Why do the Celtics seem to blow so many large leads this season?

[Ilikesports17]

With Isaiah, he gets too ball dominant and we are too reliant on him going on scoring binges. When Isaiah goes cold, so does the whole offense.

With no Isaiah, the ball movement is nice, but when it stops whipping around, we have no one who can go create their own shot.

[Celtic_Pride777]

With Isaiah, he gets too ball dominant and we are too reliant on him going on scoring binges. When Isaiah goes cold, so does the whole offense.

With no Isaiah, the ball movement is nice, but when it stops whipping around, we have no one who can go create their own shot.

I agree. The lack of a go-to scorer, reliable ballhandler has hurt us. And as others have pointed out, our team can't rebound, gets too sloppy with the ball, doesn't get to the free throw line often enough, and lacks game awareness at key moments.

All-around, we've just been playing poor basketball

[Celtic_Pride777]

A vet scorer off the bench is needed. Or a big man you can go to more off the bench that actually wants the ball like a Greg Monroe or Okafor. So mainly its about a more consistent scorer off the bench that won't be rattled.

Veteran scorer off the bench? You're basically describing Turner!

Guess he turned out to be a bigger loss than we realized...

[iadera]

The thing is that the other teams lose their lead just as we do. No difference.
 There's only one problem. We don't have a clutch player. That's why we need to trade for George, Hayward or anyone else. As simple as that.

[walker834]

I think it's all and none of the above.  I think we just lack a true identity right now and just need to play better basketball.  Stevens lets these guys live and die on their own in ways.  The C's have a system of what they are trying to do and like but they don't really make adjustments in crunch time like they should and it is a talent thing in ways although it doesn't have to be.

Teams simple collapse on our guards and shooters and regardless of who you are if you dont find the open man we are going to lose. 

Other teams do have stars and just run up and down the court and go to their stars. I dont think that is necessarily a world beater either though.  STars are detrimental and have their achilles heel just the same.

We are honestly playing 4 on 5 late in games.  We don't have a legit power forward. WE've had Smart playing there and going small or we put KO there and he's basically just a spot up 3 guy.

IF we had a legitament power forward and a legit guy at every position it would be much easier to find the open man.  Teams can double up and take away isaiah and we don't find the open guy.

It's just math. If we had 5 solid starters playing their roles when they double up we'd just be able to find the open guy but we don't. 

The league is so predicated on catering to the Westbrooks and Hardens of the world we more stay at home and try to slow them in other ways. They double up on our shooters and we dont find the open man.

[walker834]

honestly if amir was in the game late he'd be wide open under the basket but instead we have guys like Crowder and KO standing at the 3 point line wide open launching bricks.  Watch the games.  This is exactly what happens.

Amir is old and tired etc.. He cant get up and down the floor.  We dont even use him. 

If we had one more guy who can get to the basket and knock down shots all these games would be wins.

Or reject a shot on the other end as well or get a rebound, to keep their star from doing us in.

WE basically need one more good player who can rebound, defend and hit big shots. That can be done with multiple depending on situation.  IE  have a guy like bogut in there then a shooter at the other end.

But right now we are basically choosing between KO, Amir or playinig smart at pf when  isaiah is the pg.

Crowder is also not as good as some of these other stars. NEither is bradley.  They are ok though and aren't the issue overly. 

 I think ideally we'd like that to be a star and ainge will hold out for one.  But honestly we just need a legit player who can do those things. These would be wins if that were the case.

That can be solved in a multitude of ways is all.  It could be with IT and Horford plus another star.  It could be solved with another big guy to go with Horford.  It depends on what we want to do.

It could be solved with Crowder and Bradley cutting or driving and not settling for 3's too.  And doing a better job rebounding as a team.  We are playing 4 on 5 though where teams can double up and their star is better than our star.

Teams like Toronto, SA, OKC, Houston all have their stars and their identity right now.  We beat Orlando because they don't have their identity even moreso than us.  But not those other teams.

