raptors, saying that being in first place for so long has made them complacent.

The slumping Nuggets (46-23), who have lost four straight but maintain a four-game lead in the Western Conference, are winless since a March 6 home victory over the Raptors.

"Right now we're just in chill mode, and you can't be in chill mode with 13 games to go in the season," Malone said. "We've got to try to find a way to get our swagger back."

"Maybe we've gotten a little soft with success," Malone said. "We've been on cruise control for so long, No. 1 in the West since like December 15. I just told our players we've gotten away from who we are."

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35861978/michael-malone-slump-nuggets-cruise-control

A little bit of adversity for the Cs to teach them some humility and give them a sense of their own mortality before the playoffs might not be a bad thing. Just as long as they can dig themselves out of it that is 

Or maybe teams are ramping up and actually exerting the effort to exploit Jokic defensively more now.

Why would they only start doing that at the end of the season, especially when some of these teams are actively tanking? Illogical explanation given this has been something teams have sought to do against Jokic for 5 years

Edit: you beat me to do it. This was a swing and a miss on an off the wall strategy of bashing jokic. I will give credit for the creativity of the spurs ramping up their defense at this point of the season.

It is quite curious. The Spurs, in a 3 way race for the best odds at who looks like a generational talent in Wembenyama, decide to go all out against the #1 Nuggets, because... ?

Because the bottom 3 teams all have the same odds for the #1 pick.  The Spurs are 4 games off of Charlotte of #4, so trying to win a game or two won’t hurt them.  Same thing with Houston.

I think it's a bit risky given Charlotte have played a couple more games and have a similarly tough run home, especially if SAS keep doing things like pushing playoff teams to OT like they did against Dallas. I think with something like form it can get away from a team quickly, positively or negatively, and the Spurs could quickly jump to #4 odds.

I've always felt that players want to win, no matter if they're in a tanking team or one that's in a draft lottery sweepstakes...you could see from the faces on the Rockets how much the win against us and against the Fakers meant to them. Same goes for the coach, it takes lot of willpower to act contrary to your will to win. I think it's the FO that makes the strategic decision to lose by constructing a team that sucks, and making an executive decision to hold players out, so that they can't win even if they tried  Though they do get lucky now and then 

[gouki88]

Denver appear to be having the same problem. Oh the drudgery of trying to end the regular season 

Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone was critical of his team's effort following Tuesday night's 125-110 loss to the Toronto Raptors, saying that being in first place for so long has made them complacent.

The slumping Nuggets (46-23), who have lost four straight but maintain a four-game lead in the Western Conference, are winless since a March 6 home victory over the Raptors.

"Right now we're just in chill mode, and you can't be in chill mode with 13 games to go in the season," Malone said. "We've got to try to find a way to get our swagger back."

"Maybe we've gotten a little soft with success," Malone said. "We've been on cruise control for so long, No. 1 in the West since like December 15. I just told our players we've gotten away from who we are."

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35861978/michael-malone-slump-nuggets-cruise-control

A little bit of adversity for the Cs to teach them some humility and give them a sense of their own mortality before the playoffs might not be a bad thing. Just as long as they can dig themselves out of it that is 

Or maybe teams are ramping up and actually exerting the effort to exploit Jokic defensively more now.

Why would they only start doing that at the end of the season, especially when some of these teams are actively tanking? Illogical explanation given this has been something teams have sought to do against Jokic for 5 years

Edit: you beat me to do it. This was a swing and a miss on an off the wall strategy of bashing jokic. I will give credit for the creativity of the spurs ramping up their defense at this point of the season.

It is quite curious. The Spurs, in a 3 way race for the best odds at who looks like a generational talent in Wembenyama, decide to go all out against the #1 Nuggets, because... ?

Because the bottom 3 teams all have the same odds for the #1 pick.  The Spurs are 4 games off of Charlotte of #4, so trying to win a game or two won’t hurt them.  Same thing with Houston.

I think it's a bit risky given Charlotte have played a couple more games and have a similarly tough run home, especially if SAS keep doing things like pushing playoff teams to OT like they did against Dallas. I think with something like form it can get away from a team quickly, positively or negatively, and the Spurs could quickly jump to #4 odds.

Also the spurs sat three starters tonight. They definitely are not going all out to try and beat jokic to teach him some arbitrary lesson. It’s a pretty ludicrous concept that we have already given to much oxygen. The biggest problem for the nuggets has actually been murray. He has cost them at least two of the games during the skid. They need him back in form to compete.

I completely agree about Murray. I actually think his pathetic PnR defence has been the big issue of his - he is as effective as a cone out there, which is unacceptable for a team with Jokic who struggles in space. His inability to even try and fight through screens causes so many issues.

[Kernewek]

Denver appear to be having the same problem. Oh the drudgery of trying to end the regular season 

Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone was critical of his team's effort following Tuesday night's 125-110 loss to the Toronto Raptors, saying that being in first place for so long has made them complacent.

