Isaiah Thomas calls out coaching staff " they gave up"

[footey]

That was weak, IT.

[Denis998]

I think that quote is taken out of context. He was saying everybody gave up/panicked, not only the coaches.

[Bobshot]

I think this is appropriate.  Part of the blame falls on Stevens -- the loss to DEN and the first quarter/loss to WASH was influenced a lot by lack of effort. Ainge also left us with an anemic frontcourt, healthy or not.  Amir was unhealthy/old last year, he's just old now.  So someone speaking up is helpful; it may have been Crowder, had he been playing.  And Horford needs to get his old butt on the court, too.

I've felt this way all along, and it was painfully evident last night. Ainge has left them short up front--their biggest weakness last year. Management has nobody to blame but themselves for their current state. Horford wasn't enough. When he dropped Sully (good move, as it turns out) and signed Zeller for $8 million (more than IT), I was as surprised as the result of the recent election.

Last night on NBA network, one of the scribes was berating Ainge for being too tough to trade with, saying Howard was having a bigger impact in Atlanta than Horford ever did. The guy was one of those anti-Celtics writers, probably from the Atlanta area, but so far he has been on the money about Howard. He said one of those Philly centers should have been a Celtic by now, if Ainge had been willing to deal the right players.

Horford has become a big headache, sure. But it runs deeper than that.

[Ogaju]

Can't blame the staff. Why risk injury trying to win an unwinable game.  Maybe we should have just rested the starters tonight.

I kinda felt this way the whole time.   Letting Smart and IT get beat up was pointless.   In a game they could not win.   They barely beat Mavs .  Could not beat the Pels .

Too many games in the NBA season.  Players have no time to recover and play their best ball.

And yet the game was close at halftime even with uneven refereeing. This was at home and you try to steal a game while injured.

No. I disagree. The Celtics played all right for half a game, then folded. It was worth the try to win.

Why bother to play the season at all, its not like we are winning the championship, are we?

[Tr1boy]

what  is IT talking about? these days I just wish he would stop complaining after every loss

The starters got crushed starting the 3rd quarter.   Bottom line

[jambr380]

what  is IT talking about? these days I just wish he would stop complaining after every loss

The starters got crushed starting the 3rd quarter.   Bottom line

Yeah, I watched the first half at a sports bar nearby and was a little bummed they went in down 7, instead of 3.

When I got home, I made a bowl of popcorn, grabbed a beer, and the game was over before my second handful/sip - total bummer.

I realize GS is a much better team and we had too many injuries to really stand a chance to win, but that was like one of the most disappointing regular season quarters I have ever seen. The starters blew this one...hard.

[Rosco917]

IMO more should have been done after the Horford signing to improve the front court. I understand we have 2 starting front line players injured, both considered solid players on any team in the NBA. And we're feeling the impact of these injuries.

I'm talking about not replacing the rebounding loss left behind by the loss of Sully, and the clutch scoring of Turner.

Every contending team in the NBA has some sort of mental and physical toughness on their team. Every NBA Championship team has a player or two that control the physical play in the paint to see that it doesn't get out of hand. (Please don't misunderstand me, I'm not talking about thugs) The Celtics lack not only size, and talent in the frontline, they lack any form of toughness.

There is no KG, or Perk, or even a Leon Powe for that matter. Frankly, depending on Amir, Kelly, and Zeller in this regard was really short sighted.

 

[fantankerous]

Can't blame the staff. Why risk injury trying to win an unwinable game.  Maybe we should have just rested the starters tonight.

I kinda felt this way the whole time.   Letting Smart and IT get beat up was pointless.   In a game they could not win.   They barely beat Mavs .  Could not beat the Pels .

Too many games in the NBA season.  Players have no time to recover and play their best ball.

And yet the game was close at halftime even with uneven refereeing. This was at home and you try to steal a game while injured.

No. I disagree. The Celtics played all right for half a game, then folded. It was worth the try to win.

Why bother to play the season at all, its not like we are winning the championship, are we?

So the owners can make a profit.

[max215]

Ehh, hes just frustrated and super competitive. Obviously, I'd prefer that he not call out the coaching staff publicly, but it's better that he believes every game is within reach than be willing to concede defeat whenever things start to go south.

[showtime]

When AB and TROZ are your best rebounders you know you're in trouble.  Turner was much better for this team, than he got credit for. Even when Horford and Crowder get back, I don't see us being as good as we were last year.

[nickagneta]

I think that quote is taken out of context. He was saying everybody gave up/panicked, not only the coaches.

Pretty much this.

 I dont think people realize just how important having two of your top four players out with injury. If this team can tread water at .500 until they return, I think thats pretty darn good.

[Kuberski33]

It's the whole Rocky III thing.  Gotta get that eye of the tiger back.

I'll settle for Horford and Crowder.  You can't lose 2 starters in the NBA and expect to beat this year's Warriors.  Game was unwinnable. 

At some point GS would have put together a run like they did in the 3Q and that would have been the knock out punch.  if the game had stayed close through 3 it would have come in the 4th.  If it was close with 6 to go, GS would have owned the last 6 minutes.

The 4 best players in the game were all on the other side.  Only way you're winning is if GS collectively takes the night off.

[SHAQATTACK]

We were heavily out talented.

Realistically ....Stevens had no more buttons to push

[LarBrd33]

Can't blame the staff. Why risk injury trying to win an unwinable game.  Maybe we should have just rested the starters tonight.

I kinda felt this way the whole time.   Letting Smart and IT get beat up was pointless.   In a game they could not win.   They barely beat Mavs .  Could not beat the Pels .

Too many games in the NBA season.  Players have no time to recover and play their best ball.

And yet the game was close at halftime even with uneven refereeing. This was at home and you try to steal a game while injured.

No. I disagree. The Celtics played all right for half a game, then folded. It was worth the try to win.

Why bother to play the season at all, its not like we are winning the championship, are we?

because we have a pick swap with Brooklyn this year and it's useless if we finish with a worst record than them.

[tarheelsxxiii]

Can't blame the staff. Why risk injury trying to win an unwinable game.  Maybe we should have just rested the starters tonight.

I kinda felt this way the whole time.   Letting Smart and IT get beat up was pointless.   In a game they could not win.   They barely beat Mavs .  Could not beat the Pels .

Too many games in the NBA season.  Players have no time to recover and play their best ball.

And yet the game was close at halftime even with uneven refereeing. This was at home and you try to steal a game while injured.

No. I disagree. The Celtics played all right for half a game, then folded. It was worth the try to win.

Why bother to play the season at all, its not like we are winning the championship, are we?

because we have a pick swap with Brooklyn this year and it's useless if we finish with a worst record than them.

Almost a statistical impossibility. Wasn't there a euro soccer team that won the title with like 1 million to 1 odds against, though? CsBloggers response to that would break the Internet and possibly kick-off WW III.