Will Doc Ever Coach a Team Out of the First Round?

[winsomme]

the playoffs are not for the faint of heart.

this is the best thing that could happen to this team because coming in to this series, they had zero playoff experience together, and now it is very real.

the talk doesn't matter any more, now they simply have to do it.

we have heard them talk over and over again about not being able to have any letdowns because in the NBA, you can lose on any night. but now they are learning exactly what that means.

and i would rather have them learn this lesson now rather than later.

i am as frustrated as the next fan, but i think we need to toughen up too because the playoffs are long and brutal when you are invested as emotionally as we all are here in this team.

i think Atlanta got under the Cs skin in that game 2 and it seems to have gotten them totally off their stride.

combine that tonight with an amazing game from JJ, horrible FT shooting and a lackadaisical  beginning to the forth and you have a recipe for disaster.

Greg Dickerson noted when we were up by ten that he didn't think we were going to be coming back to Atlanta this year. we all probably were thinking (hoping) the same thing. and most importantly, the team came out  and played that way. they played themselves right out of that game.

it would be nice from a rest standpoint to have finished this up in 5, but now we need to buckle down and get ready for some seriously stressful playoff action.

let's see how everybody responds....

[wdleehi]

Why am I reading posts talking about how the Hawks are the kind of team that gives the Celtics trouble?  If I am correct, The Celtics had won six straight against the Hawks this year, including the first two playoff games, by an average of at least 15 points per game.  How is that a team that gives the Celtics trouble?  I just don't get it.

Shocked fans trying to find a way to explain this. 


This is inexcusable. 

[NoraG1]

Why am I reading posts talking about how the Hawks are the kind of team that gives the Celtics trouble?  If I am correct, The Celtics had won six straight against the Hawks this year, including the first two playoff games, by an average of at least 15 points per game.  How is that a team that gives the Celtics trouble?  I just don't get it.

Athletic teams have given them trouble I see similarities of the Hawks in the Wizards and Bobcats teams the C's had trouble with this year. It has been said more then once this season athletic teams have given the Celtics trouble.

[ktw7]

A totally inferior team is only "trouble" to a really superior team when the superior team doesn't play up to it's potential, and the Celtics have been nowhere near their potential the past two games, in large part due to Doc's blunders.

[wdleehi]

the playoffs are not for the faint of heart.

this is the best thing that could happen to this team because coming in to this series, they had zero playoff experience together, and now it is very real.

the talk doesn't matter any more, now they simply have to do it.

we have heard them talk over and over again about not being able to have any letdowns because in the NBA, you can lose on any night. but now they are learning exactly what that means.

and i would rather have them learn this lesson now rather than later.

i am as frustrated as the next fan, but i think we need to toughen up too because the playoffs are long and brutal when you are invested as emotionally as we all are here in this team.

i think Atlanta got under the Cs skin in that game 2 and it seems to have gotten them totally off their stride.

combine that tonight with an amazing game from JJ, horrible FT shooting and a lackadaisical  beginning to the forth and you have a recipe for disaster.

Greg Dickerson noted when we were up by ten that he didn't think we were going to be coming back to Atlanta this year. we all probably were thinking (hoping) the same thing. and most importantly, the team came out  and played that way. they played themselves right out of that game.

it would be nice from a rest standpoint to have finished this up in 5, but now we need to buckle down and get ready for some seriously stressful playoff action.

let's see how everybody responds....

I'm sorry, but What??


One lose to a team like Atlanta is a wake up call.



Two straight loses to Atlanta is oversleeping on your wedding day. 

[vinnie]

Why am I reading posts talking about how the Hawks are the kind of team that gives the Celtics trouble?  If I am correct, The Celtics had won six straight against the Hawks this year, including the first two playoff games, by an average of at least 15 points per game.  How is that a team that gives the Celtics trouble?  I just don't get it.

Athletic teams have given them trouble I see similarities of the Hawks in the Wizards and Bobcats teams the C's had trouble with this year. It has been said more then once this season athletic teams have given the Celtics trouble.

Nora -- I repeat again.  The Celtics had won six straight against the Hawks, with an average margin of victory of something like 15 points.  They won the next to last game of the season against the Hawks using the bench for almost the entire second half.  The Hawks are the youngest team in the NBA.  Yet, they are tied 2-2 in this series.  Never should have happened. 

[BudweiserCeltic]

Why am I reading posts talking about how the Hawks are the kind of team that gives the Celtics trouble?  If I am correct, The Celtics had won six straight against the Hawks this year, including the first two playoff games, by an average of at least 15 points per game.  How is that a team that gives the Celtics trouble?  I just don't get it.

Athletic teams have given them trouble I see similarities of the Hawks in the Wizards and Bobcats teams the C's had trouble with this year. It has been said more then once this season athletic teams have given the Celtics trouble.

