The Celtics team attitude.

[nickagneta]

While eating dinner with my son in front of the television and watching PTI on ESPN, I caught Wilbon and Kornheiser interviewing Kenny Smith. I found a comment that Kenny Smith said about the Lakers team attitude to be very interesting.

Smith said that the Houston-LA series wasn't over because the Lakers were an arrogant team and that their arrogance led to complacency. He went on to say that because of their arrogance that they could be very unpredictable because they won't always bring 100% effort because they feel their talent is enough to win. He mentioned Game 4 in Houston and the Finals last year as prime examples of what happens to the Lakers when they start believing they are simply better than everyone and don't have to go all out every night.

The Lakers are arrogant!!!

Which made me be so, so, so grateful for the attitude that Doc Rivers instilled, grew, matured and fostered in this particular group of Celtics. Doc from the very beginning saw a group of super stars that hadn't won it all and convinced them that their sacrifice for the team, their trust in one another, and that view that each was as important as the next was the most important thing in determining their ultimate destiny. Every player, from the super stars to the rawest rookie bought into it and the Celtics took the mantra of UBUNTU and became World Champions.

And what amazes me about this team is that through all the adversity that it has gone through, that that team concept, that unselfishness, that trust in one another, and that experience it all created, gave them the heart of a champion. It has persevered through it all and carried them further than any thought possible this year, given the circumstances.

I know we make fun of the word "intangibles" at this site a lot, but how fitting is it that a very intelligent and knowledgeable analyst such Kenny Smith thinks that an intangible, such as the Lakers arrogance, is what could eventually doom them this year? He is, in an indirect way, advocating that having the best talent isn't always what it takes to be great.

I love the Celtics team attitude and I love this team. In some some ways I love this team more than I loved last year's team because of how UBUNTU has carried them so far and allowed younger players to develop and become integral components of the team. So many basketball "experts" are so quick to write off these Celtics because they lack the talent and the experience in the replacements of KG and Leon. Yet, it has been the young trio of Perk, Rondo and Baby that are responsible for making up the slack created by the holes the team's injuries have made.

I don't ever see these Celtics being called arrogant, selfish, complacent, dumb, unmotivated, or lazy. Watch and read everything you can on the Celtics and you will almost never hear these type of words describing our Green Team. And that's even from people who hate the Celtics.

Much of the Celtic hating world was rejoicing when it looked to those that don't follow the intangibles or team attitudes as if the Celtics were done for this year. But now they are one win away from playing in the ECF again and once again being predicted to fail because of a lack of talent.

I believe the Celtics team attitude, if they get by Orlando, will take them further than almost all will expect. I hope it's for some shocking wins and another banner. But if not, I'll be happy because I know they'll fight to the end and never become complacent because of their arrogance.

So, once again, thanks Doc. You realized that basketball and physical talent and ability can only get one so far and you turned the team inward upon itself to become more cerebral and hence, gave it the ability to take control of their destiny through positive mental preparation and attitude. Thanks Doc.

And thank you, UBUNTU!!!!

[vl819]

While eating dinner with my son in front of the television and watching PTI on ESPN, I caught Wilbon and Kornheiser interviewing Kenny Smith. I found a comment that Kenny Smith said about the Lakers team attitude to be very interesting.

Smith said that the Houston-LA series wasn't over because the Lakers were an arrogant team and that their arrogance led to complacency. He went on to say that because of their arrogance that they could be very unpredictable because they won't always bring 100% effort because they feel their talent is enough to win. He mentioned Game 4 in Houston and the Finals last year as prime examples of what happens to the Lakers when they start believing they are simply better than everyone and don't have to go all out every night.

The Lakers are arrogant!!!

Which made me be so, so, so grateful for the attitude that Doc Rivers instilled, grew, matured and fostered in this particular group of Celtics. Doc from the very beginning saw a group of super stars that hadn't won it all and convinced them that their sacrifice for the team, their trust in one another, and that view that each was as important as the next was the most important thing in determining their ultimate destiny. Every player, from the super stars to the rawest rookie bought into it and the Celtics took the mantra of UBUNTU and became World Champions.

