Where has perspective gone?

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

Yes, we did get tight in the biggest game of the season and choked off some of those open shots.

Another big factor - and it sounds like an excuse, but is a fact - this team was worn out from fighting, fighting, fighting to overcome injury after injury. And tired legs = missed shots.

Yes, i know Cleveland was tired too, but not like we were. They had more rest during the playoffs and their first 7 were used to playing more minutes than our guys, who were not accustomed to the shortened rotations Stevens went to. Why didn't he throw Ojeleye out there to pressure James for short stints ? I know Monroe has been inconsistent, but when we were struggling to score, why not get it inside to him? Then there is Baynes sitting out too much of the second half.

I'm not suggesting even 10+ minutes for some of these guys, but 6-8 would have thrown fresh legs in the game and given the first 7 some much needed rest.

Yes, we did get tight in the biggest game of the season and choked off some of those open shots.

Another big factor - and it sounds like an excuse, but is a fact - this team was worn out from fighting, fighting, fighting to overcome injury after injury. And tired legs = missed shots.

Yes, i know Cleveland was tired too, but not like we were. They had more rest during the playoffs and their first 7 were used to playing more minutes than our guys, who were not accustomed to the shortened rotations Stevens went to. Why didn't he throw Ojeleye out there to pressure James for short stints ? I know Monroe has been inconsistent, but when we were struggling to score, why not get it inside to him? Then there is Baynes sitting out too much of the second half.

I'm not suggesting even 10+ minutes for some of these guys, but 6-8 would have thrown fresh legs in the game and given the first 7 some much needed rest.

good points. semi could have pounded lebron. monroe and horfrd posting up may have helped late when we were desperate for points and needed to go inside. heck if we wanted to run throw in nader just to run the floor and maybe make a layup.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I get it. They played the worst basketball game that has ever been played, including pickup games at the local elementary school during recess.

My only point is- why focus on one terrible game 7 vs the 100 other basketball games? The Celtics have a crazy bright future.

Almost like going on a date with a smoking hot woman while focusing solely on the pimple on her chin.

More like, you had a chance to seal the deal with the smoking hot woman but didn't, and despite how rosy the future seems, there's no guarantee you'll ever again be in the position you were before, no guarantee you'll ever again have a chance with any smoking hot woman.

In short, you've gotta capitalize when opportunities present themselves. And they didn't do that.

Uhh...

Yeah, I agree. This doesn't make sense at all.

Going to the finals isn't sealing the deal. This is Boston- we don't celebrate championship appearances.

I'm well aware the titles are the only things that count in Boston. My point was that Boston had the chance to seal the deal of getting to the Finals, and we shouldn't assume that they'll have plenty more (or any more) such chances just because Hayward and Irving are due back. What if LeBron stays in Cleveland? What if other big-name players migrate to the weak East? What if Boston has more key injuries in the coming seasons? Nothing's guaranteed; they were on the doorstep of the Finals and blew it.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

I get it. They played the worst basketball game that has ever been played, including pickup games at the local elementary school during recess.

My only point is- why focus on one terrible game 7 vs the 100 other basketball games? The Celtics have a crazy bright future.

Almost like going on a date with a smoking hot woman while focusing solely on the pimple on her chin.

More like, you had a chance to seal the deal with the smoking hot woman but didn't, and despite how rosy the future seems, there's no guarantee you'll ever again be in the position you were before, no guarantee you'll ever again have a chance with any smoking hot woman.

In short, you've gotta capitalize when opportunities present themselves. And they didn't do that.

Uhh...

Yeah, I agree. This doesn't make sense at all.

Going to the finals isn't sealing the deal. This is Boston- we don't celebrate championship appearances.

I'm well aware the titles are the only things that count in Boston. My point was that Boston had the chance to seal the deal of getting to the Finals, and we shouldn't assume that they'll have plenty more (or any more) such chances just because Hayward and Irving are due back. What if LeBron stays in Cleveland? What if other big-name players migrate to the weak East? What if Boston has more key injuries in the coming seasons? Nothing's guaranteed; they were on the doorstep of the Finals and blew it.

agreed. i darn sure woulda celebrated an eatern conference title. woulda beena huge accomplishment. seeing this team in finals? huge dividends more than we think.

[celticinorlando]

I have not been this excited for a new season since the one when KG got to town.

Just cannot wait until camp opens.

[Casperian]

For me, nothing has changed. Everything happened exactly as I said it would.

It's a treadmill team with zero chance of winning a championship.

They lost in the ECF against a 20-win team + Lebron. Up 2-0, on homecourt. They're a bunch of pansies.

Do people really believe Hayward is enough to beat the Rockets or Warriors? They look good because they're in the east, where even the Raptors and 76ers look dangerous. If the Timberwolves were in the east, they'd also play in the ECF.

[Vermont Green]

I agree with the OP, this was a great year and this team had a great run.  Don't over think this.  We lost Hayward and Irving but still made the ECF and lost in 7 to LeBron.  No shame there; in fact, that is pretty awesome.

I understand that our young kids played poorly in game 7 but we were putting a lot of pressure on some really young players.  They just couldn't handle the moment; too young, too soon.  Brown and Rozier in particular played like deer in the headlights but pretty much everyone (except Tatum who was about average for what he had done in the playoffs) played below what they had been playing.

Keep in mind that Cleveland swept Toronto, a really good team that had all their horses.  Swept, four straight barf games by Toronto.  Cleveland had something to do with that just like Cleveland had something to do with us playing so bad in game 7.  Hill, Green, Thompson, and to some degree Smith are all decent veteran players.  They couldn't do much without LeBron but they all played well; they were reliable support for LeBron.

