How do you explain the lack of intensity at the start of game 3?

[iadera]

I just can't understand how imature they still are as a team. So many big games, but yet so unstable in their heads.

[GreenlyGreeny]

I suspect Lowry threw them off or something. It’s a closer to 40 than 30 Lowry, guys. Chill.

[SparzWizard]

It's the kids. Just not mentally prepared or out of it. It has happened in 2020 with their leaders on the floor. I don't know if you wanna blame the kids in 2018 but I think that was more on CBS even though we had that series. 2017 we were just outmatched in talent.

That's just the thing, though. A lot of these guys are on their 3rd and 4th ECF. They are still young, but this shouldn't be a matter of immaturity anymore. Maybe in 2018, even in 2020, but not now.

And these quarters where they are being outscored by 20+ are just inexcusable. That can't happen in a playoff game and neither [obviously] can a TO disparity like last night. Game 1 was worse in regards to how they were playing up to that point (8 point half time lead). Last night, the Cs were just completely outclassed to start the game and were actually able to mount a come back.

But I agree with the OP, it sure would be nice to play well out of the gates rather than having to immediately make up a 10 (or 20) point deficit. Even in game 2 with our death lineup, we still fell behind 18-8.

Yup. It's JB's 4th ECF and Tatum's 3rd ECF. It's Smart's idk 8th playoff appearance. Can't let these games squander like that

[Who]

And these quarters where they are being outscored by 20+ are just inexcusable. That can't happen in a playoff game

I think these things just happen in the modern NBA where teams are so reliant on outside shooting for scoring. That outside shooting leads to more streaky scoring for both teams were one can easily get hot and the other cold at the same time leading to huge runs.

It is just part of the modern NBA.

[tenn_smoothie]

Mentally weak team - this core has been together awhile now and have displayed this characteristic several times over.

[gouki88]

Mentally weak team - this core has been together awhile now and have displayed this characteristic several times over.

What team over the last 5-7 years (since the mass proliferation of three point shooting) has not exhibited these characteristics?

[radiohead]

Mentally weak team - this core has been together awhile now and have displayed this characteristic several times over.

What team over the last 5-7 years (since the mass proliferation of three point shooting) has not exhibited these characteristics?

I think they’re more mentally immature than weak. While they have shown that they can bounce back in a big way after a loss, they have also time and again come out flat after a huge win. They just need to be consistent like they were in the BKN series. The Bucks series and the early part of the Heat series have been up and down.

[Roy H.]

And these quarters where they are being outscored by 20+ are just inexcusable. That can't happen in a playoff game

I think these things just happen in the modern NBA where teams are so reliant on outside shooting for scoring. That outside shooting leads to more streaky scoring for both teams were one can easily get hot and the other cold at the same time leading to huge runs.

It is just part of the modern NBA.

This part is true, but it still doesn’t forgive the sloppiness and turnovers.

[Moranis]

The Warriors have had that happen to them in this post season.  Remember game 5.  It was 29-28 Grizzlies with 1 minute 9 seconds left in the 1st quarter.  By the end of the 1st quarter it was 38-28, at half time it was 77-50, and then 119-67 at the end of the 3rd.  So the quarter scores were 38-28, 39-22, 42-17.  Golden State turned around and won game six by 14 points to close out the series. 

Teams can just have bad stretches.  That said, there should be something that can be done to stop the bleeding, especially when in the case of the Celtics it is mostly self inflicted.  I mean if Miami had come out and gone 10 of 11 from 3 or something that is one thing, but turnover after turnover, many unforced is the real issue.

[footey]

I would not call it lack of  intensity. Rather, it was the intensity of the Heat's focus.  Why did that occur?

1.  Return of Kyle Lowry.  He gave their team an injection of confidence, eroded after game 2 blow out. Not dissimilar to how we feel when Marcus Smart returns.  He is very good at creating easy scoring opportunities in transition. He is a true NBA quarterback.

2. Bam came out with a purpose that was lacking in first two games.  Probably got sick of reading all the headlines saying he had disappeared.  The loss of Rob Williams made his job that much easier, especially on the offensive boards.

3. Emergence of Victor Oladipo.  I've been worried this might happen when I watched the Heat-Sixers series. This guy when healthy is an elite defensive guard.  Suddenly the Heat defense can match up pretty evenly with ours.

Not at all giving up on our team, but one thing for certain, this Heat team is not going quietly.  This is going to be a battle not unlike the prior series. Going in I thought we would have an easier time.  We need Rob and Marcus back in a big way.  Also Derrick White has to do something.  Payton Pritchard is getting more minutes than he is.  Would rather have J Rich and Romeo right now, at least we would have better depth to deal with these injuries.  Hope he can turn this around.

[jbpats]

I think this team gets cocky, when everyone expects them to win they lose. When the media boasts their ego, they lose.

They need to play with a chip on their shoulder, hear how they f'd up and got run out of the gym. I expect a dominant bounce back tonight because that's going to be the story going into it.

[ozgod]

I think it's less a lack of intensity than them being unable to match Miami's intensity. Miami came out on fire and doing everything with force and pace and the Cs didn't match it. There are two teams out there...and Miami are a better team than people give them credit for. They're one of those "the whole is better than the sum of the parts" teams. They're not as talented as Milwaukee, or probably even Brooklyn...but they're a lot more connected as a team. Spoelstra gets the most out of players that other teams would probably discard.

That said, we're still the better team. But at this level you only need to lapse for a few minutes, or a quarter, and that can cost you significantly. Miami's had more lapses than us overall...but our lapses have been more costly.

EDIT: What @footey said. TP 

[nebist]

It's a maturity thing that comes with age in my opinion. In a way, they are very mentally tough and resilient in terms of bouncing back, but they lack the mental maturity to play with consistency and fully understand the moment. Let's compare our rotation to the Heat's in terms of pure age.

Celtics Rotation:
Smart (28)
Brown (25)
Tatum (24)
Horford (36)
Rob (24)
Grant (23)
White (27)
Pritchard (24)
Theis (30)

Total = 241 Average Age = 26.8
If you remove Theis from the rotation, the average age drops to 26.4

Heat Rotation:
Lowry (36)
Strus (26)
Butler (32)
Tucker (37)
Bam (24)
Herro (22)
Oladipo (30)
Vincent (25)
Dedmon (32)

Total = 264 Average Age = 29.3

So the Heat rotation on average is 2.5 years older than the Celtics. I do think that makes a difference in terms of maturity. It's certainly frustrating because, although our core is quite young, they are also quite experience in big playoff games. One would hope that experience would outweigh the age thing in terms of maturity. But it does not seem fully there.

[Donoghus]

I think there was some complacency.  Probably reading too much of their own press. 

I also really think they really underestimated how Miami would bounce back and probably thought they were going to roll over again. especially on the road in a hostile environment.

[ozgod]

Wrong thread, disrefsrd