Celtics (50-28) at Hawks (39-38) Game #79 4/6/17

[jpotter33]

Honestly, it might be best for us to get bounced in the first round this year. That way at least Danny knows that we're nowhere near close to where we need to be, and we need to keep our assets.

The display of basketball that we've put on the court lately is just putrid.

getting bounced in the first round would not be best... at all.

Eh, obviously it's not the most ideal option, but it at least gives Danny a clear route to head in.

I just don't think this team has the makeup or essential composition to be a true contender. We're too small, too soft (inexplicably), and too limited.

i dont think ainge is sitting there right now, not understanding the problems of this team.

Are you sure?

Because this guy also said we didn't need a rebounder that wasn't a skilled player during the All-Star Break. How exactly are our skilled bigs working out for us right now? Horford  has 0 pts and 1 rebound; KO has 2 pts (on 5 shots) and 4 rebounds, but he's been atrocious pretty much everywhere else.

But that's not what I'm saying anyways. Danny has been torn between working towards the future and making us better right now. A first round loss again would at least pretty much move us solely towards building for the future rather than getting better right now and marginally improving an inherently flawed team.

if Ainge wanted to marginally improve the team he would have added the big man you constantly **** about him not adding.

If Ainge even felt we were that close to a title he would have gone in and overpaid for Butler or George.

Instead Ainge concluded that we were far enough away that adding a big or a swing at the deadline was pointless because we werent competing anyway. He also clearly felt the risk-reward of trading away the future for a star to chase a title this year was unwise.

wanting the team to lose in the first round is an emotional reaction to an emarassing stretch of 6 quarters.

This seems more like an emotional overreaction post than what I said.

But, no, I think you're wrong about Butler and George. It was more about it not being a fair deal or price than him not thinking we were close enough. He absolutely would've pulled the trigger on a deal to improve this team now if he thought it was a fair deal.

I don't think it's wrong to suggest that a first round loss might be best for us in the long run. I certainly don't want that. I want us to pick up our defense and offense, increase our intensity, make it to the ECF and give the Cavs hell. Then we could sign someone like Griffin this summer to go along with a Fultz or Jackson in the draft.

But if this is the type of effort that we can expect to see in the playoffs when it matters most, then, no, perhaps a first round loss to give us clarity and not trade our 2017 pick/not max out someone like IT is in our best interests.

"if this is the type of effort we can expect in the playoffs" is a very big caveat.

I dont expect that to happen.

taking 6 terrible quarters and assuming thats the effort you will get in the playoffs is the "emotional overreaction" I am referencing.

Really? I mean, I don't know. These are two national TV games that we absolutely should've been up for, yet here we are.

I think this has been a problem ALL YEAR LONG, not just since the ASB like some here suggest. IT's MVP-level play carried us through  a really terrible defensive stretch earlier in the year, too, but it was much less noticed because we were winning almost all of our games. But that just doesn't work in the playoffs or when the games matter, as we're seeing now.

This team just has a fundamental attitude problem right now.

[Vox_Populi]

Teams I don't want to play in the Playoffs:

Cleveland, Toronto, Washington, Milwaukee, Indiana, Chicago,  Atlanta.

[SHAQATTACK]

Teams I don't want to play in the Playoffs:

Cleveland, Toronto, Washington, Milwaukee, Indiana, Chicago,  Atlanta.

Or Nets

[Billz401]

Bradley is clearly not 100% but yeah, Brad. Let's give him heavy minutes

Yep.. yet again they started out the 1st and 3rd qtrs feeding him the ball like he's devin booker..  his shot is just not there right now

[Chief]

Oh no, Stevens is putting the Jj/ko lineup out there.

[RJ87]

I am just really confused.

This is a team that used to be great defensively, and they are horrendous now.  What changed?

They started to believe the hype and lost the chip on their shoulders.

Mike

Honestly I am starting to believe that.  There is zero effort and zero toughness by this team.

It's really the only explanation that makes sense at this point. As Max said early, the attitude downgraded when the talent upgraded, which shouldn't necessarily happen.

Which is the final challenge for Stevens.  How does his nice guy approach work with players after they've got a few years in the league and a few million dollars in the bank?

We should probably not freak out quite so much over a 50 win team but it's legitimate to be very concerned at how the team's defense had degraded overall and completely imploded far too many time this season.  And let's be clear, this is not just an issue for KO or Jaylen or the bench.  Pretty much every starter except Smart has had way too many games this year when they played as if defense was optional.

Mike

Completely agree with all of this. TP.

