Seizing the Opportunity / Moment...

[ScoobyDoo]

Does anyone else feel like this team, as great and as fun as it has been to watch over these last five years, seems to fail to seize the opportunity or "moment" when it's their for the taking?

Every time I think this team would / should come out with an absolute smash mouth, rock 'em sock 'em effort, to the mat, fist fight, 7th game mentality...they often....don't.

For example:

Game 7 in 2010 - 16 point lead late in the 3rd for banner #18 and just somehow cannot find their way to hold on, take lazy jumpers or stop going head long to the rim on offense.

A lot can be argued about that game obviously.

But numerous other times in less important moments, I've felt they've also come out with a lackadaisical, ho hum appearance that translated to exactly that type of effort on the floor. They seem to "under perform" at the moments you expect them to "over perform", and, oddly, vice versa.

For example, in game two against Philly, I looked at it this way:

1. Bosh goes down

2. You get past Philly - I think your chances of getting past Miami without Bosh or with a much limited Bosh have greatly increased.

3. You're at home and can go up 2-0

4. You get past Philly and then a weakened Miami - and you're looking at another and perhaps you're last shot a the finals and a possible ring - what you've played for for your entire life - and it may very likely be your last chance in your career.

5. And you come out and put up and absolute egg. One of the worst playoff performances in Celtics history.

I'd think that game would have been a "figurative" blood bath, bodies flying, guys diving, energy through the roof, intensity, passion, fire.

And...and...we get this kind of lackluster, lackadaisical performance.

To me that game its like a life and death, everything on the floor game because if you go up 2-0 and Miami just lost Bosh, you're looking at great odds of getting to "the show", the finals.

I just didn't see what I expected. And this team has done the exact same thing numerous times. They did the same thing in game 6 of the 2010 finals.

Maybe you can say it just wasn't their night, they didn't have it.

My point is, on nights like game 2, you "have" to have it, some way, somehow.

That , in fact, is a hallmark of truly great teams. Jordan's Chicago teams were famous for winning game 5's on the road, or any other pivotal game in a series.

WE go up 2-0, no way Philly beats us 4 out of 5. No way. Now...we're in a situation and made the series so much harder on ourselves than need be.

Thoughts?           

[angryguy77]

Does anyone else feel like this team, as great and as fun as it has been to watch over these last five years, seems to fail to seize the opportunity or "moment" when it's their for the taking?

Every time I think this team would / should come out with an absolute smash mouth, rock 'em sock 'em effort, to the mat, fist fight, 7th game mentality...they often....don't.

For example:

Game 7 in 2010 - 16 point lead late in the 3rd for banner #18 and just somehow cannot find their way to hold on, take lazy jumpers or stop going head long to the rim on offense.

A lot can be argued about that game obviously.

But numerous other times in less important moments, I've felt they've also come out with a lackadaisical, ho hum appearance that translated to exactly that type of effort on the floor. They seem to "under perform" at the moments you expect them to "over perform", and, oddly, vice versa.

For example, in game two against Philly, I looked at it this way:

1. Bosh goes down

2. You get past Philly - I think your chances of getting past Miami without Bosh or with a much limited Bosh have greatly increased.

3. You're at home and can go up 2-0

4. You get past Philly and then a weakened Miami - and you're looking at another and perhaps you're last shot a the finals and a possible ring - what you've played for for your entire life - and it may very likely be your last chance in your career.

5. And you come out and put up and absolute egg. One of the worst playoff performances in Celtics history.

I'd think that game would have been a "figurative" blood bath, bodies flying, guys diving, energy through the roof, intensity, passion, fire.

And...and...we get this kind of lackluster, lackadaisical performance.

To me that game its like a life and death, everything on the floor game because if you go up 2-0 and Miami just lost Bosh, you're looking at great odds of getting to "the show", the finals.

I just didn't see what I expected. And this team has done the exact same thing numerous times. They did the same thing in game 6 of the 2010 finals.

Maybe you can say it just wasn't their night, they didn't have it.

My point is, on nights like game 2, you "have" to have it, some way, somehow.

That , in fact, is a hallmark of truly great teams. Jordan's Chicago teams were famous for winning game 5's on the road, or any other pivotal game in a series.

WE go up 2-0, no way Philly beats us 4 out of 5. No way. Now...we're in a situation and made the series so much harder on ourselves than need be.

Thoughts?           

You lost me at "game 7" we were screwed, that was not on our team and I will say that till the day I die.

[ScoobyDoo]

You mean because of the refs?

[ScoobyDoo]

Re=read my post again. I agree the Refs were bad in game 7 of the 2010 finals. But my point was that this team just typically "does not" seize the moment - they just give it away.

Tonight was yet another in a long, long, long, long, long line of "opportunity" games they just said "nah, not interested".

And sorry, I don't buy "it's the refs, or it's that or it's this..."

All it is is they once again failed to collectively seize the moment. That's it, period.

