Quick Question for Everyone (including the media)

[Jon]

Did everyone forget that Paul Pierce didn't play last night?  And that maybe, just maybe, that might've had something to do with us losing to arguably the best team in the NBA?

[PosImpos]

Well here's the thing.  They held onto a lead against the Cavs for three quarters, and then they ended up losing by 20.  I don't think Paul Pierce prevents us from losing by 20.  Paul Pierce would not have single-handedly prevented the total collapse on both ends of the floor that this team had in the fourth quarter - not even a healthy Paul Pierce. 

Paul Pierce is not a top 10 player in the league.  He is not Kobe, Melo, Wade, or LeBron.  His absence is not enough of an excuse to explain a blowout loss after being up by 13.  Paul Pierce can't account for a 33 point turnaround between the second quarter and the end of the fourth.

Sorry, but this team lost soundly and even if Paul Pierce had been healthy and playing that alone would not have been enough of a difference.  The Celtics - every single player on the team - lost the game last night, a game they could have won.  It wasn't like they came close but couldn't quite manage it.  They fell apart and were demolished.

[MBz]

Well here's the thing.  They held onto a lead against the Cavs for three quarters, and then they ended up losing by 20.  I don't think Paul Pierce prevents us from losing by 20.  Paul Pierce would not have single-handedly prevented the total collapse on both ends of the floor that this team had in the fourth quarter - not even a healthy Paul Pierce. 

Paul Pierce is not a top 10 player in the league.  He is not Kobe, Melo, Wade, or LeBron.  His absence is not enough of an excuse to explain a blowout loss after being up by 13.  Paul Pierce can't account for a 33 point turnaround between the second quarter and the end of the fourth.

Sorry, but this team lost soundly and even if Paul Pierce had been healthy and playing that alone would not have been enough of a difference.

Exactly.  Had it been close maybe, but we just got smoked.  All Pierce would have done would made the offense even more stagnant in the fourth quarter.

[Jon]

But did you guys watch the game?  It wasn't really a 20 point loss.  The C's were within striking distance until the last 5 minutes or so.  Had PP been playing, when the lead was around ten, his presence may have kept it from turning into a blowout. 

And if the C's lost to Cleveland by 5-8 points, would anyone be having these doom and gloom scenarios? 

And that's not even taking into account the effect PP would've had on keeping Ray and Rondo fresh, who Doc once again ran into the ground.  I don't think you can overstate the fact enough how good they looked in the first half compared to how they played in the second. 

[PosImpos]

But did you guys watch the game?  It wasn't really a 20 point loss.  The C's were within striking distance until the last 5 minutes or so.  Had PP been playing, when the lead was around ten, his presence may have kept it from turning into a blowout. 

And if the C's lost to Cleveland by 5-8 points, would anyone be having these doom and gloom scenarios? 

And that's not even taking into account the effect PP would've had on keeping Ray and Rondo fresh, who Doc once again ran into the ground.  I don't think you can overstate the fact enough how good they looked in the first half compared to how they played in the second. 

They didn't lose by 5 to 8 points though.  They lost by 20.  In the fourth quarter the players could barely hit any shots at all, and they couldn't defend.  Does Pierce being healthy and in the game prevent Doc from overplaying Rondo to the point where he can't stop Mo Williams from raining down 3's at will?  Does Pierce's presence stop KG from being so slow that he can't defend a layup from a guy a foot shorter than him?  Does Pierce jump into the air and swat away all of those alley-oops they threw to each other, pretty much at will? 

Sorry, maybe I'm just sick of this team being a man down, but I can't stand that excuse anymore.  Great teams find ways to win - or at least come close - without their better players.  Even without Pierce we have Rondo, Ray, KG, Sheed, Perk, and now Nate Robinson.  This team has no excuse for getting blown out by 20 points at home, even to the best team in the league and even without their starting SF.

[Jon]

I'm sick of it too.  But they are older and they haven't had the starting lineup 100% since December. 

Again, I was very, very disappointed last night.  But in this 24/7 news cycle, EVERYTHING (politics, sports, etc.) is overexaggerated. 

The C's may indeed get smoked in the playoffs.  I'm not saying they won't.  All I'm saying is that I've seen too many teams declared champions in the regular season that got bumped in the first round or two, and too many teams people thought were done (the Yankees of last year come to mind) during the regular season win it all (or at least outperform expectations) to say this team is done yet. 

[Roy Hobbs]

But did you guys watch the game?  It wasn't really a 20 point loss.  The C's were within striking distance until the last 5 minutes or so.  Had PP been playing, when the lead was around ten, his presence may have kept it from turning into a blowout. 

And if the C's lost to Cleveland by 5-8 points, would anyone be having these doom and gloom scenarios? 

And that's not even taking into account the effect PP would've had on keeping Ray and Rondo fresh, who Doc once again ran into the ground.  I don't think you can overstate the fact enough how good they looked in the first half compared to how they played in the second. 

Agreed wholeheartedly.

[wdleehi]

A healthy Pierce can do a much better job defending Lebron last night.  It would cut down not only on how much Lebron scores, but how much other players score off the help defense.


A healthy Pierce can provide more then 4 points that Daniels provided.  He would take defensive pressure off the rest of the team.


So, yes, a healthy Pierce could have made the difference.  (not to mention if Daniels didn't have the flu as well)