And what amazes me about this team is that through all the adversity that it has gone through, that that team concept, that unselfishness, that trust in one another, and that experience it all created, gave them the heart of a champion. It has persevered through it all and carried them further than any thought possible this year, given the circumstances.

I know we make fun of the word "intangibles" at this site a lot, but how fitting is it that a very intelligent and knowledgeable analyst such Kenny Smith thinks that an intangible, such as the Lakers arrogance, is what could eventually doom them this year? He is, in an indirect way, advocating that having the best talent isn't always what it takes to be great.

I love the Celtics team attitude and I love this team. In some some ways I love this team more than I loved last year's team because of how UBUNTU has carried them so far and allowed younger players to develop and become integral components of the team. So many basketball "experts" are so quick to write off these Celtics because they lack the talent and the experience in the replacements of KG and Leon. Yet, it has been the young trio of Perk, Rondo and Baby that are responsible for making up the slack created by the holes the team's injuries have made.

I don't ever see these Celtics being called arrogant, selfish, complacent, dumb, unmotivated, or lazy. Watch and read everything you can on the Celtics and you will almost never hear these type of words describing our Green Team. And that's even from people who hate the Celtics.

Much of the Celtic hating world was rejoicing when it looked to those that don't follow the intangibles or team attitudes as if the Celtics were done for this year. But now they are one win away from playing in the ECF again and once again being predicted to fail because of a lack of talent.

I believe the Celtics team attitude, if they get by Orlando, will take them further than almost all will expect. I hope it's for some shocking wins and another banner. But if not, I'll be happy because I know they'll fight to the end and never become complacent because of their arrogance.

So, once again, thanks Doc. You realized that basketball and physical talent and ability can only get one so far and you turned the team inward upon itself to become more cerebral and hence, gave it the ability to take control of their destiny through positive mental preparation and attitude. Thanks Doc.

And thank you, UBUNTU!!!!

The successful history aside, what you just described is what makes the Celtics the only team I can truly love and root for.

[Drucci]

Another great post, what a day!

TP for you nickagneta. I agree with you, the Celtics are even more surprising and maybe even more pleasant to follow because you can see the young players, who were important but not as the Big Three last year, beginning to increase their role and ultimately Rondo, Perkins and BBD are the players who are winning games for us. Ray and Paul are contributing too, obviously, but it almost seems to me that, during long stretches in games, they are not the primary options on offense and it's a big evolution since last year.

It's so great to watch these players play with Ubuntu, they are truly living to the word, even more than last year in my opinion because with the absence of Kevin and Leon everybody has to contribute by doing his best, but first and foremost by trusting his teammates.

That's why, if the Celtics reach the ECF, I wouldn't be so surprised if they went against all the predictions picking them to lose and were able to win against Cleveland. But we're not there yet, so let's stay focused on the Magic.

And the arrogange you're talking about is one of the biggest reasons of my hate for the Lakers and especially for Phil Jackson. They have a coach that is extremely arrogant, who likes to play "mind games" and criticize the refs or the opponent team, but he is not helping his team by doing so. He was outcoached by Doc last year and he hasn't proven anything with this Lakers team, other than that he likes to maintain his "Zen Master" reputation maybe even more than winning. I mean, when the Lakers were getting crushed by the Rockets in game 4, in the huddle, he was telling his players "It's OK, this is one of the days where you can't do nothing to win, we'll be tied 2-2 and we've won in Houston, it's all good". Way to win a championship...

[Amonkey]

I am soooo pumped about this Celtics I am ready to punch a baby!

[Cman]

I believe the Celtics team attitude, if they get by Orlando, will take them further than almost all will expect. I hope it's for some shocking wins and another banner. But if not, I'll be happy because I know they'll fight to the end and never become complacent because of their arrogance.

Well said, all of it.  The above is my favorite.
  Enjoy your day.

[the_Bird]

To be fair, the C's have shown a tendancy to get somewhat complacent as well.  I tend to think, without a lot of evidence to back this up, that Rondo may be occassionally guilty of losing his focus and relaxing too much going into some games; he's still probably most guilty of inconsistency from game to game.

