Danny on Toucher and Rich

[alldaboston]

Sorry if already posted.

And I get worried that we can be taken out of our game too easily. Even last night (during a 104-97 win against the New Orleans Pelicans) against a depleted team I feel like we're taken out of our game too often. We go through these offensive droughts. We haven't made enough shots consistently. And like I said, we rely on grit and hustle and defense, and I just think that we need guys to make more shots."

Basically the point I've been making for awhile now on here. Grit is nice, but as some point you need talent.

[apc]

Sorry if already posted.

And I get worried that we can be taken out of our game too easily. Even last night (during a 104-97 win against the New Orleans Pelicans) against a depleted team I feel like we're taken out of our game too often. We go through these offensive droughts. We haven't made enough shots consistently. And like I said, we rely on grit and hustle and defense, and I just think that we need guys to make more shots."

Basically the point I've been making for awhile now on here. Grit is nice, but as some point you need talent.

No offense DA, but you filled the team with grit and hustle players... next step, get us guys who can make shots.

[kozlodoev]

Sorry if already posted.

And I get worried that we can be taken out of our game too easily. Even last night (during a 104-97 win against the New Orleans Pelicans) against a depleted team I feel like we're taken out of our game too often. We go through these offensive droughts. We haven't made enough shots consistently. And like I said, we rely on grit and hustle and defense, and I just think that we need guys to make more shots."

Basically the point I've been making for awhile now on here. Grit is nice, but as some point you need talent.

No offense DA, but you filled the team with grit and hustle players... next step, get us guys who can make shots.

Our players can make shots alright. We just have to stop going through those horrible lulls where we settle for horrible jumpers instead of running offense. Seems to happen with alarming regularity.

[Evantime34]

Sorry if already posted.

And I get worried that we can be taken out of our game too easily. Even last night (during a 104-97 win against the New Orleans Pelicans) against a depleted team I feel like we're taken out of our game too often. We go through these offensive droughts. We haven't made enough shots consistently. And like I said, we rely on grit and hustle and defense, and I just think that we need guys to make more shots."

Basically the point I've been making for awhile now on here. Grit is nice, but as some point you need talent.

No offense DA, but you filled the team with grit and hustle players... next step, get us guys who can make shots.

Our players can make shots alright. We just have to stop going through those horrible lulls where we settle for horrible jumpers instead of running offense. Seems to happen with alarming regularity.

yeah I agree, I take Ainge's statement as saying we need to make sure we continually work to make quality shots, which is what he meant by "getting taken out of what we do"

Obviously adding a player who can make tough shots is nice, but until we have the ability to add one in the offseason, execution is paramount.

[byennie]

The timing says to me: "We need to focus and make sure we win a series or two in the playoffs"

Danny needs some playoff wins to make his case to free agents this summer. If we go out in the 1st round because it was all smoke & mirrors built on hustle, that hurts us. If we go to ECF, or even say 7 games in the 2nd round, it will be a much easier sell.

[CelticGuardian]

The timing says to me: "We need to focus and make sure we win a series or two in the playoffs"

Danny needs some playoff wins to make his case to free agents this summer. If we go out in the 1st round because it was all smoke & mirrors built on hustle, that hurts us. If we go to ECF, or even say 7 games in the 2nd round, it will be a much easier sell.

We can realistically make it to the 2nd round as long as we're not facing the Pacers... we are too short for them...

[kozlodoev]

The timing says to me: "We need to focus and make sure we win a series or two in the playoffs"

Danny needs some playoff wins to make his case to free agents this summer. If we go out in the 1st round because it was all smoke & mirrors built on hustle, that hurts us. If we go to ECF, or even say 7 games in the 2nd round, it will be a much easier sell.

We can realistically make it to the 2nd round as long as we're not facing the Pacers... we are too short for them...

If we end up being the third seed, we can very realistically make it to the ECF.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Sorry if already posted.

And I get worried that we can be taken out of our game too easily. Even last night (during a 104-97 win against the New Orleans Pelicans) against a depleted team I feel like we're taken out of our game too often. We go through these offensive droughts. We haven't made enough shots consistently. And like I said, we rely on grit and hustle and defense, and I just think that we need guys to make more shots."

Basically the point I've been making for awhile now on here. Grit is nice, but as some point you need talent.

Exactly. I like this team, but this isn't a movie in which the far-less-talented team goes all the way to the top.

[PhoSita]

I think Danny is sort of down-low pointing out why we shouldn't be too surprised if this team struggles in the playoffs again.

In the playoffs, everybody tries hard and rotations shorten.  Being the team that gets by on "grit and hustle" doesn't help you stand out as much anymore.  The playoffs is about executing and making shots.

That's fine, though, because this team was never intended or expected to go deep in the playoffs.  It's a prototype for what could be moving forward if Ainge can upgrade some of the placeholders -- admirable, likable, hustling placeholders -- we've got right now.

[alldaboston]

Honestly just getting to the second round is good enough for me. Who cares if we play the Cavs next? I just wanna see progress. And winning a series is progress.

[PhoSita]

Honestly just getting to the second round is good enough for me. Who cares if we play the Cavs next? I just wanna see progress. And winning a series is progress.

Winning a playoff game would be progress.

[Rondo9]

I think Danny is sort of down-low pointing out why we shouldn't be too surprised if this team struggles in the playoffs again.

In the playoffs, everybody tries hard and rotations shorten.  Being the team that gets by on "grit and hustle" doesn't help you stand out as much anymore.  The playoffs is about executing and making shots.

That's fine, though, because this team was never intended or expected to go deep in the playoffs.  It's a prototype for what could be moving forward if Ainge can upgrade some of the placeholders -- admirable, likable, hustling placeholders -- we've got right now.

I don't think the Celtics will be swept like they were last year.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Where's Ricky Davis when you need him-?

[max215]

Sorry if already posted.

And I get worried that we can be taken out of our game too easily. Even last night (during a 104-97 win against the New Orleans Pelicans) against a depleted team I feel like we're taken out of our game too often. We go through these offensive droughts. We haven't made enough shots consistently. And like I said, we rely on grit and hustle and defense, and I just think that we need guys to make more shots."

Basically the point I've been making for awhile now on here. Grit is nice, but as some point you need talent.

No offense DA, but you filled the team with grit and hustle players... next step, get us guys who can make shots.

Our players can make shots alright. We just have to stop going through those horrible lulls where we settle for horrible jumpers instead of running offense. Seems to happen with alarming regularity.

This seems to be how we blow leads/allow deficits to get huge, but we do miss good shots too (although the consequences aren't as bad as when the offense goes stagnant).

[86MaxwellSmart]

we do need another 3 point shooter or two---we take a zillion and have a very low percentage...Maybe that's all on ET and Smart---I trust Bradley/Crowder/IT/Kelly.