Pistons (5-19) at Celtics (13-11) Game #25 2/12/21

[Kuberski33]

Awful loss. I know they're short handed but they've now lost twice to a 6-19 team. Good one night, lousy the next, record is 1 over .500 which is what happens with .500 teams.

They have too many young players and the Vets that they did pick up have been disappointing. Really need to make some moves to balance out the roster. They currently have too many players that either don’t contribute at all or are super inconsistent.

Inconsistent for role players equates to being not good enough.

[kraidstar]

Watching the Cs this year makes me sad. They are not very good. This is the closest they have been to a rebuilding team in a while. Sad.

Same roster as the one that came within 2 games of the Finals last year.

We should be able to beat the Pistons easily.

People do need to realize that we're stricken with injuries and have been all season. We're missing two starters tonight and two rotation players, albeit one that hasn't played all season long, as well as losing our spot starter tonight in Semi halfway through the game.

It's hard to know much about this team thus far given how many absences and injuries we've had. One thing we do know, though, is that we're not good enough to just out-talent people on a nightly basis, especially when dealing with some injuries.

Not disagreeing with what you said. But you still need to show up. Chris Forsberg is talking about lack of defensive energy on the postgame show right now.

[Celtics Mike]

Awful loss. I know they're short handed but they've now lost twice to a 6-19 team. Good one night, lousy the next, record is 1 over .500 which is what happens with .500 teams.

I was just thinking the same. The onus is on Brad Stevens to get more from this team. Perhaps spending all his time studying film is not the way forward. Stevens needs to stop experimenting and bench under performing players. Celtics regression this season is alarming. A first round exit to the 76ers would not be surprising

[seancally]

Awful loss. I know they're short handed but they've now lost twice to a 6-19 team. Good one night, lousy the next, record is 1 over .500 which is what happens with .500 teams.

I was just thinking the same. The onus is on Brad Stevens to get more from this team. Perhaps spending all his time studying film is not the way forward. Stevens needs to stop experimenting and bench under performing players. Celtics regression this season is alarming. A first round exit to the 76ers would not be surprising

Well on that count its a good thing we’re in the East - after this game we’re still in the 4 seed. 8 is the 12-15 Knicks. We won’t see the sixers in the first round.

[Alec14]

Watching the Cs this year makes me sad. They are not very good. This is the closest they have been to a rebuilding team in a while. Sad.

Same roster as the one that came within 2 games of the Finals last year.

We should be able to beat the Pistons easily.

No Kanter, no Wanamaker, no Kemba, no Smart....

Kanter sucked, Wanamaker was a mediocre backup. It's a night off for Kemba.

Smart I will give you. I doubt he lets this thing get as ugly as it did.

Kanter would have absolutely dominated tonight against Isaiah Stewart. I don't get the Kanter hate. TT has been a massive downgrade IMO. Kanter was just as good if not better at rebounding, and was a wizard getting baskets around the rim. TT has this flaky jump hook because he's not big / strong enough to get position inside. 

[DocomoCelts]

Just as well we won't see the Pistons in the Playoffs. They'd probably sweep us, with an MVP showing from Bey.

We had 15, that's FIFTEEN, freakin' assists.  The Knicks are the league's worst and they're still averaging 21 a game.  I recall Brad preaching ball movement, having the players fly around the court, etc, etc.  Is it now just the "easy" approach of give the ball to J or J?

What an atrocious performance by Brad and the Celtics.  Pathetic and embarrassing.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Watching the Cs this year makes me sad. They are not very good. This is the closest they have been to a rebuilding team in a while. Sad.

Same roster as the one that came within 2 games of the Finals last year.

We should be able to beat the Pistons easily.

People do need to realize that we're stricken with injuries and have been all season. We're missing two starters tonight and two rotation players, albeit one that hasn't played all season long, as well as losing our spot starter tonight in Semi halfway through the game.

It's hard to know much about this team thus far given how many absences and injuries we've had. One thing we do know, though, is that we're not good enough to just out-talent people on a nightly basis, especially when dealing with some injuries.

Boston had a lot of guys out tonight, but I still think it's sad that (apparently) Saddiq Bey + Jerami Grant + the corpse of Blake Griffin "out-talented" Tatum + Brown. I mean, statistically Tatum and Brown were pretty good tonight, but they got topped by a rookie averaging 8 points a game.

[yelkao]

Why is Scal such an ass on the postgame? It’s such a weird vibe between him and Abby

[Atzar]

Why is Scal such an ass on the postgame? It’s such a weird vibe between him and Abby

I get the sense that Scal doesn't respect Abby's basketball knowledge.  And I'll be honest... while I don't enjoy the condescending bite that he has at times, I don't think he's wrong.  I know Celtics fans are very protective of Abby, but IMHO she doesn't offer much in terms of analysis. 

