Feel like we're "giving" homecourt advantage away...

[ScoobyDoo]

I realise we are without KG but we had a golden opportunity to make some gold here this part week or so with LA losing two straight and Cleveland dropping one in Houston. I was happy with our road trip of 4-2 without KG but...

Losing that second game to the Clippers and then losing "at home" to Detroit...are just hard to accept.

The main reason I find these two losses hard to accept is that when you're big gun is out ( KG), you have to make every game a war, a personal war and you just have to ratchet up the intensity. And I think we lost both these games because of lack of intensity and just absolute boneheaded play down the stretch...just handing the games away.

In the process, we miss a golden opp of what would have been pulling even with both the Cavs and Lakers as of today had we won these two games.

I mean, if the last road trip game was in Utah or LA and if we lost at home to SA, LA or some real tough team...what can you do?

But the Clippers and Detroit?

Very frustrating.

[Rondo_is_better]

I was only frustrated by the Clippers loss-that was pretty much inexcusable, because the Clippers are terrible. But DET just beat Orlando, another very good team, and they were the first team we've played so far without KG that had a very talented PF in Rasheed Wallace. He seriously owned us today. Had some very timely shots. I DID find this game to be a "whaddaya gonna do?" result, and I wasn't really that upset by it.

[dark_lord]

the loss today sucked, pure and simple.  detroit is alot better with AI out. 

i dont even want to discuss the game today, it sucked

[celticinorlando]

i still think there is more suckiness to come...i don't see boston beating the cavs friday without KG and scal. just too tough...after that game we can all forget home court and just worry about holding off orlando for the 2 seed...

[Cman]

i still think there is more suckiness to come...i don't see boston beating the cavs friday without KG and scal. just too tough...after that game we can all forget home court and just worry about holding off orlando for the 2 seed...

I think the focus should be on NJ. If the Cs don't start improving it is going to be a rough game with Devin Harris, Vince Carter, and the young bigs (Lopez, Anderson) abusing the Cs... I will throw a temper tantrum if PP plays another 48 mins.

[celticinorlando]

i still think there is more suckiness to come...i don't see boston beating the cavs friday without KG and scal. just too tough...after that game we can all forget home court and just worry about holding off orlando for the 2 seed...

I think the focus should be on NJ. If the Cs don't start improving it is going to be a rough game with Devin Harris, Vince Carter, and the young bigs (Lopez, Anderson) abusing the Cs... I will throw a temper tantrum if PP plays another 48 mins.

haven't forgot about them at all...i am afraid this is going to be a rough week with the nets, cavs and magic all in a row without KG and a tired PP.  but of all the games this week the cavs looks to be the toughest

[Steve Weinman]

I understand what you're saying, Scooby, but there's something about the phrase "giving [it] away" that doesn't seem to fit - especially when you considered that Doc ran Pierce out there for all but the final 18 seconds of today's game. 

We're coming off a long road trip, and we've been a bit sloppy lately while working two new players into the game.  While the late-game attention to detail hasn't been good, I don't think we've been lacking for physical intensity.

-sw

[CoachBo]

Agreed, Steve. It's going to be sloppy bringing in two players who are probably 6 and 7 in your rotation.

Really discouraged, though, by the execution late in this game - and by Pierce's minutes. That's the biggest issue we confront, IMHO. There are a number of things to worry about right now, but the lack of wing quality off the bench tops them.

[ScoobyDoo]

Yeah Steve, I see what you're saying re Pierce's minutes and I guess we're putting in a good effort. I havent' watched this game yet, I have it taped.

But I watched the Clippers game and they just seemed to lack intensity and they also made a bunch of real high school level beonheaded plays down the stretch that make you scratch your head. Leaping in the air and throwing the ball away because you've nowhere to go,e tc...high school type stuff. Just turning the ball over...and over...that feels like giving it away.

I assumed this game might be the same...or poor match ups and no adjustments,etc.

Anyway, I just felt like these were tow games that even without KG we should have nailed and it would've pulled us even in the race which I think wouldn've been huge.

Seems like we missed that opp.

[celticmaestro]

Judge us when we're healthy and have a full team to choose from.

[wahz]

Lets take a simple look at what is happening with our roster now.

We all know we went into this season having four specific weaknesses that could be cured and not necessarily require four players: A lack of height; perimeter wing shooter off the bench for when we go small with KG at center; depth at the wing for Paul to get rest; a good ball handler when Rondo is on the bench. Danny openly said the roster wasn't complete at the end of August but he was done for the time being.

One possibility to cure the wing depth problem was Tony Allen improving. Not only did this not happen, he has had at least two injuries that have affected his play and now put him out.

As far as wing shooting, the simple truth is that a small miracle took place and as the season went along, Brian Scalabrine was filling in that role. He was positioning himself on the court as if he were Posey, and shooting 38% from the three. But now Brian is hurt too. And this is a very serious deal in that only time can fix him and if he gets hit in the head again when he seems fine, he will likely concuss on the spot. I suspect he is done for the year, but maybe the info we have is not complete.

At long last to fix length and ball handling, DA makes two pickups. Its too early to say how it works out and I am hopeful, but each pickup has big issues. Even an optimist wouldn't say a lot good about Mikki and dealing with Marbury is like trying to handle nuclear material. Note that I didn't say nuclear waste....yet.

On top of this KG is out.

So for the time being our 4 problems are way, way worse than at the start of the year. Whatever we think of Scal, he was a big cog for this team as constructed right now. That website which shows our most effective lineups shows Scal was in the lineup for the top two. No surprise for anyone watching our games. He's gone for awhile and he was helping with depth and shooting. Tony can't even come in to give rest to PP. And the two new guys will try to get woven in asap but it will be a struggle for a little while.

We need KG back right away, and we have to depend on Doc to get PP some rest. Even Doc lovers have to know that Doc is just awful with rotations and we CAN'T count on him to handle this well. Other than that we just need time. If we were healthy can we win it all?

Perk, Moore/Baby
KG, Baby/Powe
PP, Scal, TA
Ray, House
Rondo, Marbury

I think so. That's pretty solid. But 4 of those 12 are question marks now NOT counting KG's knees. Or Pauls endurance.

Its frustrating to watch but the reason we look so disorganized in spurts is because we are.

[acieEarl]

the loss today sucked, pure and simple.  detroit is alot better with AI out. 

i dont even want to discuss the game today, it sucked

I gotta agree with Detroit is better without AI. Yea it was a winnable game and Celts didn't bring the defense. Moore and Marbury hurt us in the defense category.