Celtics (19-18) at Knicks (19-20) Game #38 1/12/16

[MJohnnyboy]

So offense was the problem when we scored 114 points and gave up 120 points to a Knicks team that played without Carmelo for a half?

That makes TOTAL sense.

We're a top-3 defensive team, and we've lost 6 of 7. Yes, it's an offensive problem, because our second best scorer is Jae Crowder..

Point is the opposite was the problem tonight.

Sounds to me like overall, the Celtics just have big issues to resolve.

We haven't looked like a top 3 defensive team in the past few weeks.
The amount of points the Celtics have given up in this bad stretch are:

112, 100, 94, 99, 101, 101, 120.

Looks to me like the defense may be having issues.

[max215]

If we dump everyone but young guys and Crowder and go 11-33, which would essentially be the level the Nets have played at all year, we would have the 7th lowest win percentage (7th best odds). Going into the lottery with the 3rd and 7th picks would be crazy.

[MBunge]

Our best offensive lineup (with IT and Sully) is too weak defensively to even shut down the Knicks minus Carmelo.  I'm agreeing its time to figure out who's in the running to be part of your future, play them and bench or deal anyone else.  Team as is won't make playoffs, barring injuries on other teams.

This team seems like it's on a mission to disprove all the analytics.

We can debate the talent level of this team but what made this stretch so terrible is stinking the joint out against two clearly inferior teams in the Lakers and Nets and then putting forth a pathetic defensive effort tonight.  Win those three games and we're okay.

Brad Stevens earned a lot of credit with the amazing end to the regular season last year but he's really got to rethink things.  His rotation management remains very questionable and his offense has consistently shone that it completely locks up when the other team ups its defensive intensity.  It also seems clear that his nice guy routine has exhausted its usefulness.

Mike

[SHAQATTACK]

I'm getting closer and closer to preferring losses to wins.

It is easier to think that way for sure.   

I figured they'd loose again .   Somehow they are are just not playing like Celtics should .

DA is not willing to up grade or use his assets ......he can Not sit on them forever .

The coach needs help ......better talent.

Danny is being out GM'd ......too many other teams have way more talent than the Celtics

Talent recruitment is Danny's cross to bare. 

He just isn't providing the talent level needed.

Celtics are becoming very boring and predictable to loose.

The nets pick is far morer interesting at this point, than watching bad Celtics basketball

[hwangjini_1]

tough loss, but really an entertaining game.  once again, i see the celtics as a good team, but still lacking 1-2 good players to push them to the top.

[cltc5]

We need immediate help

[Chief]

I'm getting closer and closer to preferring losses to wins.

It is easier to think that way for sure.   

I figured they'd loose again .   Somehow they are are just not playing like Celtics should .

DA is not willing to up grade or use his assets ......he can Not sit on them forever .

The coach needs help ......better talent.

Danny is being out GM'd ......too many other teams have way more talent than the Celtics

Talent recruitment is Danny's cross to bare. 

He just isn't providing the talent level needed.

Celtics are becoming very boring and predictable to loose.

The nets pick is far morer interesting at this point, than watching bad Celtics basketball

Tp!

[HomerSapien]

Game was lost in the first half. They played well enough to win in the 4th but the Knicks made many tough shots.

That loss stings. Next 10 for us is a tough stretch.

[walker834]

We need help from within imo.  Too many defensive breakdowns this game. Sully stepped it up on the offensive end but we need more guys like that to help Isaiah out. the knicks played really well. Their young core really got it going and I just felt like we made too many mistakes. The knicks were on their game. We weren't outside of Thomas and Sully for a stretch there.

This team needs a guy like Marcus to step it up too. We are in a tough stretch.  Time to stop feeling sorry for ourselves and play better.  Tough with Indy coming up now though.

[SHAQATTACK]

Game was lost in the first half. They played well enough to win in the 4th but the Knicks made many tough shots.

That loss stings. Next 10 for us is a tough stretch.

We could very well become lottery pickers our selfs

[JOMVP]

I still think this team is closer to what we saw at the beginning of the season than what we are seeing right now. They played too well against better teams early on to be this bad. Somehow we've lost our way, and hopefully we can get it back cause it looks really bad right now.

[walker834]

Jerian Grant is a nice young player but he's a rookie.  He decided to have a career game against us.  Affalo was great as well. The knicks are a good young team like ours but we are  more talented and just caught on an off night and they were on.   

We ARE feeling sorry for ourselves imo and not making the plays it takes to win games like this. Too many defensive breakdowns particularly on missed shots and players like Williams getting behind our defense. That's just a sign of lazy feeling sorry for ourselves play.

All this tank stuff is BS.  People with that mentality are the reason we are losing games. 

If the Knicks finish ahead of us in the standings something wrong there.

[Cman]

I still think this team is closer to what we saw at the beginning of the season than what we are seeing right now. They played too well against better teams early on to be this bad. Somehow we've lost our way, and hopefully we can get it back cause it looks really bad right now.

I agree. But I wasn't watching tonight. I was watching SOTU instead

[PhoSita]

This team is like when you go on vacation for a couple weeks and then when you come home and open up the fridge



Hmmm .... smells like there's something rotten in here.

[HomerSapien]

I still think this team is closer to what we saw at the beginning of the season than what we are seeing right now. They played too well against better teams early on to be this bad. Somehow we've lost our way, and hopefully we can get it back cause it looks really bad right now.

I agree. But I wasn't watching tonight. I was watching SOTU instead

I agree with this too.  We are in a pretty awful rut right now, but I don't think we are actually as bad as we've looked in the past 7 games.

Problem is, with the schedule getting tougher and the East being really deep this season, we might look back on this stretch as the reason we miss the playoffs... which might not actually be all that bad, but would be disappointing after the hot start we had to the season.