I STILL BELIEVE!!

[Senninsage]

The Celtics aren't out of this by a long shot. The Heat have to finish them, and there is no guarantee that they will.

[snowball]

I do not. 3 games in a row is too
much to ask for this team in this condition.
Miami Heat are an exceptionally talented
basketball team. Maybe the best team on the planet.

[youcanthandlethetruth113]

Header says it all.

Who's with me!!

I'm with you!

Think about how close the game was given the following:

1. All the EXTREMELY TOUGH jumpers Lebron + Wade hit. Blind turnarounds, baseline leaners, contested 3's. They hit an absurd amount of those, which we can live with.

2. KG = 1-10. Enough said. Arguably one of our most important pieces didn't show up tonight, on either end of the floor (aside from some post-passes stolen).

3. Game tied with 20 seconds to go and we completely both whatever play was called (KG high screen?). Pierce heaves a desperation shot rather than calling a timeout (not sure if we had one left) and gets mad at everyone for a lack of motion.

4. That Rondo missed layup with 1 minute remaining in OT. Ouch.

5. 2 Celtic bench players showed up. I repeat, 2 (Delonte, Green).

[fairweatherfan]

I'll give up on the season when the team does.  Given that they're not wearing purple and gold, I don't think that's today.

[EJPLAYA]

It ain't over til it's over.  If it couldn't happen, they wouldn't play the games.  Crazier things have happened.

Like somebody already posted... If we can eek out a game 5 win, then we come back home for game 6, then it all boils down to game 7 where anything can happen...

Crazier things have happened.

Of course they would still play the game. Stern wants his money!

Sorry guys, but it's over. They have the best 2 players on the floor, and we are injured. We couldn't win 2 out of 4 let alone 3 straight. Valiant effort though.

[celts55]

Header says it all.

Who's with me!!

I'm with you!

Think about how close the game was given the following:

1. All the EXTREMELY TOUGH jumpers Lebron + Wade hit. Blind turnarounds, baseline leaners, contested 3's. They hit an absurd amount of those, which we can live with.

2. KG = 1-10. Enough said. Arguably one of our most important pieces didn't show up tonight, on either end of the floor (aside from some post-passes stolen).

3. Game tied with 20 seconds to go and we completely both whatever play was called (KG high screen?). Pierce heaves a desperation shot rather than calling a timeout (not sure if we had one left) and gets mad at everyone for a lack of motion.

4. That Rondo missed layup with 1 minute remaining in OT. Ouch.

5. 2 Celtic bench players showed up. I repeat, 2 (Delonte, Green).

Have to agree that a few small things go different everyone is singing a different tune today.

Two things on your post. They didn't have any time outs as the announcers keep telling us that they had to get the inbounds in, and Rondo missed the lay up in regulation time, which would have put the Celtics up by 2.

That being said, it was just last year that the Bruins were up 3-0 and lost. These things happen. It's like AA, one game at a time.

[Assassin70]

I do not. 3 games in a row is too
much to ask for this team in this condition.
Miami Heat are an exceptionally talented
basketball team. Maybe the best team on the planet.

No reason to be in here then.

Besides don't think of it as 3 in a row think of it as one game at a time!  If we get to game 7 don't come back in here with us true believers

[celts55]

I do not. 3 games in a row is too
much to ask for this team in this condition.
Miami Heat are an exceptionally talented
basketball team. Maybe the best team on the planet.

You do realize that the greatest team on the planet only scored 17 points in the 4th quarter. You also realize the it took the best team on the planet overtime to beat a team that's pretty beat up and couldn't hit a shot in the 4th quarter, scoring only 13 points themselves. Please don't tell me it was because of the great D that the Heat played. That had nothing to do with Rondo missing a lay up or KG missing easy shots in the paint.

Look I'm not saying they shouldn't have won last night, because they did, but they are not the best team on the planet. If they were they wouldn't be changing starting centers in game 4. They would have a much better point guard than Bibby and a better bench. They have two great players, one very good one, and a bunch of other guys. That's it.

[Greenbean]

Ill never count this team out.

