So all of a sudden we forgot how to play defense?

[Spicoli]

Oh, I agree. I can't honestly recall ever seeing the level of any team's play that I was associated with deteriorate this much this rapidly.

There are any number of possible explanations, including effort and focus. But what there's no doubt about is that we will not win another game this year defending like this.

Rivers and Thibs have got to develop a solution. In a hurry.

I just ran past Rondo giving up twice on screens - when he ran into Davis blitzing before he got to the screens.

Since I played the point, I have a tendency to be pretty hard on the point guard so I'll leave it at this: I am very concerned about the precipitous drop-off in Rondo's play this week

Yep. We will not win another contest if something drastic doesn't change with the defense, and fast. I can live with us losing, but not with the way they're losing. That's what bothers me the most. During the first 3 games, that was a clinic on how to shut an opponent down. Defense personified. Shooters are smothered, passing lanes cut off, guys boxing out and rebounding. Now? Matt Barnes is standing all alone at the top of the key letting it rain. Pietrus, Redick, Williams, and Nelson all taking turns nailing wide open J's.

Doc and Thibs need to wake up!

[CoachBo]

This game is a lot simpler than fans like to believe.

Defend, rebound, move the basketball and good things happen - regardless of the whistles.

Not sure I'm ever going to understand how a team could just stop doing the basic fundamental things en masse, as this one has.

[FallGuy]

This game is a lot simpler than fans like to believe.

Defend, rebound, move the basketball and good things happen - regardless of the whistles.

Not sure I'm ever going to understand how a team could just stop doing the basic fundamental things en masse, as this one has.

Absolutely awful night on pretty much all fronts.

They're not playing well but... the reasons don't seem to be focus. I think they're out of gas. And dealing with multiple injuries.

For all the talk of hitting a switch, this was always one of my main worries - that there was little reason to believe the team would be healthier after 90 games than it was after 50.

Holding out hope but wow - a seismic shift in the series tonight.

[CoachBo]

This game is a lot simpler than fans like to believe.

Defend, rebound, move the basketball and good things happen - regardless of the whistles.

Not sure I'm ever going to understand how a team could just stop doing the basic fundamental things en masse, as this one has.

Absolutely awful night on pretty much all fronts.

They're not playing well but... the reasons don't seem to be focus. I think they're out of gas. And dealing with multiple injuries.

For all the talk of hitting a switch, this was always one of my main worries - that there was little reason to believe the team would be healthier after 90 games than it was after 50.

Holding out hope but wow - a seismic shift in the series tonight.

It might be injuries, but having watched that horrific exhibition of basketball twice, I'm not totally convinced that some nicks explain the fundamental defensive breakdowns of the last two games. It's not like Orlando just invented the screen and roll; we just have no idea - suddenly - how to defend it and we're not expending effort intelligently to defend it. Amazing.

Only way to know for sure is to be in the locker room.

Seismic is an excellent word for the dramatic downturn in the quality of our play.