The slumping Nuggets (46-23), who have lost four straight but maintain a four-game lead in the Western Conference, are winless since a March 6 home victory over the Raptors.

"Right now we're just in chill mode, and you can't be in chill mode with 13 games to go in the season," Malone said. "We've got to try to find a way to get our swagger back."

"Maybe we've gotten a little soft with success," Malone said. "We've been on cruise control for so long, No. 1 in the West since like December 15. I just told our players we've gotten away from who we are."

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35861978/michael-malone-slump-nuggets-cruise-control

A little bit of adversity for the Cs to teach them some humility and give them a sense of their own mortality before the playoffs might not be a bad thing. Just as long as they can dig themselves out of it that is 

Or maybe teams are ramping up and actually exerting the effort to exploit Jokic defensively more now.

Why would they only start doing that at the end of the season, especially when some of these teams are actively tanking? Illogical explanation given this has been something teams have sought to do against Jokic for 5 years

Edit: you beat me to do it. This was a swing and a miss on an off the wall strategy of bashing jokic. I will give credit for the creativity of the spurs ramping up their defense at this point of the season.

It is quite curious. The Spurs, in a 3 way race for the best odds at who looks like a generational talent in Wembenyama, decide to go all out against the #1 Nuggets, because... ?

Because the bottom 3 teams all have the same odds for the #1 pick.  The Spurs are 4 games off of Charlotte of #4, so trying to win a game or two won’t hurt them.  Same thing with Houston.

I think it's a bit risky given Charlotte have played a couple more games and have a similarly tough run home, especially if SAS keep doing things like pushing playoff teams to OT like they did against Dallas. I think with something like form it can get away from a team quickly, positively or negatively, and the Spurs could quickly jump to #4 odds.

I've always felt that players want to win, no matter if they're in a tanking team or one that's in a draft lottery sweepstakes...you could see from the faces on the Rockets how much the win against us and against the Fakers meant to them. Same goes for the coach, it takes lot of willpower to act contrary to your will to win. I think it's the FO that makes the strategic decision to lose by constructing a team that sucks, and making an executive decision to hold players out, so that they can't win even if they tried  Though they do get lucky now and then 

Of course they do - imagine a workplace where, by the act of losing, you're actively working towards helping your boss get the best possible replacement for you.

[Neurotic Guy]

The Houston 2nd round pick is a pretty valuable pick and if I were Houston, well, it's just a matter of staying where you are relative to SAS.  I don't know how the tiebreaker on that would work but I'd love to see the C's get that pick.  Houston needs to keep the train rolling -- 2 straight, need a few more.

[Roy H.]

The Houston 2nd round pick is a pretty valuable pick and if I were Houston, well, it's just a matter of staying where you are relative to SAS.  I don't know how the tiebreaker on that would work but I'd love to see the C's get that pick.  Houston needs to keep the train rolling -- 2 straight, need a few more.

If they are tied at #32, I think it's a simple coin flip.  If Houston wins the flip, their pick (#32) goes to Indiana.  If Houston loses the flip, their pick (#33) goes to Boston.

Portland's slide has helped us, to the point where there isn't a ton of separation between the two picks.  If we get #33, great.  If not, Portland's pick is tied for #36 right now.

[tenn_smoothie]

"And throughout the season, you’re gonna have adversity. We’ve played pretty good basketball most of the year, and this is a time where you tighten up, you fix some of these things, some of these issues, or it goes the other way."

I think Al is right on here, and his worldview bridges the "panic" vs. "nothing to see here, it's a long season" groups. 

Basically, the team has played well overall, and is in good position.  However, there are real problems that need fixing.  If those issues aren't fixed, it's possible for the season to "go the other way", leaving the Celts well short of their goals.

My biggest concern is that these "problems that need fixing" don't seem to be important issues to Mazzulla.
He gives the impression of being in denial about the team's struggles.
Either that or he wants a completely different type of team than last season.

Lose a game because of bad 3-point shooting ? Joe's postgame is that we didn't shoot enough 3's ?
Opponent scores 120+ points ? Joe does not address the mediocre effort or the loss of our defensive identity.

Everyone criticizes Mazzulla's in-game coaching flaws, of which he has many.
My concern goes deeper in that I don't see improvements in problem areas from game to game. What are they doing in practice or in film study ? Why has the offense gone from lots of movement and variety during the first part of the season to reverting to the ever-present problem of players standing around while one dribbler goes iso and turns the ball over or takes a bad shot - the team is especially prone to this when they are playing a tight game late in the 4th quarter. The offense is so hard to watch most of the time. What happened to our calling card from last year - a pressure, scrambling defense with plenty of weak side help because everyone was on the same page ? Shot selection has deteriorated as the season has progressed with quick 3's often contested.

Joe's apologists keep harping on the overall record, most of which was achieved in the first half of the season based on offense that was unsustainable. The longer Joe coaches this team, the worse they have played.

