Celtics (7-6) at Hawks (9-6) Game #14 11/24/15

[Chief]

James young!

Lookin' homeless! Wow! Hopefully that means he's been on the grind

The grinder for 3!

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Thomas killed Teague in the first game. Teague beat Thomas in the second game.

Third game should be fun. December 18th. Thomas will be locked in. And I wouldn't be surprised if he goes off.

[PhoSita]

I wouldn't buy those playoff tickets yet.

It was going to be really difficult to win tonight without Smart, so it's not really fair to use this game as a measuring stick, especially considering that Bradley was the only one to really play well tonight in addition to them shooting ridiculously well.

The last two games, I think, have been a bit of a "snap back to reality" after the team looked really good for a few games and was a top 5 defense.

The Celts have it in them to play really well ... but it's also easy for them to get down big against even the worst teams in the league.

[bopna]

This is a completely different team without Smart. Our D is just pathetic without him. Match that with the most abominable offensive display i have ever seen..without AB this would have been a 50 point loss.
Evan Turner is the most frustrating 2nd overall pick I have ever seen. And IT has struggled as a starter in my eyes. This team has no Frontcourt to call..where is that vaunted deep frontcourt we are suppose to showcase... please basketball gods..let the Nets win the lottery for Boston.

[crimson_stallion]

Why are you complaining about Lee? He did just fine tonight.

Man, i wasnt on the floor when we were killed this qtr - Lee was!

Uh ok? Just because the lineup itself was bad doesn't mean Lee was. Jerebko KO and Amir were awful tonight. Lee did was he was supposed to do. Be the a second-string big.

4 fouls and 3 TO and got srewed every time in defense - EVERY time

He had 10 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists in 25 minutes and shot 55% from the field.

As a backup PF, not sure what more you can really ask for.

[Ilikesports17]

Why are you complaining about Lee? He did just fine tonight.

Man, i wasnt on the floor when we were killed this qtr - Lee was!

Uh ok? Just because the lineup itself was bad doesn't mean Lee was. Jerebko KO and Amir were awful tonight. Lee did was he was supposed to do. Be the a second-string big.

4 fouls and 3 TO and got srewed every time in defense - EVERY time

What game did you watch where you thigh lee did a good job today? He sucked on offense and defense

[Ilikesports17]

Why are you complaining about Lee? He did just fine tonight.

Man, i wasnt on the floor when we were killed this qtr - Lee was!

Uh ok? Just because the lineup itself was bad doesn't mean Lee was. Jerebko KO and Amir were awful tonight. Lee did was he was supposed to do. Be the a second-string big.

4 fouls and 3 TO and got srewed every time in defense - EVERY time

He had 10 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists in 25 minutes and shot 55% from the field.

As a backup PF, not sure what more you can really ask for.

Did you think he played well? When we needed a run he missed a buncha shots in a row got abused on d and turned it over. He killed us.

[crimson_stallion]

Evan Turner is the most frustrating 2nd overall pick I have ever seen.

Have you forgotten about Darko Milicic already?

He was on our roster some two seasons ago haha

[tarheelsxxiii]

I wouldn't buy those playoff tickets yet.

It was going to be really difficult to win tonight without Smart, so it's not really fair to use this game as a measuring stick, especially considering that Bradley was the only one to really play well tonight in addition to them shooting ridiculously well.

The last two games, I think, have been a bit of a "snap back to reality" after the team looked really good for a few games and was a top 5 defense.

The Celts have it in them to play really well ... but it's also easy for them to get down big against even the worst teams in the league.

Pho, is it at all possible that by Smart guarding 1-2 (some 3s) at an elite level, we are able to mask IT's deficiencies and play to AB's strengths (on ball, PGs)? Or is it more that we just suck, and a complete coincidence we can't respectively defend even BKN without Smart in the line up?

[MBunge]

1. Pitiful defensive performance.  Does Smart really make this much difference?

2.  Good teams have figured out IT.  Aggressively trap him and he lacks the pg skills to make teams pay.

3.  I'm not one of those guys obsessed with rim protection but we badly need more shot blocking in the line up.

4.  This team is pretty clearly good enough to play .500 ball.  With the improvement of the East, though, that might not be enough to make the playoffs.

Mike

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

GOING to watch GSW to have a better night.

[jpotter33]

I wouldn't buy those playoff tickets yet.

It was going to be really difficult to win tonight without Smart, so it's not really fair to use this game as a measuring stick, especially considering that Bradley was the only one to really play well tonight in addition to them shooting ridiculously well.

The last two games, I think, have been a bit of a "snap back to reality" after the team looked really good for a few games and was a top 5 defense.

The Celts have it in them to play really well ... but it's also easy for them to get down big against even the worst teams in the league.

No excuse for losing to the Nets, but again they didn't have Smart, who I think really gets underestimated even on this blog for his overall affect on a game. Smart organizes the defense, and offensively he's an underrated passer who is usually very good at not turning the ball over.
He has that unique skill of raising the level of play of the players around him. So I think it'd be hard to draw any conclusions from these last two games, because they've definitely looked out of whack without Smart.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

People are obsessed with offense it covers all things as far as this board is concerned.

[littleteapot]

Smart is that good on D, but the rest of our guys aren't this bad on D.

[MJohnnyboy]

Why are you complaining about Lee? He did just fine tonight.

Man, i wasnt on the floor when we were killed this qtr - Lee was!

Uh ok? Just because the lineup itself was bad doesn't mean Lee was. Jerebko KO and Amir were awful tonight. Lee did was he was supposed to do. Be the a second-string big.

4 fouls and 3 TO and got srewed every time in defense - EVERY time

He had 10 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists in 25 minutes and shot 55% from the field.

As a backup PF, not sure what more you can really ask for.

Did you think he played well? When we needed a run he missed a buncha shots in a row got abused on d and turned it over. He killed us.

1st half Lee was pretty darn good with his rebounding, scoring, and even made a play or two on the defensive side.

Second half wasn't the same story. But my point isn't that Lee was awesome. My point is Lee actually put up a good statline compared the other bigs mentioned who didn't do jack.

Also its one game and we faced the Atlanta Hawks, one of the best teams in the east. Everyone needs to take a deep breath.