KG blew Game 4

[Roy Hobbs]

Roy,

I agree with almost everything you stated.  However, RR was NOT the worst starter for us.  RR was a +12 Efficiency despite having spasms and Perk was only a +7.  In other words, RR was about twice as good as Perk.

Granted, it was NOT a Rondo type game, but he was HURT.

Smitty77

Stats are not the sole arbiter in what is and isn't a good game.

Compared to his norm, Perk was maybe a bit below his average.  He didn't contribute a ton, but he wasn't horrible, either.

Rondo was far, far below "normal Rondo".  He was timid and tentative, and couldn't get us into our offense.  I mean, where in the stat sheet does "pounding the ball at the top of the key until there were 8 seconds left on the shot clock" show up?  Where does "repeatedly looking off Paul Pierce when he had good position" come into play?

Rondo wasn't driving, and he wasn't making good passes.  Usually, he's like Joe Montana:  he hits his players with the ball in the perfect position for them to make a move or get a shot.  Last night, he was throwing passes high and outside, off-target all night.  When he wasn't pounding the ball, he'd dribble to about the top of the key, and then he'd take the ball back out again.  He did this from the set offense, and worse, while in transition.

He had an off game, due probably to him being hurt.  I expect he'll be much better in Game 5.  For last night, though, he was our worst starter, because his poor play affected not only himself, but the entire team.

[moiso]

KG looked the like scared KG from his Wolves days at the end of this game.  He was absolutely wide open from 12 feet with 40 seconds left in regulation and he chose to make a pass to someone far less open than he was- and the ball went out of bounds.  He has to make himself at least seem like a threat at the end of games.
Watching Pierce at the end reminded me of the Pedro game that get Grady Little fired.  Paul was obviously exhausted and all of his jumpers were short, but he kept ending up with the ball and front rimming jumpers.  Meanwhile, Ray was on fire and looking fresh and nailing every shot he threw up.  Yet the whole goal of the offense seemed to be to force the ball to Pierce and watch him give the front of the rim a beating.  Get Ray the ball when he's on fire, he wins games!
And as far as the Sheed tech, as soon as it happened I said that costs us the game I'll be furious.  Well, it did cost us the game.  But by that time my focus was on the force feeding of Paul and the passivity of KG.
Anyway, it wasn't pretty and I'm sure we'll be much better in game 5.

[beantownballer34]

hey how about instead of just putting blame on 1 player it was a total team loss..missed free throws and turnovers etc... so its always easy when things dont go right to place blame on some1 but really think about what your gonna say before u say it

[Birdbrain]

PP blew the last play in regulation. He was again in a ball-hogging mode. The ball should have been in Rondo's hands and the PP isolation should have come with 5 seconds left. Instead PP was there fumbling again with his dribble. The games we won against the Cavs and the first 3 against the Magic didn't have periods wherein PP was holding the ball for more than 7 seconds. Worse, the regulation ended with us not even launching a potential game-winning shot.

Overall, PP, KG, Sheed, TA and Perk were all not focused in winning this game (I hope it is not pivotal one since it's just one loss but it could be costly since we give them the chance to come back with confidence and Magic home court). It was so evident that when we won games against them and the Cavs all the Celts were cool, calm, composed, focused, unrelenting in defense and never complaining. KG, Perk, Sheed and PP were all playing as if the series is in the bag and armed with overconfidence.

You should read a bit more and then respond.  Your take on the last play was 100% wrong.

[Birdbrain]

Overall, PP, KG, Sheed, TA and Perk were all not focused in winning this game (I hope it is not pivotal one since it's just one loss but it could be costly since we give them the chance to come back with confidence and Magic home court). It was so evident that when we won games against them and the Cavs all the Celts were cool, calm, composed, focused, unrelenting in defense and never complaining. KG, Perk, Sheed and PP were all playing as if the series is in the bag and armed with overconfidence.

Wait, you're calling Paul Pierce out for complacency?  The guy who was hustling all over the court, playing defense, rebounding, and carrying the entire offense?

And yet, somehow Rondo gets left out of your criticism, despite being the worst starter, by far, last night?

