We just aren't as hungry as 08

[EJPLAYA]

I am convinced at this point that this team is just not that hungry to win it all. That first year with the big three we came out and played each game like it was a playoff game. We were out to prove that we were the best team out there and that we wanted to crush everyone's spirit. We dominated and played with a hunger that we just don't have anymore. What we have is a group of guys that know that they are the best team in the NBA, and expect that they just have to show up and teams will bow down before them.

How about a little fire out of our guys?! How about a little stepping on the back of the neck of our opponent when we have them down?! How about KG getting in his teammates face and ripping them for not giving it 100%?! How about Perk stopping all this nonsense with the refs and being more concerned with his play than getting targeted?! How about Rondo expend as much energy on the defensive side of the ball as he does trying to be a star on the offensive end?! How about Doc calling a time out and getting a little nasty with these guys when they are playing like prima donna's?!

Yes we still have one of the best records in the NBA. Yes we are still talented and will win a lot of games this year. What we are giving up though is the likelihood of having home court throughout. We are allowing ourselves to appear beatable. We are letting teams get a blueprint for how to take us down. I don't have a problem losing a tough game to a great team when we have given our all. That's going to happen. What I can't stand though is a bunch of guys giving partial effort just expecting the win...

[Redz]

I believe this team still has the fire in the belly and will be able to turn it on in the playoffs.  We've seen plenty of evidence that they are capable of beating elite teams, and losing to scrub teams.  It's a ridiculously long season.  I think it's hard to compare this team to the championship team in terms of intensity because that team was the most consistently driven team I can remember seeing for an 82 game stretch.

[Redz]

I'll move Tai's post over here too since it seems to apply to the OP

The main problem is that the Celtics don't want to win these games bad enough. We don't need no freaking Acie Law to beat hapless, defenseless (in more ways than one) teams like the Clippers or Warriors. Are you KIDDING ME? We lost these games cause we didn't have this "natural backup PG" off the bench?

 The Celtics problem this year is that they don't have the killer instinct of yester year. We sure didn't need a backup PG OR a bench for that matter to start 27-2 last year, did we? How about that 12 game winning streak when we finally found ourselves again? Where was our backup PG then? This was without Marbury OR Moore btw. Even this year....we're STILL the best in the East without this backup PG you say we so desperately need. All season we've been without BBD, Daniels won't be back for a while, and Pierce didn't play against the Clippers or Warriors, but he played against the Sixers and we still lost to them anyways after having a 10+ point lead.

Your short term memory is showing in this regard and it's not even close, but the bottom line is that at best, we squeak through the games we lost with an Acie Law running the 2nd unit, and hey, it'd be fine with me, so I won't argue with you if it's fine for you.

The thing is, though, I can only say that because despite our pathetic effort against the Sixers, Clippers, and Warriors, we lost all of them by a combined 7 points; 1, 2, and 4 respectively. And we had a 10+ point lead against ALL OF THEM.

So in the end, until WE CARE ENOUGH TO DO SO, we will not beat down hapless teams like the Warriors, Clippers, or Sixers like we are supposed to even with a "true blue backup PG". PERIOD.

If this 2nd unit PG can't give us this killer instinct, then I'm not sure he's helpful. Otherwise, I feel like he's already on the way when the time is right, regardless. But that's all. If Rondo himself alongside Ray (since they both played 40+ minutes in the last two games) can't help the 2nd unit flow like it should in our state of lackadaisical, what's a backup PG who's clearly inferior to Rondo gonna do when we're not willing to put forth the effort to win games we easily should?

...I rest my case.

[moiso]

You are right, we definitely aren't as hungry as we have been, but I really don't have a problem with it this early in the season.  I'm surprised we won our title two years ago after watching KG go for over 20 rebounds in the first preseason game.  I figured they would be burned out by playoff time.
And some of the lack of hunger can be attributed to older legs.  The guys probably can't go full throttle through an entire season anymore.  Plus we have added a lethargic player like Wallace and subtracted and animal like Powe.  It can make a difference.  As long as we increase the intensity at the end of the season and stay healthy I like our chances.

