Why Boston lost this year

[MBunge]

It seems like people are overlooking the primary reason that Boston is out the playoffs.  Check these numbers.

87, 90, 81, 91, 90.

89, 73, 94, 82, 91.

99, 90, 84, 84, 89.

The first line is what Boston scored against Miami in the 2nd round.  The second line in what Philly scored against Miami in the 2nd round.  The third line is what Indy scored against the Bulls in the 1st round.  Can anyone notice the pattern?

I don't care how awesome your defense is, if you can't score more than 91 points it is going to be incredibly hard to win in the playoffs.

Mike 

[MBunge]

And in case anyone is wondering, I went back to the 2008 championship run through the playoffs.

Boston scored fewer than 91 points only 9 times in the entire playoffs that year.  Their record in those games was 4-5.

Mike

[MBunge]

And in case anyone is wondering, I went back to the 2008 championship run.

Boston scored fewer than 91 points only 9 times in the entire playoffs that year.  Their record in those games was 4-5.

Mike

[KungPoweChicken]

Doc would probably tell you, "When we don't play good defense, it's hard for us to score points."

[BballTim]

And in case anyone is wondering, I went back to the 2008 championship run through the playoffs.

Boston scored fewer than 91 points only 9 times in the entire playoffs that year.  Their record in those games was 4-5.

Mike

  I hate to do this, but I feel obligated to point out that you negated the point of your first post "if you can't score more than 91 points it is going to be incredibly hard to win in the playoffs" by pointing out that the Celts did it 4 out of 9 times in 08.

[EJPLAYA]

Simple reason. A non-healthy Shaq. If he was able to play all season we'd be at least headed to the finals. Perk and JO were good enough to make us competitive this year, but Shaq was the difference maker.

[wdleehi]

Simple reason. A non-healthy Shaq. If he was able to play all season we'd be at least headed to the finals. Perk and JO were good enough to make us competitive this year, but Shaq was the difference maker.

Roy already showed the numbers.  Perk in the lineup was producing the same offensive results the team was producing last year. 



The trade killed the offense.  It was no longer like clockwork.  It had to be trimmed. 

[ScoobyDoo]

I agree with the OP. This team has suffered from "epic" scoring droughts, and it's not just this year.

My theory? We have a bunch of jump shooters who don't take it to the hole much and we have no low post player that commands a double team.

Pierce and Rondo are the only ones on this team who can really attack the lane or the basket and when they dial it back, we're toast. The offense stagnates and if the jumpers aren't falling...

This is why, to me, both Shaq and TA to a degree, were far more damaging as losses to the team this year than Perkins.

Shaq commanded a double team even at his age and TA attacked the rim "hard", not to mention his perimeter D.

I still argue with a healthy Shaq and Rondo we probably beat up on Miami pretty good in this past series. I don't really have any doubt about that.

That 15-20 minutes of pressure Shaq would impose on Maimi's D would break them down pretty quickly and it cascades from there, opens up the lanes for Pierce and Rondo.

I thought our offense and defense were as good or better "without" Perkins all season and "with" Shaq in his place than at any time since the big three got here anyway.

The injury to Shaq killed us. That's the gamble Ainge lost.

He didn't lose on the trade.

Jeff Green and the Clipper's pick is good value for Perkins.       

 

[wdleehi]

I agree with the OP. This team has suffered from "epic" scoring droughts, and it's not just this year.

My theory? We have a bunch of jump shooters who don't take it to the hole much and we have no low post player that commands a double team.

Pierce and Rondo are the only ones on this team who can really attack the lane or the basket and when they dial it back, we're toast. The offense stagnates and if the jumpers aren't falling...

This is why, to me, both Shaq and TA to a degree, were far more damaging as losses to the team this year than Perkins.

Shaq commanded a double team even at his age and TA attacked the rim "hard", not to mention his perimeter D.

I still argue with a healthy Shaq and Rondo we probably beat up on Miami pretty good in this past series. I don't really have any doubt about that.

That 15-20 minutes of pressure Shaq would impose on Maimi's D would break them down pretty quickly and it cascades from there, opens up the lanes for Pierce and Rondo.

I thought our offense and defense were as good or better "without" Perkins all season and "with" Shaq in his place than at any time since the big three got here anyway.

The injury to Shaq killed us. That's the gamble Ainge lost.

He didn't lose on the trade.

Jeff Green and the Clipper's pick is good value for Perkins.       

 

Good value,

Title chance killer.

[EJPLAYA]

Simple reason. A non-healthy Shaq. If he was able to play all season we'd be at least headed to the finals. Perk and JO were good enough to make us competitive this year, but Shaq was the difference maker.

Roy already showed the numbers.  Perk in the lineup was producing the same offensive results the team was producing last year. 



The trade killed the offense.  It was no longer like clockwork.  It had to be trimmed. 

Two things. We lost last year. There was no Miami Heat level team to go through. Our offense isn't worse because of no Perk, it is worse because Rondo didnt play at the level he did last season. Hmmm. We can blame the reduction in offense with a guy who isn't offensive and barely touched the ball, or on our PG who used to get to the rim but this playoffs was unable to do it. Taht didn't have an affect on our offensive woes much more likely than no Perk?!