Brad isn't doing anything magical to fix this either and is just letting our team just live and die on our own.  There are ways where he could utilize guys in spots better and turn some of these losses into wins,  but he's not doing that and is just letting our guys live and die on their own so far.

I think Brad is a good coach where he offers direction as far as what he wants from guys as far as the system which is good but he's also not the type of coach to overly control late game situations. At least not this early in the season.   If we f up we f up.  I don't think he is that kind of coach or that creative period.  I think he is more about what he wants from guys and lets them play.

I think even  brad f's up in how he uses guys in situations and is kind of predictable but he's more about the system that way.  brad is a vulcan and a machine.  Not the most creative himself sometimes. This is one area Doc was actually better than Brad at but no big deal. Doc was more a rah rah guy who was pretty underrated in late game situations. Doc would turn a  bad team into a good one.  Stevens is more a bout the system and letting guys fail on their own.  Doc himself was a good coach and underrated though that way  too.  Super loyal.  Different styles and generations though.

[Eja117]

Exhibit A: Steven Adams was the best big on the floor tonight

[chambers]

I think we are taking our lumps early this season so that our young guys can learn. We will need them.

I know we are spoiled and all, but seriously, our future is super bright.

Rozier looks like a starter in the future. Smart is probably a starter (as long as he is not asked to be a scorer too much). Brown looks like a starter in the future.

How many other teams have 3 young studs like that on their roster, while still being a playoff team?

Exactly. Very well said.

Our bench is VERY young and fresh. Sucking it up and giving guys like Jaylen, Smart, Olynyk and Rozier a chance to understand how important developing and MAINTAINING good habits out there is so important.
It will come at the cost of many close losses and often blowouts when we would have otherwise creamed the opposition.
But this is how our bench learns to win by the time the playoffs come around.
If we are hoping to get out of the first round without Evan Turners bench scoring this season then these guys have to become an elite defensive unit that both shoots and defends the three and scores efficiently in transition and off turnovers.

[Moranis]

talent

[mef730]

We lack a wartime consigliere. No killer instinct.

Mike

[Eja117]

We lack a wartime consigliere. No killer instinct.

Mike

TP

[Evantime34]

The immediate answer is talent. However, last year the team was not able to win close games at the beginning of the season and then slowly improved their late game execution.

Last night we closed a game with Rozier and Olynyk on the court. You aren't going to win many games if you are counting on those two.

[kozlodoev]

talent

Not about talent. In terms of talent, we made perhaps a lateral move as compared to last season, but created gaps in the competencies we have on the roster and never adequately addressed them.

Last season, in games like the one against OKC, we'd give the ball to Turner down the stretch, and usually something good would come out of it. This was generally true regardless of whether he stunk all game before that. This season, we have the anti-Turner in Al Horford, who can give you a three quarters of positive plays but will fizzle when the game is on the line.

While Turner wasn't the most talented guy on the roster, what he brought to the team in terms of poise and ability to deliver under pressure has not been addressed. And thus, we lose more than people thought we would.

[Moranis]

talent

Not about talent. In terms of talent, we made perhaps a lateral move as compared to last season, but created gaps in the competencies we have on the roster and never adequately addressed them.

Last season, in games like the one against OKC, we'd give the ball to Turner down the stretch, and usually something good would come out of it. This was generally true regardless of whether he stunk all game before that. This season, we have the anti-Turner in Al Horford, who can give you a three quarters of positive plays but will fizzle when the game is on the line.

While Turner wasn't the most talented guy on the roster, what he brought to the team in terms of poise and ability to deliver under pressure has not been addressed. And thus, we lose more than people thought we would.

Thomas didn't play last night though.  He is by far Boston's best offensive player and it isn't close.

[wdleehi]

1)  They need their best players healthy and out there.

2)  They need to find a big man that can provide the garbage play.   Rebounding.   A few hard fouls if needed. 


(and for the hope of the future)

3)  Another team decide it needs to move on from it's star player and really like some (not all) of the Celtics trade bait.