Celtics (26-17) at Wizards (24-20) Game #44 1/24/17

[jpotter33]

https://twitter.com/CelticsPost/status/824090549183451136

Marcus Smart: "I hate losing... last year teams hated playing us."

https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/824091327486894081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Have the Celtics been a tough team this season? "No we haven't," said Marcus Smart.

https://twitter.com/celticsblog/status/824092085330513920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

I think this team needs to follow Marcus Smart's lead and get really ticked off. (preferably at opponents)

https://twitter.com/celtics/status/824091059781308416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Jae Crowder says of Brad Stevens' postgame message: "He said everybody should be a little frustrated and should have a fire in them."

Well, at least one of them sees the problem. Maybe this is finally the wake-up game that we needed. It seems like we had a similar issue last year, though I'm blanking at the moment.

He will play the same broken lineups tomorrow. Maybe he should start Jaylen and let Marcus stay in his 6th man role.

That might've worked today, but you almost have to start Smart to guard Harden. Crowder is the only other one who might have a chance to guard him, but he'd foul Crowder out quick with his lesser lateral movement.

[Ogaju]

How can Danny Ainge, one of the tougher players to play the game, allow his team to be this soft?

[Chief]

https://twitter.com/CelticsPost/status/824090549183451136

Marcus Smart: "I hate losing... last year teams hated playing us."

https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/824091327486894081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Have the Celtics been a tough team this season? "No we haven't," said Marcus Smart.

https://twitter.com/celticsblog/status/824092085330513920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

I think this team needs to follow Marcus Smart's lead and get really ticked off. (preferably at opponents)

https://twitter.com/celtics/status/824091059781308416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Jae Crowder says of Brad Stevens' postgame message: "He said everybody should be a little frustrated and should have a fire in them."

Well, at least one of them sees the problem. Maybe this is finally the wake-up game that we needed. It seems like we had a similar issue last year, though I'm blanking at the moment.

He will play the same broken lineups tomorrow. Maybe he should start Jaylen and let Marcus stay in his 6th man role.

That might've worked today, but you almost have to start Smart to guard Harden. Crowder is the only other one who might have a chance to guard him, but he'd foul Crowder out quick with his lesser lateral movement.

Yeah,  I agree. But I'd like to see Jaylen take Harden into the post for about 5 or 6 plays in a row.

[jpotter33]

https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/824095236951511043?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Isaiah Thomas: "I remember last year, dudes didn't like playing against us."

https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/824094801582850048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Isaiah Thomas: "Our defense isn't where we wanted to be but that's been the story of our whole season."

Only took these guys half a season to realize this. Perhaps this was the embarrassment we needed. I've been saying that for awhile now, though. 

It just ticks me off, because we're just simply not playing up to our potential. If we could just up our defense to somewhere even close to what it was last year, then I think we're clearly the second best team in the East. But we've maybe played one or two games all season with the type of defensive intensity that we played with all last year.

[SHAQATTACK]

https://twitter.com/CelticsPost/status/824090549183451136

Marcus Smart: "I hate losing... last year teams hated playing us."

https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/824091327486894081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Have the Celtics been a tough team this season? "No we haven't," said Marcus Smart.

https://twitter.com/celticsblog/status/824092085330513920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

I think this team needs to follow Marcus Smart's lead and get really ticked off. (preferably at opponents)

https://twitter.com/celtics/status/824091059781308416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Jae Crowder says of Brad Stevens' postgame message: "He said everybody should be a little frustrated and should have a fire in them."

Well, at least one of them sees the problem. Maybe this is finally the wake-up game that we needed. It seems like we had a similar issue last year, though I'm blanking at the moment.

He will play the same broken lineups tomorrow. Maybe he should start Jaylen and let Marcus stay in his 6th man role.

That might've worked today, but you almost have to start Smart to guard Harden. Crowder is the only other one who might have a chance to guard him, but he'd foul Crowder out quick with his lesser lateral movement.

Yeah,  I agree. But I'd like to see Jaylen take Harden into the post for about 5 or 6 plays in a row.

Now your talking ......I d play Brown till he fouls out .   

[Chief]

https://twitter.com/CelticsPost/status/824090549183451136

Marcus Smart: "I hate losing... last year teams hated playing us."

https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/824091327486894081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Have the Celtics been a tough team this season? "No we haven't," said Marcus Smart.

https://twitter.com/celticsblog/status/824092085330513920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

I think this team needs to follow Marcus Smart's lead and get really ticked off. (preferably at opponents)

https://twitter.com/celtics/status/824091059781308416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Jae Crowder says of Brad Stevens' postgame message: "He said everybody should be a little frustrated and should have a fire in them."

Well, at least one of them sees the problem. Maybe this is finally the wake-up game that we needed. It seems like we had a similar issue last year, though I'm blanking at the moment.

He will play the same broken lineups tomorrow. Maybe he should start Jaylen and let Marcus stay in his 6th man role.

That might've worked today, but you almost have to start Smart to guard Harden. Crowder is the only other one who might have a chance to guard him, but he'd foul Crowder out quick with his lesser lateral movement.