The lack of rebounding is crucial here too. There's been a lot of times this season where the initial defense is good but wee can't secure the defensive rebound. Watching a team get 2 or 3 offensive boards in a row is spirit crushing.

[Ilikesports17]

Honestly, it might be best for us to get bounced in the first round this year. That way at least Danny knows that we're nowhere near close to where we need to be, and we need to keep our assets.

The display of basketball that we've put on the court lately is just putrid.

getting bounced in the first round would not be best... at all.

Eh, obviously it's not the most ideal option, but it at least gives Danny a clear route to head in.

I just don't think this team has the makeup or essential composition to be a true contender. We're too small, too soft (inexplicably), and too limited.

i dont think ainge is sitting there right now, not understanding the problems of this team.

Are you sure?

Because this guy also said we didn't need a rebounder that wasn't a skilled player during the All-Star Break. How exactly are our skilled bigs working out for us right now? Horford  has 0 pts and 1 rebound; KO has 2 pts (on 5 shots) and 4 rebounds, but he's been atrocious pretty much everywhere else.

But that's not what I'm saying anyways. Danny has been torn between working towards the future and making us better right now. A first round loss again would at least pretty much move us solely towards building for the future rather than getting better right now and marginally improving an inherently flawed team.

if Ainge wanted to marginally improve the team he would have added the big man you constantly **** about him not adding.

If Ainge even felt we were that close to a title he would have gone in and overpaid for Butler or George.

Instead Ainge concluded that we were far enough away that adding a big or a swing at the deadline was pointless because we werent competing anyway. He also clearly felt the risk-reward of trading away the future for a star to chase a title this year was unwise.

wanting the team to lose in the first round is an emotional reaction to an emarassing stretch of 6 quarters.

This seems more like an emotional overreaction post than what I said.

But, no, I think you're wrong about Butler and George. It was more about it not being a fair deal or price than him not thinking we were close enough. He absolutely would've pulled the trigger on a deal to improve this team now if he thought it was a fair deal.

I don't think it's wrong to suggest that a first round loss might be best for us in the long run. I certainly don't want that. I want us to pick up our defense and offense, increase our intensity, make it to the ECF and give the Cavs hell. Then we could sign someone like Griffin this summer to go along with a Fultz or Jackson in the draft.

But if this is the type of effort that we can expect to see in the playoffs when it matters most, then, no, perhaps a first round loss to give us clarity and not trade our 2017 pick/not max out someone like IT is in our best interests.

"if this is the type of effort we can expect in the playoffs" is a very big caveat.

I dont expect that to happen.

taking 6 terrible quarters and assuming thats the effort you will get in the playoffs is the "emotional overreaction" I am referencing.

Really? I mean, I don't know. These are two national TV games that we absolutely should've been up for, yet here we are.

I think this has been a problem ALL YEAR LONG, not just since the ASB like some here suggest. IT's MVP-level play carried us through  a really terrible defensive stretch earlier in the year, too, but it was much less noticed because we were winning almost all of our games. But that just doesn't work in the playoffs or when the games matter, as we're seeing now.

This team just has a fundamental attitude problem right now.

if we give effort like this we lose in 6 in the first round.

so we will see who is right in the next few weeks. I expect them to be better. A lot better.

[celtics2030]

It is going to get eaten up in the playoffs

[jpotter33]

Brad just let Horford pick up #5 in the 3rd quarter. Brad is not coaching much of a game tonight. I guess he's just letting Bradley play all night.....

Stevens is clearly a really smart coach but I can't explain some of his decisions.

Mike

He is a smart coach but he's not doing much tonight.

He was a big part of our loss last night with those terrible rotations in the 2nd, too. He got the Cavs going originally.

[liam]

The only one battling the Hawks on the boards are other Hawks....

[Ilikesports17]

Marcus needs that 3.

[liam]

Brad just let Horford pick up #5 in the 3rd quarter. Brad is not coaching much of a game tonight. I guess he's just letting Bradley play all night.....

Stevens is clearly a really smart coach but I can't explain some of his decisions.

Mike

He is a smart coach but he's not doing much tonight.

He was a big part of our loss last night with those terrible rotations in the 2nd, too. He got the Cavs going originally.

Has Jaylen just been benched now?

[Chief]

I can usually tell how Marcus's shooting wrist looks, if the ball is going in.

[Ilikesports17]

I wouldnt mind seeing Jaylen.

[RJ87]

Smart's hitting his shots tonight, but there's just no way 7 of his 8 shots being from 3 point range is acceptable moving forward.