Nora -- I repeat again.  The Celtics had won six straight against the Hawks, with an average margin of victory of something like 15 points.  They won the next to last game of the season against the Hawks using the bench for almost the entire second half.  The Hawks are the youngest team in the NBA.  Yet, they are tied 2-2 in this series.  Never should have happened. 

But did you watch that last game? The Hawks were killing our starters pretty much.  It took our bench and Cassell to get us the win in the 4th.

[wdleehi]

Why am I reading posts talking about how the Hawks are the kind of team that gives the Celtics trouble?  If I am correct, The Celtics had won six straight against the Hawks this year, including the first two playoff games, by an average of at least 15 points per game.  How is that a team that gives the Celtics trouble?  I just don't get it.

Athletic teams have given them trouble I see similarities of the Hawks in the Wizards and Bobcats teams the C's had trouble with this year. It has been said more then once this season athletic teams have given the Celtics trouble.

Nora -- I repeat again.  The Celtics had won six straight against the Hawks, with an average margin of victory of something like 15 points.  They won the next to last game of the season against the Hawks using the bench for almost the entire second half.  The Hawks are the youngest team in the NBA.  Yet, they are tied 2-2 in this series.  Never should have happened. 

But did you watch that last game? The Hawks were killing our starters pretty much.  It took our bench and Cassell to get us the win in the 4th.

So why didn't Doc just play the bench? 


Celtics are out of sync.  That's the coaches job to correct.

[Cman]

This is why some wanted to withold commentary on Doc until the real games began: going from worst to first in the regular season doesn't matter one iota.  All that matters is success in the playoffs, and frankly, if Doc can't coach this team past the Hawks then he needs to be run out of town.

Yes, probably already been said before a few pages back, but I don't care (because part of the beauty of celticsblog is that it lets me vent   ).

[NoraG1]

Why am I reading posts talking about how the Hawks are the kind of team that gives the Celtics trouble?  If I am correct, The Celtics had won six straight against the Hawks this year, including the first two playoff games, by an average of at least 15 points per game.  How is that a team that gives the Celtics trouble?  I just don't get it.

Athletic teams have given them trouble I see similarities of the Hawks in the Wizards and Bobcats teams the C's had trouble with this year. It has been said more then once this season athletic teams have given the Celtics trouble.

Nora -- I repeat again.  The Celtics had won six straight against the Hawks, with an average margin of victory of something like 15 points.  They won the next to last game of the season against the Hawks using the bench for almost the entire second half.  The Hawks are the youngest team in the NBA.  Yet, they are tied 2-2 in this series.  Never should have happened. 

Obviously the Hawks found something out. I am as befuddled as everyone else about what happened. Anybody got a better explanation? Besides Doc?

[wdleehi]

This is why some wanted to withold commentary on Doc until the real games began: going from worst to first in the regular season doesn't matter one iota.  All that matters is success in the playoffs, and frankly, if Doc can't coach this team past the Hawks then he needs to be run out of town.

Yes, probably already been said before a few pages back, but I don't care (because part of the beauty of celticsblog is that it lets me vent  ).

I have been venting the past hour, and I haven't calmed down one bit.  And I need to calm down so I can go to bed.  I can not go to sleep this angry. 

[BudweiserCeltic]

Why am I reading posts talking about how the Hawks are the kind of team that gives the Celtics trouble?  If I am correct, The Celtics had won six straight against the Hawks this year, including the first two playoff games, by an average of at least 15 points per game.  How is that a team that gives the Celtics trouble?  I just don't get it.

Athletic teams have given them trouble I see similarities of the Hawks in the Wizards and Bobcats teams the C's had trouble with this year. It has been said more then once this season athletic teams have given the Celtics trouble.

Nora -- I repeat again.  The Celtics had won six straight against the Hawks, with an average margin of victory of something like 15 points.  They won the next to last game of the season against the Hawks using the bench for almost the entire second half.  The Hawks are the youngest team in the NBA.  Yet, they are tied 2-2 in this series.  Never should have happened. 

But did you watch that last game? The Hawks were killing our starters pretty much.  It took our bench and Cassell to get us the win in the 4th.

So why didn't Doc just play the bench? 


Celtics are out of sync.  That's the coaches job to correct.

If he did and we lost, would you applaud him for his efforts? His bench is not playing well either, other than Posey. So I doubt that strategy would work.

This is why some wanted to withold commentary on Doc until the real games began: going from worst to first in the regular season doesn't matter one iota.  All that matters is success in the playoffs, and frankly, if Doc can't coach this team past the Hawks then he needs to be run out of town.

Yes, probably already been said before a few pages back, but I don't care (because part of the beauty of celticsblog is that it lets me vent  ).

I have been venting the past hour, and I haven't calmed down one bit.  And I need to calm down so I can go to bed.  I can not go to sleep this angry. 

Do what I do always (though not doing it tonight) shut off all the TVs and computer, go read some random book you got laying around and fall asleep.