[wdleehi]

Simple reason. A non-healthy Shaq. If he was able to play all season we'd be at least headed to the finals. Perk and JO were good enough to make us competitive this year, but Shaq was the difference maker.

Roy already showed the numbers.  Perk in the lineup was producing the same offensive results the team was producing last year. 



The trade killed the offense.  It was no longer like clockwork.  It had to be trimmed. 

Two things. We lost last year. There was no Miami Heat level team to go through. Our offense isn't worse because of no Perk, it is worse because Rondo didnt play at the level he did last season. Hmmm. We can blame the reduction in offense with a guy who isn't offensive and barely touched the ball, or on our PG who used to get to the rim but this playoffs was unable to do it. Taht didn't have an affect on our offensive woes much more likely than no Perk?!

After Perk went down and the Celtics lost size.  How many times have we heard that the Celtic players believe they would have won if Perk was there?

[ScoobyDoo]

That's valid Wdleehi.

I'm a big Ainge advocate but the one thing I have really disliked about his management since the big three have arrived is the constant trade deadline transitions the team is required to do each year.

I understand there may be a player you want to add at the deadline who's been cut but it seems like we're always adding 2-3 players that we expect to be key role players for us come playoff time and it never seems to work out that well.

That's why I'm hesitant to judge both Green and Krstic, not to mention Murphy and Pavlovic until they've had a full training camp with the team and then played through the season.

I know I may get hammered for it, but yes, I would bring Murphy back at the right price as my third string PF.

I'd like to get someone like Josh McRoberts, another 6'10" guy with length, behind KG next year though. Length and and defensive energy.  

[17wasEZ]

That's valid Wdleehi.

I'm a big Ainge advocate but the one thing I have really disliked about his management since the big three have arrived is the constant trade deadline transitions the team is required to do each year.

I understand there may be a player you want to add at the deadline who's been cut but it seems like we're always adding 2-3 players that we expect to be key role players for us come playoff time and it never seems to work out that well.

That's why I'm hesitant to judge both Green and Krstic, not to mention Murphy and Pavlovic until they've had a full training camp with the team and then played through the season.

I know I may get hammered for it, but yes, I would bring Murphy back at the right price as my third string PF.

I'd like to get someone like Josh McRoberts, another 6'10" guy with length, behind KG next year though. Length and and defensive energy.  

Good points!  I like your logic.

[EJPLAYA]

Simple reason. A non-healthy Shaq. If he was able to play all season we'd be at least headed to the finals. Perk and JO were good enough to make us competitive this year, but Shaq was the difference maker.

Roy already showed the numbers.  Perk in the lineup was producing the same offensive results the team was producing last year.  



The trade killed the offense.  It was no longer like clockwork.  It had to be trimmed.  

Two things. We lost last year. There was no Miami Heat level team to go through. Our offense isn't worse because of no Perk, it is worse because Rondo didnt play at the level he did last season. Hmmm. We can blame the reduction in offense with a guy who isn't offensive and barely touched the ball, or on our PG who used to get to the rim but this playoffs was unable to do it. Taht didn't have an affect on our offensive woes much more likely than no Perk?!

After Perk went down and the Celtics lost size.  How many times have we heard that the Celtic players believe they would have won if Perk was there?

Yes, but how many times did they comment they were going to beat the Heat with JO?! They didn’t do that either. Very simple. If Rondo was hurt like he was and unable to penetrate, Perk would have done nothing for us. JO played very solid defense, and was a solid offense player in the minutes he played as well. Perk was also injured and slow on his rotations this year as you can see in the games for OKC, so wouldn’t have been at the defensive level JO was while out there nor a real threat offensively. Rondo hurt and Shaq hurt are the reason we lost. Shaq made us a lot better team than with Perk and its too bad that he didn’t heal quicker. Perk wouldn’t have overridden Rondos injury though.

[OsirusCeltics]

I agree with the OP. This team has suffered from "epic" scoring droughts, and it's not just this year.

My theory? We have a bunch of jump shooters who don't take it to the hole much and we have no low post player that commands a double team.

Pierce and Rondo are the only ones on this team who can really attack the lane or the basket and when they dial it back, we're toast. The offense stagnates and if the jumpers aren't falling...

This is why, to me, both Shaq and TA to a degree, were far more damaging as losses to the team this year than Perkins.

Shaq commanded a double team even at his age and TA attacked the rim "hard", not to mention his perimeter D.

I still argue with a healthy Shaq and Rondo we probably beat up on Miami pretty good in this past series. I don't really have any doubt about that.

That 15-20 minutes of pressure Shaq would impose on Maimi's D would break them down pretty quickly and it cascades from there, opens up the lanes for Pierce and Rondo.

I thought our offense and defense were as good or better "without" Perkins all season and "with" Shaq in his place than at any time since the big three got here anyway.

The injury to Shaq killed us. That's the gamble Ainge lost.

He didn't lose on the trade.

Jeff Green and the Clipper's pick is good value for Perkins.       

 

Good value,

Title chance killer.

Perkins wasn't the reason Celtics won the title in 2008 either, and wasn't even a big part