Celtics (19-13) at Cavaliers (23-7) Game #33 12/29/16

[liam]

There was so much wrong with this game. IT and Horford got dominated tonight. And the supporting cast had moments but it wasn't enough clearly so BS went back to his stars. IMO problem was they left Smart in and went small. I felt they should have pulled Smart but leave in Jerekbo. Also why not play for OT instead of trying to win in regulation? LeBron and Irving were tired while IT and Horford were fresh. Brown and Green were also available to use in OT to just blitz the Cavs. Crowder should have drove and drawn the foul. C's win this game if it goes to OT.

The problem was taking out Zeller. The Smart-Zeller combo was rolling, got the lead down to 1. Stevens should have stuck with it.

Big time!

[MBunge]

with all this talk about sending IT back to the bench, I wanted to ask if people are fine with benching AB instead. IT is our only superstar on this team (ok maybe a bit of a stretch but he's our only guy capable of scoring at will), while I love AB, I think IT does force his way a little bit too much sometimes.

With Smart starting, on offense, Smart would be primary ball handler and I think that benefits us in the long run.

I've said this for a long time. It'd also help the bench scoring, too, along with giving us more size in the backcourt.

But it doesn't matter if Brad doesn't play Smart like he needs to. It took him until the 4th quarter tonight to put him in pick-and-rolls, and he didn't even post him tonight, even when he had Kyrie on him. I just don't understand that. He just wants this free-flowing offense where IT can just iso and penetrate and get everyone else involved, which simply won't work all game long.

Yep.  Brad is doing a p--- poor job managing this team.  And ainge even worse putting a team together.He gave into IT Whims and now we've got a pg in smart that hasn't developed and a team reliant on a 5'9 pg to drop 40 a nite to sniff a win.  Smart was brought in to replace rondo and all ainge has done is go after freaking pg after pg or some [dang] projects.  Go get some studs and make your coach play them already!!!

lol...these game threads sometimes.....

We gave up 101 points through three quarters.  It's fair to wonder what the heck is up with that.

It's also fair to wonder when you see the team stop doing something that's been working, like getting Smart the ball in the post, or how the "read and react" offense disappears with IT on the floor or why Stevens ever thought playing three point guards in his top 9 rotation was supposed to work.

Mike

[liam]

There was so much wrong with this game. IT and Horford got dominated tonight. And the supporting cast had moments but it wasn't enough clearly so BS went back to his stars. IMO problem was they left Smart in and went small. I felt they should have pulled Smart but leave in Jerekbo. Also why not play for OT instead of trying to win in regulation? LeBron and Irving were tired while IT and Horford were fresh. Brown and Green were also available to use in OT to just blitz the Cavs. Crowder should have drove and drawn the foul. C's win this game if it goes to OT.

I agree. We would've won in OT. KI was not coming back in this game.

[liam]

That Smart-Brown-Crowder-Jerebko-Zeller lineup is a really good bench unit. They got us back in this game tonight. I hope we see it again soon. That line up is big and quick at every position and they can score at every position and guard.

Yeah strangely Zeller just toughens up inside when he's playing with this lineup, I'm suspecting he plays like that because he knows that all he needs to do is to box out and let the wings and guards grab the rebound.

That's what makes it a good combo. All those guys were plus in +- tonight the only ones. I thought Brad was a stats guy.

[jpotter33]

That Smart-Brown-Crowder-Jerebko-Zeller lineup is a really good bench unit. They got us back in this game tonight. I hope we see it again soon. That line up is big and quick at every position and they can score at every position and guard.

Yeah strangely Zeller just toughens up inside when he's playing with this lineup, I'm suspecting he plays like that because he knows that all he needs to do is to box out and let the wings and guards grab the rebound.

Zeller is usually a very good finisher around the basket, but the problem is you have to do all the work to get him open. He doesn't really create anything for himself. He's a good PnR big, because he rolls straight to the basket, which works well with Smart.

Noel is like a beefed up, super athletic version of Zeller offensively, along with elite D, which is why I want him. Having an athletic roll guy to the basket would help our offense quite a bit.

