This team, if you think about it, has had a tremendous amount of bad luck. They've had some very bad games as well, but some of their losses, more than half of them, have actually been games where just everything goes wrong.
The ball bounces off the rim, but off to a general direction having absolutely nothing at all to do with the effort of the player that eventually picked up the loose ball, and then it usually leads to some bad situations that, when combined, equal the Celtics loss.
This team has, I believe, shown in very key ways that they can be, and probably are, a deceptively dangerous playoff team. There will be more rests in the playoffs. You won't have back to backs, or back to back to backs. It isn't just about the teams that you play. It's how you play against the teams that you play, whether they're a terrible team, an average team, or a great team, and this Celtics squad's missteps have not been due to a lack of talent, nor have they been because they were old.
It was because of mental mistakes, extended mental lapses, and a complete tentativeness or unwillingness of great shooters to take and miss completely makeable shots. Why has this Celtics team seemed to step up their game in some of the last few games? All hesitation has gone out the window. They are now playing basketball, and doing a better job of taking care of the ball, as well reading the situation and adjusting to it.
Of course you're going to get destroyed by a younger, more athletic team if you put yourselves in situations where they can get easy steals and just outrun you to the other end of the court for an easy score. Of course other teams are going to beat you on the boards if you don't do basic boxing out. This team can not only make it to the eastern conference finals, they can eliminate the bulls or the heat. These teams are not unbeatable by this Celtics squad. Not even close.
Topic: It may sound crazy, but this team can make Eastern Conference Finals (Read 1228 times)