Lack of Inside Option Shows Again

[elcotte]

bad loss the way i see it because Celts had a solid 2nd half lead and then, as usual, the offense ground to a halt in the 4th quarter. 
 
best and worst of Rondo today - a fabulous performance that brought Boston all the way back from a huge deficit, followed by the aforementioned predictable offensive breakdown during crunch-time when games usually become half-court battles and Rondo's inability to score from outside allows the defense to play us 5-on-4 and clog everything up.

The bigger problem in crunch time was Joey Crawford. Without him the Celts win.

[Junkyard Dawg]

it's looking more and more like reruns with the c's inability to score late in games.. this is where the loss of jeff green hurts us, he was supposed to turn into that offensive spark.. now it's gonna be tough

[TheBig5]

Frustrating loss, but let us at least give it until the end of January to get a better idea on whether or not the Celtics have a shot at 18.

[33_Larry Legend_33]

My guess is Joey Crawford will continue to referee NBA games, even those of the Celtics.

So let's stop blaming him and realize that we have a weakness in the middle.  We knew that coming into the season, and we also know that Steimsma is a nice story, but he's worthless on this team.

David West would have been a nice addition as a guy who plays with his back to the basket.  We just don't have those types of players on this roster.

[ianboyextreme]

bad loss the way i see it because Celts had a solid 2nd half lead and then, as usual, the offense ground to a halt in the 4th quarter. 
 
best and worst of Rondo today - a fabulous performance that brought Boston all the way back from a huge deficit, followed by the aforementioned predictable offensive breakdown during crunch-time when games usually become half-court battles and Rondo's inability to score from outside allows the defense to play us 5-on-4 and clog everything up.

Yeah but thats not just rondo. The whole team become timid and scared to take shots. They start thinking too much instead of just doing what theyve been doing.

[ianboyextreme]

Man, iam so down with trying to bring big Al back. Hes one of the best post players in the game today.

[Celtics4ever]

Wilcox is an opportunist down low not an option it appeared to me.   I think there were two sets of rules today.   The Knicks got away with some downright chippy play but we got fouls when we played that way, this is nothing new and usually happens. 

I think we lost because we didn't have PP to finish the game.   Were he there this game would not have been close.   Melo had to expend zero energy to cover Sasha and this would not be the case with PP.

[Fafnir]

I think defense was the bigger issue in the fourth, we scored a lot of points due to fast breaks and semi-breaks. We didn't get any of those easy points.

Also we only took 5 threes, that's far too few. We need another wing who can hit long balls.

[KCattheStripe]

I think defense was the bigger issue in the fourth, we scored a lot of points due to fast breaks and semi-breaks. We didn't get any of those easy points.

Also we only took 5 threes, that's far too few. We need another wing who can hit long balls.

Like Pietrus?

[Fafnir]

I think defense was the bigger issue in the fourth, we scored a lot of points due to fast breaks and semi-breaks. We didn't get any of those easy points.

Also we only took 5 threes, that's far too few. We need another wing who can hit long balls.

Like Pietrus?

Yeah he and pierce will help that

[Celtics4ever]

Anytime you get zero points out of a starter it kills you.   We didn't have our finisher, Pierce.   With him this game would not even be close.  Pietrus is a better defender and offensive player than Sasha.

I think we will add another player to the roster.   But how I do not know.

[KCattheStripe]

I think defense was the bigger issue in the fourth, we scored a lot of points due to fast breaks and semi-breaks. We didn't get any of those easy points.

Also we only took 5 threes, that's far too few. We need another wing who can hit long balls.

Like Pietrus?

Yeah he and pierce will help that

That's why I'm optimistic. Without Pierce and Pietrus to body up Melo, it still took him hitting some ridiculous shots and Joey Crawford being Joey Crawford for the Knicks to eek out this game. I would have like to see Moore and not marquis on that last possession, but other than that I saw a lot of things to be positive about.

[manl_lui]

its ok, the only play I think was terrible was Ray Allen bombing a 3 upon the inbound play...

KG's last shot could've went either way, he had a good look

[SHAQATTACK]

All we need is D Howard to fill that spot and we'll be ok 

[snively]

It's been talked about many times, but since it keeps happening and it's so glaring it bares repeating:

The Celtics, time and time again, give up late-game leads because they are forced to rely on jumpshots late in a game and they miss a lot of those shots due to tired legs.

The Celtics desperately, desperately need an honest to goodness inside option.  A guy who can post up and score 1-on-1 in the post, even when the opposing defense is clamping down. 

In the absence of a superstar 1-on-1 scorer (e.g. Melo), the Celtics need an offensive option like that if they want to be able to hold leads late in games against the best teams.

I think offensive balance is still enough to put us through.  We've won plenty of games with offensive execution in the Big 3 era.  We don't have the elite foul drawing threat, but we have some of the other crunch time keys: floor spacing, elite 3-point shooters and a rocksteady ball-handler.

It's the bench that lost us this game (and the absence of a viable small forward).