I blame the loss on the SMALL Three

[paintitgreen]

Cswin17, I agree with your superstar theory but don't think officiating has anything to do with it and think it is irrelevant to your argument. Atlanta doesn't have a superstar and they got far more calls against us than Cleveland is getting. While there have been some bad calls, I think this Cleveland series has been officiated superbly. It's even all around - they're not calling anything in the paint on either side, which makes it even tougher to get in there against these good defenses, and they've been very good about no-calls on minimal contact. I was expecting Lebron to get a ton of ridiculous calls, but honestly, I don't think he is. It's pretty much even all the way around. It simply comes down to our players aren't executing when they have the chances and our coach isn't giving them the chances late in games.

[Cswin17]

painitgreen, you're right in that I haven't seen that the Cs have much of a 4th gear during the playoff, so their execution does seem off, comparatively.  Their entire season they have played with a good effort, and it may be that they can't play much harder, whereas other teams are turning it up a notch.  Other than that, I do think that officiating plays a part in their trouble.  It makes the most sense to explain the difference between their problems now and during the regular season.    Poor play by the Cs can provide some of the factors for 4 straight home losses, but I doubt the team would do so badly through two series unless they are missing something about the way the post-season is different from the regular season.  Again, it is not a conspiracy, but simply the nature of the playoffs.  The team's strategy needs to accommodate it.  I think that some preference in officiating goes to the home team, as well as to those with star power, which explains the reason that Atlanta got so many calls.  And I don't think that the refs pre-judge, so of course Lebron-- as well as any player or team-- isn't going to get ALL the calls.  Within the way that the game is now being called, the refs are actually quite fair, but I'm not sure I like the innate bias.  I think it is done for purposes of marketing.
Given that, it would be quite something if the Cs became the first team to win the championship solely with home games-- though I doubt that they can avoid at least one or two slip-ups.  Stern would probably like to see a Celtics-Lakers finals, but the bias of the game offers preferences for stars and home markets, not certainties.  We shall see if Doc has the plan to accommodate the uphill path that they must take to win in the post season, and if the players are up to it.  So far, it doesn't look too good-- iffy at best.  The real test will come on the road, though the home wins are now imperative.

[CT34]

The truth of the matter is this: Our star players aren't making plays.  You can blame the coach, refs, the cavs D.  KG, Paul and Ray haven't step up their game.  We need Paul Pierce to play like Lebron James.  Lebron notice it's going to be hard to get this jumper going so he's been going to the basketball and setting his teammates up.  That what Paul Pierce should do.  He first shot always seem to be a 3 point shot.  Paul Pierce is letting Lebron James off the hook on the defensive end.  Paul must make Lebron defend. 

KG should be hurting the Cavs in the paint but for some crazy reason KG shot better from the out-side.  The closer he gets to the basket the worst his fg % is.  Somehow KG has to get better around the basket.

Another person who need to step it and I think the way he plays it closely related tot he way KG is playing and that is Perk.  Perk needs to play like he did in game 7 of the Atlanta series.

The player need to step up tonight.