Celtics (52-22) at Hawks (43-32) 4/1

[GreenFaith1819]

I'm just happy that we are two games better than last year, so far.

Shaq is on the horizon to come back to us.

JO is getting his wind...nice block on Big Al.

I'm optimistic....not too concerned about this game, even though I'd love to have it.

Maybe the schedule makers can make a different schedule for Boston next year? The number of back to backs this team played this year and last seems a little ominous - just IMO.

How many back-to-backs have LA or MIA played this year?

[birdwatcher]

2nd Round Exit as the 3rd Seed here we come!  Hooray!

total overreaction. We had Davis starting at center a JO with serious minute limitations and we had plenty of chances to win this game down the stretch on the 2nd night of a tough back to back. Good game imo, great effort.

Yes, but the reason I said what I did is because we're going to be the 3rd seed.  We can't win these games down the stretch because the team has no depth and they are running out of gas.  We're not going to have home court advantage, and our primary rivals are all rounding into form right as we're losing it.

I feel that the Cs are actually starting to round into form.  Rondo in particular the last couple games.

Moral victories suck, but I agree that the team is getting it together, they simply had no juice left in the 4th. In a couple days, we will have another Center, maybe Murphy back, and like someone already posted, there are no back to backs in the playoffs.

[celticinorlando]

Too much to ask to have to beat Miami and chicago in back to back series as the road team. And we don't know what or if shaq is going to give them anything....don't believe team is cruising...just think they are out of gas...blown big leads recently nets...paces...wolves and hawks...

[tenn_smoothie]

but in reality, i think the lineup of Rondo-West-Pavlovic-BBD-Green really killed us. wasn't that when the lead dissipated because we couldn't get stops nor could we score?

Yeah, Green & BBD on the floor on the same time as our 4 & 5 is a recipe for disaster. And I know, I'm a chef.

you guys don't understand - we finally, after missing james posey for three years, are able to play small-ball again with jeff green !!

[Original Creation]

That Zaza foul was a no-doubt flagrant 1 in "today's NBA".  If that little shove got Pierce a tech in the first half, Zaza's double judo chop should draw an ejection for crying out loud.  But, we're the Celtics and we only commit the fouls...

And if that's Wade or Kobe getting run over, you better believe a charge is getting called.  Not that we'd have scored on the ensuing possession or anything, but still.

I still believe, but this loss has me cranky!

[blink]

Very well said, we aren't fundamentally sound at rebounding.  We almost never get a body on the man we are blocking out to give ourselves space to go after the board.

I was shocked watching the game tonight.  Atlanta played HORRIBLE, there was no reason for a loss tonight other that we just got lazy.  

Can I ask a question?  Why can't this team rebound?  Seriously.  Plenty of teams don't have the front line that the lakers do and manage to pound the glass.  I don't even care about their lack of offensive rebounds.  It's the defensive rebounds that concern me.  How has this team been considered a great defensive unit when they can't get rebounds?

One more question.  I don't remember.  Were they this bad at rebounding in 2008?

Have you ever noticed how we try to rebound? We go for the ball instead of finding a man and boxing out--we get out jumped/hustled to balls instead of being fundamentally sound.

[greenhead85]

Doc gave away this game to his former team. Dang!

The players were all ok. It was Doc's horrible substitution and incorporation of bench players to blend with the starters that made the game of the Celts bad to worse. They were already on the verge of coasting in the 3rd. The Hawks were already unnerved and losing  confidence. Their faces and emotions were clearly manifesting of an impending defeat to a much better team which they hated and competed well for the the past 3 years. Yet Doc kept them alive.

I just can't understand and stand why Doc keeps on helping opposing teams on building up confidence when we can clearly obliterate teams. These just happened for the last 10 games or so.

[throwedoff]

PP was smiling even when we were down in the 4th. Even Doc was pretty cool on the bench. Something tells me that this team has zoned out on the regular season and is just waiting for the playoffs to start.

