Tied 2-2, Do You Believe?

[apc]

I am convincing myself that it's better to lose now so we don't get to be sweeped by the Cavs.
It's not really working.

[Somebody]

I am convincing myself that it's better to lose now so we don't get to be sweeped by the Cavs.
It's not really working.

Please put some faith in your team, I believe we're winning this series in 6 and we'll give the Cavs a good fight, we're not going fishing like the Raptors. LEEEEEEEETTTTTTT'SSSS GOOOOOO CCCEEEEEEELLLLTIIIIIICCCCSSSS!!!

[Vermont Green]

Washington is the better team.  Wall is better than many were giving him credit for.  They have a good game plan to stop IT.  We have home court.  That adds up to advantage Washington.

The antidote to the IT game plan (hard double with a big sloffing in the lane) is that IT needs to give up the ball and we need to make multiple passes; someone is open or has a lane to the hoop.  Once we do all that, that Someone not named IT needs to make the shot or otherwise finish the play.

We can play that way and have played well that way.  Chicago tried to do the same thing and Horford got a number of dunks off IT drives.  Washington is defending that better, we need to start making one more pass.

If we do that, we can win this series but right now, Washington is doing their game plan better than we are doing our game plan.  You expect second tier players to hit more shots at home and get a few more calls.  We need all of the above (better recognition and execution, hit shots/finish, get a few calls).

I don't know if IT can elevate his game yet again but he has surprised me plenty already so let's see.

[KGBirdBias]

I believe the Celtics would play the Cavs better because we have better defenders. I think we could win 2 games.

First things, first. Stevens get your head out your arse and stop coaching games like it's the regular season.

[Darío SpanishFan]

Wizards in 6. I don't think we have the talent. Their starting 5 has been more productive than ours. I feel bad for IT. Would be a great time to trade him if we can get a top 3 pick. Honestly it will always be annoying to have to hide him on defense if we become contenders.

Otherwise, attempt to trade for KP, and try to sign Hayward.

TP. Finally, people starting to see that we can't hide a player every game when we play seven game series against contending teams. We can't give so much advantage to Wall, Irving, Curry, etc. Even Rondo was killing us. The problem is that we can't expect a very good package in return for IT (one year and he'll command 30 million per, lack of defense) and chemistry reasons not to trade him.

[indeedproceed]

I think the C's are gonna take the next 2 games.

[apc]

Credit to the Wiz. They have been better most of the series.
But there is always a chance.
We have no offensive answer to their defense.
Unless somehow coach comes up with a magic plan to answer their D it's over.

[Donoghus]

Sure.  It's still a best of 3 series & the Celtics have two of those games at home.

Going into the series, I thought it was going to go 7 games.  Nothing has swayed me off that & it certainly seems like it is headed in that direction. 

[chambers]

We just need another All Star caliber scorer that isn't a defensive liability.
Jimmy Butler or PG13 would make us compete with the Cavs.

Right now we just don't have anyone else that can score and hit tough baskets off their own creativity... so once the ball leaves IT's hands we either hit 25 three point shots and win or shoot 30% and lose.

Remember we are still a long term project.

[lrybrd]

Keys going forward:

1. Some players beside IT need to start hitting some open shots as they have been there in Games 3 and 4 and our other players can't knock them down;
2. Stop with the stupid turnovers as our passing has been horrific; and
3. Start going back door as the Wizards are just defending the three point line.

We take care of those 3 things and we advance to the Conference Finals.  If not, we are toast.
 

[celts55]

I went with Wiz in 7, hoping the Celtics can steal one. Love the the Celtics, but trying to be objective.
Wiz starting 5 has been much better than the Celtics. Beal is starting to shot better, Morris is playing well, Potter has shot lights out, G is rebounding like crazy, and Wall is the best player in the series.
Their bench has been giving them good minutes. They shoot better and get a ton more second shoots.
The Celtics on the other hand, except IT and Horford, have shot poorly, don't rebound, and have given up at least one huge run each game. Even the two games they won, especially game 2, could have been loses.
I don't think I'm being negative, I'm just having a hard time seeing how they win this.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

This team doesn't handle prosperity well. They have to be in a standing 8 count before they start playing. They have to be second guessed, ridiculed and embarrassed before you get their best.

I don't know why but that's how they function best. When you throw too many accolades at them, they soak it up and get soft.

TP. Precisely the case.

[kraidstar]

lost in our disastrous 3rd quarter last night was some truly biased officiating.

The Wiz dubious defense created 21 points off turnovers in that 3rd quarter last night. And most of those turnovers were blatant fouls that were not called. Like the one where IT was taking it down the baseline and Gortat knocked him a foot sideways (Zero free throws for IT by the end of the game). It was ridiculous. Watch the tape. The announcers didn't comment on a single one, as Greg Anthony was busy bloviating about the greatness of John Wall the while time - even before the comeback. It reminded me a lot of the Miami Heat "hack then dunk" comebacks with LeBron, at one point we had 8 or 9 more fouls than they did. We were getting zero calls inside until after the game was out of reach.

We responded horribly of course. But IMO the league had an agenda to extend the series after the Cleveland and (likely) Golden State sweeps.

We will get a better whistle at home, and this series will go 7 games. Of course we will need to show up to take advantage of it.

So yeah, I believe in the team. The league? Not so much.

[ManUp]

I believe, we had better win this next home game.

[apc]

Keys going forward:

1. Some players beside IT need to start hitting some open shots as they have been there in Games 3 and 4 and our other players can't knock them down;
2. Stop with the stupid turnovers as our passing has been horrific; and
3. Start going back door as the Wizards are just defending the three point line.

We take care of those 3 things and we advance to the Conference Finals.  If not, we are toast.

And stop shooting ONLY 3s!
Guy is wide open for a layup and pass the ball to Smart for a 3...smh.