Paul played very well, he just got exhausted.  KG played a great first half, and disappeared in the second.  The two worst players on the team, by far, were Rondo and Tony.

Yeah Paul was in fact the only one who showed up in the first half. 

Some of you guys have missed the mark by a country mile.  It's like you were watching a different game. 

[looseball]

KG looked the like scared KG from his Wolves days at the end of this game.  He was absolutely wide open from 12 feet with 40 seconds left in regulation and he chose to make a pass to someone far less open than he was- and the ball went out of bounds.  He has to make himself at least seem like a threat at the end of games.
Watching Pierce at the end reminded me of the Pedro game that get Grady Little fired.  Paul was obviously exhausted and all of his jumpers were short, but he kept ending up with the ball and front rimming jumpers.  Meanwhile, Ray was on fire and looking fresh and nailing every shot he threw up.  Yet the whole goal of the offense seemed to be to force the ball to Pierce and watch him give the front of the rim a beating.  Get Ray the ball when he's on fire, he wins games!
And as far as the Sheed tech, as soon as it happened I said that costs us the game I'll be furious.  Well, it did cost us the game.  But by that time my focus was on the force feeding of Paul and the passivity of KG.
Anyway, it wasn't pretty and I'm sure we'll be much better in game 5.

We used up all we had to tie this game.  It was obvious Pierce and Garnett were drained at the end of regulation.
I thought Doc should have rested them both for the start of the overtime, maybe for the first two minutes.  (We didn't score for the first couple of minutes, anyway.)  Take a chance on a couple of bench guys, and then bring KG and Paul back in with some renewed energy.  All we would have needed from them then was a couple of plays apiece.  Without that breather they gave us none.  Not for a lack of trying, they just had nothing left in the tank.

[Greeny]

They were tired because they had a smaller rotation because Sheed got a T and Doc didnt play him futher to avoid another T that would had gotten Sheed thrown out and suspended for another game.

So, when KG and Paul looked to the bench, Doc didn't sub Sheed.

I blame 50% on Sheed
15% on Doc
10% on Perk
10% on TA
5% on Paul
5% on Rondo
5% on KG

[j804]

The two worst players on the Celtics last night were, by far, Rondo and Tony.  Both were playing hurt, so it's understandable why they wouldn't be at their best.  However, both were far, far worse than KG last night.

Or could it simply be fatigue? If injuries could they carry over to game 5?

 

[Birdbrain]

They were tired because they had a smaller rotation because Sheed got a T and Doc didnt play him futher to avoid another T that would had gotten Sheed thrown out and suspended for another game.

So, when KG and Paul looked to the bench, Doc didn't sub Sheed.

I blame 50% on Sheed
15% on Doc
10% on Perk
10% on TA
5% on Paul
5% on Rondo
5% on KG

Sheed wouldn't have gotten suspended for being thrown out via T's.  Also I believe the ref baited him with the offensive foul call right after the T.  The fact that he didn't get thrown out then was a minor miracle.

[Smitty77]

Roy,

You never said compared to their normal levels of performance.  Sure, if you are using that as your measuring stick, then I agree with you.  Roy, you sort of remind me of a buddy of mine that will never admit when he is wrong or even marginally admit it:-))

Smitty77

[j804]

They were tired because they had a smaller rotation because Sheed got a T and Doc didnt play him futher to avoid another T that would had gotten Sheed thrown out and suspended for another game.

So, when KG and Paul looked to the bench, Doc didn't sub Sheed.

I blame 50% on Sheed
15% on Doc
10% on Perk
10% on TA
5% on Paul
5% on Rondo
5% on KG

 
Sheed wouldn't have gotten suspended for being thrown out via T's.  Also I believe the ref baited him with the offensive foul call right after the T.  The fact that he didn't get thrown out then was a minor miracle.

yea I didnt think so, but figured I was wrong....

if he wouldnt be suspended i mean why not throw him back in. sheed would have most likely boxed out howard instead with the height advantage on baby and perk playing poorly he had to much freebies

[Birdbrain]

Doc was probably just PO'd that he got a T in the first place.  Doc can be just as stubborn as Wallace.  Actually check that no one is is stubborn as Wallace.