[slamtheking]

The Celtics season was a 10/10 success. Nobody thought that they would be anywhere close to game 7 of the ECF once Hayward went down. The Celtics had a great regular season, then we found out that Kyrie was out for the year. At this juncture, many thought that we couldn't get past Milwaukee. They did. Not only did they beat the Bucks, they beat the Sixers in a series that they were not favored. They didn't just squeak by Philly- they beat the crap out of them in 5 games. Then they were an underdog vs Cleveland. After a great series without their two best players, the Celtics had a bad game. One bad game.

Why have I been reading and listening to grown men acting like spoiled kids since last night?

Why is it crazy to think that this season was a smashing success?

it was a great season.  make no mistake about it. 

thing is, the team was poised to do even better if they had just played an average game (for them) instead of one of the worst games of the year. 

perspectives change as the season progesses

[gouki88]

For me, nothing has changed. Everything happened exactly as I said it would.

It's a treadmill team with zero chance of winning a championship.

They lost in the ECF against a 20-win team + Lebron. Up 2-0, on homecourt. They're a bunch of pansies.

Do people really believe Hayward is enough to beat the Rockets or Warriors? They look good because they're in the east, where even the Raptors and 76ers look dangerous. If the Timberwolves were in the east, they'd also play in the ECF.

Your takes are consistently out of touch. Ridiculous

[liam]

It was a great year but That lose was a kick in the gut. 15% from 3. There were so many open shots. Just in shock. I still love the team and think they will be better next year. It's going to be a loooong off season.

[CF033]

Lots of overreacting on this forum today.

Plenty of great players have shrunken during big games in their careers. Lebron did plenty of times early on in his career. It's something that gets better with maturity and experience. These guys have gotten tons of experience this year and I'm sure it'll be a big impact for next year.

Jayson Tatum was an outlier playing very consistently even in the big games. That's pretty rare I think for a guy that young.

Look at Houston right now jacking up and missing 3 after 3 after 3 (0-14 in the third quarter, 0 for their last 24). They're playing worse than the Celts last night.

[Kevins Gamble]

Perspective is right here.

In vacuum, we were one game away from the NBA finals. Great!

In perspective, we lost to a god awful Cleveland team who had Jeff Green as their second best player for a game and a half - and got eliminated on our own floor to boot. Boo!

This is the problematic mentality right here. When Jeff Green and company plays well, it's because the Celtics suck.  When our "Jeff Greens" beat the Sixers or Bucks...it's just their great potential finally being realized.  We do realize other teams can have good players step up too...right?  What do you think Bucks and Sixers fans have been thinking when Rozier was dropping close to 30 points and zero turnovers on them?  The same thing we're thinking when Jeff Green hits a shot...

This was game seven of the Eastern Conference finals....yet a bunch of people are acting like the Cavs fluked their way here.  Sure it's a "god awful" team that beat the Pacers, swept the Raptors, won in the Garden and now just made the NBA Finals. That anyone scoring other than LeBron was a failure on the Celtics gameplan, defense or BBIQ.  The final score for every game should have been Boston 110 - Cleveland 55 with LeBron having 53 of those points.

The OP isn't saying to take these opportunities for granted...the players should approach all of these moments like it's their last chance at the trophy...but as fans....we should have some long term perspective and appreciate the entire season (regardless of one horrible game to end it).

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Perspective is right here.

In vacuum, we were one game away from the NBA finals. Great!

In perspective, we lost to a god awful Cleveland team who had Jeff Green as their second best player for a game and a half - and got eliminated on our own floor to boot. Boo!

This is the problematic mentality right here. When Jeff Green and company plays well, it's because the Celtics suck.  When our "Jeff Greens" beat the Sixers or Bucks...it's just their great potential finally being realized.  We do realize other teams can have good players step up too...right?  What do you think Bucks and Sixers fans have been thinking when Rozier was dropping close to 30 points and zero turnovers on them?  The same thing we're thinking when Jeff Green hits a shot...

This was game seven of the Eastern Conference finals....yet a bunch of people are acting like the Cavs fluked their way here.  Sure it's a "god awful" team that beat the Pacers, swept the Raptors, won in the Garden and now just made the NBA Finals. That anyone scoring other than LeBron was a failure on the Celtics gameplan, defense or BBIQ.  The final score for every game should have been Boston 110 - Cleveland 55 with LeBron having 53 of those points.

The OP isn't saying to take these opportunities for granted...the players should approach all of these moments like it's their last chance at the trophy...but as fans....we should have some long term perspective and appreciate the entire season (regardless of one horrible game to end it).

Jeff Green's a notorious underperfomer who has bounced around the league and largely failed to live up to his potential. Rozier was an unheralded player who started to blossom near the end of the regular season. Sure, Rozier surprised some people, but it was a different kind of surprise.

I have not been this excited for a new season since the one when KG got to town.

Just cannot wait until camp opens.

Meh. I felt that way last camp opening, and we ended up losing Hayward five minutes into the season, then had multiple other key injuries throughout the season, then finished up with a grade-A choke job. I'm not in any rush for next season.

[libermaniac]

Warriors would have beaten the Cs in 5, much like the Cavs did last year. I think this pain will be much less after the Warriors dismantle the Cavs.

[chiken Green]

Man you guys complaining about our young kids choking away open game 7 shots... Did anyone watch the Rockets tonight.. there is some perspective for you...  27 consecutive misses.. (and that guy is the fricken league MVP)