Celtics (21-19) at Clippers (13-15) 3/12

[fairweatherfan]

CAPTAIN!!! 

Screw the trade deadline, I really want this W.

[thestackshow]

I cant believe my eyes, Rondo is attacking and being agressive late in the game. He needs to do this every game at the end of games, he is our Catalyst.

[GreenFaith1819]

I

AM

TRUUUUUTH!! lol

[Tgro]

That's more like it. Aggressive for the win!!!!

[Change]

reserve jinx

[bostonpatriot]

The Clippers have 17 offensive rebounds for the Celtics' 21 defensive rebounds. Getting back 45% of their own misses. It's almost impossible to win games while allowing the other team to shoot multiple times per possession so often.

The question is whether this is a coaching problem or really more of a personnel problem. The issue with rebounding has been ongoing for several years now.

-Jamman

It's a personnel problem. The rebounding issue started when Garnett and Powe went down. The Celtics were a very good rebounding team in their title year, for example (Garnett, Perkins, Powe, PJ Brown, younger Pierce). Now their only above average rebounders are a 36 years old Garnett and the point-guard.

[droopdog7]

This team used to be so good at closing out games.  For some reason, that trend has completely reversed since the Heat series last year.

Is it just a conditioning / age issue?

I hate how our offense just gets so stagnant down the stretch.

There's no excuses for playing great basketball for 40-45 minutes then falling apart in the final couple minutes.  No excuse.

Not to mention it's incredibly frustrating.

Not just age.  The biggest problem is that the team has no inside game at all.  When games get close, and the defense turns the screws, we have few answers.

Of course, now we're up five so there you go.

[CelticG1]

man, one of these times I've gotta go to a Celtics away game

[Kiorrik]

So, Rondo attacking, Pietruss with some clutch hands, clutch rebound and a clutch assist to Paul for 3.

That's basically everything they got called out for *doing wrong* in the past few minutes by this blog, so I'll take this as improvement?

[thestackshow]

Man Pietrus is approaches Keyon Dooling level badness.

Pietrus used to kill us with 3's all game long when he was on the Magic.

Hope he breaks out of his slump.

[CelticSooner]

It's amazing how a NBA game can completely change within a minute or two. It really is a game of runs.

If Rondo would be this aggressive late in games the C's may actually close out some of these games.

[LooseCannon]

This team used to be so good at closing out games.  For some reason, that trend has completely reversed since the Heat series last year.

The team no longer hits as many dagger threes in the closing minutes.   They need to get back to the sort of ball movement that creates those open threes.

[Bahku]

It's amazing how many leads we give away when we stop attacking the basket in the last seven minutes or so ... live and not learn, I guess. Lack of legs/energy late?

Yeah ... the fates were listening for a change. Keep the pressure on boyz!!

[celticslove]

gotta love the effort on a back to back game. hope we can pull through!

[raynman]

up 5 with over two minutes to go... I hope this ain't deja vu!