Tied 2-2, Do You Believe?

[Phantom255x]

Tatum, it's now or never bud. Wake up ASAP or we're not winning this series. I believe in you!

[Redz]

Most in game 4 have been impressed from Curry, but at the end of the day looking at the stats you realize that globally speaking the teams were no different. The gap - as usual - has been determined form the fact that in the stretch we turn the offense off. Hard to correct it now... my sensation is that C's are a better team but GS has got proven champions and an offensive system that in the difficult moments can help them, and this can be crucial.
Tonight I expect the Draymond Green trash&taunt show for sure, hope we'll stay with the head in the match up to the end.

Curry was obviously awesome but I think we could have withstood that.  It was Wiggins turning into Moses Malone that was the killer.

[Dchuck]

Most in game 4 have been impressed from Curry, but at the end of the day looking at the stats you realize that globally speaking the teams were no different. The gap - as usual - has been determined form the fact that in the stretch we turn the offense off. Hard to correct it now... my sensation is that C's are a better team but GS has got proven champions and an offensive system that in the difficult moments can help them, and this can be crucial.
Tonight I expect the Draymond Green trash&taunt show for sure, hope we'll stay with the head in the match up to the end.

Curry was obviously awesome but I think we could have withstood that.  It was Wiggins turning into Moses Malone that was the killer.

Thats whats crazy.  Despite Curry going super nova, the continued turnovers, stagnant offense and lack luster performance by JT, the game was up for grabs in the final 2 minutes.  Wiggins and Draymond getting key offensive rebounds late really hurt us.  Those were effort/back-against-the-wall type of plays that we needed and will need tonight.

[BringToughnessBack]

No, I do not believe. I certainly have hope, but unlike other Celtic title contending teams, this group is painfully fragile.

When all the parts are performing their jobs well and not trying to play beyond their limits, this team is a pleasure to watch and plenty good enough to win the NBA championship. But when we get out of kilter, especially on the offensive end, our chances of success go way down ..................  And the way we usually get out of kilter is to lose mental focus on playing the right way. The Celts have talent, but not the the type of horsepower that those past title teams had across the board, including offense, shooting, rebounding, passing, basketball IQ combined with offensive roles that fit together more naturally and then simply a will to win that was stronger than this current group. Defensively, this year's Celtics may be better than many of our past teams, save for the Russell era and the 2008 team. These 2022 Celtics have less margin for error and struggle to maintain the mental discipline needed to limit those errors.

Don't take my comments to conclude that I have given up. Not at all.
The biggest strength this team has is its determination and resiliency.
I just fear that our strengths will not be enough to overcome our mental lapses and Stephen Curry.

I feel like this is true of most top teams in the league over the last few years ... which makes me wonder if it is more about the way the game is played today more than anything else.

This reliance on 3 point shooting creates more volatility / variability. You have more ups and downs depending on whether  the shot is going in or not than you had in old-school basketball were you took shots closer to the basket and therefore had more consistent shooting.

Those closer shots to the basket also allowed you to have a defense that could interrupt an opponent more than today's defenses do which give up a huge number of open shots that the opponent wants to take (3s).

Three pointer themed offense also space out the court creating less opportunities for offensive rebounds so there is less capacity to influence games through offensive rebounding like teams used to do.

I agree with the criticism but I see it more as a league wide phenomenon over the last few years.

I miss old basketball where there was more control over a game. I'm not sure that is possible in today's league.

Boston isn't 2-2 because of the 3 point shot, it is 2-2 because of the 2 point shot.  Boston is shooting 42.4% from 3 and just 45.7% from 2, but the real issue is Tatum is shooting just 27.5% from 2 (14 of 51).  White isn't much better at 28% (7 of 25).

Tatum's inability to score from inside the arc is a big reason why Boston didn't win game 4.  Tatum is playing mostly very well, but the shooting on the drives has been awful.

I wonder how much of that is the shoulder.Driving to hoop would put more strain on it vs being able to be set from long. I like the fact he is not using it as an excuse but something is definitely causing issues down  low and it not fear.

[BringToughnessBack]

This is how I  feel going into game 5:

If we win Game 5, we will win the championship in 6 games.

If we lose Game 5, we will win the championship in 7 games.

Key is to better strategize defending Curry.  Need to play more physically with him, if you don't get physical, he will destroy you (a/l/a game 4).  Put Rob on Looney and avoid getting into pick and roles.  Let him roam and defend the paint. Will allow our perimeter defenders to play more aggressively.

Need a break out from JT.

Amen! I like it that way too but believe it goes 7 no matter what.

[gouki88]

This team is special.

