Celtics (15-4) at Pacers (10-8) Game #20 12/4/23

[bello_man09]

Holiday just hasn't impressed that much maybe hes hurt. Pacers deserved this one, they where shooting real well.

[SHAQATTACK]

Is Joe’s head back under the guillotine

 

[celticinorlando]

Same issue with Boston. They make 3s they win. They miss them they continue to shoot them in volume instead of looking for other offense.

[SparzWizard]

The Celtics lost because they took 41 3s and only made 12.  And that includes Hauser going 5 for 7.  Make 3 or 4 more and this is a win. This will even out in a 7 game series. Celtics have not been good on the road.

Joe Schmoe's 3-point failing philosophy to show here

[jpotter33]

36 turnovers in two games.

thirty-six.

not winning anything with such carelessness.

update: 38!


the c’s are so careless with the ball, they turned it over two more times in the final 90 seconds. wow, just wow.

This really has become a major problem for us - just like last year. It's ridiculous, and it's all just carelessness on our part with our passing, ball-handling, and decision-making. We're so nonchalant with the ball.

Total reliance on the threes to fall + awul taking care of the ball = us just being the same version as last year.

[SparzWizard]

In case folks don't know, this loss affects the standings. This loss could very well cost Boston the #1 seed. Remember it

[scaryjerry]

Holiday just hasn't impressed that much maybe hes hurt. Pacers deserved this one, they where shooting real well.

He’s a solid role player, nothing more so I wouldn’t expect anything more

[johnnygreen]

Same issue with Boston. They make 3s they win. They miss them they continue to shoot them in volume instead of looking for other offense.

I don't understand why the Celtics 3 point defense is so bad.

[Muzzy66]

This team is not perfect, but I do think people are overracting a bit here. 

You don't win every game.  Nobody does.  Even the 72-10 Warriors had a couple of ugly blowouts to bad teams.  Every team has bad nights.

This Celtics team has had the best record in the league for most of this season and we have won a number of games against contending teams.  We've had wins against Philly twice, Milwaukee, New York twice, Indiana (by 50) and Miami.

We have lost only five games including tonight. 
* Three of those five losses were by 5 points or less. 
* Four of those five losses were against playoff calibre teams.
* Three of those five losses were in games where we were missing at least one starting player.

Even after today's loss we still only half a game behind Minnosota for the best record in the NBA. 

Yeh I know, some of these losses have been frustrating.  Some of them are games we could have (and should have) won.  But things really aren't that bad.

[Mahk E Mahk]

Well good thing it’s just December. A lot of folks are on the ledge over this. The biggest concern is turnovers. And that is always the issue with the Celtics

it’s not the only issue, and folks are “on the ledge” because it’s clear this team hasn’t improved in key areas that led to their playoff exit last season (and the one prior, and the one before that, and …). where’s the growth? where are joe’s new offensive looks based on new personnel? what happened to the alleged defensive identity? what’s the plan when the three-ball isn’t falling (beside more threes)?

as for the other issues, take your pick: turnovers, tatum disappearing for stretches, live/die by the three, lack of defensive discipline, low bbiq, losing the third quarter after building a 1H lead to let their opponent back in the game, falling apart in crunch time, etc.

i said it in a thread years ago and i’m afraid i’m still correct: it’s tough to envision the c’s winning a title with jt and jb as the leaders of this team.

[PAOBoston]

This team is not perfect, but I do think people are overracting a bit here. 

You don't win every game.  Nobody does.  Even the 72-10 Warriors had a couple of ugly blowouts to bad teams.  Every team has bad nights.

This Celtics team has had the best record in the league for most of this season and we have won a number of games against contending teams.  We've had wins against Philly twice, Milwaukee, New York twice, Indiana (by 50) and Miami.

We have lost only five games including tonight. 
* Three of those five losses were by 5 points or less. 
* Four of those five losses were against playoff calibre teams.
* Three of those five losses were in games where we were missing at least one starting player.

Even after today's loss we still only half a game behind Minnosota for the best record in the NBA. 

Yeh I know, some of these losses have been frustrating.  Some of them are games we could have (and should have) won.  But things really aren't that bad.

The issue was they failed in a do or die game in the same way they have failed in the past. The IST is a dry run for the playoffs. They still have the same weaknesses they had the previous years. Bad 3rd quarters. Bad offense. Bad shooting.

[scaryjerry]

In case folks don't know, this loss affects the standings. This loss could very well cost Boston the #1 seed. Remember it

I’m convinced the Celtics were better to start last season and went into all star break as the 1 seed. Based off the way they’re playing they won’t be 1 seed this season, sorry folks they’ve been mostly overrated this year and all the red flags that have killed them in postseasons past are still there

[Silas]

In case folks don't know, this loss affects the standings. This loss could very well cost Boston the #1 seed. Remember it

Come on it's Dec 4.  Let's not get carried away with a Dec loss.

[SparzWizard]

In case folks don't know, this loss affects the standings. This loss could very well cost Boston the #1 seed. Remember it

Come on it's Dec 4.  Let's not get carried away with a Dec loss.

Every W matters along with every L's. That's what I told myself when this team lost to Orlando 3x last year, lost to the Knicks 3x, lost to the Pacers like twice, blew a 30-point lead to the Nets or something, and choked two Grant Williams FTs to the Cavs in regulation among other games.

[jpotter33]

It's still early in the season, but it feels like the depth issue are less about a healthy latter half of the rotation (though Kornet is fairly below average for his spot in the rotation) and more at the top when injuries occur. Horford (obviously), Hauser, and PP have shown themselves to be quality bench pieces, even if not in the top tier.

When we're fully healthy - particularly the top 6 - we look unstoppable and very difficult to beat. But we're clearly not the same when missing one or more of our starters and to a lesser extent Horford. Our margin of error significantly decreases, and we have to win by playing smarter, more tactical ball, which is not our strong suit. We've clearly been missing Porzingis, who really would've helped tonight from both an offensive and defensive standpoint.