People are too pessimistic regarding our chances against the Cavs

[tarheelsxxiii]

Look, the Cavs are (and should be) the clear favorites. They clearly have the best player in the series, and their second and third best players are right on par with our first and second best players. They're also rested, though that will show quite a bit of rust in the first game.

However, all of this talk about us for sure getting swept is incredibly premature.

There are several reasons to believe that this will be a competitive series:

1) Unlike Washington, we have several places to hide IT defensively, especially in the starting lineup. That was the biggest factor holding back our defense against Washington, because Wall, Beal, and Porter (though Porter did much less than the others, making it questionable why we didn't go that route for longer) all took advantage of IT defensively and really abused him. JR Smith and Shump are not the types of players that will be able to use their size over IT effectively, and it's a major win for us if they try.

2) Cleveland's defense, especially perimeter defense, is nowhere near the level of Washington's perimeter defense. Washington had success in trapping and double-teaming IT off of PnRs, which made him trust his teammates. But Kyrie, Smith, Love, and TT are not nearly as efficient in that regard as Wall, Beal, Morris, and Gortat. TT will be the only adequate big that can attempt to try and help contain IT off of PnRs, but he still won't be able to stop IT from imposing his will.

Furthermore, we should be able to take advantage of poor rotations and off-ball defense even more against the Cavs than we did against the Wiz, which is important because we got a ton of points off the Wiz that way. Cleveland also only has one defender who has any sort of chance of staying in front of IT and containing him in Shumpert. Washington, on the other hand, could throw Wall, Beal, and Oubre  at IT and give him different looks defensively to make him work.

3) The IT/Al PnR with Kyrie/Smith and Love will be a bread and butter play that Cleveland is going to have a really, really difficult time of stopping.

4) Where the Wizards are much more oriented toward attacking the paint, getting to the rim, and using the midrange game, Cleveland is a much more perimeter-oriented team who shoots a ton of threes, which works out well given that our defense is predicated on making it difficult on opposing shooters.

5) Most importantly, though, the biggest advantage that this team will have over the Cavs is home court advantage and being the underdog. While we were considered the favorites over Chicago and Washington (even if slightly so over Washington), nobody will consider us the favorites over Cleveland. This works well in our favor, because this team has consistently showed throughout the year that we play our best ball when our backs are up against the wall, we're being counted out, and we engage that chip on our shoulder. Unlike against Washington, I expect us to give Cleveland our very best in effort and intensity every night, and I expect all of the games to be dogfights.

Now all of this isn't saying that I think the Celtics will necessarily win the series. I think it's certainly possible for us to win, but a lot would have to go right for that to happen. However, I do certainly think that this will be a very competitive six or seven game series and that we make Cleveland actually work for the wins.

I also foresee a big series for IT. I just don't think that they have the pieces to contain him and will focus on stopping the rest of the supporting cast.

I'm sorry-what was that again?

. This is a real gutless response and pretty pathetic to come in here and. Pot shot for a passionate fan that was trying to be optimistic. Honestly everyone that is trying to bump this thread should take a look in the mirror and think about what exactly they are about as a person.

Cosigned.

[Celtics4ever]

Just pat yourself on the back some more.  Good Lord, get  over yourself with this "fragile ego" nonsense. Classic "get off my lawn" drivel. 

I am a big boy and I don't need other people telling it will be ok or pats on the back.  I would say from your reaction you definitely have a fragile ego and you pretty much validated my statement.

Pretty much everyone agreed that the Cavs would win this series, including me. I just said it was premature to say they were necessarily going to be swept, and I still stand by that. The Celtics SHOULD be making this a competitive series. Nobody predicted that they would come out this timid, scared, and defeated. Obviously the Wiz series took more out of them than most thought, and that combined with them fearing the Cavs has turned this series into a blowout.

Were your parents flower children? I just think all the positive thought stuff is hippy bull crap.   We are a work in progress.  I love the team and you love the team.   I want us to win as much as you do,probably more because I live in Ohio and get it from the Cavs fans after every loss.

I think we are both disappointed in this team right now.  Pessimism seems warranted in this case.

[Bobshot]

I thought so, too, until I saw the score tonite. 

