My thoughts through the first two games

[KungPoweChicken]

Boston has seen Miami's best. I do believe this is the truth. Miami has played two unbelievable games. Give them credit.

Dwayne Wade and LeBron James have simply been great. There is no other way to put it. They both look like the best two players in the league right now: 1A and 1B. Boston doesn't have the bodies to cover them. They need a perfect, complete team defensive effort in order to stop them. There have been too many late rotations. That can't happen. They need to be on a string.

Boston has stayed close within reason in both games, despite getting jobbed by the refs in game 1. I think they can play better than they have. I don't think Miami can. The Celtics will have to play as well as they did in game 2, but sustain the effort. If they do that, I think they win at home.

If fans are hoping for superhuman Rondo performances to win games, I personally don't see it. Rondo is not the player he was in last year's playoffs, for whatever reason. Maybe it is an injury, or maybe it is mental. Whatever it is, I don't see it happening.

Doc's coaching has been suspect. I usually question Doc's rotations and substitutions, but I rarely question his X's and O's. In this case, I think it is warranted. I never thought he would be out coached by Spoelstra. And on the topic of rotations, Glen Davis is simply not getting it done.

The Celtics didn't have their "swagger" in Miami. I don't know why. They looked a little intimidated, like they didn't believe they could win. Will it come back in Boston?

Is a 39  year old center, with one leg, who hasn't played a game in forever, the answer to our problems? As crazy as it sounds, Shaq would definitely be part of the solution. I think Shaq has to play in game 3, hurt or not. The season is on the line. The least he could provide is an emotional lift for the fans and players. The most he could provide is helping the Celtics to win this thing.

[PosImpos]

If fans are hoping for superhuman Rondo performances to win games, I personally don't see it. Rondo is not the player he was in last year's playoffs, for whatever reason. Maybe it is an injury, or maybe it is mental. Whatever it is, I don't see it happening.

I think you're right, and that's the primary reason I think that the Celtics are cooked, barring a miraculous return to productivity from Shaq.  The only reason the Celtics made it to the Finals last year was the superhuman play of Rajon Rondo.  With a decidedly human Rondo on the court out there, there's no way we get past a team as talented as the Heat.  You can't win a series when the other team has the two best players on the floor.  The only reason we beat the Cavs last year was because Rondo was the best player on the floor.

[vinnie]

Rondo has to be great to win this series. He was good tonight and not-so-good the first game. That won't get it done. If he is not great, the C's do not win this series.

[wahz]

Boston has seen Miami's best. I do believe this is the truth. Miami has played two unbelievable games. Give them credit.

Dwayne Wade and LeBron James have simply been great. There is no other way to put it. They both look like the best two players in the league right now: 1A and 1B. Boston doesn't have the bodies to cover them. They need a perfect, complete team defensive effort in order to stop them. There have been too many late rotations. That can't happen. They need to be on a string.

Boston has stayed close within reason in both games, despite getting jobbed by the refs in game 1. I think they can play better than they have. I don't think Miami can. The Celtics will have to play as well as they did in game 2, but sustain the effort. If they do that, I think they win at home.

If fans are hoping for superhuman Rondo performances to win games, I personally don't see it. Rondo is not the player he was in last year's playoffs, for whatever reason. Maybe it is an injury, or maybe it is mental. Whatever it is, I don't see it happening.

Doc's coaching has been suspect. I usually question Doc's rotations and substitutions, but I rarely question his X's and O's. In this case, I think it is warranted. I never thought he would be out coached by Spoelstra. And on the topic of rotations, Glen Davis is simply not getting it done.

The Celtics didn't have their "swagger" in Miami. I don't know why. They looked a little intimidated, like they didn't believe they could win. Will it come back in Boston?

Is a 39  year old center, with one leg, who hasn't played a game in forever, the answer to our problems? As crazy as it sounds, Shaq would definitely be part of the solution. I think Shaq has to play in game 3, hurt or not. The season is on the line. The least he could provide is an emotional lift for the fans and players. The most he could provide is helping the Celtics to win this thing.
 

I agree with all of this but want to add it was idiotic hold Shaq out. He would have had huge rest. We all don't know whats going on but I do know a limping, limited Shaq is better than a healthy Baby Davis.

As far as Doc, even when Jo is pretty solid he doesn't get the minutes. Even when Baby is awful, he gets the minutes.

Its hard to see this as aging. I think Ray has lost nothing, or almost nothing. Its incredible really. PP has lost a little. KG seems physically capable but unwilling. I mean honestly he has been so bad compared to his Timberwolf efforts, he has left a lot of us confused. I guess he felt he was here to play d and hit some jumpers now and again.

We spent years thinking we didn't have a good enough backup for PP but we did, Tony Allen. I also didn't see it.

And as someone else said, if we did still have Perk, that is Perk in when JO is out. That would have helped today some

Its hard to not conclude Danny has blown it this year. He just never built onto that 08 champ like he should have. Too cute imho.