[thirstyboots18]

Lots of things have gone wrong this year.  Perk having to miss so much time for recovery from injury, Marquis perhaps career ending injury, Delonte breaking his wrist, a very chancy trade late in the season with not enough time to integrate or assess the results, the knee operation of JO, the injuries of Shak, our potential sixth man of the year losing his way in the second half of the season, and then there is Rondo...ahhhh, Rondo who played through nagging injuries all year and suffered a horrific injury during the second round of the playoffs. 

However, what you can not blame for the 3--1 deficit we find ourselves in is Effort.  Delonte worked hard to rehab his wrist.  Shak is playing, although at part strength with his calf strain.  JO had knee surgery and returned playing at a higher level than anyone expected.  Doc has been trying to integrate new players. Ray has been diligent in getting in his practice shots and game preparation, and PP and KG have been trying to lead and keep up offensive and defensive production.  Glen Davis has been putting in effort and even Jeff Green is catching on and trying to be more aggressive.  And how can you say enough about the heart and effort of Rajon Rondo, our amazing point guard.

The results haven't always followed the effort, but, because of the effort the Boston Celtics have NOT been eliminated yet.  Because of the effort and because they are our team, I believe we owe (yes, owe) them the loyalty to cheer for them until that cheering is proved not to be helpful or appreciated.  We shouldn't "quit" on this team, even if they lose, until and unless they stop trying.

Pride will still show because of the effort. 

(I wasn't going to mention it, but...ask a Laker fan what it feels like to have a team quit on you...on second thought, don't.)

I love my team. One last chance to get it right...one more game...at a time.

[KCattheStripe]

One possession at a time.

[manl_lui]

taking this one game at a time, its not over til its really over...last time i checked, we are still alive...only down 2, we can win 3 in a row

[LB3533]

I still believe.

When we win this series and when we win it all...it will be that much sweeter.

[jarufu]

Lots of things have gone wrong this year.  Perk having to miss so much time for recovery from injury, Marquis perhaps career ending injury, Delonte breaking his wrist, a very chancy trade late in the season with not enough time to integrate or assess the results, the knee operation of JO, the injuries of Shak, our potential sixth man of the year losing his way in the second half of the season, and then there is Rondo...ahhhh, Rondo who played through nagging injuries all year and suffered a horrific injury during the second round of the playoffs. 

However, what you can not blame for the 3--1 deficit we find ourselves in is Effort.  Delonte worked hard to rehab his wrist.  Shak is playing, although at part strength with his calf strain.  JO had knee surgery and returned playing at a higher level than anyone expected.  Doc has been trying to integrate new players. Ray has been diligent in getting in his practice shots and game preparation, and PP and KG have been trying to lead and keep up offensive and defensive production.  Glen Davis has been putting in effort and even Jeff Green is catching on and trying to be more aggressive.  And how can you say enough about the heart and effort of Rajon Rondo, our amazing point guard.

The results haven't always followed the effort, but, because of the effort the Boston Celtics have NOT been eliminated yet.  Because of the effort and because they are our team, I believe we owe (yes, owe) them the loyalty to cheer for them until that cheering is proved not to be helpful or appreciated.  We shouldn't "quit" on this team, even if they lose, until and unless they stop trying.

Pride will still show because of the effort. 

(I wasn't going to mention it, but...ask a Laker fan what it feels like to have a team quit on you...on second thought, don't.)

I love my team. One last chance to get it right...one more game...at a time.

I haven't been posting recently but have been here .. and I've half-written responses and not posted but TB, this about sums up what I wanted to post so TP and thans!

[Celtics18]

I believe in this team.  The one thing I care about more than anything else right now is to see my team go out and put forth the kind of effort and intensity they showed in games 3 and 4 in the Garden.  If they do that, they'll have a shot in game 5.  It may not be enough, but if they can pull this one out, then they will be greeted with a raucous heroes welcome upon their return back to Boston.  That might inspire them to win game six in front of the home fans. 

If we can claw our way to a game 7, then as KG would shout, "ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!"

It isn't going to be easy, but win or lose, I believe in this team as much as ever right now.  They continue to show me that they have the collective heart of a champion.

GO CELTICS!!!!