[droopdog7]

Look, the Cavs are (and should be) the clear favorites. They clearly have the best player in the series, and their second and third best players are right on par with our first and second best players. They're also rested, though that will show quite a bit of rust in the first game.

However, all of this talk about us for sure getting swept is incredibly premature.

There are several reasons to believe that this will be a competitive series:

1) Unlike Washington, we have several places to hide IT defensively, especially in the starting lineup. That was the biggest factor holding back our defense against Washington, because Wall, Beal, and Porter (though Porter did much less than the others, making it questionable why we didn't go that route for longer) all took advantage of IT defensively and really abused him. JR Smith and Shump are not the types of players that will be able to use their size over IT effectively, and it's a major win for us if they try.

2) Cleveland's defense, especially perimeter defense, is nowhere near the level of Washington's perimeter defense. Washington had success in trapping and double-teaming IT off of PnRs, which made him trust his teammates. But Kyrie, Smith, Love, and TT are not nearly as efficient in that regard as Wall, Beal, Morris, and Gortat. TT will be the only adequate big that can attempt to try and help contain IT off of PnRs, but he still won't be able to stop IT from imposing his will.

Furthermore, we should be able to take advantage of poor rotations and off-ball defense even more against the Cavs than we did against the Wiz, which is important because we got a ton of points off the Wiz that way. Cleveland also only has one defender who has any sort of chance of staying in front of IT and containing him in Shumpert. Washington, on the other hand, could throw Wall, Beal, and Oubre  at IT and give him different looks defensively to make him work.

3) The IT/Al PnR with Kyrie/Smith and Love will be a bread and butter play that Cleveland is going to have a really, really difficult time of stopping.

4) Where the Wizards are much more oriented toward attacking the paint, getting to the rim, and using the midrange game, Cleveland is a much more perimeter-oriented team who shoots a ton of threes, which works out well given that our defense is predicated on making it difficult on opposing shooters.

5) Most importantly, though, the biggest advantage that this team will have over the Cavs is home court advantage and being the underdog. While we were considered the favorites over Chicago and Washington (even if slightly so over Washington), nobody will consider us the favorites over Cleveland. This works well in our favor, because this team has consistently showed throughout the year that we play our best ball when our backs are up against the wall, we're being counted out, and we engage that chip on our shoulder. Unlike against Washington, I expect us to give Cleveland our very best in effort and intensity every night, and I expect all of the games to be dogfights.

Now all of this isn't saying that I think the Celtics will necessarily win the series. I think it's certainly possible for us to win, but a lot would have to go right for that to happen. However, I do certainly think that this will be a very competitive six or seven game series and that we make Cleveland actually work for the wins.

I also foresee a big series for IT. I just don't think that they have the pieces to contain him and will focus on stopping the rest of the supporting cast.

I'm sorry-what was that again?

. This is a real gutless response and pretty pathetic to come in here and. Pot shot for a passionate fan that was trying to be optimistic. Honestly everyone that is trying to bump this thread should take a look in the mirror and think about what exactly they are about as a person.

Thanks man. TP.

People are acting like I said we were going to outright beat or sweep the Cavs. All I argued was that these claims were premature and we should make it a competitive series. Obviously that was off, but NOBODY saw this team coming out this timid and scared and defeated, which is a big reason this is a blowout series so far.

To be fair, we play this series 100 times and we probably get swept 95 times.  Four times we win a game and maybe once, we win two.  So predicting a sweep was the pretty accurate going in.

But you're right, this has been worse than anyone could imagine.  But even still, getting completely blown out in four games was always more likely than us winning say, two games.  So TP for being positive, even if it was also going against the realist view.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

i do not even want to look it up.

somebody post the scores of when they swept us in 2015

i want a comparison

[Future Celtics Owner]

Look, the Cavs are (and should be) the clear favorites. They clearly have the best player in the series, and their second and third best players are right on par with our first and second best players. They're also rested, though that will show quite a bit of rust in the first game.

However, all of this talk about us for sure getting swept is incredibly premature.