[TheTruth34]

Not just this game, and of course a long way to go.  But Nesmith over Saddiq Bey isn't looking great at the moment.  Still think Nesmith will get his chance.  But man, Bey looks legit

[tenn_smoothie]

Watching the Cs this year makes me sad. They are not very good. This is the closest they have been to a rebuilding team in a while. Sad.

Same roster as the one that came within 2 games of the Finals last year.

We should be able to beat the Pistons easily.

No Kanter, no Wanamaker, no Kemba, no Smart....

Kanter sucked, Wanamaker was a mediocre backup. It's a night off for Kemba.

Smart I will give you. I doubt he lets this thing get as ugly as it did.

Kanter would have absolutely dominated tonight against Isaiah Stewart. I don't get the Kanter hate. TT has been a massive downgrade IMO. Kanter was just as good if not better at rebounding, and was a wizard getting baskets around the rim. TT has this flaky jump hook because he's not big / strong enough to get position inside.

I don't get the Kanter hate either. Seemed to me he was mostly productive when Stevens dared to give him minutes and he is a much stronger rebounder than Thompson, who seems to have lost a step. In terms of defense, Thompson has hardly been the rim protector he was brought in to be. I realize Kanter struggles with lateral agility, but he does not lack for effort. Plus, he seemed to enjoy being a Celtic.  Guess he didn't fit the Ainge/Stevens template for a small ball center. His scoring was too close to the basket for their tastes.

[scottwedman]

Just as well we won't see the Pistons in the Playoffs. They'd probably sweep us, with an MVP showing from Bey.

We had 15, that's FIFTEEN, freakin' assists.  The Knicks are the league's worst and they're still averaging 21 a game.  I recall Brad preaching ball movement, having the players fly around the court, etc, etc.  Is it now just the "easy" approach of give the ball to J or J?

What an atrocious performance by Brad and the Celtics.  Pathetic and embarrassing.

It's too early for a "blow it up" thread . . . but the clock is ticking.

[Birdman]

Geez lost to the worst team in NBA!! No Walker or Smart but still unacceptable..this bench is just the worst I have ever seen a Celtic team had

[Rikibellevie]

Just zero excuse for this lost. After the +10 lead at the begening, our team litterally stopped to play when Javonte, TT and Teague came in. Then we had 10-15 of the worst bastektball game in Stevens era(like 2 assists in this time!!!).
Just Jalen who could enter how he wanted in the paint, for the rest nothing. Injurys, shape, integration had nothing to do with this second loss against the worst team in te league, one day after having beaten one concurrent and put him away in the ranking, we leave our chance to reconnect to the Nets... Again I think what is important is to finish in the top 4, even maybe top 5. But hte way we are playing is really intriguing. Miami and Raptors were trash but come back now, we have the opposite evolution.

_when Smart and Kembanot here, Pritchard and Teague is probably the worst NBA gards duo. Pritchard is stilll a little young and is doing a good rookie season. But he still has big flaws, like constitancy, motor, size, impact, spead (inability to blitz the defense). Teague just can't play NBA level anymore.
_ playing Green who brings almost nothing now and have zero future in the league and not play Nesmith, as we already are trash, that the kid didn't play since one year, and need reps, xp and confidence is not understainable. We are already trash, llosing matches to Detroit, Knicks and Sacto... So play him, keep a little value for a possible trade if you don't beleieve to him pr give him a chance.
_ CBS and Ainge have to really react sonner than later. CBS says that lack of offensive collectiv and team defense don't make him sleep at night. He should maybe sleep more and find more coherence in some of his choice and the ability to impose a style of pkay and grit to the team. I don't recognize this team anymore. We can't say it is just unluck, injuries, covid or the little preparation. We still look bad and even bader after 1/3 of the season
_ it doesn't legitimise everything said in the "fire Brad", "fire Ainge", "sell the sheep" posts. But some real critics and adjustments need to be done. I am still optimistic that one or two moves and a reaction from Tatum, Walker and Smart (who also was inconstant) will come soon and that east is weak and open.

PS : the postgame CBS interview was brutal "bad mathups" "give them credit" "too much size and athleticism"... Doesn't exlain whywe are 1-2 against a team who is 1-5 against the other teams...I begin to ask some question about his speach.

[cltc5]

The mentality of this team is shot.  Players leaving left and right.  No consistency in the lineup.  No leadership.  Time for a clean out