I'm not much of a believer in the playoff experience (lack thereof) as a factor. I'm not concerned about that. My thoughts on those players:

Stiemsma -- I thought Doc benching Steamer for Hollins really messed with his confidence. He was in a good rhythm and playing at a good level consistently. Since then, he is in free-fall. Completely undependable. Personally, I'd drop Hollins altogether and try to get Stiemsma back into top form because they'll need him further down the line.

Bradley -- I think his injuries have hurt him offensively but he is still doing work defensively. Probably be that way for the rest of the playoffs.

Bass -- struggling with shot but otherwise not too different from regular season. Not concerned. Shot will start to fall at some point.

Pietrus -- with Ray Allen back and Bradley starting, there aren't as many minutes available. Hard to play himself back into top form (in such limited minutes / opportunities). Injuries have slowed him down some too.

Avery Bradley playing with a separated shoulder speaks volumes about the type of player he is.  That is a cornerstone of your franchise for a decade right there.

I don't really believe too much in playoff inexperience.  Instead, I think it really is just a case of the higher intensity of the playoffs causing the best to rise to the top.

Guys with holes in their games can often get by fine in the regular season, and even excel.  But, like Bass is learning, when you get to the playoffs, everything is moving a little bit faster, and you can't get away with what you could in the regular season.

What I think is happening is two things.  First, the injuries have taken a toll.  That is pretty clear.

But even more than that, I don't think the C's are playing much worse than they were during their run at the end of the year.  I just don't think they are playing any better.  And that is a problem.  They made their run, because they were playing with a playoff intensity while the rest of the league were cruising to the finish line.  Now, other teams are picking up the intensity in the playoffs, and the playing field is leveled a bit.

Yeah, I thought we were looking really solid towards the end of the season. Minutes were relatively low for the vets. I saw Ray's extended absence as a plus mostly because it was allowing Bradley to develop so quickly. And that meant that if Bradley struggled come playoff time a rested, healthy Ray could come back and carry more of the load - when Bradley had it going, ride him, etc...

But then Ray's injury turned for the worse. The killer to me is Pierce though - he looked so solid early on against Atlanta until he tweaked his knee in practice.

I think if we have Pierce, Rondo and KG basically healthy and firing, we have the best three players, "combined", on the floor over any team in the east. But with Pierce struggling so much it's tough.

I'd really like to see us win game 3, put all the pressure back on them for game four - take that and then close it out in game 5, get some rest for the ECF...

I was hoping 2-0, split in Philly and close in game 5 at home - but that's out now.

We need to win tonight, or at best I think we're looking at a game 7 in Boston that leaves us heading into the ECF completely banged up.   

Agreed Neurotic Guy but...after watching last night's game, I think maybe he's worked through the bulk of the knee problem?.. 

I don't buy that his knee has been "fine" all along. I think he turned a corner over the last few days. The Paul Pierce we saw last night, is not the same Paul Pierce that we saw in the first two games of this series.

I would have said rest him for game four - but he looks fine now. Now I feel like, try to win the series tomorrow night buyt taking game four in Philly, go back to Boston up 3-1, win game five - and THEN get the entire team some rest before the ECF's - hopefully Indiana / Miami goes at least 6, hopefully seven games...

Back to our threesome. To be honest I like the trio of KG, Pierce and Rondo is better than Miami's trio of LeBron, Wade and Bosh, even fully healthy. Mainly because I think our trio is more "money" than theirs when it matters.

As for the West, I think our trio, if firing on all cylinders is in the conversation with OKC's and San Antonio's best three - though I'm less confident overall that we can get by either OKC or SA - everyone else I think we can beat.

But I made a post earlier this year about this Celtics squad. There is something about them that's special. They have this "little engine that could" mentality and toughness. Just odd things this year, all year -

1. Green goes down - we win despite it
2. JO goes otu - we win despite it
3. Wilcox goes down - we win despite it
4. KG moves to center - gets reborn
5. Ray goes down - we win despite it
6. Steamer comes out of nowhere
7. Bradley comes out of nowhere

Everyone playing their little roles...

This is a feisty group of savvy vets with some equally tough younger players. They're very scrappy as well.

I think we might be going to the finals again - I just don't know if we can win it all...