Celtics (16-3) at Cavaliers (17-3) Game #20 12/1/24

[trickybilly]

Great effort from our B/C team to nearly take down the championship favourites.

[Birdman]

No brown, white or Horford and only loss by 4, Cavs should be embarrassed

[Neurotic Guy]

No brown, white or Horford and only loss by 4, Cavs should be embarrassed

Horford played but yes 2/5 of the starting lineup not available and, btw, Jrue had one his worst games as a Celtic.  Nonetheless it took a spectacular performance by Mitchell to win.  Most importantly, it?s one game and just like the Cs win last time, it doesn?t mean a whole lot. Two good teams.

[jambr380]

Cs shouldn?t be concerned that they lost by only 4 with a couple of injuries, but they need to look at how they lost to ensure that doesn?t happen again. That was not how a championship team closes out a double digit 4th quarter lead. Just amateur stuff on both sides of the ball.

Also, we know of Al?s limitations as he continues to age, but this slower, less efficient Jrue isn?t going to cut it. No, it?s not a sharp decline or anything, but I?m getting to the point where I feel better with Pritchard out there

[celticinorlando]

Jrue had nights like this last year. His value is in the playoffs. He will be fine.

I am more encouraged about the depth of the bench in games like this.

[Surferdad]

Cs shouldn?t be concerned that they lost by only 4 with a couple of injuries, but they need to look at how they lost to ensure that doesn?t happen again. That was not how a championship team closes out a double digit 4th quarter lead. Just amateur stuff on both sides of the ball.

Also, we know of Al?s limitations as he continues to age, but this slower, less efficient Jrue isn?t going to cut it. No, it?s not a sharp decline or anything, but I?m getting to the point where I feel better with Pritchard out there

It feels like the Celtics roster is aging. Horford and Holiday have both lost a step. KP and Kornet both turn 30 next year. Younger teams are moving faster on the court.

[angryguy77]

Cs shouldn?t be concerned that they lost by only 4 with a couple of injuries, but they need to look at how they lost to ensure that doesn?t happen again. That was not how a championship team closes out a double digit 4th quarter lead. Just amateur stuff on both sides of the ball.

Also, we know of Al?s limitations as he continues to age, but this slower, less efficient Jrue isn?t going to cut it. No, it?s not a sharp decline or anything, but I?m getting to the point where I feel better with Pritchard out there

It feels like the Celtics roster is aging. Horford and Holiday have both lost a step. KP and Kornet both turn 30 next year. Younger teams are moving faster on the court.

Or Mitchell made 4 extremely difficult shots.

[scaryjerry]

No brown, white or Horford and only loss by 4, Cavs should be embarrassed

Nope. Healthy porzingis, healthy mvp Tatum and a double digit 4th quarter lead. Cavs have absolutely nothing to be ?embarrassed? about
Were you embarrassed when we barely beat them down multiple rotational players? Please

[Roy H.]

I'm not even a little bit worried about the loss.

I will say, I don't love that our fifth guard is a G-leaguer.  I'd love to move Springer and re-sign Walker (and still have room and money for a 15th player).  Peterson played well on offense, but he shouldn't be getting meaningful minutes on a championship team.

[scaryjerry]

Jrue had nights like this last year. His value is in the playoffs. He will be fine.

I am more encouraged about the depth of the bench in games like this.

Yeah not sure why anyone would be surprised by jrue, there?s been signs of this since he was still playing for Milwaukee?.which is why they traded him. Couple that with barely having of an offseason I?m not surprised he?s not firing on all cylinders.

[Who]

Looked to me like Jrue was struggling not having another ball-handler alongside him to help run the offense.

The starting lineup with the double big and Hauser alongside Tatum on the wing left the team with 3 non ball-handlers.

I expect Jrue will look more comfortable once D White returns.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Cs shouldn?t be concerned that they lost by only 4 with a couple of injuries, but they need to look at how they lost to ensure that doesn?t happen again. That was not how a championship team closes out a double digit 4th quarter lead. Just amateur stuff on both sides of the ball.

Also, we know of Al?s limitations as he continues to age, but this slower, less efficient Jrue isn?t going to cut it. No, it?s not a sharp decline or anything, but I?m getting to the point where I feel better with Pritchard out there

It feels like the Celtics roster is aging. Horford and Holiday have both lost a step. KP and Kornet both turn 30 next year. Younger teams are moving faster on the court.

Or Mitchell made 4 extremely difficult shots.

He did, but I also think that Joe's decision to go all-iso the last 6 minutes was fatal. Everyone else just stood around watching, and when guys like Horford and Pritchard got a rare look during that time frame, they bricked it (probably because they got cold from standing around). It always boggles my mind when a team that's leading stops doing what got them the lead. Like, why do that? Cleveland didn't force them into a change, Joe just decided (unnecessarily) to do something different.

[liam]

Cs shouldn?t be concerned that they lost by only 4 with a couple of injuries, but they need to look at how they lost to ensure that doesn?t happen again. That was not how a championship team closes out a double digit 4th quarter lead. Just amateur stuff on both sides of the ball.

Also, we know of Al?s limitations as he continues to age, but this slower, less efficient Jrue isn?t going to cut it. No, it?s not a sharp decline or anything, but I?m getting to the point where I feel better with Pritchard out there

It feels like the Celtics roster is aging. Horford and Holiday have both lost a step. KP and Kornet both turn 30 next year. Younger teams are moving faster on the court.

Or Mitchell made 4 extremely difficult shots.

He did, but I also think that Joe's decision to go all-iso the last 6 minutes was fatal. Everyone else just stood around watching, and when guys like Horford and Pritchard got a rare look during that time frame, they bricked it (probably because they got cold from standing around). It always boggles my mind when a team that's leading stops doing what got them the lead. Like, why do that? Cleveland didn't force them into a change, Joe just decided (unnecessarily) to do something different.

Yeah, it's over coaching.

[Phantom255x]

Jrue had a CTE game. No Jaylen + White. Sucks to lose it late but I'm not worried in the long run.

I don't think last night's game was a reflection of the reliance on the 3-ball. Frankly, Tatum and the team attacked but just smoked so many easy bunnies late while Mitchell was knocking down insane shots. He went off in the 4th. And truthfully, he outplayed Tatum and was the best player in the 4th easily.

That's what does worry me slightly in the playoffs. Mitchell is a BALLER and he shows up in the playoffs as well. He owns us too. I would still pick Boston in a series, but I would also really hope we can avoid CLE until the ECF at least.

I know we beat CLE in 5 games last year but idk... Mitchell also missed the final two games of that series to injury.

[Goldstar88]

Terry Rozier is not looking so good these days.