Danny Was Right

[mctyson]

I think this is who they really are talent wise. They win on defense and grit, when they don't do that they suck.

[Celtics18]

OK, yeah, Danny definitely was right.

This Celts team has done some nice stuff in the regular season, but that doesn't mean anything in the third week of April and beyond.

Noted.

[PhoSita]

OK, yeah, Danny definitely was right.

This Celts team has done some nice stuff in the regular season, but that doesn't mean anything in the third week of April and beyond.

Noted.

We'll see.

All of my concerns about the Celts seemed to come to a head in the first half of that game against Miami.

Then it swung back in the opposite direction in the second half.  Did the Celts just lock into a completely different level?  Or did the Heat let up in the second half, knowing they were pretty well set win or lose, and they were on the second night of a back to back?

I don't know.

I'm hoping to see the Celts show something in the playoffs this year that they didn't have last year.  There's reason to believe they'll hang tough with the Hawks.  There's also reason to believe this is a really hard matchup for the Celts.

I'm excited to find out.

[walker834]

We scored more points than any team during the regular season not named Golden State or OKC. We scored the most in the east.  What DA is saying is that the playoffs are different.  We are going to need to score more and score with more consistency if we are going to win in the playoffs and knock off teams like Cleveland and some of these western coast teams. The west coast teams score more on average in general. I think Houston even scored more than us but doesnt play defense.  We don't really have a go to guy outside of IT.  He also said he believes in the extraordinary and it's more what the team thinks.  He's just challenging them a bit and speaking the truth at the same time.  We aren't going to get all the way to a title playing the way we have during the regular season. We are giong to have to play better.  We beat teams like GS and Cleveland but they still beat us more.

Talentwise we might just not be there yet as well but Ainge knows this team can overachieve.  The way I feel is the east is set up where there is a lot of parity.     We win a couple rounds who knows.  We are going to have to face stiffer competition than us though ultimately.

I sort of agree with him that on paper we play hard and play with grit and are undersized and ahve had an amazing season and maximized quite a bit but on paper we are going to have to do even better in the playoffs, if we are going to win a championship this year.

I'm more on the positive side of things than DA there though. He's being a bit pessimistic but he's the GM.  He sees on paper where this team stands probably better than I do. I don't know though.  I see it pretty good.  We lack size and a center and another go to guy scoring wise.  We are really going to have to overachieve but it's possible.

Injuries happen in the playoffs etc. just because we are missing a couple pieces doesn't mean it can't be done.

When our defense steps up is when we are at our best because we score more than teams like Cleveland on average. But they have a better defense than us on average.  If we defend and score at a high rate we can beat those teams maybe in a 7 game series.  We are undersized.  Cleveland just has more size and a go to guy in Lebron and Love and Kyrie.  They don't necessarily play harder than us though.  In the playoffs that might be different. 

Who know right now. We have scrappy players. That is our MO.  That might pay off come playoff time as well for all we know right now, but stars and size tend to step up come playoff time which nullifies some of that.

[Celtics18]

OK, yeah, Danny definitely was right.

This Celts team has done some nice stuff in the regular season, but that doesn't mean anything in the third week of April and beyond.

Noted.

We'll see.

All of my concerns about the Celts seemed to come to a head in the first half of that game against Miami.

Then it swung back in the opposite direction in the second half.  Did the Celts just lock into a completely different level?  Or did the Heat let up in the second half, knowing they were pretty well set win or lose, and they were on the second night of a back to back?

I don't know.

I'm hoping to see the Celts show something in the playoffs this year that they didn't have last year.  There's reason to believe they'll hang tough with the Hawks.  There's also reason to believe this is a really hard matchup for the Celts.

I'm excited to find out.

Agreed.  It's going to be a tough matchup.  I think this "paper tiger" has the capability of pulling the upset.

We need the kind of defensive focus and effort we saw in the second half against Miami consistently to have a chance, though.

I also agree that we'd been slipping a bit up to that point.  I'm hoping that half served as a wake up call of sorts.

Anyway, I'm excited about it. 

And the "paper tiger" quip is definitely noted.

[PhoSita]

And the "paper tiger" quip is definitely noted.

I'll be disappointed if two weeks from now you're not taunting me with the paper tiger image if the Celts have won the series against the Hawks.

[Celtics18]

And the "paper tiger" quip is definitely noted.

I'll be disappointed if two weeks from now you're not taunting me with the paper tiger image if the Celts have won the series against the Hawks.

You and me both, buddy.

[Chris22]

We are too small.

[csfansince60s]

Wait til the game is over.

TP for that cautionary, prophetic remark!!! What a way to end the season!!!!

[greece66]

Daily reminder of Danny's superhuman abilities

[Celtics4ever]

Ainge spoke the Truth.   We made the playoffs but we need to improve or develop players for the next step which is meaningful contention in the ECF or advancing to the title.

We played hard all season, the other teams play hard in the playoffs.   

[Celtics18]

Ainge spoke the Truth.   We made the playoffs but we need to improve or develop players for the next step which is meaningful contention in the ECF or advancing to the title.

We played hard all season, the other teams play hard in the playoffs.

And, the other teams don't play hard in the regular season?

[mctyson]

Ainge spoke the Truth.   We made the playoffs but we need to improve or develop players for the next step which is meaningful contention in the ECF or advancing to the title.

We played hard all season, the other teams play hard in the playoffs.

And, the other teams don't play hard in the regular season?

Yes, they do.  But Ainge's point is that the Celtics make up for deficiencies (namely, their poor shooting) by playing hard.  But his larger point is that it is very easy for them to get thrown of the 'hustle and grit's style when they go into bad scoring droughts. Some teams take it for granted that they can just make baskets and they don't play hard.  It's the difference between the Celtics and, say....the Rockets.

[dannyboy35]

Yeah I just can't get mad at this team. The other night when the crowd bood the team I thought that was shameful. They play as hard/ harder than any team in the league. I watch every game and I have no idea how good we really are. The playoffs are always telling I think. That doesn't mean if we lose in the first round we are not a good team or anything though. Hawks are favoured. We all know that here but I think the average Boston sports fan just expects the Celtics to win the 1st round and give the Cavs a really hard time.