Wow. We just got through our worst matchup of the playoffs.

[cman88]

the heat may have 2 better players maybe...but not better as a "team"....im interested to see how the pacers spread the ball offense/bigs go against them..and KG this playoffs is not the same as last years KG in the playoffs.

in basketball its all about matchups, and I wouldnt use our performance in this series as any barometer for how the next series will go...Atlanta is a HORRIBLE matchup for us with 2 quality bigs....every single game(including the regular season) has been a low scoring, ugly slugfest

I expect Bass to get more room in the next series, and hopefully Bradley/Pietrus can finally calm down and find their rhythm

[celtsfan84]

Let's keep in mind that Horford missed the first three games of the series entirely and played only 20 minutes of the 4th game (we were up 3-1 when he started playing at his level).

I'd tend to agree with the crux of this post though.  We match up well with the 76ers.  

We are less talented than Miami but our big 3 has a fighting chance against theirs and we have Rondo with a big matchup edge over Chalmers.

The West has a myriad of possibilities at this point, so I'll worry about that when we get there.

However, we dodged a major bullet with this Chicago thing.  They would have KILLED us on the boards.  Outrebounded the 76ers by 25 tonight.  I think we get swept by them if they are healthy.  But those are the breaks, I guess.

[Greenbean]

I still don't get why people think we match up well with the Heat.

I'll give you 3 reasons we don't match up well with the Heat.

LeBron.
Wade.
Bosh. (yes, Bosh. he won the matchup last year. embarassed KG)

And the "oh sweet Avery can guard Wade now" theory is out the window. Bradley is clearly not ready for the playoffs. His performance against ATL was hideous.  Ray is the guy.

No one in the league can match up with even 2 out of 3 of those guys....that's obviously their advantage. The thing is, they are NOT a great halfcourt team because they don't move the ball.

If the Celtics dictate pace and limit turnovers, we match up great with Miami.


And you clearly still dont understand the ffect of having Bradley in the game. He hasn't scored big in the playoffs but his defense is the difference maker. Tonight his ball pressure in the 2nd and 3rd quarter gave the Celtics a comfortable lead. He led the team with a +12 tonight. Having a guy like Bradley gives Doc the option to fulll court press the pooiint guard for the whole game with Dooling, ROndo, and Bradley.

[hpantazo]

I still don't get why people think we match up well with the Heat.

I'll give you 3 reasons we don't match up well with the Heat.

LeBron.
Wade.
Bosh. (yes, Bosh. he won the matchup last year. embarassed KG)

And the "oh sweet Avery can guard Wade now" theory is out the window. Bradley is clearly not ready for the playoffs. His performance against ATL was hideous.  Ray is the guy.

No one in the league can match up with even 2 out of 3 of those guys....that's obviously their advantage. The thing is, they are NOT a great halfcourt team because they don't move the ball.

If the Celtics dictate pace and limit turnovers, we match up great with Miami.


And you clearly still dont understand the ffect of having Bradley in the game. He hasn't scored big in the playoffs but his defense is the difference maker. Tonight his ball pressure in the 2nd and 3rd quarter gave the Celtics a comfortable lead. He led the team with a +12 tonight. Having a guy like Bradley gives Doc the option to fulll court press the pooiint guard for the whole game with Dooling, ROndo, and Bradley.

benching Bradley for Ray in the 2nd half almost cost us the game tonight

[pp34isthe1]

Anyone else want to see an LA/BOS finals?

[celtsfan84]

I'm not so sure that OKC is a horrible matchup for us.  I think that slowing down the game in half court sets can sap plenty of their youth and athleticism edge.  Experience and savvy might matter more.

After all, wasn't everybody saying that Dirk, Marion, Kidd, and Terry were too old to compete with OKC?  The age gap there might be even bigger.  They had Chandler too (still not that young) but we have Rondo and Bradley.  If Dallas can do it, we can too.

And wouldn't Rondo and Bradley end up on Westbrook and Harden?  Not a huge athleticism edge for either team.  I think KG would have some tricks for Ibaka.  Durant would be the worry, but that would be true for any team.  And he'd struggle to guard Pierce on the other end.

If they want to give Perkins heavy minutes, more power to them.  He drags down their offense.