There are several reasons to believe that this will be a competitive series:

1) Unlike Washington, we have several places to hide IT defensively, especially in the starting lineup. That was the biggest factor holding back our defense against Washington, because Wall, Beal, and Porter (though Porter did much less than the others, making it questionable why we didn't go that route for longer) all took advantage of IT defensively and really abused him. JR Smith and Shump are not the types of players that will be able to use their size over IT effectively, and it's a major win for us if they try.

2) Cleveland's defense, especially perimeter defense, is nowhere near the level of Washington's perimeter defense. Washington had success in trapping and double-teaming IT off of PnRs, which made him trust his teammates. But Kyrie, Smith, Love, and TT are not nearly as efficient in that regard as Wall, Beal, Morris, and Gortat. TT will be the only adequate big that can attempt to try and help contain IT off of PnRs, but he still won't be able to stop IT from imposing his will.

Furthermore, we should be able to take advantage of poor rotations and off-ball defense even more against the Cavs than we did against the Wiz, which is important because we got a ton of points off the Wiz that way. Cleveland also only has one defender who has any sort of chance of staying in front of IT and containing him in Shumpert. Washington, on the other hand, could throw Wall, Beal, and Oubre  at IT and give him different looks defensively to make him work.

3) The IT/Al PnR with Kyrie/Smith and Love will be a bread and butter play that Cleveland is going to have a really, really difficult time of stopping.

4) Where the Wizards are much more oriented toward attacking the paint, getting to the rim, and using the midrange game, Cleveland is a much more perimeter-oriented team who shoots a ton of threes, which works out well given that our defense is predicated on making it difficult on opposing shooters.

5) Most importantly, though, the biggest advantage that this team will have over the Cavs is home court advantage and being the underdog. While we were considered the favorites over Chicago and Washington (even if slightly so over Washington), nobody will consider us the favorites over Cleveland. This works well in our favor, because this team has consistently showed throughout the year that we play our best ball when our backs are up against the wall, we're being counted out, and we engage that chip on our shoulder. Unlike against Washington, I expect us to give Cleveland our very best in effort and intensity every night, and I expect all of the games to be dogfights.

Now all of this isn't saying that I think the Celtics will necessarily win the series. I think it's certainly possible for us to win, but a lot would have to go right for that to happen. However, I do certainly think that this will be a very competitive six or seven game series and that we make Cleveland actually work for the wins.

I also foresee a big series for IT. I just don't think that they have the pieces to contain him and will focus on stopping the rest of the supporting cast.

I'm sorry-what was that again?

. This is a real gutless response and pretty pathetic to come in here and. Pot shot for a passionate fan that was trying to be optimistic. Honestly everyone that is trying to bump this thread should take a look in the mirror and think about what exactly they are about as a person.

Clay. you were doing the same exact thing earlier in this thread. You basically called a poster an idiot and said no one would ever take him seriously on here. Heres the post...

Boston can't defend James.  I like Crowder and all, but he will be completely useless against James and he is the best option.  If James doesn't average a 30 point triple double, I will consider it a win.  And yeah Boston can try to hide IT on Smith, but Smith is saavy enough to know how to work that advantage, as our the Cavs.  I would expect all kinds of pick and rolls to force Thomas to switch off Smith and onto James or Irving. 

I think Boston wins game 2 and that is it.  Lebron James is just too good for this team and that really is the bottomline (Bradley is better than Smith but outside of that every other position including the bench favors Cleveland).

Wow man you got to get off that Cleveland tap water. It is making you think everything is better there. If you think Horford is worse than Tristan Thompson (both teams starting centerx) I don't know how anyone can begin to take you seriously.

[PhoSita]

i do not even want to look it up.

somebody post the scores of when they swept us in 2015

i want a comparison

It wasn't this bad.

[Ilikesports17]

i do not even want to look it up.

somebody post the scores of when they swept us in 2015

i want a comparison

Differentials:
13,8,8,8

So add em all up and they don't equal the deficit from this game.

[Future Celtics Owner]

Just pat yourself on the back some more.  Good Lord, get  over yourself with this "fragile ego" nonsense. Classic "get off my lawn" drivel. 

I am a big boy and I don't need other people telling it will be ok or pats on the back.  I would say from your reaction you definitely have a fragile ego and you pretty much validated my statement.