[NoraG1]

Why am I reading posts talking about how the Hawks are the kind of team that gives the Celtics trouble?  If I am correct, The Celtics had won six straight against the Hawks this year, including the first two playoff games, by an average of at least 15 points per game.  How is that a team that gives the Celtics trouble?  I just don't get it.

Athletic teams have given them trouble I see similarities of the Hawks in the Wizards and Bobcats teams the C's had trouble with this year. It has been said more then once this season athletic teams have given the Celtics trouble.

Nora -- I repeat again.  The Celtics had won six straight against the Hawks, with an average margin of victory of something like 15 points.  They won the next to last game of the season against the Hawks using the bench for almost the entire second half.  The Hawks are the youngest team in the NBA.  Yet, they are tied 2-2 in this series.  Never should have happened. 

But did you watch that last game? The Hawks were killing our starters pretty much.  It took our bench and Cassell to get us the win in the 4th.

So why didn't Doc just play the bench? 


Celtics are out of sync.  That's the coaches job to correct.

If he did and we lost, would you applaud him for his efforts? His bench is not playing well either, other than Posey. So I doubt that strategy would work.

This is why some wanted to withold commentary on Doc until the real games began: going from worst to first in the regular season doesn't matter one iota.  All that matters is success in the playoffs, and frankly, if Doc can't coach this team past the Hawks then he needs to be run out of town.

Yes, probably already been said before a few pages back, but I don't care (because part of the beauty of celticsblog is that it lets me vent  ).

I have been venting the past hour, and I haven't calmed down one bit.  And I need to calm down so I can go to bed.  I can not go to sleep this angry. 

Do what I do always (though not doing it tonight) shut off all the TVs and computer, go read some random book you got laying around and fall asleep.

I agree with your method to calm down reading all this venting has not helped me one iota to calm down.

[nickagneta]

the playoffs are not for the faint of heart.

this is the best thing that could happen to this team because coming in to this series, they had zero playoff experience together, and now it is very real.

the talk doesn't matter any more, now they simply have to do it.

we have heard them talk over and over again about not being able to have any letdowns because in the NBA, you can lose on any night. but now they are learning exactly what that means.

and i would rather have them learn this lesson now rather than later.

i am as frustrated as the next fan, but i think we need to toughen up too because the playoffs are long and brutal when you are invested as emotionally as we all are here in this team.

i think Atlanta got under the Cs skin in that game 2 and it seems to have gotten them totally off their stride.

combine that tonight with an amazing game from JJ, horrible FT shooting and a lackadaisical  beginning to the forth and you have a recipe for disaster.

Greg Dickerson noted when we were up by ten that he didn't think we were going to be coming back to Atlanta this year. we all probably were thinking (hoping) the same thing. and most importantly, the team came out  and played that way. they played themselves right out of that game.

it would be nice from a rest standpoint to have finished this up in 5, but now we need to buckle down and get ready for some seriously stressful playoff action.

let's see how everybody responds....

If I read even one more statement saying a loss is the best thing that could happen to this team I think I am going to have to be restrained from throwing my laptop across the room.

This is the playoffs. No losses are the best thing that could happen to this team. I really hope if this game series goes 7 games that I'm not reading how the third loss in this series was the best thing that could happen to the Celtics!!!!

[Redz]

the playoffs are not for the faint of heart.

this is the best thing that could happen to this team because coming in to this series, they had zero playoff experience together, and now it is very real.

the talk doesn't matter any more, now they simply have to do it.

we have heard them talk over and over again about not being able to have any letdowns because in the NBA, you can lose on any night. but now they are learning exactly what that means.

and i would rather have them learn this lesson now rather than later.

i am as frustrated as the next fan, but i think we need to toughen up too because the playoffs are long and brutal when you are invested as emotionally as we all are here in this team.

i think Atlanta got under the Cs skin in that game 2 and it seems to have gotten them totally off their stride.

combine that tonight with an amazing game from JJ, horrible FT shooting and a lackadaisical  beginning to the forth and you have a recipe for disaster.

Greg Dickerson noted when we were up by ten that he didn't think we were going to be coming back to Atlanta this year. we all probably were thinking (hoping) the same thing. and most importantly, the team came out  and played that way. they played themselves right out of that game.

it would be nice from a rest standpoint to have finished this up in 5, but now we need to buckle down and get ready for some seriously stressful playoff action.

let's see how everybody responds....

If I read even one more statement saying a loss is the best thing that could happen to this team I think I am going to have to be restrained from throwing my laptop across the room.

This is the playoffs. No losses are the best thing that could happen to this team. I really hope if this game series goes 7 games that I'm not reading how the third loss in this series was the best thing that could happen to the Celtics!!!!

I bought that theory after Game 3 a bit, figuring it would lead to a win tonight, but I can't concede two games in a 7 game series to that theory.  Uh-uh.