Thunder (20-41) at Celtics (32-29) Game #62 4/27/21

[ozgod]

Amazing how just 3 days ago we had won 7 of 8, won 3 games on. West coast road trip and had just beat the Suns pretty easily. 3 games later we’re back to slitting wrists. Jekyll and Hyde team.

[liam]

I think one of the most frustrating parts of all of this is that other teams visibly enjoy playing against us.  Basketball is easy and fun when you play against the Celtics.  Every single person in this organization should take that personally.

Even a Thunder team with no stars, maybe even no starter level players, went to the line 36 times against us. Everyone likes getting a great whistle and you get one against the Celtics, every game!!! It gives players confidence.

I don't give a s*** about the whistles.  That's a symptom, but not the disease.

The part that gives them confidence is the fact that we give them whatever they want.  They want to get to the rim?  They got it.  They want to get out and run?  Go ahead, we'll let you.  Trying to get your shooters some good looks from three?  Drive and kick, set a screen, or just pull up and jack it.  We'll give you what you want.  We're going to be two steps late, scrambling to catch up to whatever teams do.  That's what leads to the foul tallies that teams rack up against us - we're always late.

We don't take a thing away from anybody and other teams love it.  We just sit there and watch Rozier and Graham laugh and high-five after every open layup and three we hand out.  We watch the Thunder throw out a team of nobodies that proceed to flex on us. 

P***es me off.

36 free throws to 25 in a four-point game is not unimportant.

[Atzar]

I think one of the most frustrating parts of all of this is that other teams visibly enjoy playing against us.  Basketball is easy and fun when you play against the Celtics.  Every single person in this organization should take that personally.

Even a Thunder team with no stars, maybe even no starter level players, went to the line 36 times against us. Everyone likes getting a great whistle and you get one against the Celtics, every game!!! It gives players confidence.

I don't give a s*** about the whistles.  That's a symptom, but not the disease.

The part that gives them confidence is the fact that we give them whatever they want.  They want to get to the rim?  They got it.  They want to get out and run?  Go ahead, we'll let you.  Trying to get your shooters some good looks from three?  Drive and kick, set a screen, or just pull up and jack it.  We'll give you what you want.  We're going to be two steps late, scrambling to catch up to whatever teams do.  That's what leads to the foul tallies that teams rack up against us - we're always late.

We don't take a thing away from anybody and other teams love it.  We just sit there and watch Rozier and Graham laugh and high-five after every open layup and three we hand out.  We watch the Thunder throw out a team of nobodies that proceed to flex on us. 

P***es me off.

36 free throws to 25 in a four-point game is not unimportant.

I didn't say it's not important.  I said it's not the root of the problem. 

[liam]

Hey, Smart there's a reason no one is guarding you at the 3 point line!!!

[ozgod]

Scal and Perk saying that the Celtics D in the 4th quarter was just simply unacceptable and they lost to a G league team that is 2 years younger on average than the Baylor Bears. They lost to a team that can’t even buy a beer legally yet

We were on a nice roll when GWill was inserted into the game. Off the bat he missed a defensive rotation that resulted in a 3 pointer by OKC. Then on two consecutive possessions, OKC scored in the paint against GWill. 7-0 spurt to shift the momentum right there.

Brad pulled him soon after but the damage was done. GWill had a terrible zero effort game tonight.

[liam]

I think one of the most frustrating parts of all of this is that other teams visibly enjoy playing against us.  Basketball is easy and fun when you play against the Celtics.  Every single person in this organization should take that personally.

Even a Thunder team with no stars, maybe even no starter level players, went to the line 36 times against us. Everyone likes getting a great whistle and you get one against the Celtics, every game!!! It gives players confidence.

I don't give a s*** about the whistles.  That's a symptom, but not the disease.

The part that gives them confidence is the fact that we give them whatever they want.  They want to get to the rim?  They got it.  They want to get out and run?  Go ahead, we'll let you.  Trying to get your shooters some good looks from three?  Drive and kick, set a screen, or just pull up and jack it.  We'll give you what you want.  We're going to be two steps late, scrambling to catch up to whatever teams do.  That's what leads to the foul tallies that teams rack up against us - we're always late.

We don't take a thing away from anybody and other teams love it.  We just sit there and watch Rozier and Graham laugh and high-five after every open layup and three we hand out.  We watch the Thunder throw out a team of nobodies that proceed to flex on us. 

P***es me off.

36 free throws to 25 in a four-point game is not unimportant.

I didn't say it's not important.  I said it's not the root of the problem.

It's a problem but not the main one, agreed!

[liam]

Grant: 1-3, 0 rbs, 1 assist, 2 blocks and 1 turnover 2 pts

Kornet: 5-7, 7 rbs, 4 assists, 3 blocks, 1 TO 10 pts

[ozgod]

I think it would be good for this team to finish 8th. Make them work to get into the playoffs. If they survive they will be battle tested.

[Ogaju]

I think one of the most frustrating parts of all of this is that other teams visibly enjoy playing against us.  Basketball is easy and fun when you play against the Celtics.  Every single person in this organization should take that personally.

