Stop looking for mismatches and play the game!

[coco]

I am so sick and tired watching the Cs take a lead only to give it back in the 4th quarter.  Time and time again we keep falling for the same illusion.  Slow the game and look for a mismatch.  Wasting precious ball movement and minutes trying to feed a specific situation when the pass/play isn't there.  Rondo is notorious for doing this.  And now the rest of the team has fallen for the same crap.

Cs need to keep playing!  Forget about trying to feed player X or Y!!!  Just play the  game!!!

Is it true? only 8pts in the 4th quarter?  You have got to be kidding...

[crimson_stallion]

One thing I've been hating lately is seeing everything defer to Pierce in the fourth, almost like the guys on the team feel they "owe" it to him to give him the ball in those times.

To be honest I think the last couple of months have seen a big transition period where our best offensive player is no longer Paul Pierce, but is now actually Jeff Green.

I think we need to lean of Jeff as our #1 scoring option and let Pierce play off him. 

When Jeff is in a scorers mindset he is borderline unstoppable, but in that 4th quarter it seems he kinda just stepped back and said "time to give it to Paul now" and deferred everything.

With Rondo and Sully out it's even more important for us to take advantage of Pierce's ability to contribute as a playmaker, defender and rebounder. 

Let Jeff take center stage as the focal point of our offense, and when opposing teams clamp down on him let the other scorers take advantage.

We have more offensive talent than our statistics suggest.  A team with Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, Jeff Green, Paul Pierce, Brandon Bass, Jordan Crawford and Kevin Garnett should not have THIS much trouble putting the ball in the basket.

[coco]

True.  And as long as it is in the rhythm of the game that's cool.

One thing I really hate is when they look for KG when KG has a guard - or smaller player on him -  18feet from the basket.  Is like, really?  Since when is that a favorable mismatch?  Oh and have probably burned the entire possession on getting KG the ball, 18ft away....

Just play the game!  If it's not there, just move on....

[nickagneta]

One thing I've been hating lately is seeing everything defer to Pierce in the fourth, almost like the guys on the team feel they "owe" it to him to give him the ball in those times.

To be honest I think the last couple of months have seen a big transition period where our best offensive player is no longer Paul Pierce, but is now actually Jeff Green.

I think we need to lean of Jeff as our #1 scoring option and let Pierce play off him. 

When Jeff is in a scorers mindset he is borderline unstoppable, but in that 4th quarter it seems he kinda just stepped back and said "time to give it to Paul now" and deferred everything.

With Rondo and Sully out it's even more important for us to take advantage of Pierce's ability to contribute as a playmaker, defender and rebounder. 

Let Jeff take center stage as the focal point of our offense, and when opposing teams clamp down on him let the other scorers take advantage.

We have more offensive talent than our statistics suggest.  A team with Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, Jeff Green, Paul Pierce, Brandon Bass, Jordan Crawford and Kevin Garnett should not have THIS much trouble putting the ball in the basket.

Green wasn't deferring to Pierce, he was being shut down by Melo and passed up the rock in a passive manner like he usually does when he has tight, in your face coverage. Jeff Green is not a #1 scoring option. #1 scoring options will shoot even when covered like Green was in the second half. Pierce was being the #1 scoring option because he has the mentality and talent to do it.

[CelticConcourse]

For some reason, I remember this worked extremely well against the Knicks two years ago which might explain why we're doing it again. We did it last season during regular-season matchups as well, with Paul Pierce getting lots of mismatches particularly against Iman Shumpert. I feel like it's the coaching staff recommending this, simply because it already worked in the past.

Of course, I feel like we're the best when we're out in transition. We need to run, especially since we can. Another thing is, New York was the league's worst team in transition points so we need to burn their old legs by running. Unfortunately they don't turn the ball over much, but when they do (13 times today) we have got to take advantage.

I think we should exploit mismatches, if it goes with the flow. Jeff Green is the ultimate mismatch-exploiter and if we get him on K-Mart or Novak, he needs to attack the rim.

[illestmcsgt]

What amazed me is Jeff Green had 20 points in the first half!! He only scored 6 points in the second half, like what happened? I feel like he needs to want the ball more and be aggressive. Doc knows this and the whole teams know this as well. Paul Pierce is not what he used to be, let Green have the ball when we need a basket.

[coco]

I guess I've just lost confidence on this team recognizing a favorable mismatch.