Bring on OKC, the more I think about it.  It's everyone else (Spurs, Lakers, Grizzlies even) that would worry me.

[SHAQATTACK]

No kidding , we avoided being swept second round...if the Bull are Healthy ,  But to bad ...so sad they're not  

One of the worse no doubt.  Bulls miss that everready bunny Noah, non stop 40 minute balls to wall energy.  If they had either Noah or Rose they win that series easy.

Celtic s ( old school ) vs the 76'ers ( youth) club.

Play slow down half court grind it out ball and we got them sacked.

 

[Mizzy21390]

Anyone else want to see an LA/BOS finals?

Can you imagine if that was to happen? We're the only two teams that have been quietly counted out, as Miami OKC are favorites for the Finals..

[Fafnir]

I still don't get why people think we match up well with the Heat.

I'll give you 3 reasons we don't match up well with the Heat.

LeBron.
Wade.
Bosh. (yes, Bosh. he won the matchup last year. embarassed KG)

And the "oh sweet Avery can guard Wade now" theory is out the window. Bradley is clearly not ready for the playoffs. His performance against ATL was hideous.  Ray is the guy.

No one in the league can match up with even 2 out of 3 of those guys....that's obviously their advantage. The thing is, they are NOT a great halfcourt team because they don't move the ball.

If the Celtics dictate pace and limit turnovers, we match up great with Miami.


And you clearly still dont understand the ffect of having Bradley in the game. He hasn't scored big in the playoffs but his defense is the difference maker. Tonight his ball pressure in the 2nd and 3rd quarter gave the Celtics a comfortable lead. He led the team with a +12 tonight. Having a guy like Bradley gives Doc the option to fulll court press the pooiint guard for the whole game with Dooling, ROndo, and Bradley.

benching Bradley for Ray in the 2nd half almost cost us the game tonight

Yeah neither played very well.

I get what doc was doing as our offense was the issue in the second half but Ray didn't help.

[18isGREATERthan72]

I still don't get why people think we match up well with the Heat.

I'll give you 3 reasons we don't match up well with the Heat.

LeBron.
Wade.
Bosh. (yes, Bosh. he won the matchup last year. embarassed KG)

And the "oh sweet Avery can guard Wade now" theory is out the window. Bradley is clearly not ready for the playoffs. His performance against ATL was hideous.  Ray is the guy.

Joe Johnson 6-7 240 lbs
Dwyane Wade 6-4 220 lbs
LeBron James 6-8 250 lbs

Bradley guarding Johnson is closer to guarding LeBron than it is to guarding Wade.  I'd still feel comfortable putting Bradley on Wade...  As comfortable as I can feel, trying to guard one of the best scorers in the game.

[get_banners]

Ray said his ankle was bothering him tonight, more than the other games. Not sure if he told Doc that, but if he did, Doc should have considered putting Bradley in instead. Though...Ray does create spacing for us.

[esel1000]

well barkley just bet his life on the celtics beating the sixers in round 2... I honestly think its a 5 game series max I don't see the sixers beating this team I really dont.

[KGs Knee]

It's the playoffs.  They're all tough match-ups.

Still, I;d day this series goes no more than 6.  Of course, with the C's emerging victorious! 

[mctyson]

don't get your hopes up yet.

C's ended the series playing like crap. 

That is a bit of an overstatement - they played fine in Game 5, hand 2 chances to win that game at the end.

[mctyson]

I still don't get why people think we match up well with the Heat.

I'll give you 3 reasons we don't match up well with the Heat.

LeBron.
Wade.
Bosh. (yes, Bosh. he won the matchup last year. embarassed KG)

And the "oh sweet Avery can guard Wade now" theory is out the window. Bradley is clearly not ready for the playoffs. His performance against ATL was hideous.  Ray is the guy.

Cannot disagree more here.  Bosh is Miami's weakest link.  KG owned him the last few games this year.  Be prepared for more of that.

Rondo will destroy Mario Chalmers.  Bradley is the best answer to Wade in the Eastern Conference.  And Lebron can be ready for a steady stream of Pierce/Pietrus/Sasha.  We haven't had that many bodies to throw at him ever. 

There is no one else on that team that bothers me, except maybe Mike Miller if he shoots 50% from three.