I do think this is Cleveland's year, and I'm OK with that - because I know that once the C's get by Orlando (and they will), they're going to give Cleveland everything they've got.  Even though they probably have the least amount of collective talent still playing, the C's are going to give Cleveland the greatest amount of difficulty because they're NOT going to be intimidated and they're NOT going to back down.  That's really all we can ask for; they're going to give it everything that they have.

And if we CAN get by the Cavs...  the Lakers stand no chance.  They're confident, they're arrogant, but they're still soft.

[Roy Hobbs]

I don't ever see these Celtics being called arrogant, selfish, complacent, dumb, unmotivated, or lazy. Watch and read everything you can on the Celtics and you will almost never hear these type of words describing our Green Team. And that's even from people who hate the Celtics.

The Celts are never called selfish, dumb, or lazy.  However, they *are* called arrogant, complacent, and unmotivated.  Heck, Perk called them unfocused, and said "think we get too comfortable after we get a little success, have a win".  If that's not complacent, I don't know what is.  Repeatedly this year, the team has had slow starts, and has lost against inferior teams because they didn't seem to play with the fire of last year.  Recently, Doc has been questioning Rondo, saying he's not playing at full speed.  Again, if that's not complacency, it's something akin to it.

In terms of arrogance...  you've never heard that about the Celtics, even from their critics?  That's *all* I hear from the critics.  The Celtics talk a lot of trash, they brag up their ring, they don't come to play as hard against inferior teams, Paul Pierce calls himself the best player in the world, etc....  I know it's not a popular sentiment around here, but I think the Celtics have a collective cockiness -- which many are going to call arrogance -- that the team thrives off of.

So, I agree with being proud of this team, the way it's fought through two playoff series in a row.  However, I disagree that the attitude of this team somehow sets them apart from other teams, in terms of lack of arrogance, constant hustle, etc.  The team definitely buys into ubuntu, but it suffers from many of the same personality flaws that fans don't like in other teams.

[Redz]

I don't ever see these Celtics being called arrogant, selfish, complacent, dumb, unmotivated, or lazy. Watch and read everything you can on the Celtics and you will almost never hear these type of words describing our Green Team. And that's even from people who hate the Celtics.

The Celts are never called selfish, dumb, or lazy.  However, they *are* called arrogant, complacent, and unmotivated.  Heck, Perk called them unfocused, and said "think we get too comfortable after we get a little success, have a win".  If that's not complacent, I don't know what is.  Repeatedly this year, the team has had slow starts, and has lost against inferior teams because they didn't seem to play with the fire of last year.  Recently, Doc has been questioning Rondo, saying he's not playing at full speed.  Again, if that's not complacency, it's something akin to it.

In terms of arrogance...  you've never heard that about the Celtics, even from their critics?  That's *all* I hear from the critics.  The Celtics talk a lot of trash, they brag up their ring, they don't come to play as hard against inferior teams, Paul Pierce calls himself the best player in the world, etc....  I know it's not a popular sentiment around here, but I think the Celtics have a collective cockiness -- which many are going to call arrogance -- that the team thrives off of.

So, I agree with being proud of this team, the way it's fought through two playoff series in a row.  However, I disagree that the attitude of this team somehow sets them apart from other teams, in terms of lack of arrogance, constant hustle, etc.  The team definitely buys into ubuntu, but it suffers from many of the same personality flaws that fans don't like in other teams.

I think the word "dumb" gets passed around a bit too.

Hello Tony Allen.

[Roy Hobbs]

I think the word "dumb" gets passed around a bit too.

Hello Tony Allen.

For sure.  As a whole, the Celtics aren't a dumb team.  However, we do have some dumb players (i.e., Tony, Mikki, etc.)

[Redz]

I think the word "dumb" gets passed around a bit too.

Hello Tony Allen.

For sure.  As a whole, the Celtics aren't a dumb team.  However, we do have some dumb players (i.e., Tony, Mikki, etc.)

The lesson here is, there are very rarely perfect teams.  Last year I was a huge proponent of the idea that I don't care how many games it takes to win a series, the idea is to win 4 games before the other guys do and move on.

All that happens during any individual game means very little. The only score that matters in this series is Celtics 3 Magic 2.  The Celts are great at putting the past behind them and moving on when they've lost, but they definitely are guilty of complacency after a loss though (so the short memory is apparently selective).