Basically that's why I dont understand why so many people on here are stressing and complaining after every loss last night reassured me of what this team can do I wont cry a river over this game because I know the Hawks can't beat us when we're well rested

[Kuberski33]

Have to keep going back to the Daniels injury.  It forced Danny to change the team on the fly.  None of the new guys look confident in their roles.  Delonte has played about 20 games all year. JO has missed most of the season.  No time to work out the kinks and not enough practices.

There's also a lack of toughness among the bench players.  I'm not sure Doc will be able to pull this mess together by the playoffs.  

Right now we've got a 5 man team and that won't get it done in the playoffs.

[birdwatcher]

but in reality, i think the lineup of Rondo-West-Pavlovic-BBD-Green really killed us. wasn't that when the lead dissipated because we couldn't get stops nor could we score?

Yeah, Green & BBD on the floor on the same time as our 4 & 5 is a recipe for disaster. And I know, I'm a chef.

you guys don't understand - we finally, after missing james posey for three years, are able to play small-ball again with jeff green !!

I'm all about small ball if KG, Shaq or JO is at center, not Baby.

[RMO]

I'm just happy that we are two games better than last year, so far.

Shaq is on the horizon to come back to us.

JO is getting his wind...nice block on Big Al.

I'm optimistic....not too concerned about this game, even though I'd love to have it.

Maybe the schedule makers can make a different schedule for Boston next year? The number of back to backs this team played this year and last seems a little ominous - just IMO.

How many back-to-backs have LA or MIA played this year?

Here you go:

1. CHI 23
2. MIL 23
3. ATL 23
4. CHA 22
5. CLE 22
6. LAC 22
7. NJN 22
8. PHI 22
9. POR 22
10. DET 21
11. HOU 21
12. IND 21
13. MEM 21
14. NY 21
15. WAS 21
16. DAL 20
17. ORL 20
18. BOS 19
19. DEN 19
20. MIA 19
21. MIN 19
22. TOR 19
23. UTA 19
24. GSW 18
25. NO 18
26. SAC 18
27. SAS 18
28. OKC 17
29. PHX 16
30. LAL 15

[Original Creation]

By the way, Delonte's -16 +/- rating tonight should prove once and for all that that stat is no clear indication of a player's performance.  Did anybody in green play as hard or as well as he did?

[celticinorlando]

Just another disappointing loss as they fall deeper into the three seed. Esp when they had this game won. I am tired of all the excuses. Just finish games

[birdwatcher]

By the way, Delonte's -16 +/- rating tonight should prove once and for all that that stat is no clear indication of a player's performance.  Did anybody in green play as hard or as well as he did?

+/- is BS in my book, too. It's kinda like QB rating. You can have a perfect QB rating and still lose the game. Hell, you could lead the league in QB rating and not win a single game.

[GreenFaith1819]

I'm just happy that we are two games better than last year, so far.

Shaq is on the horizon to come back to us.

JO is getting his wind...nice block on Big Al.

I'm optimistic....not too concerned about this game, even though I'd love to have it.

Maybe the schedule makers can make a different schedule for Boston next year? The number of back to backs this team played this year and last seems a little ominous - just IMO.

How many back-to-backs have LA or MIA played this year?

Here you go:

1. CHI 23
2. MIL 23
3. ATL 23
4. CHA 22
5. CLE 22
6. LAC 22
7. NJN 22
8. PHI 22
9. POR 22
10. DET 21
11. HOU 21
12. IND 21
13. MEM 21
14. NY 21
15. WAS 21
16. DAL 20
17. ORL 20
18. BOS 19
19. DEN 19
20. MIA 19
21. MIN 19
22. TOR 19
23. UTA 19
24. GSW 18
25. NO 18
26. SAC 18
27. SAS 18
28. OKC 17
29. PHX 16
30. LAL 15

Thanks (TP).

And of course LA has played 15 back-to-backs..and then they enjoy a "Road Game" or two vs the Clips.