You're up 18 in the 3rd with a chance to go up 3-1, and go back home to close it in game 5, with a real chance for rest that would greatly enhance your shot at winning the ECF and getting the "the dance" in this year that may very well be your absolute last shot at a finals appearance in your career - that you played your entire life in order to just get that opportunity and you...lose? Really?

At the 18 point lead mark, this should have turned into an absolute blood bath, street brawl, down and dirty their is absolutely no way I'm losing this basketball game type of intensity and effort.

Instead, we get..."lackadaisical" and ho hum "bored" and "uninterested", sleepy almost.

And I'm not arguing with you agryguy77 - I'm just reiterating that tonight is the exact definition of the  intent of my post.

I figured they come and go really hard. They did. Then they got the 18 point lead and I said "Ok, here we go, this makes sense". And then...and then...check out time Boston style.

it's something about the mentality of this team, as great as it is.

It's absolutely mind boggling - I just simply cannot get my head around it. Seven minutes without scoring? Are you kidding me?

I'd rather see 6 straight offensive fouls from our guys because they are trying to get the ball in the basket by literally running over their defenders than watch us launch hook shots from outside when they clearly aren't falling.

That should have turned into a fist fight when we had the 18 point lead.

That's when you step on the team and twist the foot.     

[ScoobyDoo]

I feel a lot better now.

[TheReaLPuba]

This is a different kind of team.

It's not the team that started the season and it's not a dominating team like in '08.

This team is just trying to find ways to win.

They can be dominating at times but also really stupid while lacking focus.

This series just like the Atlanta series should have been short series but our core 4 players aren't as good as they once were and their margin of error is very small.

Can't make stupid turnovers.

[ScoobyDoo]

Agreed and nicely stated in a more mild mannered fashion than I stated my sentiments.

I acknowledge they're also banged up pretty good.

That being said, I still struggle with the fact that they had an 18 point lead in the 3rd quarter, had KG, Pierce and Rondo on all the court, and couldn't somehow figure out a way to hang on for the win.

To their credit though -they bounced back with a nice win in game five - figuring out a way to win...

Would "really" like to see them close tomorrow night and get some rest before the ECF's.
   

[bbd24]

Does anyone else feel like this team, as great and as fun as it has been to watch over these last five years, seems to fail to seize the opportunity or "moment" when it's their for the taking?

Every time I think this team would / should come out with an absolute smash mouth, rock 'em sock 'em effort, to the mat, fist fight, 7th game mentality...they often....don't.

For example:

Game 7 in 2010 - 16 point lead late in the 3rd for banner #18 and just somehow cannot find their way to hold on, take lazy jumpers or stop going head long to the rim on offense.

A lot can be argued about that game obviously.

But numerous other times in less important moments, I've felt they've also come out with a lackadaisical, ho hum appearance that translated to exactly that type of effort on the floor. They seem to "under perform" at the moments you expect them to "over perform", and, oddly, vice versa.

For example, in game two against Philly, I looked at it this way:

1. Bosh goes down

2. You get past Philly - I think your chances of getting past Miami without Bosh or with a much limited Bosh have greatly increased.

3. You're at home and can go up 2-0

4. You get past Philly and then a weakened Miami - and you're looking at another and perhaps you're last shot a the finals and a possible ring - what you've played for for your entire life - and it may very likely be your last chance in your career.

5. And you come out and put up and absolute egg. One of the worst playoff performances in Celtics history.

I'd think that game would have been a "figurative" blood bath, bodies flying, guys diving, energy through the roof, intensity, passion, fire.

And...and...we get this kind of lackluster, lackadaisical performance.

To me that game its like a life and death, everything on the floor game because if you go up 2-0 and Miami just lost Bosh, you're looking at great odds of getting to "the show", the finals.

I just didn't see what I expected. And this team has done the exact same thing numerous times. They did the same thing in game 6 of the 2010 finals.

Maybe you can say it just wasn't their night, they didn't have it.

My point is, on nights like game 2, you "have" to have it, some way, somehow.

That , in fact, is a hallmark of truly great teams. Jordan's Chicago teams were famous for winning game 5's on the road, or any other pivotal game in a series.

WE go up 2-0, no way Philly beats us 4 out of 5. No way. Now...we're in a situation and made the series so much harder on ourselves than need be.

Thoughts?           

My thoughts are, let's turn that frown upside down and make a change.  Let's win it all now and forget about 2010, 2008, etc.  It's a new day.  It's a new opportunity.

I'm just glad & grateful there have been opportunities.  Some on here wanted to blow this championship team up, cut the likes of the Avery Bradley's, and move on.  Injuries, etc. haven't been kind.  Yet Ainge stuck to his vets and has a great opportunity once again for #18.  This time, let's get the job done & forget the past.

[mctyson]

I don't see why you think Boston is the only team with opportunity to seize.  Derrick Rose blows out his ACL...how did Miami respond to that?