For whatever reason.....

[TheReaLPuba]

....the 2nd unit can't get anything going on the road.

Seems like whatever momentum we get whether it's offensively or defensively there seems to be a lull in the 2nd and 4th quarters....the defensive intensity just can't be maintained through out the game and it's really inexplicable and frustrating.

The Hawks aren't your typical 8th seed and they've got talented players but this team is not a good half court team and we simply can't seem to stop them from getting to the free throw line.

[blueygreen]

Honestly, throw Tony on Johnson. He's done a great job on other SG's and this leaves Posey to take another player and stops us having to constantly double team him.

[Hoyo de Monterrey]

Honestly, throw Tony on Johnson. He's done a great job on other SG's and this leaves Posey to take another player and stops us having to constantly double team him.

It's about time. Isn't this why Tony Allen was getting all that time in the regular season? Go offense defense if you have to with Ray... Just one of many issues this team has right now.

[Roy Hobbs]

I blame the reason for the second unit not having much chemistry at least partially on Doc.  Eddie House ran the team extremely well all season on the second unit, and now he's firmly planted on the bench.  The Celtics had a month of "garbage time" games, and rather than get his rotations in order, he insisted on "five man bench units".  This meant the backups weren't learning their roles, and weren't developing chemistry with the starters.

It was a recipe for failure, and I'm not shocked in the least that the bench is having issues.  In fact, many of us predicted this exact thing would happen (although House losing his minutes completely shocks me a bit, since he was clearly one of our top-8 players all year.)

[bstnsportsfan3]

Honestly....i blame the game tonight on the ref's. how did alanta hae 44 free throws and the celtics only 24? i think right thier the game was won and lost....the ref's were horible tonight.

[celticmaestro]

i blame tonight on the celtics not wanting to win badly enough. call it arrogance, or just over-confidence, or for you doc-bashers call it lack of motivation or bad coaching. what is for certain is this team didn't lose because the hawks are better they lost because the hawks wanted it more.

i don't expect that to be the case on sunday, or against the cavs. that will be a whole other kettle of fish and both hurdles i expect us to overcome comfortably.

[kenmaine]

Well, let me see. I believe the second unit that helped the team win 66 games included Eddie House and Tony Allen. 
For Doc to just totally turn his back on that in the playoffs is mystifying. IMO House does everything better than Sam except one-on-one moves and I didn't think that's what this team was about. Look where two great one-on-one players got Denver.
And PLEASE Doc, never use PJ again.
And using Sam when the game is on the line makes me wish Reggie Miller had decided to play this year.

[TheReaLPuba]

I actually don't mind Sam playing in crunch time because Rondo is still young and appears to be in over his head on the road.

Sam actually knows where he can score from and goes to spots on the floor where he can get his shots....obviously it wasn't falling for him in this particular game but he is getting quality looks save for a couple turn arounds that he probably doesn't need to take.

Rondo on the other hand should get by Bibby any time he wants but the few times he's done it he's thrown up some whacky shots or made soft lob passes back towards the middle of the court that leave me thinking he has no clue what he is trying to do.

I would definitely not mind Eddie playing more but we really have no idea how is confidence is....what's more shocking is that PJ Brown is getting some minutes at important parts of the game.

PJ, you're a quality player and a solid vet but you haven't played enough all year to warrant important minutes on the road. You're a guy who comes in if 3 of our bigs get into foul trouble or foul out....you're emergency or minutes eater in garbage time.....no idea why you're in the game in the 4th quarter taking shots and defending a legit ROY candidate.

[Frontierboy]

I've noticed that ever since Cassell joined our team, we have no team chemistry with our second unit...... Prior to him signing, our 2nd unit played with hussle and shared the ball..... Sam is a ball stopper.......

I much rather see House in with the second unit as the ball moves and the passing is better.  Sam should be playing limited minutes with our starters instead..... and at the end of games during pressure situations.....

I also think its laughable that Doc puts Eddie in at the end of the game to make shots even though he hadn't played all game.... how can you expect someone who's been sitting for over 2 hours to be loose enough to make 3's.... I know Eddie's a good shooter, but not that good.....

FREE EDDIE HOUSE!!!!!!!!
FREE EDDIE HOUSE!!!!!!!!

[kenmaine]

Amen!

[makaveli]

yeah i really think that sam is not the guy for this team...
you can count on the fingers of one hand the times he passes the ball...
he plays no defense...
cant rebound...
leon or posey are our 1# guys of the bench(depends on foul trouble) and the comes eddie and tony, then baby then sam and p.j.
i really wonder how was it in the locker room yesterday...
even if we win game 7 this will be a deep wound that won't heal fast enough...
teams like cavs and pistons will now have much more confidence going against us...if atl did it why cant we??
this is just unbelievable
but the finger should be pointed at Doc Rivers...he ruined the rotation and with that ruined 2nd unit chemistry
 

[fan33]

Well thank the Celtic Gods, we at least have Sam to be the scapegoat for all the valid reasons, for whenever these Celtics loose a game, or two.

 However, retrospectively as to what could have been, certainly keeping Rondo in more and going to T.A. and House then, the Celtics could have beat the Hawks these two games, is a possibility.

Still, I just don't buy into the whole Sam ruining the chemistry reason for these losses, I guess...

And reaching for a reason, I'm nearly willing to put the reason on Sam too; If that makes anyone feel any better...

[nickagneta]

I blame the reason for the second unit not having much chemistry at least partially on Doc.  Eddie House ran the team extremely well all season on the second unit, and now he's firmly planted on the bench.  The Celtics had a month of "garbage time" games, and rather than get his rotations in order, he insisted on "five man bench units".  This meant the backups weren't learning their roles, and weren't developing chemistry with the starters.

It was a recipe for failure, and I'm not shocked in the least that the bench is having issues.  In fact, many of us predicted this exact thing would happen (although House losing his minutes completely shocks me a bit, since he was clearly one of our top-8 players all year.)

TP Roy, you just saved me a ton of time typing that exact message out.

One thing I will say and I said this elsehere. If we are only getting contributions from three guys off the bench, that being Cassell, Powe, and Posey, why aren't we going to an eight man rotation. Everyone else off the bench has sucked or been invisible. So why use them.

[cdif911]

i blame tonight on the celtics not wanting to win badly enough. call it arrogance, or just over-confidence, or for you doc-bashers call it lack of motivation or bad coaching. what is for certain is this team didn't lose because the hawks are better they lost because the hawks wanted it more.

i don't expect that to be the case on sunday, or against the cavs. that will be a whole other kettle of fish and both hurdles i expect us to overcome comfortably.

I hope you're right, but I thought they showed consistent hard work during every game - big thing was mental errors and at times almost trying too hard leading to dumb fouls, technicals, altercations, bad shots, etc. When the guys get to doing what they do well, tough, smart D, solid ball movement, Pierce and Rondo going to the hoop - KG playing the post, Ray playing the in between game, bench bringing hussle, heart and energy, they'll be in great shape

[bhbf08]

I saw 3 horrible calls against Pierce... is this another case of a ref fixing the game for gambling purposes??  Yes we stunk it up in other areas, but it's amazing the crappy calls Pierce had against him to foul him out.  They were out to get him 2nite. Glad game 7 is at home!