2021-22 Celtics Playoffs Discussion

[Phantom255x]

Sadly the 2018 ECF is the one blemish, but when the C's go up 2-0 in a playoff series, they are something like 40-1 in the series last I read.

No doubt, a win in Game 2 would be massive for our chances to win the series. One game at a time.

[Vermont Green]

Our first unit (Smart, Brown, Tatum, Theis, Horford) was +11 in 14 minutes.  Our kind of 1B unit (Smart, White, Brown, Tatum, Horford) was +7 in 13 minutes.

We got killed when the bench players started to come in.  We need to adjust and tighten up on Dragic and Mills in particular.  Pritchard and GWill are young players that seemed to be overwhelmed.  Maybe game 2 they will settle in some.  If we can hold serve with our bench against their bench, we win game 1 by nearly 20 points.

Let's see what adjustments the coaching staff puts in to address this.  We have several days to work on things.

I think the answer might be to see a little less of Grant Williams and more of Theis and maybe some of Nesmith.  This may be the one team where we need to play more with 1 big since that is how BKN lines up (Durant as the second "big").

[jpotter33]

While Brooklyn will adjust, I get a sense the biggest adjustment will be on Boston’s side with less nerves holding us back. You could tell everyone was amped up yesterday, and I think that was a primary factor in many of the mistakes and missed bunnies.

Yeah, KD will likely not shoot that poorly again, but I don’t think it’s going to be some huge, major shift that swings the series toward them, as that tough D will still be pressuring him. Further, Kyrie isn’t going to score 18 in the 4th every game, they’re not going to shoot 55+% every game, and their role players are not going to play as well as they did.

To be honest, I felt like we played a fairly average game, yet did just enough of the little things to win.

[Phantom255x]

Our first unit (Smart, Brown, Tatum, Theis, Horford) was +11 in 14 minutes.  Our kind of 1B unit (Smart, White, Brown, Tatum, Horford) was +7 in 13 minutes.

We got killed when the bench players started to come in.  We need to adjust and tighten up on Dragic and Mills in particular.  Pritchard and GWill are young players that seemed to be overwhelmed.  Maybe game 2 they will settle in some.  If we can hold serve with our bench against their bench, we win game 1 by nearly 20 points.

Let's see what adjustments the coaching staff puts in to address this.  We have several days to work on things.

I think the answer might be to see a little less of Grant Williams and more of Theis and maybe some of Nesmith.  This may be the one team where we need to play more with 1 big since that is how BKN lines up (Durant as the second "big").

Yeah between G-Will, White and Pritchard we're going to need a little more. White in particular was not good yesterday.

[SparzWizard]

Crazy how Game 1 ending could impact the entire series...esp if it drags on to 7 games.

I hope we blow them out in G2.

[Phantom255x]

Crazy how Game 1 ending could impact the entire series...esp if it drags on to 7 games.

I hope we blow them out in G2.

One encouraging thing for me was the C's seemed to be the team capable of going up a ton while the Nets even in their hot stretches never seemed to gain separation. Now I wish the C's wouldn't blow those leads but if they tighten it up and play their usual game they have a good chance of at least 1, possibly 2 blowout wins at some point this series.

I think Game 2 though will be pretty close again. I think the Nets know with the team they have they can't afford to fall behind 2-0

[#1P4P]

The bench performed like it was a road playoff game. Grant and White missed open looks yesterday, the White/Grant/Pritchard combo was 10 points below their season average, and Pritchard’s pt was reduced to 8 minutes.

bench regression is notorious in the playoffs and stars and starters have to pickup the slack. The starters putting up 98 points to do just that shows that they can still get it done if need be

I expect them to rebound and ignite a blowout in G2.

[nickagneta]

One thing that needs to be addressed with the bench rotation is Udoka cannot leave in Pritchard and White if Kyrie is in the game. That was a very real issue yesterday.

Now Ime did seem to see that yesterday in the 4th during the Nets run, called timeout and Brown and Smart came back in, but if Kyrie is out there, you need Smart or Brown out there to cover him.

[sgrogan]

One thing that needs to be addressed with the bench rotation is Udoka cannot leave in Pritchard and White if Kyrie is in the game. That was a very real issue yesterday.

Now Ime did seem to see that yesterday in the 4th during the Nets run, called timeout and Brown and Smart came back in, but if Kyrie is out there, you need Smart or Brown out there to cover him.

Well that's tough with our roster.
We were a 8 1/2 man rotation with RWIII. We are 7 1/2 without him.
It going to be hard to get  the 8 -10 minutes we need from Pritchard. I don't like Brown + Pritchard, so we have Smart + Pritchard when Kyrie is on the court (4 of 42 min) and White + Pritchard (6 min) when Kyrie is off. I'm not against trying, but it seems they dictate our rotation.
I guess Brown + White works. But that means Smart + Pritchard more.

[colincb]

Sadly the 2018 ECF is the one blemish, but when the C's go up 2-0 in a playoff series, they are something like 40-1 in the series last I read.

No doubt, a win in Game 2 would be massive for our chances to win the series. One game at a time.

The Nets had the worst home record of any EC playoff team at 20-21. If we lose, we're still in it. If we win, the Nets are in very deep ...

[radiohead]

Sadly the 2018 ECF is the one blemish, but when the C's go up 2-0 in a playoff series, they are something like 40-1 in the series last I read.

No doubt, a win in Game 2 would be massive for our chances to win the series. One game at a time.

The Nets had the worst home record of any EC playoff team at 20-21. If we lose, we're still in it. If we win, the Nets are in very deep ...

Kyrie sat out a chunk of their home games though?

[jambr380]

Sadly the 2018 ECF is the one blemish, but when the C's go up 2-0 in a playoff series, they are something like 40-1 in the series last I read.

No doubt, a win in Game 2 would be massive for our chances to win the series. One game at a time.

The Nets had the worst home record of any EC playoff team at 20-21. If we lose, we're still in it. If we win, the Nets are in very deep ...

You do realize one glaring factor in their home record this season, right? Like, a player that may not have been allowed to play due to certain local ordinances?

[colincb]

Sadly the 2018 ECF is the one blemish, but when the C's go up 2-0 in a playoff series, they are something like 40-1 in the series last I read.

No doubt, a win in Game 2 would be massive for our chances to win the series. One game at a time.

The Nets had the worst home record of any EC playoff team at 20-21. If we lose, we're still in it. If we win, the Nets are in very deep ...

You do realize one glaring factor in their home record this season, right? Like, a player that may not have been allowed to play due to certain local ordinances?

They still had KD and Harden.

[Roy H.]

Sean Grande
@SeanGrandePBP
The Nets shot 53.8% in Game 1 Sunday, that's the 3rd best shooting night against the NBA's #1 defense all year.

But this...the Celtics had lost 16 straight and 36 of 37 games when giving up a number that high.

[gouki88]

Sean Grande
@SeanGrandePBP
The Nets shot 53.8% in Game 1 Sunday, that's the 3rd best shooting night against the NBA's #1 defense all year.

But this...the Celtics had lost 16 straight and 36 of 37 games when giving up a number that high.

Yeah, I was astonished by how well the likes of Dragic and Curry shot the ball. Even Claxton was good from the field (woeful at the free throw line though).

Doubt it happens again.