[EJPLAYA]

You are right, we definitely aren't as hungry as we have been, but I really don't have a problem with it this early in the season.  I'm surprised we won our title two years ago after watching KG go for over 20 rebounds in the first preseason game.  I figured they would be burned out by playoff time.
And some of the lack of hunger can be attributed to older legs.  The guys probably can't go full throttle through an entire season anymore.  Plus we have added a lethargic player like Wallace and subtracted and animal like Powe.  It can make a difference.  As long as we increase the intensity at the end of the season and stay healthy I like our chances.

Yes it is a long season, however I am not sure that we win the whole thing without home court throughout. At least in the East. You are playing some pretty good teams in Cleveland, Orlando, and Atlanta and all of them have the hunger still. They also know we can be beat. You can't just decide to turn it on and be great all of a sudden. I think we just saw that two games in a row against bad teams.

[moiso]

The Spurs used to coast until the allstar break every year, and they won a few titles that way.  I always thought it made sense.  If they go all out for the whole season, Duncan will be beat up and Ginobilli will be in a cast by playoff time. 
Last year we lost KG, and I'd hate to lose anyone important this year.  I agree that you can't turn it on and off, but I believe you can peak at the right time.

[Evantime34]

I am convinced at this point that this team is just not that hungry to win it all. That first year with the big three we came out and played each game like it was a playoff game. We were out to prove that we were the best team out there and that we wanted to crush everyone's spirit. We dominated and played with a hunger that we just don't have anymore. What we have is a group of guys that know that they are the best team in the NBA, and expect that they just have to show up and teams will bow down before them.

How about a little fire out of our guys?! How about a little stepping on the back of the neck of our opponent when we have them down?! How about KG getting in his teammates face and ripping them for not giving it 100%?! How about Perk stopping all this nonsense with the refs and being more concerned with his play than getting targeted?! How about Rondo expend as much energy on the defensive side of the ball as he does trying to be a star on the offensive end?! How about Doc calling a time out and getting a little nasty with these guys when they are playing like prima donna's?!

Yes we still have one of the best records in the NBA. Yes we are still talented and will win a lot of games this year. What we are giving up though is the likelihood of having home court throughout. We are allowing ourselves to appear beatable. We are letting teams get a blueprint for how to take us down. I don't have a problem losing a tough game to a great team when we have given our all. That's going to happen. What I can't stand though is a bunch of guys giving partial effort just expecting the win...

During the championship year the Celtics came out and tried to make a name for themselves by winning every game and having the best record.
Last year they attempted to do the same but could not sustain it throughout the season due to injuries.
Now they have the end goal in mind rather than the journey.

[Chris]

Well, I think they are still just as hungry for a championship, but I don't think they are as hungry to prove a point in the regular season.  In '08, everyone doubted them.  Some "experts" were picking them to miss the playoffs altogether, let alone the finals.  So they were determined to prove everyone wrong from day one, by tearing through the league.  This year, they are more singularly focused.  It is only about the ring.  That means they are cruising a bit right now, but I don't think their focus on the ring has changed.

[vinnie]

TP for the OP. Let's look at the troubling trend:

76'ers -- 15 point lead blown = loss AT HOME
Clippers -- 10 point lead blown = loss
Warriors -- 18 point lead blown = loss

Never would have happened last year or the year before. NEVER

While so many are quick to poo poo these losses, call them meaningless, etc., I think it clearly points out that this team, right now, does not have the fire in its belly. Hopefully they can get it back, but I don't believe you can turn it on and off like that.

[RAcker]

I am not sure it's a hunger issue, although I understand where EJ is coming from.  I happen to think it has more to do with injuries (Paul, Marquis, Baby, TA coming back, etc.) that is messing with our chemistry and it's causing us to play a little jeckyl and hyde at times.