Yeah,  I agree. But I'd like to see Jaylen take Harden into the post for about 5 or 6 plays in a row.

Now your talking ......I d play Brown till he fouls out .

Or they send a double. Now you get wide open threes instead of contested ones.

[Phantom255x]

https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/824095236951511043?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Isaiah Thomas: "I remember last year, dudes didn't like playing against us."

https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/824094801582850048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Isaiah Thomas: "Our defense isn't where we wanted to be but that's been the story of our whole season."

Only took these guys half a season to realize this. Perhaps this was the embarrassment we needed. I've been saying that for awhile now, though. 

It just ticks me off, because we're just simply not playing up to our potential. If we could just up our defense to somewhere even close to what it was last year, then I think we're clearly the second best team in the East. But we've maybe played one or two games all season with the type of defensive intensity that we played with all last year.

Yeah, honestly though I don't expect the defense to go back to that same intensity as last year.

They can definitely improve, but it just seems this team lost its "edge" over the course of this season.

I think mainly because last season, no one really had any expectations for the C's (people though they would be like a 40 win team, not 48), but now with Horford + Brown added, people thought the C's could win 50 games, grab a 2-3 seed, etc., so expectations were higher and the C's felt confident (though evidently, a little too confident).

When they played like underdogs last season.. they were fierce and hustled on defense, as if trying to prove a point.

[SHAQATTACK]

https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/824095236951511043?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Isaiah Thomas: "I remember last year, dudes didn't like playing against us."

https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/824094801582850048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Isaiah Thomas: "Our defense isn't where we wanted to be but that's been the story of our whole season."

Only took these guys half a season to realize this. Perhaps this was the embarrassment we needed. I've been saying that for awhile now, though. 

It just ticks me off, because we're just simply not playing up to our potential. If we could just up our defense to somewhere even close to what it was last year, then I think we're clearly the second best team in the East. But we've maybe played one or two games all season with the type of defensive intensity that we played with all last year.

Yeah, honestly though I don't expect the defense to go back to that same intensity as last year.

They can definitely improve, but it just seems this team lost its "edge" over the course of this season.

I think mainly because last season, no one really had any expectations for the C's (people though they would be like a 40 win team, not 48), but now with Horford + Brown added, people thought the C's could win 50 games, grab a 2-3 seed, etc., so expectations were higher and the C's felt confident (though evidently, a little too confident).

When they played like underdogs last season.. they were fierce and hustled on defense, as if trying to prove a point.

I think that is a huge part of this seasons issues and injuries .   Plus ....teams are gunning for the Celtics again. ....we got the hype and now the attention for teams to come gunning.

The exact opposite happened with Rockets .   

[jpotter33]

https://twitter.com/CelticsHub/status/824099593822629888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Celtics have the second worst defense in NBA during the past month, allowing 112.1 points per 100 possessions.

Pitiful.

[hpantazo]

https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/824095236951511043?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Isaiah Thomas: "I remember last year, dudes didn't like playing against us."

https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/824094801582850048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Isaiah Thomas: "Our defense isn't where we wanted to be but that's been the story of our whole season."

Only took these guys half a season to realize this. Perhaps this was the embarrassment we needed. I've been saying that for awhile now, though. 

It just ticks me off, because we're just simply not playing up to our potential. If we could just up our defense to somewhere even close to what it was last year, then I think we're clearly the second best team in the East. But we've maybe played one or two games all season with the type of defensive intensity that we played with all last year.

You know what would bring back the intensity and edge? A trade. You don't want to bring it on D every night? Bye-bye.

[RJ87]

I'm ready to go in on a Nerlens trade.

[Kuberski33]

Part of the problem is the way they get dominated on the boards night after night.  Seems like every time they fail to get a rebound they should get the opponent makes a 3 on them.

A coach can pay lip service to 'we all have to try harder' and 5 guys need to rebound, but that's BS. Comes down to talent and that's one area where the talent on this team is way below average.

That's on Danny, not the players or coaches.  But I think he knew going in that the team isn't complete and won't contend for a title this season.  It's just frustrating to watch if you're a fan - very frustrating actually.

[cltc5]

poor drafting and trading is why we are where we are.  Yes we're winning but what kind of future do we have.  Rebuild after rebuild with scrubs every year and getting bounced in the playoffs.  Yippeee!9

[Denis998]

I wonder who punched a hole in the wall in the locker room. Bet is on Horford.

[tarheelsxxiii]

https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/824095236951511043?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Isaiah Thomas: "I remember last year, dudes didn't like playing against us."

https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/824094801582850048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Isaiah Thomas: "Our defense isn't where we wanted to be but that's been the story of our whole season."

Only took these guys half a season to realize this. Perhaps this was the embarrassment we needed. I've been saying that for awhile now, though. 

It just ticks me off, because we're just simply not playing up to our potential. If we could just up our defense to somewhere even close to what it was last year, then I think we're clearly the second best team in the East. But we've maybe played one or two games all season with the type of defensive intensity that we played with all last year.

You know what would bring back the intensity and edge? A trade. You don't want to bring it on D every night? Bye-bye.

Agreed.