The Celtics can't score anymore

[BballTim]

If you depend on a miracle every year, you will be disappointed. If you expect a huge midseason trade not to have an impact on the chemistry of your team and cause problems you will be disappointed. This looks and feels much different than last year.

  Last year wasn't a miracle. And when you say it feels different from last year I assume you mean better.

No. I mean a team with no dependable healthy center and a team shaken up big time with 27 games left in the season.

  Oh. I don't think it was a huge shakeup, we traded Perk and not much else. It looks worse now because they're trying to get all of the new guys used to the system, but it's likely that Green and a few minutes a game from Krstic or Murphy will be about all we'll be seeing from all the new guys in the playoffs.

yeah, but when is that gonna START happening because it needs to already be the case...

  I would expect the team to start using the playoff rotation in the, er, playoffs. Do we want the starters playing big minutes now?

yeah it's been really nice to see the Big 4 not having to work hard....

  Sigh. They're all playing fewer minutes than they do during the playoffs. Do you not understand that?

What does that have to do with our starters getting to rest up of the playoffs? You need to be watching a little closer IMO, Bball. The Big 4 are not getting rest in these games.

Did you watch the game tonight? Can you honestly tell me that the Big 4 are getting late season rest?

  When did I say they were getting late season rest? I said that they were playing less than they do in the playoffs. Yes, I saw the game. So what? Do you want to see them play more than they are now?

so wanting them to play less minutes is not related to getting rest for the playoffs? what is the significance of playing less minutes then?

plus, you said "big minutes" not less minutes than in the playoffs.

  Is there a point to this? You'd somehow be happier if they were all playing 3-5 more minutes a game for the rest of the season?

this whole exchange started when you said the playoff rotation would play in "er" the playoffs...

my point on this particular observation of yours is that that is too late because the Big 4 will be toast by then.

  So your solution is to have them play more minutes?

how about this BBall...when you said all we would be seeing in the playoffs is a few minutes a game from Krstic or Murphy, what did that rotation of players consist of?

  What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?

it has to do with what needs to happen sooner rather than later...which I could point out if you would tell me what your playoff rotation consists of...

  Depends on who's healthy. How is which players are in the rotation going to change your point? And it's not *my* playoff rotation, it's actually *Doc's* playoff rotation...

[chambers]

  Fans are starting to panic and give up on the team's chances, just like last year. Discuss.

the schedule in march was soft. this was when they could have got distance..but yet they can't/ i think you have to be concerned at this point

I can't believe how quickly go into panic mode.
We played a decent game and played a bad third quarter.
If we'd won this game by 1 point no one would be complaining.

Do you honestly think we were going to cruise through March with all these new guys and a new starting center and no Shaq?
Our starters are all tired and have done well to hold up so far.

It amazes me how many 'fans' go into attack mode and assume the worst every time we lose.

What's even more funny is how some of you are labeling Rondos performance vs the Grizzlies as poor or below expectation.
His last 2 games vs NYK and the Grizzlies have been great and if you can't see that then you are only looking at the negative aspects of his game.

Does anyone remember the slump we went through last year this time? It's like people have amnesia come March.

[winsomme]

If you depend on a miracle every year, you will be disappointed. If you expect a huge midseason trade not to have an impact on the chemistry of your team and cause problems you will be disappointed. This looks and feels much different than last year.

  Last year wasn't a miracle. And when you say it feels different from last year I assume you mean better.

No. I mean a team with no dependable healthy center and a team shaken up big time with 27 games left in the season.

  Oh. I don't think it was a huge shakeup, we traded Perk and not much else. It looks worse now because they're trying to get all of the new guys used to the system, but it's likely that Green and a few minutes a game from Krstic or Murphy will be about all we'll be seeing from all the new guys in the playoffs.

yeah, but when is that gonna START happening because it needs to already be the case...

  I would expect the team to start using the playoff rotation in the, er, playoffs. Do we want the starters playing big minutes now?

yeah it's been really nice to see the Big 4 not having to work hard....

  Sigh. They're all playing fewer minutes than they do during the playoffs. Do you not understand that?

What does that have to do with our starters getting to rest up of the playoffs? You need to be watching a little closer IMO, Bball. The Big 4 are not getting rest in these games.

Did you watch the game tonight? Can you honestly tell me that the Big 4 are getting late season rest?

  When did I say they were getting late season rest? I said that they were playing less than they do in the playoffs. Yes, I saw the game. So what? Do you want to see them play more than they are now?

so wanting them to play less minutes is not related to getting rest for the playoffs? what is the significance of playing less minutes then?

plus, you said "big minutes" not less minutes than in the playoffs.