[jpotter33]

with all this talk about sending IT back to the bench, I wanted to ask if people are fine with benching AB instead. IT is our only superstar on this team (ok maybe a bit of a stretch but he's our only guy capable of scoring at will), while I love AB, I think IT does force his way a little bit too much sometimes.

With Smart starting, on offense, Smart would be primary ball handler and I think that benefits us in the long run.

I've said this for a long time. It'd also help the bench scoring, too, along with giving us more size in the backcourt.

But it doesn't matter if Brad doesn't play Smart like he needs to. It took him until the 4th quarter tonight to put him in pick-and-rolls, and he didn't even post him tonight, even when he had Kyrie on him. I just don't understand that. He just wants this free-flowing offense where IT can just iso and penetrate and get everyone else involved, which simply won't work all game long.

Yep.  Brad is doing a p--- poor job managing this team.  And ainge even worse putting a team together.He gave into IT Whims and now we've got a pg in smart that hasn't developed and a team reliant on a 5'9 pg to drop 40 a nite to sniff a win.  Smart was brought in to replace rondo and all ainge has done is go after freaking pg after pg or some [dang] projects.  Go get some studs and make your coach play them already!!!

lol...these game threads sometimes.....

We gave up 101 points through three quarters.  It's fair to wonder what the heck is up with that.

It's also fair to wonder when you see the team stop doing something that's been working, like getting Smart the ball in the post, or how the "read and react" offense disappears with IT on the floor or why Stevens ever thought playing three point guards in his top 9 rotation was supposed to work.

Mike

It's absolutely crazy, isn't it? We got back in the game by hammering that Smart PnR, but then we put our starters back in and just stop it for some reason. Smart should be posting up or running the PnR every single play down the floor when he's running the second unit, but we didn't even give this a chance until the 4th.

I just don't understand how Brad is so consistently inconsistent with this type of stuff.

[Somebody]

That Smart-Brown-Crowder-Jerebko-Zeller lineup is a really good bench unit. They got us back in this game tonight. I hope we see it again soon. That line up is big and quick at every position and they can score at every position and guard.

Yeah strangely Zeller just toughens up inside when he's playing with this lineup, I'm suspecting he plays like that because he knows that all he needs to do is to box out and let the wings and guards grab the rebound.

Zeller is usually a very good finisher around the basket, but the problem is you have to do all the work to get him open. He doesn't really create anything for himself. He's a good PnR big, because he rolls straight to the basket, which works well with Smart.

Noel is like a beefed up, super athletic version of Zeller offensively, along with elite D, which is why I want him. Having an athletic roll guy to the basket would help our offense quite a bit.

Meh Zeller shoots better, he's got that midrange game and he actually has a decent hook shot that he can rely on if he's asked to create.

[Csfan1984]

There was so much wrong with this game. IT and Horford got dominated tonight. And the supporting cast had moments but it wasn't enough clearly so BS went back to his stars. IMO problem was they left Smart in and went small. I felt they should have pulled Smart but leave in Jerekbo. Also why not play for OT instead of trying to win in regulation? LeBron and Irving were tired while IT and Horford were fresh. Brown and Green were also available to use in OT to just blitz the Cavs. Crowder should have drove and drawn the foul. C's win this game if it goes to OT.

The problem was taking out Zeller. The Smart-Zeller combo was rolling, got the lead down to 1. Stevens should have stuck with it.

The Cavs totally game planned to stop IT and Horford and forced the rest of the guys to beat them. When Smart and Zeller clicked they had no game plan for them.

Smart was gased though you could tell. He could have been brought back in after they gave him a breather. Same with Zeller. Each was getting sloppy and starting to reach/hack. A breather for them would have been good.

[wayupnorth]

I agree. People in panic mode.  We almost won.  And have been playing really well.

Whatever.  Truth scares some of you.  Can't keep turning a blind eye to problems but that's what some "fans" do I guess

 

[Somebody]

There was so much wrong with this game. IT and Horford got dominated tonight. And the supporting cast had moments but it wasn't enough clearly so BS went back to his stars. IMO problem was they left Smart in and went small. I felt they should have pulled Smart but leave in Jerekbo. Also why not play for OT instead of trying to win in regulation? LeBron and Irving were tired while IT and Horford were fresh. Brown and Green were also available to use in OT to just blitz the Cavs. Crowder should have drove and drawn the foul. C's win this game if it goes to OT.

