What I saw yesterday

[PLamb]

I see a lot of threads placing blame today and a lot of threads drudging up trade proposals and reasonings behind them

But do you know what I saw yesterday

I saw a team, in Orlando, that has decided to gel and get themselves in gear for a stretch run of championship caliber basketball

I saw stifling third quarter defense, just smothering

I saw a 24 year old superstar who hasn't even hit his prime play an outstanding, intelligent and inspired quarter of basketball when his team needed him the most

I saw an Orlando team that believed that last year was not a fluke and went out and turn it up and dominated the game when it most needed to be dominated

I saw a team that when they are hitting their three pointers, getting the type of play that Howard can give you in the post and play the type of all in your face perimeter defense they did in the third quarter, that will be very difficult to beat in a 7 game series by anyone

I saw a team that simply is better than the Boston Celtics and may be for the very long foreseeable future if somethings do not change

Give credit where it is due, at full strength the Celtics got dominated for the most important quarter in the game and could do nothing about it

The starters and bench alike were beaten into the court by the Magic and Stan Van Gundy and the Magic should have our respect for the way they have played the Celtics this year and maybe we should start coming to the realization that due to age, poor off seasons by management, injuries, and the lack of focus and team work this Celtics team is probably no better than the 8th to 10th best team in this league

[BballTim]

  I saw a team we can beat if we can stay healthy enough to start playing cohesively again.

[wdleehi]

I saw a Celtics team that playes only part of the game with the intensity they used to play the entire game with.



The fact that they did it against a team as good as the Magic lead to a 20+ point swing is a credit to the Magic's talent.

[RAcker]

I'm seeing a Celtics team night in and night out that "thinks" they are better than everyone else regardless of the fact that they keep blowing leads. 

They simply can't understand why teams aren't laying down and surrendering when they get a double-digit lead in the first half. We're the Celtics after all.   

[Who]

  I saw a team we can beat if we can stay healthy enough to start playing cohesively again.

Fully agreed. Orlando looked weak and incapable of beating Boston once the Celtics get back to their pre-Christmas form.

[Chris]

  I saw a team we can beat if we can stay healthy enough to start playing cohesively again.

Fully agreed. Orlando looked weak and incapable of beating Boston once the Celtics get back to their pre-Christmas form.

You mean "if".  I don't think it is given that the C's will return to that form. 

[Who]

  I saw a team we can beat if we can stay healthy enough to start playing cohesively again.

Fully agreed. Orlando looked weak and incapable of beating Boston once the Celtics get back to their pre-Christmas form.

You mean "if".  I don't think it is given that the C's will return to that form. 

I think the Celtics will regain that level of performance once Garnett regains his health + form.

And if he doesn't, then they're not a contender anyway and there's nothing that can be done.

[scoop]

I think the Celtics will regain that level of performance once Garnett regains his health + form.

And if he doesn't, then they're not a contender anyway and there's nothing that can be done.

Well said.

[PLamb]

I think what I now see is a serious lack of respect for just how well Orlando played in that third and fourth quarters that helped to put the Celtics in the funk they are in

I just don't think you guys are giving that team their proper due

[hpantazo]

I see a lot of threads placing blame today and a lot of threads drudging up trade proposals and reasonings behind them

But do you know what I saw yesterday

I saw a team, in Orlando, that has decided to gel and get themselves in gear for a stretch run of championship caliber basketball

I saw stifling third quarter defense, just smothering

I saw a 24 year old superstar who hasn't even hit his prime play an outstanding, intelligent and inspired quarter of basketball when his team needed him the most

I saw an Orlando team that believed that last year was not a fluke and went out and turn it up and dominated the game when it most needed to be dominated

I saw a team that when they are hitting their three pointers, getting the type of play that Howard can give you in the post and play the type of all in your face perimeter defense they did in the third quarter, that will be very difficult to beat in a 7 game series by anyone

I saw a team that simply is better than the Boston Celtics and may be for the very long foreseeable future if somethings do not change

Give credit where it is due, at full strength the Celtics got dominated for the most important quarter in the game and could do nothing about it

The starters and bench alike were beaten into the court by the Magic and Stan Van Gundy and the Magic should have our respect for the way they have played the Celtics this year and maybe we should start coming to the realization that due to age, poor off seasons by management, injuries, and the lack of focus and team work this Celtics team is probably no better than the 8th to 10th best team in this league

I think you've been listening to the ABC commentators too much. Orlando played well, but they were far from great. A healthy celtics. lakers, or cavs team would easily beat them.

