Do you still believe

[tenn_smoothie]

Everything went right for Philly last game and everything went wrong for us. No way we shoot so poorly again. We are also better on the road than at home. Us p*ssing away G4 could haunt us but we should win game 6. I have more faith in us on the road than at home (as I should). If we do win this series (not confident but based on probabilities and logic think we should at least win G6), then each series is different and we do have a chance to win it all. 2008 was ugly in round 1, we still won it all. I don't know. I have low expectations but hoping for the best. So disappointing to see Tatum put up an empty 35 points that is meaningless as his percentage is awful and too many shots.. he lacks the killer instinct. I prefer Brown to Tatum. Ok done rambling (for now).

2008 round 1 included all blowout wins at home vs Atlanta and close losses on the road. Obviously, that team was just getting their 'playoff feet" wet the first two rounds because they got better as they advanced. That team was very intense, very hungry and relied on an elite defense led by an all-time great competitor in Kevin Garnett. (Apples and Oranges)

[Birdman]

Without a legit center, no..been saying this for years..

[jmen788]

Everything went right for Philly last game and everything went wrong for us. No way we shoot so poorly again. We are also better on the road than at home. Us p*ssing away G4 could haunt us but we should win game 6. I have more faith in us on the road than at home (as I should). If we do win this series (not confident but based on probabilities and logic think we should at least win G6), then each series is different and we do have a chance to win it all. 2008 was ugly in round 1, we still won it all. I don't know. I have low expectations but hoping for the best. So disappointing to see Tatum put up an empty 35 points that is meaningless as his percentage is awful and too many shots.. he lacks the killer instinct. I prefer Brown to Tatum. Ok done rambling (for now).

2008 round 1 included all blowout wins at home vs Atlanta and close losses on the road. Obviously, that team was just getting their 'playoff feet" wet the first two rounds because they got better as they advanced. That team was very intense, very hungry and relied on an elite defense led by an all-time great competitor in Kevin Garnett. (Apples and Oranges)

Fair point. We lack intensity especially our defense. In no way are we comparable to that 2008 team, agreed. Just used the easiest example I could think of in trying to show that many (or some) times in the playoffs, each round is a new chapter.. and we may play like garbage one series and elite in the next.

[Roy H.]

The Celtics are 12-16 in franchise history facing elimination on the road. 4-2 in Philadelphia 8-14 everywhere else How rare was last year when the Celtics went 2-0? They only had two such wins in the previous 40 years. 1st round wins at Indiana (2005) and New York (2013) pic.twitter.com/ZsVHaxsPOQ

[PAOBoston]

No, I do not believe. This team has no defensive identity.

[kraidstar]

The C's are 7-9 in their last 16 home playoff games.

 I think there is just a lack of maturity with this team. Back in the early Smart years there is no way we would lose some of these games and come out flat the way we have.

 It's not a coincidence that every year that we go on a deep playoff run we are disappointing the next year. It's like we forget how difficult it is to actually have success. We don't respect our home court and we don't respect the opponent.

 Playoff basketball is ugly.  The pretty offense doesn't work anymore. That's why the Steve Nash Suns lost time and time again.  That's why Kevin Durant's teams have struggled. In a closely matched series the grittier team wins almost every time.  We need to get back to that grittiness and hungriness. It starts with the defense.

Make the other team incredibly uncomfortable, and let your stars carry you to the win.  We have the players to get tough buckets. But we need to lock down the other end of the court first.

[angryguy77]

The Celtics are 12-16 in franchise history facing elimination on the road. 4-2 in Philadelphia 8-14 everywhere else How rare was last year when the Celtics went 2-0? They only had two such wins in the previous 40 years. 1st round wins at Indiana (2005) and New York (2013) pic.twitter.com/ZsVHaxsPOQ

Thanks for the pep talk

[TheTruth34]

My fear is that the Celtics have such a low margin for error, having p---ed away games 1 and 4.  The Sixers are formidable and even if the Celtics do play well (and up to their own standards) - it could still come down to a few possessions and a loss. 

