Lakers (24-25) at Celtics (37-11) Game #49 2/1/24

[Phantom255x]

You people are hilarious. The Clippers game a few nights ago was absolutely horrific and they lost by 40. They are bad tonight but it's not even close to the Clippers or even Bucks game a month ago 

It's actually much worse.

The Clippers and Bucks are legitimate contenders. The Lakers are not, ESPECIALLY without AD and Lebron. This is absolutely a much worse performance than those games, because we just flat out didn't come out to play thinking we would beat them on talent alone.

I don't disagree that it was a bad half and very uninspiring basketball by the C's, but in those Clippers and Bucks game they basically played everyone and still got absolutely smoked from the beginning. I don't expect us to lose this by 30+. Again, terrible half but I don't see it as "the worst half of the season" or "worst basketball from the C's so far this season" comments I've seen lol

But whatever, it's not good either way. Just need to hope they have a strong 2nd half

[ozgod]

My fear is that they will be thinking “who cares if we lose to this team we won’t be playing them in the playoffs, this is the dog days of the NBA and we have to play these joke teams to get to the good stuff at the end of the season”…that’s what I always wonder about players like Tatum and brown, so they have that jordanesque or birdesque killer instinct where those guys hated losing to anyone.

[Indocelts]

You people are hilarious. The Clippers game a few nights ago was absolutely horrific and they lost by 40. They are bad tonight but it's not even close to the Clippers or even Bucks game a month ago 

This is against the hated Fakers though…and one without LeBum and AD so everyone expected us to be leading by 20 at halftime not down by 14 throwing the ball away and our best player sleepwalking. That cognitive dissonance of being humiliated by a so called G League team is what is causing the outrage I think 

Tatum's trying his best not to humiliate this Fakers skeleton team, and at the end he embarrasses himself.

[Vermont Green]

All right. Let’s see how they respond. This game is not over. They have made it very hard on themselves with some horrible play. But the Lakers won’t shoot that well in the second half and we won’t turn over the ball that much.

They will. The 3's are falling for them, and the turnovers continue to pile up.

And the C's play really horrible in the 3rd quarter. Nothing's changed with this team

The Celtics had 12 turnovers and the Lakers shot 52% from Free. Let’s see.

[tenn_smoothie]

The Lakers were red hot from 3, but the C's are shooting 7-23 and are still jacking them up.

Porzingis and even Tatum should be manhandling the Lakers inside but nah, keep chucking 3s.

This is what worries me come playoff time, when this team is cold from 3 they struggle and it becomes even tougher when the other team can shoot well. That's how Miami went up 3-0 against us last year's ECF and won the series.

But, but, but ...... we have the best record in the league !!!!

[SCeltic34]

The 2nd half will tell us something about our starters.  They should be embarrassed and infuriated that they got outplayed by that sorry Lakers unit through an entire half.  Show some guts.

[Phantom255x]

My fear is that they will be thinking “who cares if we lose to this team we won’t be playing them in the playoffs, this is the dog days of the NBA and we have to play these joke teams to get to the good stuff at the end of the season”…that’s what I always wonder about players like Tatum and brown, so they have that jordanesque or birdesque killer instinct where those guys hated losing to anyone.

They showed it last year too in the ECF. After White's winner, they all acted like they already won the series. Inside the NBA crew even warned Jaylen "the job isn't done", but it didn't matter. They didn't take the Game 7 seriously and lost it in a blowout at home. Ugh

[PAOBoston]

Defend the three. Stop the turnovers. Do that and should be able to flip the score pretty quickly. Just depends on if the Cs actually want to try tonight.

[celticinorlando]

You people are hilarious. The Clippers game a few nights ago was absolutely horrific and they lost by 40. They are bad tonight but it's not even close to the Clippers or even Bucks game a month ago 

It's actually much worse.

The Clippers and Bucks are legitimate contenders. The Lakers are not, ESPECIALLY without AD and Lebron. This is absolutely a much worse performance than those games, because we just flat out didn't come out to play thinking we would beat them on talent alone.

I don't disagree that it was a bad half and very uninspiring basketball by the C's, but in those Clippers and Bucks game they basically played everyone and still got absolutely smoked from the beginning. I don't expect us to lose this by 30+. Again, terrible half but I don't see it as "the worst half of the season" or "worst basketball from the C's so far this season" comments I've seen lol

But whatever, it's not good either way. Just need to hope they have a strong 2nd half

Considering who they are playing, who they are missing and the unforced turnovers it was the worst half.

Bucks game was a back to back with travel. I give them a pass

Clippers are actually contenders. The Lakers are awful especially without their best two players

[Emmette Bryant]

I just hope the Celtics take the team they're playing tonight seriously.

This. Celtics have to take care of business.

I turned the game off and started reading a book.

I'll check back around the start of the fourth quarter.

[Phantom255x]

Chuck is correct. This team has no toughness. If they come out flat in the 2nd half and lose by 25+ then it's not gonna look good for them.

[tenn_smoothie]

Trade Brown for Jimmy Butler this off-season, hire a real coach and win a couple of titles before the guy breaks down.

[ozgod]

My fear is that they will be thinking “who cares if we lose to this team we won’t be playing them in the playoffs, this is the dog days of the NBA and we have to play these joke teams to get to the good stuff at the end of the season”…that’s what I always wonder about players like Tatum and brown, so they have that jordanesque or birdesque killer instinct where those guys hated losing to anyone.

They showed it last year too in the ECF. After White's winner, they all acted like they already won the series. Inside the NBA crew even warned Jaylen "the job isn't done", but it didn't matter. They didn't take the Game 7 seriously and lost it in a blowout at home. Ugh

If they think thst way, thst this is just a game to get through and it doesn’t matter in the overall scheme of things, then we will lose this banter, and they won’t care, because they only consider the playoffs to be important. That’s a mentality LeBum popularized to save himself for the playoffs but I don’t think it’s good for players who haven’t even won anything yet to adopt thst mindset.

[jpotter33]

This is where I miss the Ime team and even the IT/Brad years. Those teams clearly weren't as talented and didn't have as high of a ceiling, but you never really saw this effort from them. They played every game hard and focused, and they won on toughness, grit, and defense. They lost due to just not being as talented as other teams, but they were never outworked and out-focused like this.

Those teams were much higher character teams that held themselves more accountable, even if it was largely out of necessity due to having so much less talent.

[tenn_smoothie]

I just hope the Celtics take the team they're playing tonight seriously.

This. Celtics have to take care of business.

I turned the game off and started reading a book.

I'll check back around the start of the fourth quarter.

Wise man you are.  Think I'll rewatch episode 3 of True Detective.