Celtics (47-28) at Raptors (42-32) Game #76 3/28/22

[slamtheking]

Lol @ folks outraged right now.

Our bench + a bad Marcus took a playoff team to the final bell, on the road on the second night of a back to back.

every right to be outraged.  doesn't matter who was available.  when a team has a chance to win, particularly in this kind of situation, they need to be given the best chance possible and the coaching decisions down the stretch and OT were lacking (to be kind). 

credit to the bench for even being in this but the win was there for the taking with smarter play and smarter coaching

By all means, pound away in impotent rage because your vastly outmanned team came up just short after giving maximum effort for 53 minutes.

it'll match your impotent smugness and comfort in a loss that should have been a win. 

[liam]

I mean dang--did Pritchard and Hauser foul out or what??

I think he liked the defense of the unit he had out there. Wasn’t good enough.

6 points in overtime is BS. Maybe needed more offense...

[gouki88]

I’m just going to say, Smart is still my least favorite player.
That’s it.
Good night

The past month must’ve been hard for you. It’s probably going to get hard again when he isn’t asked to be the team’s leading scorer.

Yeah, I was all aboard the trade Smart train prior to 2022. But he has completely bought into the role that many of us have dreamed of him playing for years, and it's been fantastic to watch.

Can't see how anyone would not appreciate what he's done in the last 3 months.

[liam]

I’m just going to say, Smart is still my least favorite player.
That’s it.
Good night

The past month must’ve been hard for you. It’s probably going to get hard again when he isn’t asked to be the team’s leading scorer.

Whoever asked him that is to blame.

[Atzar]

I would have liked to get Pritchard and Hauser in the game on that final play but it's certainly not an indefensible decision to let them play it out and see if you can catch Toronto in a bad cross-match in transition.  Smart actually got a clean look, and Grant did too.  Front-rimmed them because their legs were gone after punching above their weight class for 53 minutes. 

I'm not taking shots at guys after this one.  Players, coach, or anybody else.  They fought their asses off.  The fact that we were that close to stealing the win speaks much louder of Udoka than one questionable decision at the end.  Their heart, effort, and preparation were undeniable. 

[Sophomore]

Kind of annoying to see so many “choke” criticisms right now. This game was gravy for the bench unit. I’m fine with it.

Safe to say after tonight I don’t think anyone will be concerned to see the tough, fearsome, well-coached Raptors in rd 1 if it shakes out that way.

These things aren't mutually exclusive. The C's bench was good but blatantly panicked at the end. White, Smart, Grant, and Theis are experienced enough that they should have better composure.

Maybe so but I’m a little stunned at this board’s reaction to a schedule loss that turned into an inexplicably close game. This was a SEGABABA on the road against a playoff team, wasn’t it? Don’t understand the despair.

It looked like we really had it won. Would’ve been another great story about our improbable rise - beating the Raps in their building missing four starters?! Having that disappear stings.

[liam]

I just need to take a step back and see the big picture. Obviously, we kick this team's ass with Tatum and Brown. Easily. This loss doesn't say anything about how good this team, period.

Yeah, Toronto ought to really be praying they avoid us in the first round after tonight. Siakam explodes without our best defenders (for him) and our offence stagnates without our MVP candidate superstar and his All-Star sidekick, and they barely beat us in OT.

I mean, Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet combined for 36 minutes. Neither of these guys will see the floor come playoff time, barring a catastrophe.

Just annoyed that Ime didn't give us even a chance to win at the end, but if it's some sneaky seeding game then oh well.

I'm glad they fought but you nailed it that Ime just seemed to throw the game away at the end of regulation and OT. That's frustrating.

[blink]

I would have liked to get Pritchard and Hauser in the game on that final play but it's certainly not an indefensible decision to let them play it out and see if you can catch Toronto in a bad cross-match in transition.  Smart actually got a clean look, and Grant did too.  Front-rimmed them because their legs were gone after punching above their weight class for 53 minutes. 

I'm not taking shots at guys after this one.  Players, coach, or anybody else.  They fought their asses off.  The fact that we were that close to stealing the win speaks much louder of Udoka than one questionable decision at the end.  Their heart, effort, and preparation were undeniable.

I agree 100%.  It also makes me more confident that we can still good things without Timelord.  Maybe not completely dominating things in the playoffs, but our team is going to compete and get after it Timelord, or no Timelord.

[Roy H.]

Lack of a timeout or not, we still got two open looks at a 3PT.

[Sophomore]

I mean dang--did Pritchard and Hauser foul out or what??

I think he liked the defense of the unit he had out there. Wasn’t good enough.

6 points in overtime is BS. Maybe needed more offense...

Yeah, I thought he rode Nesmith too long.

[Atzar]

I’m just going to say, Smart is still my least favorite player.
That’s it.
Good night

The past month must’ve been hard for you. It’s probably going to get hard again when he isn’t asked to be the team’s leading scorer.

Whoever asked him that is to blame.

Who would you prefer to run the offense in the absence of the rest of our starters?

[kraidstar]

Lol @ folks outraged right now.

Our bench + a bad Marcus took a playoff team to the final bell, on the road on the second night of a back to back.

every right to be outraged.  doesn't matter who was available.  when a team has a chance to win, particularly in this kind of situation, they need to be given the best chance possible and the coaching decisions down the stretch and OT were lacking (to be kind). 

credit to the bench for even being in this but the win was there for the taking with smarter play and smarter coaching

By all means, pound away in impotent rage because your vastly outmanned team came up just short after giving maximum effort for 53 minutes.

This is a sports fansite, Roy. If fans don't have passion then you don't have a site.

[liam]

I would have liked to get Pritchard and Hauser in the game on that final play but it's certainly not an indefensible decision to let them play it out and see if you can catch Toronto in a bad cross-match in transition.  Smart actually got a clean look, and Grant did too.  Front-rimmed them because their legs were gone after punching above their weight class for 53 minutes. 

I'm not taking shots at guys after this one.  Players, coach, or anybody else.  They fought their asses off.  The fact that we were that close to stealing the win speaks much louder of Udoka than one questionable decision at the end.  Their heart, effort, and preparation were undeniable.

It's the same move he made at the end of regulation and he does it again at the end of OT and it surprisingly didn't work again.

[RPGenerate]

People are getting so mad over a game where we don't have 4 starters. Did some players like GWill and Smart make dumb mistakes and force it? Definitely, but that's because they were forced into a position that is clearly not their role. Losing just sucks, I know, but it really doesn't say anything about our team.

[liam]

I’m just going to say, Smart is still my least favorite player.
That’s it.
Good night

The past month must’ve been hard for you. It’s probably going to get hard again when he isn’t asked to be the team’s leading scorer.

Whoever asked him that is to blame.

Who would you prefer to run the offense in the absence of the rest of our starters?

Run it not hog it. 7 TOs and 4 assists.