"Captain Obvious" here - who thought the C's put up a good effort last night?

[MikeB12]

Couldn't resist subject opening responding to Celtics4ever in my topic about whether the C's were the team we thought they were before the season started.

If I had been in the garden last night I would have demanded my money back - 39-31 at half - ridiculous.

The Celtics were playing a 2-7 Mavericks team which will not make the playoffs in the West and will probably lose around 50 games this year.  The only reason they survived their own poor performance is Thomas had a great 4th quarter or they would have lost.  Unreal amount of turnovers by the Celtics kept the Mavs in the game until the last few minutes of the 4th.  The subs for the C's couldn't hit the bucket to save their lives.  Didn't understand why Stevens didn't put the starters back in sooner; Thomas was out over half of the 2nd q.

Even will Horford and Crowder out, I expected the C's to beat the Mavs by at least 10-15 pts especially with the awful shooting % by the Mavs.

Still a win is always better than a loss of course - risking being obvious again.   Even when Horford and Crowder come back how long will it take for them to play at a level that will make the C's one of the top 3 or 4 teams in the East?

MikeB

[liam]

The Celtics are already in 6th place in the east even with all the injuries and home and away back to backs. So far so good as far as I'm concerned. I like this team and I think we'll finish with home court in at least the 1st round if not better. Injuries can always affect wins and seating but maybe the Celtics will be healthy going into the playoffs and others won't. It's a looooong season!

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Yeah, the young guys really struggles to give our team some offense. I think moving Olynyk and Smart back to the bench soon will help.

Also, do you remember when Bradley came off the bench for a few games last year? He was special in that role. He has been great this year, but what if you brought Bradley and Olynyk off the bench when everyone was healthy? That would be a scoring punch.

[fantankerous]

The problem with the Celtics isn't effort.

[alldaboston]

The problem with the Celtics isn't effort.

It most certainly is effort. It plays a big problem in our losses. It was just a week ago when Isaiah said we didn't have our swagger. When Marcus said we were playing with no heart. It's gotten better since then (not sure if it was reported on here, but Marcus said we had a player-only meeting after the Washington game), and the return of Jae and Al will help too.

[fantankerous]

The problem with the Celtics isn't effort.

It most certainly is effort. It plays a big problem in our losses. It was just a week ago when Isaiah said we didn't have our swagger. When Marcus said we were playing with no heart. It's gotten better since then (not sure if it was reported on here, but Marcus said we had a player-only meeting after the Washington game), and the return of Jae and Al will help too.

No, it's about talent.  Excuses abound, even among players.  Let's get healthy.

[alldaboston]

The problem with the Celtics isn't effort.

It most certainly is effort. It plays a big problem in our losses. It was just a week ago when Isaiah said we didn't have our swagger. When Marcus said we were playing with no heart. It's gotten better since then (not sure if it was reported on here, but Marcus said we had a player-only meeting after the Washington game), and the return of Jae and Al will help too.

No, it's about talent.  Excuses abound, even among players.  Let's get healthy.

do you mean to tell me the Celtics are playing with 100% effort and heart every night?

[tarheelsxxiii]

The problem with the Celtics isn't effort.

It most certainly is effort. It plays a big problem in our losses. It was just a week ago when Isaiah said we didn't have our swagger. When Marcus said we were playing with no heart. It's gotten better since then (not sure if it was reported on here, but Marcus said we had a player-only meeting after the Washington game), and the return of Jae and Al will help too.

No, it's about talent.  Excuses abound, even among players.  Let's get healthy.

do you mean to tell me the Celtics are playing with 100% effort and heart every night?

Agreed, it's both.  You don't lose a 1st qtr against WASH by 26, and DEN by 19, if guys are locked in.  I'm excited to see more of Horford but am also waiting on Jae's return.  Outside of LBJ, imo, he's the beast of the east at SF.  And his impact extends from the locker room to the court.

[csfansince60s]

  1. Didn't understand why Stevens didn't put the starters back in sooner; Thomas was out over half of the 2nd q.

2. {PARAPHRASE} The Cs didn't put in enough effort.

MikeB

To answer these two points:

1. Thomas middle left finger of his shooting hand is messed up.  He was icing it the whole time he was out in the second quarter.  Looks like Stevens decision to rest him paid off.

2. The Cs out rebounded the Mavs 53-32.

[Celtics4ever]

I think the players only meeting has helped the team and they did put forth a good effort.   The real issue, is why the let down at all, they believed their own hype, which generally does not do good things.  I think we have adjusted and will play harder.

[SHAQATTACK]

Shooting team wise is sooooo poor

[gift]

I think the effort was there in the Dallas game. It's the execution that wasn't.

Denver and Washington games (and other wins and losses this season) the effort was not there like it should have been.

[Rosco917]

Wether effort or talent...if it wasn't for the offensive explosion of IT, the C's most likely would have lost the game.

It's the same old thing, there are times when this team can't score the ball, other than Thomas putting the team on his back.

If this doesn't change, the C's will continue to go sideways.

[alldaboston]

Shooting team wise is sooooo poor

We're the 8th team in 3 point percentage and 9th best team in field goal percentage, per NBA.com

[Granath]

Wether effort or talent...if it wasn't for the offensive explosion of IT, the C's most likely would have lost the game.

It's the same old thing, there are times when this team can't score the ball, other than Thomas putting the team on his back.

If this doesn't change, the C's will continue to go sideways.

That's what Horford is for.

All of this whining and moaning about a team that's been missing 2 (3 when Olynyk was out) of its starters is seriously overblown.