I do not see the Celtics ever winning a title with this coach.
I fear that Brad will waste valuable time making a change.
The waste of talent is more than depressing.

[Neurotic Guy]

The Houston 2nd round pick is a pretty valuable pick and if I were Houston, well, it's just a matter of staying where you are relative to SAS.  I don't know how the tiebreaker on that would work but I'd love to see the C's get that pick.  Houston needs to keep the train rolling -- 2 straight, need a few more.

If they are tied at #32, I think it's a simple coin flip.  If Houston wins the flip, their pick (#32) goes to Indiana.  If Houston loses the flip, their pick (#33) goes to Boston.

Portland's slide has helped us, to the point where there isn't a ton of separation between the two picks.  If we get #33, great.  If not, Portland's pick is tied for #36 right now.

Thanks Roy. I didn’t know Houston didn’t own the pick regardless. No incentive for Houston to lose as long as they stay in bottom 3 for  wembanyama. 

[Phantom255x]

Back on the panic train

This team is sinking and the coach is lost. Also wondering if there’ll be chemistry issues down the stretch. A guy like Jaylen is probably becoming sick of being the #2 even in games where he’s clearly the much better player than Tatum yet never has plays drawn for him in the final seconds

[celticinorlando]

Team just can’t finish. No killer instinct. No heart.

[DocomoCelts]

We'll see what happens with the end of this season, but a look further on the horizon isn't encouraging:

Joe - Big question marks, notably on his play calling and lineup decisions. Buyer's remorse for Brad?

Tatum - Seems to go through the motions in stretches. Not convinced he's committed to build his legacy here, and can definitely see him going to the Lakers.

Brown - Some signals of disquiet with Boston from his NY Times interview, and likely keen on an alpha role somewhere even though I think he's still best suited as a strong no. 2.

All eyes on Brad.

[ozgod]

Sales of Gillette open razors jumping tomorrow? I hope we don’t see Phantom at the front of the line   

[ozgod]

Scal thinks the issue that is ailing the Cs is simple and I think he is 100% right.

As many are trying to figure out why the Celtics aren’t playing as well lately, NBC Sports Boston Celtics analyst Brian Scalabrine thinks there’s just one root to their issues.

“They’ve just got one problem: They don’t play that hard when they’re comfortable,” Scalabrine said on “The Lowe Post” podcast with ESPN’s Zach Lowe.

Scalabrine said that the Celtics playing too comfortably affects both ends of the court. Even though the Celtics are sixth in defensive rating (111.6) over their last 24 games, Scalabrine said he hasn’t seen the same intensity on the end of the court as he has in the past, at least on a consistent basis.

“They don’t guard at nearly the clip that they used to guard at,” Scalabrine said. “It used to be that everyone’s fighting to be the best defender on the team. It was a good rivalry … It used to be a thing. They used to take pride in guarding the ball. They used to take pride in shutting down the other team’s best player.

“I actually believe they have moments of that. But they’re far from, far from a 48-minute per game team that sits down defensively and really works on that side of the ball.”

“It was like almost overnight, they got a little lazy offensively,” Scalabrine said. “As in, ‘I don’t need to really do that extra stuff. I don’t really need to drive the ball two or three times. I could just get up and rise up and make the shot. Or I could just force a shot over a guy at the rim.’ And that went away. Those are fundamental things in the NBA that you have to do to be great.”

“The Celtics were relentless at drive-and-kicking and attacking,” Scalabrine added. “They’re not like that anymore.”

https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2023/03/18/brian-scalabrine-thinks-theres-just-one-issue-causing-the-celtics-recent-skid/?p1=hp_featurestack

If the players aren't coming out with the right mindset to execute, then it's ultimately on Joe to get them to do it. I posted earlier about Harvard Business School's Daniel Goleman and his Six Styles of Leadership. There are times when you can adopt a coaching leadership style, when you have guys that are all bought in to your vision and executing properly, so all you have to do is guide them and keep them on the right path and empower them. But if they've deviated from the path, of if there's a crisis, then you need to adopt another leadership style to be more authoritative to get them back on track. This is where Ime's "coaching them hard" paid dividends last year.

Joe will be the coach till the end of the season and beyond most likely. Let's hope he's isn't just a one-trick pony and he has the capacity to learn and adopt different leadership and coaching styles, like getting on them during the moments we don't see, like training and practice. He's only young at least.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Back on the panic train

This team is sinking and the coach is lost. Also wondering if there’ll be chemistry issues down the stretch. A guy like Jaylen is probably becoming sick of being the #2 even in games where he’s clearly the much better player than Tatum yet never has plays drawn for him in the final seconds

I think the Celtics believe that they can just flip the switch once the playoffs start, like magic leprechaun dust is gonna fall from the sky and they'll all be healthy and they'll play smart and make good decisions and hit most of their shots and everything will be hunky-dory just because the calendar flipped to "postseason."