Can the Celtics Be Both Champs and Chokers?

[Redz]

..... Because I've never seen a team this affected/effected (darn that thread!) by this reason alone in postseason play. I can't think of a single team that's suffered this severely and this often and play good games in between ... because of that reason.

BrickJames (bless him) posted a link that went into great detail explaining the proper usage for affect & effect. The bottom line it came up with was 95% of the time if you stick to the rule of using Affect as a verb and Effect as a noun you'll be OK (what to do with the other 5% is your own business this rule works for me)

[nickagneta]

It's not like it was just one game where the Celtics have been dodgy down the stretch. It happens more often than not in this postseason.

Outside of Game Seven against Cleveland, what other game was it the Celtics great play down the stretch that won the game? Why do they keep losing unneccessary games? Or failing to perform at a consistent level? Showing their brilliance in Game Three then falling down hard in Game Four.

Lack of experience playing together in postseason style basketball.

We all figured this team would take a while to gel to be able to win basetball games. They didn't. They won at a tremendous level at regular season basketball.

But playoff basketball where you have to beat the same team 4 times to advance is another game and matter. This team has never experience playoff intensity basketball and is playing teams that have(Cleveland and Detroit).

They are taking time to gel at a completely different game and yet are succeeding in getting done what ultimately needs to get done.

next year if the core is in tact, I seriously doubt this type of inconsistency will be occuring.

It's been too much for that reason alone

Why?

..... Because I've never seen a team this affected/effected (darn that thread!) by this reason alone in postseason play. I can't think of a single team that's suffered this severely and this often and play good games in between ... because of that reason.

Sure sounds like a very talented team that doesn't have a lot of experience playing together in these types of games to me. Especially considering the home and away inconsistency.

[Who]

It's not like it was just one game where the Celtics have been dodgy down the stretch. It happens more often than not in this postseason.

Outside of Game Seven against Cleveland, what other game was it the Celtics great play down the stretch that won the game? Why do they keep losing unneccessary games? Or failing to perform at a consistent level? Showing their brilliance in Game Three then falling down hard in Game Four.

Lack of experience playing together in postseason style basketball.

We all figured this team would take a while to gel to be able to win basetball games. They didn't. They won at a tremendous level at regular season basketball.

But playoff basketball where you have to beat the same team 4 times to advance is another game and matter. This team has never experience playoff intensity basketball and is playing teams that have(Cleveland and Detroit).

They are taking time to gel at a completely different game and yet are succeeding in getting done what ultimately needs to get done.

next year if the core is in tact, I seriously doubt this type of inconsistency will be occuring.

It's been too much for that reason alone

Why?

..... Because I've never seen a team this affected/effected (darn that thread!) by this reason alone in postseason play. I can't think of a single team that's suffered this severely and this often and play good games in between ... because of that reason.

Sure sounds like a very talented team that doesn't have a lot of experience playing together in these types of games to me. Especially considering the home and away inconsistency.

I don't think so. I think it's more about (I do agree some of it is what you describe) the players, their flaws and their flaws a unit.

[hpantazo]

A team that has never trailed in a series yet, is one game away from the finals, and has come up clutch in every big game in these playoffs (atlanta game 7, cavs games 5+7, pistons game 5) are not chokers, no matter how you look at it.

[Ian]

to choke means to lose, you can't be a champ and a choker.

[Redz]

OK, after a couple pages of responses it is clear that there is a correlation between the word "choking" and losing.  The Celtics are not losing these games or series therefore they can not be choking.  I get that, and totally agree that a team can not be labeled chokers if they continue to win.  So then what do we call a team that repeatedly succumbs to pressure and yet finds a way to succeed despite doing so?  Resourceful? Resilient? Serendipitous? Oddly prosperous?

Again, I'm [dang] proud of the Celtics and I'm happy as can be whenever they win a playoff game no matter how it comes about.  I'm just flummoxed that they've been able to succeed despite these lapses.  It's unique to any successful NBA team I can recall.

[hpantazo]

OK, after a couple pages of responses it is clear that there is a correlation between the word "choking" and losing.  The Celtics are not losing these games or series therefore they can not be choking.  I get that, and totally agree that a team can not be labeled chokers if they continue to win.  So then what do we call a team that repeatedly succumbs to pressure and yet finds a way to succeed despite doing so?  Resourceful? Resilient? Serendipitous? Oddly prosperous?

Again, I'm [dang] proud of the Celtics and I'm happy as can be whenever they win a playoff game no matter how it comes about.  I'm just flummoxed that they've been able to succeed despite these lapses.  It's unique to any successful NBA team I can recall.

yes, it is unique, but there has never been an NBA team that went from worst to first by totally changing their roster over the summer before either, so I think those to things are highly related.

[crownsy]

OK, after a couple pages of responses it is clear that there is a correlation between the word "choking" and losing.  The Celtics are not losing these games or series therefore they can not be choking.  I get that, and totally agree that a team can not be labeled chokers if they continue to win.  So then what do we call a team that repeatedly succumbs to pressure and yet finds a way to succeed despite doing so?  Resourceful? Resilient? Serendipitous? Oddly prosperous?

Again, I'm [dang] proud of the Celtics and I'm happy as can be whenever they win a playoff game no matter how it comes about.  I'm just flummoxed that they've been able to succeed despite these lapses.  It's unique to any successful NBA team I can recall.

mabey we should change chokers to vulnerable?

can they be champs and vulnerable?

[BASSTHUMPER]

i can understand the pressure these guys are under to bring a banner~for them to finally win a ring~

pressure can effect ya game~

all eyez on me like 2pac~

all eyez on C's~world is watchin~

that makes it kinda tuff~

[phaze]

This is funny!

I don't think there is anything particularly different about the C's than any other successful playoff team.  This is just the first time in a while people in Boston have REALLY cared about the C's and these close games are freaking them out!

We all want to win the 1st quarter by 5, then be up 10 at half, 15 in the 3rd, and win by 20.... hate to say, but the NBA doesn't work that way - especially this time of the year.

[WedmanIsMyHero]

The Celtics *do* have a fading in the 4th quarter problem.  And as I just posted on another thread, I think the buck stops in the finals. If the Celtics play a 4th quarter in the finals, presuming they make it, like they did in Game 5, they will lose.  The Lakers are too young and fast, Kobe is too good, and Phil Jackson is too smart.  So I hope the Celtics can play a *complete* game in Game 6 and get some 4th quarter confidence.

Hearing Pierce talk about how long the 4th quarter was, etc., after Game 5 made me nervous.

This is funny!

I don't think there is anything particularly different about the C's than any other successful playoff team.  This is just the first time in a while people in Boston have REALLY cared about the C's and these close games are freaking them out!

We all want to win the 1st quarter by 5, then be up 10 at half, 15 in the 3rd, and win by 20.... hate to say, but the NBA doesn't work that way - especially this time of the year.