That Felt Like Redemption! Also, So Happy For Kemba

[Phantom255x]

That has to feel good for the Jays, Smart and others who were on that 2018 team that lost to the Cavaliers in 7 games that year. That Game 7 was brutal. But boy, they stepped up this time and got a big win over the defending champs! I think this will be a big moment for the Jays especially as they continue to improve and progress with their careers.

And unlike that game, they actually played superb defense late and also actually seemed to attack the basket a bit more and didn't settle for 3s all the time in the 4th quarter. And it led to a win tonight and a trip to the ECF.

Also, imagine how Kemba must be feeling. The guy won 3 playoff games in his entire 8-year Hornets career. Now in his first year in Boston, he has 8 playoff wins and is appearing in an ECF for his first time. I know he struggled most of the last two games, but he did make some big plays in the 2nd half today to help secure a win. I'm happy for him, and hope he loves being here too 

[ozgod]

That has to feel good for the Jays, Smart and others who were on that 2018 team that lost to the Cavaliers in 7 games that year. That Game 7 was brutal. But boy, they stepped up this time and got a big win over the defending champs! I think this will be a big moment for the Jays especially as they continue to improve and progress with their careers.

And unlike that game, they actually played superb defense late and also actually seemed to attack the basket a bit more and didn't settle for 3s all the time in the 4th quarter. And it led to a win and a trip to the ECF.

Also, imagine how Kemba must be feeling. The guy won 3 playoff games in his entire 8-year Hornets career. Now in his first year in Boston, he has 8 playoff wins and is appearing in an ECF for his first time. I know he struggled most of the last two games, but he did make some big plays in the 2nd half today to help secure a win. I'm happy for him, and hope he loves being here too 

Kemba definitely had a bad last couple of games, he just looked out of rhythem, but credit needs to be given to Nick Nurse for deploying a box and 1 to keep him quiet...he couldn't get the ball in any of his preferred spots with one guy permanently following him and the zone defender always helping...they wanted the ball out of his hands. They tried running PnR and feeding him transition baskets when Toronto was in man to man to get him going but he was the guy Toronto wanted rubbed out. He should be used to traps from his time in Charlotte, but because we have a lot of other shooters he defers to them when he's being trapped, he gave up the ball to Wanamaker a few times when he drew 2 on the perimeter but Wana missed them all. They need to do better attacking the seams when the defense is paying so much more attention to Kemba. If Kemba scores 14 points instead of 20 but JB and Tatum score 25+ or Wanamaker scores 10 because they get open looks I'm ok with that. Unfortunately we shot 9-23 from 3 so they need to do a better job shooting the ball when they're open. At least Kemba sunk the 2 baskets he needed to after the game. 

Stevens saying "the box and 1 was Nurse forcing the ball onto other guys to try and break Kemba's rhythm and letting other guys beat [the Raptors]" and Kemba kept his cool and kept giving the ball up to his teammates.

That said I don't think Spoelstra will employ a box and one...it will be interesting to see if they stick to just a man on man and trust their individual defenders.

[keevsnick]

That has to feel good for the Jays, Smart and others who were on that 2018 team that lost to the Cavaliers in 7 games that year. That Game 7 was brutal. But boy, they stepped up this time and got a big win over the defending champs! I think this will be a big moment for the Jays especially as they continue to improve and progress with their careers.

And unlike that game, they actually played superb defense late and also actually seemed to attack the basket a bit more and didn't settle for 3s all the time in the 4th quarter. And it led to a win tonight and a trip to the ECF.

Also, imagine how Kemba must be feeling. The guy won 3 playoff games in his entire 8-year Hornets career. Now in his first year in Boston, he has 8 playoff wins and is appearing in an ECF for his first time. I know he struggled most of the last two games, but he did make some big plays in the 2nd half today to help secure a win. I'm happy for him, and hope he loves being here too 

Its like he's been talking about all year, its good to not have to be the guy. He can be the number two option every night after Tatum, sometimes even third after Brown. he has elite defenders all around him. Its an affirmation of why he left Charlotte as much as anything.

[SparzWizard]

That has to feel good for the Jays, Smart and others who were on that 2018 team that lost to the Cavaliers in 7 games that year. That Game 7 was brutal. But boy, they stepped up this time and got a big win over the defending champs! I think this will be a big moment for the Jays especially as they continue to improve and progress with their careers.

And unlike that game, they actually played superb defense late and also actually seemed to attack the basket a bit more and didn't settle for 3s all the time in the 4th quarter. And it led to a win and a trip to the ECF.

Also, imagine how Kemba must be feeling. The guy won 3 playoff games in his entire 8-year Hornets career. Now in his first year in Boston, he has 8 playoff wins and is appearing in an ECF for his first time. I know he struggled most of the last two games, but he did make some big plays in the 2nd half today to help secure a win. I'm happy for him, and hope he loves being here too 

Kemba definitely had a bad last couple of games but credit needs to be given to Nick Nurse for deploying a box and 1 to keep him quiet...he couldn't get the ball in any of his preferred spots with one guy permanently following him and the zone defender always helping...they wanted the ball out of his hands. They tried running PnR and feeding him transition baskets when Toronto was in man to man to get him going but he was the guy Toronto wanted rubbed out. He should be used to traps but because we have a lot of other shooters they need to do better attacking the seams when they're paying so much more attention to Kemba. We shot 9-23 from 3 so they need to do a better job.