They can win this game tonight, predicated on their defense leading to good offensive possessions.  But it's going to be a war this evening. 

[Mahk E Mahk]

The C's are 7-9 in their last 16 home playoff games.

 I think there is just a lack of maturity with this team. Back in the early Smart years there is no way we would lose some of these games and come out flat the way we have.

 It's not a coincidence that every year that we go on a deep playoff run we are disappointing the next year. It's like we forget how difficult it is to actually have success. We don't respect our home court and we don't respect the opponent.

 Playoff basketball is ugly.  The pretty offense doesn't work anymore. That's why the Steve Nash Suns lost time and time again.  That's why Kevin Durant's teams have struggled. In a closely matched series the grittier team wins almost every time.  We need to get back to that grittiness and hungriness. It starts with the defense.

Make the other team incredibly uncomfortable, and let your stars carry you to the win.  We have the players to get tough buckets. But we need to lock down the other end of the court first.

the bold text is the exact strategy philly has employed thus far.

[tonydelk]

No, I do not believe. This team has no defensive identity.

This team just doesn't have the killer instinct to consistently put teams away.  They have to be the worst 4th quarter team I've seen.  They slow it down, stop attacking and give up way to many games they should win.  A good team would not slow it down.  They would punish the other team into submission.  A good team would have closed this out already.

[angryguy77]

No, I do not believe. This team has no defensive identity.

This team just doesn't have the killer instinct to consistently put teams away.  They have to be the worst 4th quarter team I've seen.  They slow it down, stop attacking and give up way to many games they should win.  A good team would not slow it down.  They would punish the other team into submission.  A good team would have closed this out already.

the only smidge of killer instinct we saw was in the last 3 minutes in gm 6 against ATL. Other than that, they've been rather passive.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

No, I do not believe. This team has no defensive identity.

This team just doesn't have the killer instinct to consistently put teams away.  They have to be the worst 4th quarter team I've seen.  They slow it down, stop attacking and give up way to many games they should win.  A good team would not slow it down.  They would punish the other team into submission.  A good team would have closed this out already.

the only smidge of killer instinct we saw was in the last 3 minutes in gm 6 against ATL. Other than that, they've been rather passive.

It's been the same with this team for at least a few years—Boston lacks killer instinct, doesn't step on opponents's throats, and goes into clock-killing mode instead of continue to do what was working.

[Kuberski33]

No, I do not believe. This team has no defensive identity.

This team just doesn't have the killer instinct to consistently put teams away.  They have to be the worst 4th quarter team I've seen.  They slow it down, stop attacking and give up way to many games they should win.  A good team would not slow it down.  They would punish the other team into submission.  A good team would have closed this out already.

the only smidge of killer instinct we saw was in the last 3 minutes in gm 6 against ATL. Other than that, they've been rather passive.

It's been the same with this team for at least a few years—Boston lacks killer instinct, doesn't step on opponents's throats, and goes into clock-killing mode instead of continue to do what was working.

Such was what Larry Bird used to do on a regular basis. But even Pierce had a knack for it when he had some decent talent around him. I don't see that with our current stars.  It's also nuts how many times the ball finds itself in Smart's hands when a big basket is needed and the shot clock is winding down.  Bird wouldn't have stood for that.

[iadera]

I don't think that there is a lack of maturity. This core just ain't good enough. It's not fair to say the're bad, but they are not good enough for C'ship title.
Even if they win next 2 games,...

[Roy H.]

I don't think that there is a lack of maturity. This core just ain't good enough. It's not fair to say the're bad, but they are not good enough for C'ship title.
Even if they win next 2 games,...

It's hard to say that a team with two All-NBA players, the 6MOY, an All-Defense guy, the DPOY (one year removed), etc. aren't good enough.

Horford isn't a good enough to be the only big in the starting lineup, but that's the coach's choice.