[action781]

I hear you, we keep running those 1-3 screens or 2-3 screens and hoping (slash forcing) the switch and then trying to iso that mismatch.

The loss of team basketball is frustrating, coco.  I hear you.

With no Tyson Chandler in the game, we barely try at all to run the offense through KG in the post?  I saw maybe 1 attempt to get it to him in the 4th quarter that I can recall.

[kgainez]

One thing I've been hating lately is seeing everything defer to Pierce in the fourth, almost like the guys on the team feel they "owe" it to him to give him the ball in those times.

To be honest I think the last couple of months have seen a big transition period where our best offensive player is no longer Paul Pierce, but is now actually Jeff Green.

I think we need to lean of Jeff as our #1 scoring option and let Pierce play off him. 

When Jeff is in a scorers mindset he is borderline unstoppable, but in that 4th quarter it seems he kinda just stepped back and said "time to give it to Paul now" and deferred everything.

With Rondo and Sully out it's even more important for us to take advantage of Pierce's ability to contribute as a playmaker, defender and rebounder. 

Let Jeff take center stage as the focal point of our offense, and when opposing teams clamp down on him let the other scorers take advantage.

We have more offensive talent than our statistics suggest.  A team with Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, Jeff Green, Paul Pierce, Brandon Bass, Jordan Crawford and Kevin Garnett should not have THIS much trouble putting the ball in the basket.

Green wasn't deferring to Pierce, he was being shut down by Melo and passed up the rock in a passive manner like he usually does when he has tight, in your face coverage. Jeff Green is not a #1 scoring option. #1 scoring options will shoot even when covered like Green was in the second half. Pierce was being the #1 scoring option because he has the mentality and talent to do it.

I agree and disagree. I think he was shut down, don't think it was passive. I think Jeff is a bit of a thinker. And if you haven't noticed by now, he's very efficient with his shot selection. I think there's a difference between being a 'chucker' and a 'scorer'...Melo is a chucker. Jeff is a scorer. In y opinion.

[kgainez]

What amazed me is Jeff Green had 20 points in the first half!! He only scored 6 points in the second half, like what happened? I feel like he needs to want the ball more and be aggressive. Doc knows this and the whole teams know this as well. Paul Pierce is not what he used to be, let Green have the ball when we need a basket.

Why aren't you people realizing that the Knicks made adjustments? Is it a secret that JG isn't as great to his left? Is it a secret the guards can't handle pressure? No...so the Knicks made adjustments. It happens.

People are acting like Jeff was wide open and just passed up shots.

And to also take note of something someone said earlier...I think the GAME PLAN is to defer to Pierce. It has to be. It just doesn't make sense sometimes the positions and iso's we put him in.

[Ogaju]

One thing I've been hating lately is seeing everything defer to Pierce in the fourth, almost like the guys on the team feel they "owe" it to him to give him the ball in those times.

To be honest I think the last couple of months have seen a big transition period where our best offensive player is no longer Paul Pierce, but is now actually Jeff Green.

I think we need to lean of Jeff as our #1 scoring option and let Pierce play off him. 

When Jeff is in a scorers mindset he is borderline unstoppable, but in that 4th quarter it seems he kinda just stepped back and said "time to give it to Paul now" and deferred everything.

With Rondo and Sully out it's even more important for us to take advantage of Pierce's ability to contribute as a playmaker, defender and rebounder. 

Let Jeff take center stage as the focal point of our offense, and when opposing teams clamp down on him let the other scorers take advantage.

We have more offensive talent than our statistics suggest.  A team with Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, Jeff Green, Paul Pierce, Brandon Bass, Jordan Crawford and Kevin Garnett should not have THIS much trouble putting the ball in the basket.

You got it right ALMOST. The culprit is DOC Rivers. It was not Rondo as you can see it persisits without Rondo on the team. DOC got a hold of the team  at the break and reminded them to go to the matchups. He neutered the team at the break. He played small ball. How he thinks he can beat the knicks with KG the only big playing for the Cs I dont know. Where was Wilcox, where was Randolph.

Doc is killing this team..

[Celtics4ever]

We need to go in and play our game and make them react not vice versa.   

[Ogaju]

what is our game?

The free flow we played in the first half, or the doc controlled tempo of the second half?

[CelticConcourse]

what is our game?

The free flow we played in the first half, or the doc controlled tempo of the second half?

The former, please.

[Ogaju]

that means you have to seriously shake up the coaching staff.