There is no doubt that it is frustrating.  I'm just trying to be patient and hope that we can hang with everyone record-wise until we have a hopefully "healthy team" after the All-star break for the home stretch.

Remember, the playoffs are where it's really going to count and right now, I don't know if home court advantage is going to mean all that much to this particular team.

[Donoghus]

Well, I think they are still just as hungry for a championship, but I don't think they are as hungry to prove a point in the regular season.  In '08, everyone doubted them.  Some "experts" were picking them to miss the playoffs altogether, let alone the finals.  So they were determined to prove everyone wrong from day one, by tearing through the league.  This year, they are more singularly focused.  It is only about the ring.  That means they are cruising a bit right now, but I don't think their focus on the ring has changed.

I think Chris has a really good point here.  The core is older now and they already have a ring under their belts.  Their focus is on getting another one.  Its tough to bring it every night in the NBA over the course of 82 games.  Right now, its a bit of a tough stretch being undermanned and on the road.  Its only late December and they're still right there in the battle for best record. 

[Redz]

TP for the OP. Let's look at the troubling trend:

76'ers -- 15 point lead blown = loss AT HOME
Clippers -- 10 point lead blown = loss
Warriors -- 18 point lead blown = loss

Never would have happened last year or the year before. NEVER

While so many are quick to poo poo these losses, call them meaningless, etc., I think it clearly points out that this team, right now, does not have the fire in its belly. Hopefully they can get it back, but I don't believe you can turn it on and off like that.

If you need some really quick proof that you can indeed turn it on and off think all the way back to Christmas Day in Orlando.

[vinnie]

TP for the OP. Let's look at the troubling trend:

76'ers -- 15 point lead blown = loss AT HOME
Clippers -- 10 point lead blown = loss
Warriors -- 18 point lead blown = loss

Never would have happened last year or the year before. NEVER

While so many are quick to poo poo these losses, call them meaningless, etc., I think it clearly points out that this team, right now, does not have the fire in its belly. Hopefully they can get it back, but I don't believe you can turn it on and off like that.

If you need some really quick proof that you can indeed turn it on and off think all the way back to Christmas Day in Orlando.

So how do you or others explain losing large leads against vastly inferior competition?

[Redz]

TP for the OP. Let's look at the troubling trend:

76'ers -- 15 point lead blown = loss AT HOME
Clippers -- 10 point lead blown = loss
Warriors -- 18 point lead blown = loss

Never would have happened last year or the year before. NEVER

While so many are quick to poo poo these losses, call them meaningless, etc., I think it clearly points out that this team, right now, does not have the fire in its belly. Hopefully they can get it back, but I don't believe you can turn it on and off like that.

If you need some really quick proof that you can indeed turn it on and off think all the way back to Christmas Day in Orlando.

So how do you or others explain losing large leads against vastly inferior competition?

Obviously they're not playing consistent ball this season, but to say the fire is gone is to overlook a game like the one in Orlando when it appeared the chips were stacked against them.  They do need something to give them a chip on the shoulder. They had that in `08 for the entire season, and I think they'll be able to get up for the playoffs this season once the chip on the shoulder of losing in the playoffs last year can be more usefully employed.

[Chris]

TP for the OP. Let's look at the troubling trend:

76'ers -- 15 point lead blown = loss AT HOME
Clippers -- 10 point lead blown = loss
Warriors -- 18 point lead blown = loss

Never would have happened last year or the year before. NEVER

While so many are quick to poo poo these losses, call them meaningless, etc., I think it clearly points out that this team, right now, does not have the fire in its belly. Hopefully they can get it back, but I don't believe you can turn it on and off like that.

If you need some really quick proof that you can indeed turn it on and off think all the way back to Christmas Day in Orlando.

So how do you or others explain losing large leads against vastly inferior competition?

They get complacent, and turn off the burners (although I don't think the burners were even on in the first place that last two nights).