A couple blowouts & Momentum

[ScoobyDoo]

First we had a few blowouts at home of the teams we are supposed to blow out. This was a good thing and it hadn't happened in a long, long time.

I was hoping that was sign that we were finally getting our focus back and that was leading to more consistent effort on a nightly basis.

Now, we've had a couple of nice wins on the road against two tough teams to play at home.

More movement in the right direction:

Now we have:

Jazz, Nuggets, Kings, Spurs, OKC, Houston and the Cavs.

If we win out the string and avenge the loss to the Cavs by winning the rematch with them...

We'll be 12-1 over 13 games of a very tough stretch of teams, with a realtively easy stretch of six games to close out the season.

I think this team should be able to smell the finish line and make a serious run at the #2 spot in the East AND should be ablet to finish out the season going 17-2 or 16-3 starting with the Indiana game when they seemed to start gettin focused.

Again, if they can't focus in now, they don't have it.

But if they want to win another ring, they should be able to do this.

Overall, I'm encouraged as the momentum seems to be going the right way, but they need to continue to

Show me..to earn my faith back that they are in it mentally. 

[Evantime34]

First we had a few blowouts at home of the teams we are supposed to blow out. This was a good thing and it hadn't happened in a long, long time.

I was hoping that was sign that we were finally getting our focus back and that was leading to more consistent effort on a nightly basis.

Now, we've had a couple of nice wins on the road against two tough teams to play at home.

More movement in the right direction:

Now we have:

Jazz, Nuggets, Kings, Spurs, OKC, Houston and the Cavs.

If we win out the string and avenge the loss to the Cavs by winning the rematch with them...

We'll be 12-1 over 13 games of a very tough stretch of teams, with a realtively easy stretch of six games to close out the season.

I think this team should be able to smell the finish line and make a serious run at the #2 spot in the East AND should be ablet to finish out the season going 17-2 or 16-3 starting with the Indiana game when they seemed to start gettin focused.

Again, if they can't focus in now, they don't have it.

But if they want to win another ring, they should be able to do this.

Overall, I'm encouraged as the momentum seems to be going the right way, but they need to continue to

Show me..to earn my faith back that they are in it mentally. 

Although I do agree that 12-1 over the last 13 would be great, I'd like to invite you to temper your expectations. As this team has shown this year if you get too invested they will hurt you.

Hope for 13-0, expect 8-9 wins and you are less likely to be dissappointed.

[Mr October]

8 to 10 wins out of 13 seams more reasonable as a good finish. You never know when one team will get red hot form the outside, or the C's will go totally cold.

Anyway with 13 games remaining there isn't enough time to catch Orlando.

Nonetheless, I am loving what I am seeing lately!! Go Celtics!!

[ScoobyDoo]

Advice on tempering my expectations, warranted, appreciated and well taken. And I know you're both right, 100%.

This being said, being the ridiculously fanatic diehard and eternal optimist I am, I'm still going to stick my neck out with these guys and shoot for 12-1 or 11-2 through our game with the Cavs...

...and I'm shooting for a total finish of the season at 16-3 or 17-2.

I'd be telling the team anything less at this point and with the playoffs around the corner would represent failure.

I'd lay the pressure on them big time as a a coach. It's now or never, they need to get dialed in and start crushing like they are certainly capable of, including against teams like the Cavs. The playoffs have already begun in my mind.

It's health, which we now have apparently, then focus, energy and consistent effort.

I'm going all in, I can't help myself. 

Come back to me later for a heat check...

[BballTim]

First we had a few blowouts at home of the teams we are supposed to blow out. This was a good thing and it hadn't happened in a long, long time.

I was hoping that was sign that we were finally getting our focus back and that was leading to more consistent effort on a nightly basis.

Now, we've had a couple of nice wins on the road against two tough teams to play at home.

More movement in the right direction:

Now we have:

Jazz, Nuggets, Kings, Spurs, OKC, Houston and the Cavs.

If we win out the string and avenge the loss to the Cavs by winning the rematch with them...

We'll be 12-1 over 13 games of a very tough stretch of teams, with a realtively easy stretch of six games to close out the season.

I think this team should be able to smell the finish line and make a serious run at the #2 spot in the East AND should be ablet to finish out the season going 17-2 or 16-3 starting with the Indiana game when they seemed to start gettin focused.

Again, if they can't focus in now, they don't have it.

But if they want to win another ring, they should be able to do this.

Overall, I'm encouraged as the momentum seems to be going the right way, but they need to continue to

Show me..to earn my faith back that they are in it mentally. 

Although I do agree that 12-1 over the last 13 would be great, I'd like to invite you to temper your expectations. As this team has shown this year if you get too invested they will hurt you.

