Without Smart, this team is full of scarecrows from the Wizard of Oz. I don't care if he's starting or not!
Last night the Bucks simply played harder than we did. They set the pace as far as aggressive play. They wanted it more, their not afraid to catch an elbow to the face or get taken out of the game from being in foul trouble.
Who are the culprits?
Gordon Hayward did not perform with any playoff vigor at all. Hayward needs to either step up or step away. Gordon avoids contact as much as he can. He looks out of place in physical playoff basketball.
Rozier was horrid, "Scary" Terry is playing in a World where Terry is an NBA star. He takes wild off-balance shots and over dribbles the ball. My parting shot to Terry would be with him being replaced by Wannamaker in the very next game.
Tatum scored 20 of the softest points ever. Tatum like Hayward avoids contact as much as possible. He never takes that extra step to be in a position to receive a hard charge. He's string bean thin, weak-limbed, very talented and very soft. He needs an offseason of conditioning, ball handling, and please try to eat some of what the "Freak" has been eating.
Kudo's to Jaylen Brown, I've talked smack about him in the past, but the kid now knows what he does best on a basketball court and does it with passion and energy. The stint on the second unit was just what the doctor ordered. He defends hard, he's not scared to be physical. That look of being lost, that he had in the past is now in the rearview mirror.
And yes the officiating was terrible, every time the Celtic looked ready to get back into the game... a p--- poor call was their reward. Yet it's their own fault for playing without the consistent passion that the Bucks played with. They got what they deserved.