Even a Thunder team with no stars, maybe even no starter level players, went to the line 36 times against us. Everyone likes getting a great whistle and you get one against the Celtics, every game!!! It gives players confidence.

I don't give a s*** about the whistles.  That's a symptom, but not the disease.

The part that gives them confidence is the fact that we give them whatever they want.  They want to get to the rim?  They got it.  They want to get out and run?  Go ahead, we'll let you.  Trying to get your shooters some good looks from three?  Drive and kick, set a screen, or just pull up and jack it.  We'll give you what you want.  We're going to be two steps late, scrambling to catch up to whatever teams do.  That's what leads to the foul tallies that teams rack up against us - we're always late.

We don't take a thing away from anybody and other teams love it.  We just sit there and watch Rozier and Graham laugh and high-five after every open layup and three we hand out.  We watch the Thunder throw out a team of nobodies that proceed to flex on us. 

P***es me off.

Don’t forget the hugs.....they get hugs after the game.

[liam]

Why didn't Pritchard and Kornet start in this game?

[liam]

Scal and Perk saying that the Celtics D in the 4th quarter was just simply unacceptable and they lost to a G league team that is 2 years younger on average than the Baylor Bears. They lost to a team that can’t even buy a beer legally yet

We were on a nice roll when GWill was inserted into the game. Off the bat he missed a defensive rotation that resulted in a 3 pointer by OKC. Then on two consecutive possessions, OKC scored in the paint against GWill. 7-0 spurt to shift the momentum right there.

Brad pulled him soon after but the damage was done. GWill had a terrible zero effort game tonight.

Can Grant not fit in Brad's doghouse? Does Brad not understand that Grant is 6'6"? Jaylen would be a better center.

[Goldstar88]

I blame Brad for this loss. Poor game planning knowing ahead of time you were going to be without Kemba and JT. Three out of the 5 starters are not 3pt shooters and Fournier is still rusty, so Jaylen is really the only reliable shooter from deep. Brad continues With the same game plan and he allows Smart to continue to fire away (1-10 from 3pt). Jabari, the player that you bring in for his scoring ability gets Zero shot attempts. Really bad coaching.

[liam]

I blame Brad for this loss. Poor game planning knowing ahead of time you were going to be without Kemba and JT. Three out of the 5 starters are not 3pt shooters and Fournier is still rusty, so Jaylen is really the only reliable shooter from deep. Brad continues With the same game plan and he allows Smart to continue to fire away (1-10 from 3pt). Jabari, the player that you bring in for his scoring ability gets Zero shot attempts. Really bad coaching.

It's either a bad game plan by Brad or the players just aren't listening to what he wants. Either way it's on coaching.

[ozgod]

So OKC had 27 turnovers and still won...I wonder if that's some kind of record.

[Muzzy66]

Brad never calls this team out!!! They should be ashamed of the effort tonight. I'm soooooooo tired of Brad just pumping up the other team. They are a bad team but we didn't show up!!!! Call it out Brad!!!!

I’m sure he’s going to yell at them in the locker room...he doesn’t want to throw them under the bus like Jose Mourinho does, which is why Mourinho always loses his locker room. Probably they all know they played bad. I don’t think getting hammered by your coach in public helps. I know as a fan we want to throw rotten fruit at them but a coach is in a different position when it comes to criticizing his players in public. Rather than him criticizing them in public he needs to make him accountable for their actions on the court. Unfortunately tonight they were short which is why he was forced to play some of the riffraff longer than he should have.

The media though that’s another story, they are 100% entitled to call the team out. That’s their job and they should do it when the team deserves it.

The only one Brad was yelling at tonight on the court was Pritchard who was playing his heart out. Thompson was a scrub out there, Smart shot us out of the game and Brad yells at Pritchard and doesn't even play Parker. Kornet was our best big and he played 20 minutes.

I so [dang] tired of seeing Marcus Smart put up 8 / 9 / 10 three point attempt games - especially given that at least half of those shots are usually bad, low percentage looks.  I'm not sure if I have ever in my life seen a player who is more hot/cold from three who also simultaneously has had such poor shot selection. 

And it's not a recent thing either - that terrible shot selection is something Smart has been critiqued for since his college days, so it seems clear as day by now that it's never going to change.

There is no reality in which a defensive minded role player who's a career 32% 3PT shooter should be averaging 6 (and regularly taking 7-10) three point attempts.  Especially not on a team that has capable 3PT shooters like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier and Payton Pritchard. 

If the ball has moved to Smart and he finds himself wide open at the three point line, and no obviously better look is available, then I absolutely encourage him to take that shot.  Being able to make it with decent consistency helps to keep opposing defence honest which is important. 

But there should not be a single scenario in which a shooter of his calibre is throwing up a three:
a) While contested / tightly defended
b) Early in a shot clock
c) In transition
d) If another teammate has a better look

I even get a tad annoyed when I see Tatum / Brown take threes in those scenarios, and they are good-to-excellent three point shooters.  Every time Smart takes a bad three, far as I'm concerned, he should be pulled from the game.