Down 3-2 in an elimination Game 6 in Milwaukee against Giannis and the defending Champion Bucks, we won. I like our chances in a best two out of three especially after four games.

This is how I feel. Sure, we have some pretty bad in-game lapses. But this team is incredibly resilient. Going from where we were in December/January to the #2 seed takes guts. Sweeping the much lauded Brooklyn team took fortitude. Winning the series after being down 3-2 was lionhearted. Withstanding everything Miami threw our way was much the same.

This team will win the next 2 games

[Phantom255x]

I'm losing hope. Better come out with a strong 2nd half here. Season's literally on the line

[gouki88]

I'm losing hope. Better come out with a strong 2nd half here. Season's literally on the line

Well... it's 2-2, so not quite. We also came down from 3-2 to beat Milwaukee. Deep breaths.

[Phantom255x]

I'm losing hope. Better come out with a strong 2nd half here. Season's literally on the line

Well... it's 2-2, so not quite. We also came down from 3-2 to beat Milwaukee. Deep breaths.

[Roy H.]

I'm losing hope. Better come out with a strong 2nd half here. Season's literally on the line

Well... it's 2-2, so not quite. We also came down from 3-2 to beat Milwaukee. Deep breaths.

[gouki88]

I'm losing hope. Better come out with a strong 2nd half here. Season's literally on the line

Well... it's 2-2, so not quite. We also came down from 3-2 to beat Milwaukee. Deep breaths.

[Phantom255x]

I'm losing hope. Better come out with a strong 2nd half here. Season's literally on the line

Well... it's 2-2, so not quite. We also came down from 3-2 to beat Milwaukee. Deep breaths.

[tenn_smoothie]

No, I do not believe. I certainly have hope, but unlike other Celtic title contending teams, this group is painfully fragile.

When all the parts are performing their jobs well and not trying to play beyond their limits, this team is a pleasure to watch and plenty good enough to win the NBA championship. But when we get out of kilter, especially on the offensive end, our chances of success go way down ..................  And the way we usually get out of kilter is to lose mental focus on playing the right way. The Celts have talent, but not the the type of horsepower that those past title teams had across the board, including offense, shooting, rebounding, passing, basketball IQ combined with offensive roles that fit together more naturally and then simply a will to win that was stronger than this current group. Defensively, this year's Celtics may be better than many of our past teams, save for the Russell era and the 2008 team. These 2022 Celtics have less margin for error and struggle to maintain the mental discipline needed to limit those errors.

Don't take my comments to conclude that I have given up. Not at all.
The biggest strength this team has is its determination and resiliency.
I just fear that our strengths will not be enough to overcome our mental lapses and Stephen Curry.

I feel like this is true of most top teams in the league over the last few years ... which makes me wonder if it is more about the way the game is played today more than anything else.

This reliance on 3 point shooting creates more volatility / variability. You have more ups and downs depending on whether  the shot is going in or not than you had in old-school basketball were you took shots closer to the basket and therefore had more consistent shooting.

Those closer shots to the basket also allowed you to have a defense that could interrupt an opponent more than today's defenses do which give up a huge number of open shots that the opponent wants to take (3s).

Three pointer themed offense also space out the court creating less opportunities for offensive rebounds so there is less capacity to influence games through offensive rebounding like teams used to do.

I agree with the criticism but I see it more as a league wide phenomenon over the last few years.

I miss old basketball where there was more control over a game. I'm not sure that is possible in today's league.

Many good points and spreading out offenses over most of the half court does give defenses twice as much area to defend.

The inability of this team to maintain mental discipline and keep playing the right way offensively has cost us most of our playoff losses. - movement of ball and movement of players off the ball, getting rid of the ball quickly before double teams have a chance to trap and to work for open shots more often and to mix up the drives, the mid-range jumpers and the 3-pointers. We miss layups because of the contorted degree of difficulty that so many drives to the basket result in. If that lane to the basket gets clogged with defenders, jump-stop and go straight up for an easy 5 - 8 footer. Counts just as much as a spectacular twisting layup, though maybe too boring for the modern NBA player.

[Phantom255x]

I'm not seeing it anymore. Even if they win Game 6, they'll lose a road Game 7

Missed FTs, continuing to turn it over a ton and then having brutal droughts on offense + hideous stretches on defense. Against a team like Golden State you're asking to lose like that. Yes it's a game of runs and GSW has also had bad stretches, but they are more experienced and battle-tested in this stage too. We look shook at times

[CelticSooner]

I believe. Things are finally where they are supposed to be with this group. So dumb but so talented. Take care of Game 6 and go from there.