Pretty much everyone agreed that the Cavs would win this series, including me. I just said it was premature to say they were necessarily going to be swept, and I still stand by that. The Celtics SHOULD be making this a competitive series. Nobody predicted that they would come out this timid, scared, and defeated. Obviously the Wiz series took more out of them than most thought, and that combined with them fearing the Cavs has turned this series into a blowout.

Were your parents flower children? I just think all the positive thought stuff is hippy bull crap.   We are a work in progress.  I love the team and you love the team.   I want us to win as much as you do,probably more because I live in Ohio and get it from the Cavs fans after every loss.

I think we are both disappointed in this team right now.  Pessimism seems warranted in this case.

TP
We are all Celtic's fans here. I think that we need to point out that before this series the poster's who were realists/skeptical of us winning were constantly put down. We can all have different ideas and still be equally Celts fans.

[trickybilly]

I just hope we can win at least one game in this series for Al's sake.

You make a decision to go to a certain ball club for a reason. That reason is usually the prospect of winning, or, more accurately, getting closer to winning than you have got before.

The plucky 2015 playoff Atlanta Hawks were swept by, including a demoralizing Game 4 blowout. I don't want that to happen again to poor Al..

[crimson_stallion]

At the start, I said that we can beat Cleveland - but only if we play like we believe it.  I wasn't wrong.  We can beat Cleveleand.  We have the talent to beat them. 

But after the way these playoffs have gone, it's clear that we do not have the heart.

[crimson_stallion]

I just hope we can win at least one game in this series for Al's sake.

You make a decision to go to a certain ball club for a reason. That reason is usually the prospect of winning, or, more accurately, getting closer to winning than you have got before.

The plucky 2015 playoff Atlanta Hawks were swept by, including a demoralizing Game 4 blowout. I don't want that to happen again to poor Al..

Poor Al?!?  Seriously???

Al has been a big part of the reason why we are getting our asses handed to us in this series.  With Thomas playing hurt, Al Horford (our $30M man) should be the first man to stand up and take his game to another level. 

He should be the veteran leader to pull these guys together the get them in line.

Instead he's been out there getting absolutely Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline.slapped by Kevin Love (who averaged 13 PPG prior to this series) and Tristan freaking Thompson.

I get that he's been great in the Chicago series and in the Washington series, but he's getting paid like a superstar - he is SUPPOSED to be great. 

There are only three guys playing like the believe in this series, and Al Horford is not one of them.  Bradley is, Smart is, Brown is.  That's it. 

This "poor al" is not poor at all - he's as responsible for our epic breakdown as anybody.

[crimson_stallion]

i do not even want to look it up.

somebody post the scores of when they swept us in 2015

i want a comparison

Differentials:
13,8,8,8

So add em all up and they don't equal the deficit from this game.

Yeah, it's embarrassing.  There is no other word for it.  I sure hope free agents don't judge Boston for this, because if I were one I would.  I would watch this #1 seed utterly falling apart at the seams and getting ripped to shreds, and I would say "on second thought...maybe not wise to go there".

I can handle a team that loses games, but I cannot handle a team that flat out doesn't compete.

[Ogaju]

i do not even want to look it up.

somebody post the scores of when they swept us in 2015

i want a comparison

Differentials:
13,8,8,8

So add em all up and they don't equal the deficit from this game.

Yeah, it's embarrassing.  There is no other word for it.  I sure hope free agents don't judge Boston for this, because if I were one I would.  I would watch this #1 seed utterly falling apart at the seams and getting ripped to shreds, and I would say "on second thought...maybe not wise to go there".

I can handle a team that loses games, but I cannot handle a team that flat out doesn't compete.

where are the free agents that will dare judge this team? Oh yeah they have gone fishing.

[Future Celtics Owner]

At the start, I said that we can beat Cleveland - but only if we play like we believe it.  I wasn't wrong.  We can beat Cleveleand.  We have the talent to beat them. 

But after the way these playoffs have gone, it's clear that we do not have the heart.

We never had the talent IMO. We are a good regular season team as constructed but not a contender. That does not mean we do not have heart, IMO our organization/ coach and it's players posses tremendous integrity and heart. IMO heart is what got us the #1 seed and got us this far.....just my opinion.