That said I don't think Spoelstra will employ a box and one...it will be interesting to see if they stick to just a man on man and trust their individual defenders.

It was a good strategy. But the C's made them pay with Tatum/Brown/Smart and the little things by Theis/Timelord/G. Will!!

[Phantom255x]

That has to feel good for the Jays, Smart and others who were on that 2018 team that lost to the Cavaliers in 7 games that year. That Game 7 was brutal. But boy, they stepped up this time and got a big win over the defending champs! I think this will be a big moment for the Jays especially as they continue to improve and progress with their careers.

And unlike that game, they actually played superb defense late and also actually seemed to attack the basket a bit more and didn't settle for 3s all the time in the 4th quarter. And it led to a win tonight and a trip to the ECF.

Also, imagine how Kemba must be feeling. The guy won 3 playoff games in his entire 8-year Hornets career. Now in his first year in Boston, he has 8 playoff wins and is appearing in an ECF for his first time. I know he struggled most of the last two games, but he did make some big plays in the 2nd half today to help secure a win. I'm happy for him, and hope he loves being here too 

Its like he's been talking about all year, its good to not have to be the guy. He can be the number two option every night after Tatum, sometimes even third after Brown. he has elite defenders all around him. Its an affirmation of why he left Charlotte as much as anything.

True, I think Brown and Tatum are already two of the best teammates he's had talent-wise in his career, even when you consider he was with prime-Batum, Howard and a few others during the Hornets years. Hell, Kanter might be the 5th best player he's played with if you compare Kanter with all the Hornets' teammates Kemba's played with lol

And Kanter's got some of his own flaws, but still...

[GreenFaith1819]

He fought hard and ended up with 14 points.

Kudos to him.

Looking for BIG THINGS from him next series, especially with GH back to share the load.

[ozgod]

https://twitter.com/celtics/status/1304631155317190658

[ozgod]

Look what they were doing to Kemba. The rest of the team needs to take advantage of open looks when this happens, as JB did.

https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/1304609197124976641

[Phantom255x]

https://twitter.com/celtics/status/1304631155317190658

 

[RJ87]

Look what they were doing to Kemba. The rest of the team needs to take advantage of open looks when this happens, as JB did.

https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/1304609197124976641

This is what I touched on in the game thread: you can't take him out of the game because he can still be a decoy. He can struggle in a series, but still force the opposing coach to adjust to him. That's a special quality.

[ozgod]

https://twitter.com/BrianTRobb/status/1304635376754098181

I love their chemistry and togetherness...no egos anywhere in this team. Night and day from last year when the team just oozed frustration and unhappiness.

[jambr380]

Honestly, these last two games were like a nightmare with/for Kemba. He is so lucky to have teammates like Tatum, Brown, Smart, and Theis. To have gone down playing like garbage in games 6 and 7 would have been disastrous for his psyche.

With that said, Kemba is an enormous talent and I think he will realize just how great his current situation is. I expect him to dominate any 1 on 1 match-up against the Heat and hopefully he will get back into rhythm. Have an all-star starter play like an all-star starter would be huge and I think he will be ready.

[ozgod]

Honestly, these last two games were like a nightmare with/for Kemba. He is so lucky to have teammates like Tatum, Brown, Smart, and Theis. To have gone down playing like garbage in games 6 and 7 would have been disastrous for his psyche.

With that said, Kemba is an enormous talent and I think he will realize just how great his current situation is. I expect him dominate any 1 on 1 match-up against the Heat and hopefully he will get back into rhythm. Have an all-star starter play like an all-star starter would be huge and I think he will be ready.

Spoelstra will have to figure out whose hands he doesn't want the ball in...Tatum or Kemba. Or Brown. The rest of the team needs to hit the open looks generated by such a scheme though, that nullifies any defensive scheme that relies on taking a specific player out.

[Phantom255x]

https://twitter.com/BrianTRobb/status/1304635376754098181

I love their chemistry and togetherness...no egos anywhere in this team. Night and day from last year when the team just oozed frustration and unhappiness.

Yep. Last season as soon as adversity hit Kyrie bailed. Kept shooting like 6-22 and was clearly checked out. Wasn’t encouraging teammates either and frankly I think guys gave up on him too (notably Jaylen).

Kemba is also so much easier to root for

Ainge deserves a ton of credit. It could have been a disaster when Kyrie, Rozier, Morris AND Horford left but he got Kemba, Kanter and didn’t make a (stupid) major trade. And here they are in the ECF with a solid chance at reaching the Finals.

[bopna]

https://twitter.com/BrianTRobb/status/1304635376754098181

I love their chemistry and togetherness...no egos anywhere in this team. Night and day from last year when the team just oozed frustration and unhappiness.

Yep. Last season as soon as adversity hit Kyrie bailed. Kept shooting like 6-22 and was clearly checked out. Wasn’t encouraging teammates either and frankly I think guys gave up on him too (notably Jaylen).

Kemba is also so much easier to root for

Ainge deserves a ton of credit. It could have been a disaster when Kyrie, Rozier, Morris AND Horford left but he got Kemba, Kanter and didn’t make a (stupid) major trade. And here they are in the ECF with a solid chance at reaching the Finals.

Addition by subtraction id always say...these players departing opened up shot opportunities for the Jays, and GH with Kemba even dropping his FGA /game.