Hope for 13-0, expect 8-9 wins and you are less likely to be dissappointed.

  Oddly, I don't think he was talking about our final 13 games. He was talking about the 5 out of 6 we've won plus the next 7 that he listed. The fact that we currently have 13 games remaining is an odd coincidence. The last 6 are pretty winable as well, but I don't think we'll win them all.

[ScoobyDoo]

Yeah, that's correct BballTim, I'm talking about from the Indiana game ( which I saw as a bit of a mental turning point for us)through the end of the season. I guess that's 19 total games but my math is usually jacked...

Anyway, it it's 19 games I'm looking for a 17-2 or 16-3 finish.

And I think given the playoffs are around the corner and we are healthy right now, we "should" be able to do that.

I'm going all in with optimism, probably only to be crushed again, unless, that is, these guys are finally dialed in. If so, I think it's possible...

[Tai]

Welp, one game at a time, I always say.

Time for Utah?

[Evantime34]

Yeah, that's correct BballTim, I'm talking about from the Indiana game ( which I saw as a bit of a mental turning point for us)through the end of the season. I guess that's 19 total games but my math is usually jacked...

Anyway, it it's 19 games I'm looking for a 17-2 or 16-3 finish.

And I think given the playoffs are around the corner and we are healthy right now, we "should" be able to do that.

I'm going all in with optimism, probably only to be crushed again, unless, that is, these guys are finally dialed in. If so, I think it's possible...

My bad, I still stand by the idea that tempered expectations are more likely to bring happiness.

[Tai]

Yeah, that's correct BballTim, I'm talking about from the Indiana game ( which I saw as a bit of a mental turning point for us)through the end of the season. I guess that's 19 total games but my math is usually jacked...

Anyway, it it's 19 games I'm looking for a 17-2 or 16-3 finish.

And I think given the playoffs are around the corner and we are healthy right now, we "should" be able to do that.

I'm going all in with optimism, probably only to be crushed again, unless, that is, these guys are finally dialed in. If so, I think it's possible...

My bad, I still stand by the idea that tempered expectations are more likely to bring happiness.

But only Banner 18 can gimme happiness. 

[Evantime34]

Yeah, that's correct BballTim, I'm talking about from the Indiana game ( which I saw as a bit of a mental turning point for us)through the end of the season. I guess that's 19 total games but my math is usually jacked...

Anyway, it it's 19 games I'm looking for a 17-2 or 16-3 finish.

And I think given the playoffs are around the corner and we are healthy right now, we "should" be able to do that.

I'm going all in with optimism, probably only to be crushed again, unless, that is, these guys are finally dialed in. If so, I think it's possible...

My bad, I still stand by the idea that tempered expectations are more likely to bring happiness.

But only Banner 18 can gimme happiness. 

Great response, I'm just trying to not get my hopes up too much. But I think anyone that can not help the high hopes and is almost eternally optimistic desrves a tp. So you get one, maybe that will turn that sad face upside down.

[ScoobyDoo]

Now that I've stated my hoped for goals and I'm laying my optimistic heart on the line, again, for these guys, I hope they come hungry and aggressive tonight and stick it to Utah.

They need to lock up this road trip and then come home and protect their homecourt as if every time the other team scores it's like someone slapping their baby.

That's the mentality they need.

This team, with KG, Perkins, Rondo, Baby, Pierce and even Ray, was built to brawl. They need to play like it, like Baby has been playing lately.

They do that and stay healthy here on out, they are the easy and clear favorites, IMHO.

But the challenge is mental for this team and they need to figure out the way to keep not a fire, but a raging blaze under their collective backsides for the rest of the season and playoffs.   

It's up to them and how much they want it as far as I can see.

[Greenbean]

Now that I've stated my hoped for goals and I'm laying my optimistic heart on the line, again, for these guys, I hope they come hungry and aggressive tonight and stick it to Utah.

They need to lock up this road trip and then come home and protect their homecourt as if every time the other team scores it's like someone slapping their baby.

That's the mentality they need.

This team, with KG, Perkins, Rondo, Baby, Pierce and even Ray, was built to brawl. They need to play like it, like Baby has been playing lately.

They do that and stay healthy here on out, they are the easy and clear favorites, IMHO.

But the challenge is mental for this team and they need to figure out the way to keep not a fire, but a raging blaze under their collective backsides for the rest of the season and playoffs.   

It's up to them and how much they want it as far as I can see.

Early on? Very hungry and aggressive. Let's see if it carries over when Utah makes their first mini run!

[ScoobyDoo]

[Greenbean]

First test of the game...passed.

[PosImpos]

Unfortunately it seems that the 3rd quarter collapse wasn't an aspect of the Celtics game they were able to remove.