[nickagneta]

Okay so maybe I was wearing my extra green dark sunglasses when I typed the Celtics haven't been called arrogant. They have. A lot. Especially back in the Red Auerbach days.

And maybe, on the rare occasion, they have been complacent, but I think complacency has less to do with some of their struggles this year than focus, age, health, and maturity.

But I wouldn't say that this particular group's overall team demeanor can be described in the manner that Kenny Smith described the Lakers. When it comes down to game time, I don't consider trash talking arrogance. I think trash talking is more of a weapon and a motivating factor these days and it is done by players on even the worst of teams.

Arrogance the way Smith used it was meant as a sense of conceit, of entitlement, a way in which the team carried itself because of their own self image and not necessarily because of their accomplishments. I don't find the Celtics to be described that way.

[wiley]

Okay so maybe I was wearing my extra green dark sunglasses when I typed the Celtics haven't been called arrogant. They have. A lot. Especially back in the Red Auerbach days.

And maybe, on the rare occasion, they have been complacent, but I think complacency has less to do with some of their struggles this year than focus, age, health, and maturity.

But I wouldn't say that this particular group's overall team demeanor can be described in the manner that Kenny Smith described the Lakers. When it comes down to game time, I don't consider trash talking arrogance. I think trash talking is more of a weapon and a motivating factor these days and it is done by players on even the worst of teams.

Arrogance the way Smith used it was meant as a sense of conceit, of entitlement, a way in which the team carried itself because of their own self image and not necessarily because of their accomplishments. I don't find the Celtics to be described that way.

Agree Nick.  They may talk a lot of trash but that's become a total norm.  And sometimes there's a fine line between confidence and arrogance, but I'd say the Celtics are way more confident than they are arrogant.

Another thing I can't stand about the Lakers and I also see this in the current Cavs team to some extent, is the sense of entitlement, which you may have mentioned directly but were certainly getting at in any case.  I don't think the Celtics act entitled.  I think they're much more business-like in that respect. 

While Roy's post made me think there's way more going on than what my impression allows, I still think of these Celtics as inner-focused and not glamour based.

[fairweatherfan]

This team has absolutely had issues with complacency - see our slumps after both big winning streaks this year.  Arrogance, absolutely too - though unlike many teams (*cough Lakers!*) we have earned the right by dominating the league last season. 

But arrogance and cockiness in sports is often a positive - Larry Bird and Michael Jordan were two of the most arrogant, cocky players of all time, and it fueled them and their teams into great success.  The only multiple champion I can think of in recent history that hasn't been at least partially defined by arrogance is the Spurs - that's not Duncan's personality, so it's not theirs. 

What I'm proudest of about this team is their resilience. After losing Garnett, they could've rolled over and no one would've blamed them.  After losing Powe early against a team that was obviously ready to take us down to the wire, they could've let up mentally and given the series away.  People might've grumbled a bit, but no one would've really blamed them, and they had to know that.  But instead, we've played two younger, healthier teams, and somehow, when it counts, we've been the hungrier team both times.  This team's arrogance feeds their drive - they absolutely refuse to give up because no matter what's missing, the guys out there know that they are the NBA champs and they can beat anybody.  Not to mention all the trash they've talked will come back on them tenfold if they fall on their faces.

Last season was the dream season, it was like a present we got to open over the course of 10 months.  But ultimately this one might be wind up being my favorite team.  True championship heart is rarer than actual championships, and this entire postseason has been a testament to how much heart this team has.

[Jon Niednagel]

Bingo! TP fairweatherfan for saving me writing time at work. While the C's have certainly been guilty of complacency at times this year, it is their resiliency that makes them so lovable. It is somewhat reminiscent of the 2001 Patriots or the 2004 Sox. It would be a true blessing if their season ended with similar results.

 

[Redz]

Bingo! TP for saving me writing time at work. While the C's have certainly been guilty of complacency at times this year, it is their resiliency that makes them so lovable. It is somewhat reminiscent of the 2001 Patriots or the 2004 Sox. It would be a true blessing if their season ended with similar results.

 

Even though they lost in the ALCS, I hold the 2003 Sox in high regard in this category as well.  I loved that team.