Doc Venting (merged threads)

[wdleehi]

I don't have a problem with Ray taking that 3 or if Doc drew that play up or if Doc can live with it.

I prefer we take our risks on the road to win the game other than just tie it up on a 2 pointer by KG who doesn't want to take that shot anyway in crunch time.

I agree. Without Pierce you'd prefer not to have to go to OT.  The 3 was going to be an easier shot than going inside.

Yes.

The Celtics were not hitting the outside shot.  Go for the tie.  Trust that the better team (the Celtics) would be able to pull their heads out of the ground and win. 

[Kuberski33]

     . . . benching rondo for sam in the 4th - sam is the worst defensive point guard in the nba, the pick an roll leaves him in the dust - when he doesnt hit 80% from the floor he is a useless individudal - he is selfish and old and bad, but doc is a clown and hes friends with KG so instead of playing rondo for 40 and eddie for 8 we get sam . . . .

Benching Rondo was actually the best move Doc made all game.  Rondo ignored the game plan and tried to do it himself as the Hawks were in the middle of run late in the game.  That's an example of why it's tough to win with a young PG in the playoffs and part of the reason they brought in Cassell.  And the move DID settle the team down.

The mistake was not subbing Cassell for Rondo after Bibby missed the first FT.  You're likely forced to shoot a 3 and with Pierce out of there you have Posey and Ray Allen as your two threats.  With Rondo, you don't even have to guard him in that situation because a 2 does you no good.  That was an AWFUL decision by Doc and it may have cost them the game, though I don't think they win in OT without Pierce.

The other thing is with Allen unable to hit the side of a barn, I'd have rather seen Cassell take that 3 with 10 seconds left.

[Kuberski33]

The Celtics were not hitting the outside shot.  Go for the tie.  Trust that the better team (the Celtics) would be able to pull their heads out of the ground and win. 

With Joe Johnson back in the zone after he hit that 3 and with Pierce fouled out, Rondo playing like a 2nd year PG, and Allen so cold he couldn't even make a layup, I don't think the C's were the better team at the end of the game.

[lemonadesky]

Blaming Doc for the loss is silly. He isn't the one making lame passes and poor shots. That would be Ray Allen. He isn't the one shooting 40%. That would be Kevin Garnett. He isn't the one doing the hacking. That would be the entire team.

[vinnie]

The loss (losses) belong to the player and the coach.  If they lose this series, they won't be able to fire Doc fast enough and that will be the only good thing that comes out of losing this series.

[Roy Hobbs]

Ugh...  this is turning into the most disgusting and unsatisfying "I told you so" in history.  All the things the Doc "haters" predicted are coming to fruition.

[NoraG1]

Blaming Doc for the loss is silly. He isn't the one making lame passes and poor shots. That would be Ray Allen. He isn't the one shooting 40%. That would be Kevin Garnett. He isn't the one doing the hacking. That would be the entire team.

So the coach is not to blame because he was not on the court? I want to apply to be a coach then if they can't be blamed for anything because they are not playing.

[Kuberski33]

Ugh...  this is turning into the most disgusting and unsatisfying "I told you so" in history.  All the things the Doc "haters" predicted are coming to fruition.

Yeah, but it's also a jump shooting team and those teams never win consistently in the playoffs.  When Atlanta focuses on keeping Garnet out of the paint, the C's are having big time problems getting anything going to the hoop and that's just a killer.

Doc has made some awful decisions in a couple of these losses, but there ain't much he can do about that -- except maybe play Big Baby.

[dark_lord]

i am so disgusted right now!  few thoughts:

1- we stopped going to the hoop. there is no surprise that when we go to the hoop at home, we win by 20+ pts, and we we settle for jumpers in atl we have lost all three games. GO TO THE HOOP!!!

2- that ray allen 3 pointer was horrible. you dont go for the win in that situation, you go for the tie.  even if doc were to go for the win, thats the best play u draw up?  the shot was far too quick out of the timeout as well.  pathetic!

3-  on that ray allen 3 pointer, i dont know why leon powe was not in the game. he is our best offensive rebounder.

there is plenty of blame to go around in this loss and it is clear that doc was a big factor.

[wdleehi]

Ugh...  this is turning into the most disgusting and unsatisfying "I told you so" in history.  All the things the Doc "haters" predicted are coming to fruition.

I want to be wrong. 


I want the title this year. 

[Kuberski33]

Ugh...  this is turning into the most disgusting and unsatisfying "I told you so" in history.  All the things the Doc "haters" predicted are coming to fruition.

I want to be wrong. 


I want the title this year. 

I don't think it's happening this year, but the immediate task is getting by this series.  I see Pierce is once showing his immaturity by refusing to talk to the media, so suffice it to say the pressure is on big time and this team is going to be wound tighter than a drum heading into Sunday.   I really think this is a chance for the Garden fans to put this team on their collective backs and carry them to a win.

If we get a throw back Sunday afternoon crowd, the team will forget about the pressure and the shaky coaching and just play ball.  Also Atlanta hasn't proven it can go into a hostile environment and win.  They actually haven't been competitive in the 3 chances they've had so far.

That's the one thing the C's have going for them -- and it is significant.

[vinnie]

Time to go to bed, but before I leave, my favorite Doc comment tonight in the postgame press conference:  "I will never question a shot Ray Allen takes."  I wish I had a boss like that.  No matter what I did, he/she would never question me.  That in a nutshell is why Doc is a bad coach.

By the way, Utah is managing to close out Houston tonight by about 30 points, so the Celtics are the ONLY team that will require 7 games to get to the next round -- if they get to the next round.

[Roy Hobbs]

Ugh...  this is turning into the most disgusting and unsatisfying "I told you so" in history.  All the things the Doc "haters" predicted are coming to fruition.

I want to be wrong. 


I want the title this year. 

Same here.  I *so* wanted to believe in Doc.  I almost started to convince myself that it wouldn't matter, that our team was so good that it wouldn't have a lot of close games, so all Doc would have to do is keep everyone loose, and everything would be fine.

I was obviously delusional, and should have trusted my better judgment.

[bjenkin4180]

Basketball is a game of momentum. Momentum comes from energy, and typically you can count on the Celtics to bring it (usually led by Garnett), but when you need a shot in the arm from elsewhere, this season it has often come from Big Baby's intensity, effort and rebounding, Eddie House's threes and his quick hands and Tony Allen's defense and driving.

So we are playing a young energetic team and not playing the three guys that can match it! Please explain this? How does Cassell and PJ Brown make any sense in this particular series?

The refs have become enamoured with this plucky bunch of kids from Atlanta and I must say, I've been impressed. But they are not in the same league given fair and balanced reffing. I don't want to see Atlanta embarressed either, but this display of double standards in the officiating is not good for the game either. Call it fair and let the teams decide their own destiny!

So all those condemning Ray Allen and KG, get a perspective. This team is playing well on both ends of the court, but the momentum shifts created by this officiating is like a punch in the gut and they don't quite know where to turn. I actually thought the refs in last game in Boston were worse than tonight!

But despite this, look at the scores. We are killing them, it just happens to be equal in games won. Give our guys a break and Doc, play your energy guys!!! Please! And refs, don't worry about making it interesting, just call the freakin' fouls when they're there and don't when they're not!

[kenmaine]

Haven't been a Doc basher usually, but if PJ Brown plays even five more seconds in the playoffs, Doc is crazy.
And why does Ray Allen get a free pass from Doc, the fans, the media? He's not doing much, and why can't his time be decreased?
I know, Doc loves veterans. So did John McNamara- remember how that turned out?