[Fortmax]

We tried to sign Troy Murphy into our team and still Doc dont use him.

I hope Doc gives this guy a chance before its too late.

[CelticsGuy34]

This is what i think going forward to games 3 and 4

Do not put in Krstic hes just not ready for whats going onright now the minutes hes played havent been good.

Bench baby and give Jeff Green his minutes

Dont bench Jermaine oneal so long, he seems to get subbed out and stays on the bench forever

Ray allen must make it harder for wade, celtics team must make it harder for both Wade and Lebron in the next few games

Put rondo on wade a few times

the bench should only be Jeff Green and Delonte west, big baby getting a few minutes

if shaq is back make him knock wade on his ass a few time to make him think

[chambers]

Rondo has to be great to win this series. He was good tonight and not-so-good the first game. That won't get it done. If he is not great, the C's do not win this series.

I don't agree with this.
If Rondo plays like he did tonight and the Heat play slightly above normal, we can win.
If the Heat play this good for the next 2 games then we are going to be swept. There are no teams in the NBA that could beat the Heat with their offensive power right now.
There team isnt that good, but when Wade and Lebron are hitting 9/10 difficulty shots like they have been so far- there isn't anything that can be done.
They would crush most other teams- the Lakers may have a chance because of their size but I doubt it.
The Heat have played out of their skin and there is no other way to put it- it's shocked the Celtics how good they've been playing and their perimeter shooting on the whole has been unreal.

[slamtheking]

Rondo has to be great to win this series. He was good tonight and not-so-good the first game. That won't get it done. If he is not great, the C's do not win this series.

I don't agree with this.
If Rondo plays like he did tonight and the Heat play slightly above normal, we can win.
If the Heat play this good for the next 2 games then we are going to be swept. There are no teams in the NBA that could beat the Heat with their offensive power right now.
There team isnt that good, but when Wade and Lebron are hitting 9/10 difficulty shots like they have been so far- there isn't anything that can be done.
They would crush most other teams- the Lakers may have a chance because of their size but I doubt it.
The Heat have played out of their skin and there is no other way to put it- it's shocked the Celtics how good they've been playing and their perimeter shooting on the whole has been unreal.

I disagree with your assessment of the Heat.  I think what we're seeing now is what we'll continue to see.  They've looked very good but considering the overall talent of their top 3 players, I don't think we've see their best yet in terms of team play.

C's have just looked absolutely flat this series.  They can definitely play much better but big question is, will they?

[chambers]

Rondo has to be great to win this series. He was good tonight and not-so-good the first game. That won't get it done. If he is not great, the C's do not win this series.

I don't agree with this.
If Rondo plays like he did tonight and the Heat play slightly above normal, we can win.
If the Heat play this good for the next 2 games then we are going to be swept. There are no teams in the NBA that could beat the Heat with their offensive power right now.
There team isnt that good, but when Wade and Lebron are hitting 9/10 difficulty shots like they have been so far- there isn't anything that can be done.
They would crush most other teams- the Lakers may have a chance because of their size but I doubt it.
The Heat have played out of their skin and there is no other way to put it- it's shocked the Celtics how good they've been playing and their perimeter shooting on the whole has been unreal.

I disagree with your assessment of the Heat.  I think what we're seeing now is what we'll continue to see.  They've looked very good but considering the overall talent of their top 3 players, I don't think we've see their best yet in terms of team play.

C's have just looked absolutely flat this series.  They can definitely play much better but big question is, will they?

Of course they can play better, the point is that even with their substandard level of play, they have been neck and neck vs this team until the final 7 minutes of each game- which are normally our strongest- and miami's weakest time period of the game. (other than Miamis notoriously bad starting runs).

I highly doubt that lebron and wade are going for 30-35 each every game OR James Jones is going 5-7.
THey held home court which sucks for us, but there are plenty of honest positives to take out of this. The pressure on us now might be too much to overcome. The great thing is that our guys have played under pressure like this before and shined through.

[evrock]

Some staggering stats from first 2 games:

The Heat have taken 68 FTs, of those their “big 3” have taken 52 of them (76% of the teams total).

The Celts have taken 40 FTs (the Heat took almost that many in game 2). Our “big 3” have taken 12, yes 12 FTs total over two games! (that’s 30% of the teams total). Kevin Garnett has not taken a foul shot in this series!! I had to double check that like three times.

Wade and LeBron attack. And they get calls. they get whistles before fouls even happen. They literally run over people and don’t get called for a charge! Let’s hope that stops in our house. I don’t know how we stop that, but the help D is just not there fast enough to kill their lanes.

We are different. KG takes fade-aways, Ray runs around screens, and Paul drives, but is not getting any whistles. WE need to attack THEM. KG has to attack Bosh. Ray has to attack Wade. If we can’t get to the line, we have no shot.