The problem was taking out Zeller. The Smart-Zeller combo was rolling, got the lead down to 1. Stevens should have stuck with it.

The Cavs totally game planned to stop IT and Horford and forced the rest of the guys to beat them. When Smart and Zeller clicked they had no game plan for them.

Smart was gased though you could tell. He could have been brought back in after they gave him a breather. Same with Zeller. Each was getting sloppy and starting to reach/hack. A breather for them would have been good.

Yeah agree, tbh I'm starting to want to keep Zeller around as a backup 5 if he continues playing like that.

[Csfan1984]

with all this talk about sending IT back to the bench, I wanted to ask if people are fine with benching AB instead. IT is our only superstar on this team (ok maybe a bit of a stretch but he's our only guy capable of scoring at will), while I love AB, I think IT does force his way a little bit too much sometimes.

With Smart starting, on offense, Smart would be primary ball handler and I think that benefits us in the long run.

I've said this for a long time. It'd also help the bench scoring, too, along with giving us more size in the backcourt.

But it doesn't matter if Brad doesn't play Smart like he needs to. It took him until the 4th quarter tonight to put him in pick-and-rolls, and he didn't even post him tonight, even when he had Kyrie on him. I just don't understand that. He just wants this free-flowing offense where IT can just iso and penetrate and get everyone else involved, which simply won't work all game long.

Yep.  Brad is doing a p--- poor job managing this team.  And ainge even worse putting a team together.He gave into IT Whims and now we've got a pg in smart that hasn't developed and a team reliant on a 5'9 pg to drop 40 a nite to sniff a win.  Smart was brought in to replace rondo and all ainge has done is go after freaking pg after pg or some [dang] projects.  Go get some studs and make your coach play them already!!!

lol...these game threads sometimes.....

We gave up 101 points through three quarters.  It's fair to wonder what the heck is up with that.

It's also fair to wonder when you see the team stop doing something that's been working, like getting Smart the ball in the post, or how the "read and react" offense disappears with IT on the floor or why Stevens ever thought playing three point guards in his top 9 rotation was supposed to work.

Mike

It's absolutely crazy, isn't it? We got back in the game by hammering that Smart PnR, but then we put our starters back in and just stop it for some reason. Smart should be posting up or running the PnR every single play down the floor when he's running the second unit, but we didn't even give this a chance until the 4th.

I just don't understand how Brad is so consistently inconsistent with this type of stuff.

IT tried the pick and roll with Horford. They blitz IT and trapped. Due to his size he is easy to blitz. They then went away from it.

[wayupnorth]

The doubting of Brad on this board never ceases to amaze me

[liam]

There was so much wrong with this game. IT and Horford got dominated tonight. And the supporting cast had moments but it wasn't enough clearly so BS went back to his stars. IMO problem was they left Smart in and went small. I felt they should have pulled Smart but leave in Jerekbo. Also why not play for OT instead of trying to win in regulation? LeBron and Irving were tired while IT and Horford were fresh. Brown and Green were also available to use in OT to just blitz the Cavs. Crowder should have drove and drawn the foul. C's win this game if it goes to OT.

The problem was taking out Zeller. The Smart-Zeller combo was rolling, got the lead down to 1. Stevens should have stuck with it.

The Cavs totally game planned to stop IT and Horford and forced the rest of the guys to beat them. When Smart and Zeller clicked they had no game plan for them.

Smart was gased though you could tell. He could have been brought back in after they gave him a breather. Same with Zeller. Each was getting sloppy and starting to reach/hack. A breather for them would have been good.

All of this guys were on low minutes even Smart only ended up at 31. Bron and KI were both well over 40. They could've taken a TO, which they did, to get those guys a blow. They deserved to finish out the game and the starters deserved to stay on the bench.

[Somebody]

The doubting of Brad on this board never ceases to amaze me

+1

[liam]

The doubting of Brad on this board never ceases to amaze me

I think Brad is a great coach but second guessing coaches is what sports blogs are all about, that and second guessing GMs.