[vinnie]

Wow, Where to begin.

I saw a professional basketabll team score 11 points in the third quarter because it stopped doing what it did in the first half and fell back to its "let's shoot three-pointers and jump shots rather than drive to the hoop because that is easier offense."

I also did see an Orlando team that stiffened its defense in the third quarter, but not enough to limit any opponent to 11 points. I also saw an Orlando team score 36 points, and regardless of how hot a team is, that is inexcusable and partially the result of poor effort on defense.

I saw a team lose a double-digit lead for the 9th time since Christmas for a loss.

I saw a team fall to 9-12 in the last 21 games.

I saw a team suffer another in the never-ending second half collapses, be it third quarter or fourth quarter.

I saw a team fall to 1-7 against Orlando and Atlanta for the season and 2-8 when you add in the Lakers and Cleveland.

Finally, I continue to see lots of reasons and excuses as to why the Celtics are playing poorly. I also see some people still with a lots of optimism and I say more power to you.

[Who]

I will be worried about Orlando if Vince Carter and Jameer Nelson play at a high level but that hasn't happened this season, not for any prolonged type of period.

Unless that changes, I don't see Orlando as a legitimate title contender and I do feel very good about the Celtics chances of beating them in the playoffs.

[ssspence]

I see a gimpy KG who is not the defender he once was. I see a gimpy Pierce. I see an aging shooting guard who can't carry a load for his gimpy mates. I see an old fat version of the artist formerly known as Rasheed Wallace with no defensive or offensive accountability. I see a bench with no scoring (other than Daniels). And I see everyone sagging off rondo and daring ANYONE ELSE on the Cs beat them.

It's disappointing, and it ain't pretty. Sigh. Nostalgia isn't going to make this team better or healthier.

[BballTim]

I saw a team lose a double-digit lead for the 9th time since Christmas for a loss.

I saw a team fall to 9-12 in the last 21 games.

I saw a team suffer another in the never-ending second half collapses, be it third quarter or fourth quarter.

I saw a team fall to 1-7 against Orlando and Atlanta for the season and 2-8 when you add in the Lakers and Cleveland.

  Do you see the team that won 14 out of 15 in Nov/Dec? Do you see the team that was 23-5 with the best defense in the league  and the best point and efficiency differentials in the league until the injuries came? Because I also see the 9-12 team and realize that they've had KG or Paul or Rondo injured and in and ou of the lineup during that stretch. I don't see any reason that if those guys get a little healthier (not at 2008 level) that they can't get back to the level they were playing at in Dec. Do you? If so, why can't they get back to that level?

[Fafnir]

I saw a team lose a double-digit lead for the 9th time since Christmas for a loss.

I saw a team fall to 9-12 in the last 21 games.

I saw a team suffer another in the never-ending second half collapses, be it third quarter or fourth quarter.

I saw a team fall to 1-7 against Orlando and Atlanta for the season and 2-8 when you add in the Lakers and Cleveland.

  Do you see the team that won 14 out of 15 in Nov/Dec? Do you see the team that was 23-5 with the best defense in the league  and the best point and efficiency differentials in the league until the injuries came? Because I also see the 9-12 team and realize that they've had KG or Paul or Rondo injured and in and ou of the lineup during that stretch. I don't see any reason that if those guys get a little healthier (not at 2008 level) that they can't get back to the level they were playing at in Dec. Do you? If so, why can't they get back to that level?

I'm not sure that its likely though, I'm going to root for it!