Jesus Says Cs Not Lacking Alpha-Dog (and more)

[ZoSo]

Jesus Says Cs Not Lacking Alpha-Dog

Ray Allen said coach Doc Rivers likes to have a balanced offense, and that’s why four Celtics are averaging in double figures in scoring in the playoffs — Allen, Garnett, Pierce and Rondo. “We have some guys that can take over a game. … It’s just what Doc dictates for us to do out there every possession of the game,” Allen said. “That is our system. We’ve got guys that can take the game over, believe me.”


Phil Jackson Comments on Cs Struggles

"The East is turning into quite a contest for the Celtics to get through," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said. "They had their way early in the season and I think the rest of their conference has caught up a lot with what they do.
"What happens is a lot of teams will copy what works with defending other players. They've been able to consistently hold one [of their three big scorers], maybe even two of them, sometimes three of them, down below their averages during road games. That's been a big difference."


Celtics Hear Critics, Respond to them

National pundits are jumping of the Celtics bandwagon by the bushel-full.

Three days ago Magic Johnson questioned their mental toughness during a TNT broadcast. Fellow panel member Charles Barkley jumped in, and the next night Kenny Smith opined that the Celtics don’t have someone capable of taking over the game on offense. Jim Rome also piled on, claiming that the Celtics don’t have someone capable of pulling the trigger.

Ray Allen, a tight smile on his face, agreed to disagree. “I don’t agree with that,” he said, before adding of the way the Celtics are supposed to move the ball, “that’s just the way we play.”

Rivers was a little more defiant. “I like what we do, I like our rotation, and whoever doesn’t like it, tough,” said the Celtics coach, who was equally dismissive of Rome’s trigger comment. “We’ve pulled the trigger pretty well this year,” he said. “We’re one of only (seven) teams that is still alive.

[CT34]

There is this rule I came up with when talking about the Celtics to my friends. I always forget to mention it here, the rule is called 20-20-20.  I lost sight of that 20-20-20 rule until one of my dear friend reminded me of it yesterday.  The Celtics aren't a team that require a 30 point per game player.  The Celtics are at their best when that have 3 player all around that 20 point mark. 

Most of friend always say "We need Paul to get us 30 and we need 25 from KG"  No that's not the case, the Celtics is a balance team both on offense and defense.  When they are off balance they tend to not do so good. 

Last night game was a prefect example of the 20-20-20 rule. The Celtics had 3 players hit the 20 point mark last night. Pierce(29), KG (26), and Rondo (20).

So I agree with Ray Allen, the Celtics system is the type of system that requires 1 person to take over.  It requires 20-20-20 balance. 

[ZoSo]

Yeah, I hear ya.

I say Bill Walton Ball (circa 1977) definitely works for the Cs at home.

I'm still struggling with what to think on the road.

Role players rarely step up on the road in the playoffs (obviously, BBD and the gang stepped up during the regular season on the road). So I remain dubious about Bill Walton Ball on the road.

I'm of a mind (55-45 at the moment) to think goal #1 for game six should be to start feeding Ray early and keep feeding him the whole game, and let him figure out when to pass.

Or maybe let him and KG play two-man ball, and have Pierce freelance.

But Bill Walton Ball got us this far.

I guess we keep on goin' wit it.

[nickagneta]

Good to see that Jesus said that the Celtics aren't lacking anything.

I always knew God was a Celtics fan. 

[Celtic]

I wholeheartedly agree with Ray, all of sudden guys like Magic, Kenny, and Barkley think they have found the Celtic's major flaw that everyone has missed this whole season, and now it's caught up to them. The Celtics do not need one guy to score 40 to win, that is why they are so much better than the other teams in the league. They have 3 guys capable of scoring 40, but when defenses adjust they don't have to continue to force bad looks (Lebron), they just move along to the next guy. Well executed team basketball will beat 1 on 1 ball any day.