  Is there a point to this? You'd somehow be happier if they were all playing 3-5 more minutes a game for the rest of the season?

this whole exchange started when you said the playoff rotation would play in "er" the playoffs...

my point on this particular observation of yours is that that is too late because the Big 4 will be toast by then.

  So your solution is to have them play more minutes?

how about this BBall...when you said all we would be seeing in the playoffs is a few minutes a game from Krstic or Murphy, what did that rotation of players consist of?

  What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?

it has to do with what needs to happen sooner rather than later...which I could point out if you would tell me what your playoff rotation consists of...

  Depends on who's healthy. How is which players are in the rotation going to change your point? And it's not *my* playoff rotation, it's actually *Doc's* playoff rotation...

well you claimed it's LIKELY that we'd only need a few minutes a game from Krstic or Murphy...so what is your likely scenario where those two are not getting significant minutes?

[BballTim]

well you claimed it's LIKELY that we'd only need a few minutes a game from Krstic or Murphy...so what is your likely scenario where those two are not getting significant minutes?

  One of the O'Neal's back?

[vinnie]

Rondo played much better against Memphis, but when you go 2-12, sorry, but that can' can't be called a great game.

[Moranis]

The Celtics have never been able to score.  They are an incredibly flawed offensive team and have been since KG and Allen came to town. 

These are the problems

1.  No interior scoring (it was better with Shaq healthy, but his health is a concern)
2.  4 on 5 on offense since Rondo's man can play off of him (Rondo has to pull the trigger and hit at least a fair amount for that to change)
3.  Too much reliance on the Pierce ISO
4.  Too much reliance on Allen's outside shooting
5.  The lack of a true PG off the bench to run the second unit

These have been the problems with this team for 4 years, if it hasn't changed by now it isn't going to and the trade, while improving the overall depth, did not address a single offensive deficiency of the team.

[jsingh1699]

theres no reason to panic. we lost last year to the nets at home (im pretty sure that was the only game they won last year), and we stepped up in the playoffs just fine.

what ive realized about this time is their mindset is dependent on who they play. if we're playing a top team, we get zoned in and really play hard. against everyone, its kinda just whatever to them. doc needs to be real because we're not getting the #1 seed. might as well limit minutes and settle for the #2. theres nothning wrong with that. we'll do just fine against the heat and bulls when we're healthy in the playoffs.

[Marcus13]

This team has ALWAYS gone through scoring droughts.  If you've been watching Celtic basketball the last four seasons, it shouldn't surprise you anymore.

[elcotte]

It's Rondo. he's resting too long before starting the offense...then it's one and done.

[TheTruthFot18]

We traded defense for offense and still can't score. Laughable.

Tommy or Mike said it last night, our defense hasn't been the problem at all last few games or since the trade. Straight up, the offense has been awful. Some nights they're getting good shots and just not going in but for the most part, the offensive sets just look off. If it weren't for PP's late game heroics, this game would have been over much earlier.

[PosImpos]

This team has ALWAYS gone through scoring droughts.  If you've been watching Celtic basketball the last four seasons, it shouldn't surprise you anymore.

It's still surprising because we seem to have added offensive talent and depth to the team, but we're still facing the same problems we did when Rasheed was chucking 3's and Starbury was bricking them.

I think this year it's been largely a result of Shaq and to a lesser extent JO missing so much time.  Without those guys down low, it's difficult for our offense to be very balanced at all.

[Marcus13]

This team has ALWAYS gone through scoring droughts.  If you've been watching Celtic basketball the last four seasons, it shouldn't surprise you anymore.

It's still surprising because we seem to have added offensive talent and depth to the team, but we're still facing the same problems we did when Rasheed was chucking 3's and Starbury was bricking them.

I think this year it's been largely a result of Shaq and to a lesser extent JO missing so much time.  Without those guys down low, it's difficult for our offense to be very balanced at all.

Exactly.  We've added depth....but what's depth when the bench isn't available to play?

[vinnie]

Given that they puored in 81 points tonight, I thought I would revive this thread. Maybe Baby needs to take more shots. I mean, he only took 10 tonight. 

[LB3533]

Our bench hasn't given us much...and they are supposed to be giving us more production now more than ever.

But at the core of our offensive problem is the 1st unit.

[mmbaby]

I think it's a valid discussion, Vinnie. The starters are not scoring lately and can't get it together enough to decide who to give the ball to. It's almost like they don't have any planned plays. And when they are open, they miss. And keep missing. And missing again.

Where's the fire? Where's the plan?

I do think it has a great deal if not everything to do with the trades. Too late in the season to make so many trades and I think Green is a great scorer but offers no defense. It's like he's trying to protect his body and runs off when things get rough. We're a defensive team and that is why we've been ahead of the pack. The addition of offensive talent has left a big hole in the defense.