Heat (1-0) at Celtics (0-1) ECF Game #2 5/19/23

[jpotter33]

Iso ball from top to bottom…just what they wanted.

At this point i would flip horfords minutes between grant and timelord, he cant make a shot plus his defence is not effective vs bam and jimmy.

Its not nearly over jet, but we have no chance if we play dumb basketball

Yeah, at some point you do have to actually watch the game and adjust your rotations as necessary. Horford has been abysmal, and it's been on both sides of the ball. His shot has abandoned him, and both Bam and Zeller are just exposing him on the boards. He's really looking his age. Joe is going to have to bite down and just play Grant, whatever his hatred of him is, but Timelord has to get more time out there, too.

And for the fifty thousandth time - if the bigs would just be up further in the PnR, they would remove the easy PnR threes that we're just giving up.

[tenn_smoothie]

BEST TO LOSE NOW

GET IT OVER WITH

MAKE HUGE CHANGES

TO HAVE A SHOT NXT YEAR

THIS YEAR WAS DONE WITH DUMMY PLAYERS AND COACHES

Might be the only silver lining, IF this meltdown forces change that is necessary to win titles because this group as constructed with this coach ain't gonna get it done. Hire a pro GM and a pro Coach and shake up the roster. Build around Tatum's talent but not his personality. Let him be the big scorer and put some smart defenders, shooters, rebounders and hard-core competitors around him. Make White and Brogdon the starting backcourt along with Horford and Rob down low. Bring back the defense-first mentality.

Do Wyc and Company have it in them to make these type of necessary changes ?
Ownership has always struck me as a little weak as well.

[Birdman]

Getting swept by a 8th seed by Butler, Bam & roster of misfits is unacceptable..easy path to a title gone now

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

What's left to say or to analyze at this point? Serious question. These guys show up only when they feel like it. Same mistakes over and over, ad nauseum—blown leads, untimely turnovers, seizing up in crunch time, giving up too many offensive rebounds at the worst moments, getting owned by role players. Duncan Robinson was virtually out of the rotation at times this season, but you wouldn't know it from watching him tonight. And Caleb Martin is outperforming Jaylen Brown ... let that sink in.

Whatever. If these guys don't want to get their heads in the game, there's nothing that I or any of us can do about it. However it turns out is completely up to them. Nothing would shock me at this point—they could get swept, they could win the next 4 straight, or anything in between. I'm just tired of their "broken record" play (making the same mistakes over and over) and their "broken record" postgame platitudes ("We've gotta be better"). Ask the '80s Lakers (or any other opponents from back then) how hard it was to win in Boston, how intimidating it was to play there as a visitor; but no one these days is afraid of playing in Boston. Except a lot of us Celtics fans.

They could still come back to take two in Miami, and even win the series. Is my confidence high that they'll pull it off? No. But again, it's not about me, or up to me. The next couple games will say a lot about just how good this team is.

[Who]

Gabe Vincent made 2 shots all night.

1st in the last 40secs of the 1st half
2nd in the last 40secs of the 2nd half

[RodyTur10]

Revamp this whole team around Tatum next year. Brown, Smart, Horford, Mazzula, all gone.

Tatum with the "bench" guys (3 shooters + a big) like Brogdon, White, Hauser and Timelord has been unreal good this season. Interesting to see if that basic unit can have the same success as a starting line-up (without Smart, Brown and Horford).

[scaryjerry]

Getting swept by a 8th seed by Butler, Bam & roster of misfits is unacceptable..easy path to a title gone now

Miami is a team that knows how to play us. Same roster was the #1 seed last season. They are playing extremely well. This narrative that it’s an “easy path” is stupid. Why because Milwaukee is out? Miami is the team that beat them. I’d rather play Milwaukee.
They haven’t been swept yet.

[Amonkey]

This team with its talent combined with the Isaia Thomas underdog mentality Celtics team would be unstoppable.

[SHAQATTACK]

Spo exposed in that Huddle chat how predictable this team is , just guard the three and you can’t lose the game. Holy crap ..BRAD ! That’s 101 …hire a guy who can coach or react.  That’s embarrassing or funny , and show how poorly the team is playing and coached. They aren’t going to beat the good coached teams on pure talent .  Celtics not spacing , passing , making right plays,  coach has no FEEL for what players are playing right and what is happening as the game goes on.  Call timeout and get in their face and straighten the individual out . Sit guys who are playing dumb and let them know .  I think he scared to coach.

[cltc5]

These are professional athletes most of whom have been together for over 5 years.  You’re in the conference finals.  Motivate your dang selves!

[Phantom255x]

The lack of urgency these guys show on the court and in these postgame interviews DURING THE EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS is despicable. Do they even know they are down 2-0 with 3 of the next 5 on the road??

I find myself the same way as after Game 4 of last round vs. PHI, if these guys and the coach are acting nonchalant and justifying everything over and over while repeating the same "mumbo jumbo" about playing hard everytime, then why should I care? Why should I let this affect my day-to-day life. If they are fine losing in 4 or 5, then go ahead. In the final two minutes of last night's game, season on the line, they played like it was a regular season game they were trying to get by. MIA were down 100-96, and scored 9 straight. Inexcusable.

[blink]

Spo exposed in that Huddle chat how predictable this team is , just guard the three and you can’t lose the game. Holy crap ..BRAD ! That’s 101 …hire a guy who can coach or react.  That’s embarrassing or funny , and show how poorly the team is playing and coached. They aren’t going to beat the good coached teams on pure talent .  Celtics not spacing , passing , making right plays,  coach has no FEEL for what players are playing right and what is happening as the game goes on.  Call timeout and get in their face and straighten the individual out . Sit guys who are playing dumb and let them know .  I think he scared to coach.

Oh man I agree 100%.  It is a huge indictment of our whole offensive philosophy and approach.  ‘Just guard the 3 and we can’t lose the game.’  If one of the best coaches in the NBA says that to their team in the huddle while trying to stop your team, you should probably rethink everything. 

It is funny how this whole board has been upset with the over reliance on the three the whole year, but Joe (and I guess by association Brad as well) has just said ‘we need to shoot more threes’ as a main response to any offensive issue that comes up.  We need a new coach, so badly.

[Goldstar88]

Spo exposed in that Huddle chat how predictable this team is , just guard the three and you can’t lose the game. Holy crap ..BRAD ! That’s 101 …hire a guy who can coach or react.  That’s embarrassing or funny , and show how poorly the team is playing and coached. They aren’t going to beat the good coached teams on pure talent .  Celtics not spacing , passing , making right plays,  coach has no FEEL for what players are playing right and what is happening as the game goes on.  Call timeout and get in their face and straighten the individual out . Sit guys who are playing dumb and let them know .  I think he scared to coach.

Oh man I agree 100%.  It is a huge indictment of our whole offensive philosophy and approach.  ‘Just guard the 3 and we can’t lose the game.’  If one of the best coaches in the NBA says that to their team in the huddle while trying to stop your team, you should probably rethink everything. 

It is funny how this whole board has been upset with the over reliance on the three the whole year, but Joe (and I guess by association Brad as well) has just said ‘we need to shoot more threes’ as a main response to any offensive issue that comes up.  We need a new coach, so badly.

No guessing needed. This is how Brad wants the team to play and he constructed the roster in a manner to take a lot of 3’s. Stevens has said on many occasions that the modern NBA game should be played this way and that it gives the team the best chance to win. If people think that Joe has free rein out there, you’re kidding yourself.

[Phantom255x]

Wouldn't surprise me if we won the next two at Miami, gained momentum, then lost another Game 5 at home. I think right now, what this team needs is simply a win. Once they get that, maybe they rediscover some of their mojo and use that momentum going forward. Miami's in their heads though and they also can't close out the close games which is frustrating, and that's not just a Miami issue it's been true for a while now

The season feels over, but at the same time I can't see us getting swept. Probably win Game 3, which sets up a huge Game 4 for both teams and the tide of the series.

[Billz401]

Joe Schmoe strikes again. Im sure he and Brown said all the same bs postgame as they have the whole year..
"We need to bring the energy."
"We gotta be better"
We gotta do this, we gotta do that..
Im sick of it, sometimes actions speak louder than words. JB brought zero energy on both sides of the ball but hes the first person to call out the fans or his teammates to bring the energy. What a crap perfomance. And where the hell has Al been?? Dude was nonexistent but stupid Joe put him and Grant out there for the whole 4th instead of Timelord who been bringing the energy. I dont get it