It's great that they're up 2-1 and all, but I still think the Lakers might be too much for the Celtics. Ray Allen's shooting got them out to a lead in the first half of Game 2, but that quickly disappeared at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second half. Some tremendous play by Rondo toward the end gave them the win, but it was anything but comforting.
The entire series feels to me like Garnett tipping another rebound out of bounds (How do they screw up that call using instant replay?!?!) or Glenn Davis taking three chances at a layup and never getting the ball to the rim.
Garnett is the real problem in my mind. He's passing up shots he needs to hit and he's not aggressive enough under the boards. Rather, he's not aggressive enough getting position and then too aggressive when he doesn't have the inside line to the rebound.
Overall, the Celtics don't look aggressive enough hitting the boards. It's stunning to see the stat sheet from last night and see that the Celtics out-rebounded the Lakers overall 55-49 and--more stunningly--on the offensive glass, 13-10. The blocked shots stats were a bit scary, too; Lakers 14, Celtics 3.
Let's hope the home court puts a little pep in their step. If they can take 2 of 3 in Boston, #18 will be looking really good.
Showing posts with label Celtics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Celtics. Show all posts
Monday, June 7, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
"Baseball is 90% mental -- the other half is physical."—Yogi Berra.
Celtics putting on a tremendous show of mental toughness. Underdogs? Fine with them. Facing the game's best players on the road? Bring it on. Giving up big leads early AND late? It's ok. Foul out starters? [shrug] They just keep plugging away.
Do the Magic wait until the last 90 seconds to give up? I think it’s going to be more like Lakers ’08. Celts get an early lead in a clinching game and Dwight Howard curls up into the fetal position and the game turns into a 40-point laugher. Even money on whether Vince Carter goes down with an injury or puts up monster “garbage time” numbers.
Do the Magic wait until the last 90 seconds to give up? I think it’s going to be more like Lakers ’08. Celts get an early lead in a clinching game and Dwight Howard curls up into the fetal position and the game turns into a 40-point laugher. Even money on whether Vince Carter goes down with an injury or puts up monster “garbage time” numbers.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Song of the Day: Celtic Rain
Look what I got!
Landscapers came to do some work at the house last week. They moved some dirt around and hydro seeded some Wednesday and then moved some more dirt and hydro seeded the rest Thursday. This picture was taken on Tuesday morning.
If you haven't been happy with the rain, blame me. I've been doing rain dances to offset the potential cost of watering twice a day. And it's worked. I had to water twice on Friday and Saturday, but rain has taken care of it since then. I watered about half of it last night before the rain started and I ran out and shut it off.
So be mad at me for the rain: I don't care. Water--and the sewage cost they tack on even if the water doesn't go through the sewage process--is expensive.
I'm very pleasantly surprised that some grass started sprouting so soon. I'd heard 7 to 14 days from planting. This picture was taken on the morning of Day 5. It was thicker still last night. We're not ready to putt, but we had at least a 2 o'clock shadow going. I think it got thicker during the evening and there was definitely much more by this morning.
Today's song of the day is obviously doubly appropriate. The rain has been explained, mainly without disdain. I think you probably understand the Celtic angle.
boomp3.com
Landscapers came to do some work at the house last week. They moved some dirt around and hydro seeded some Wednesday and then moved some more dirt and hydro seeded the rest Thursday. This picture was taken on Tuesday morning.
If you haven't been happy with the rain, blame me. I've been doing rain dances to offset the potential cost of watering twice a day. And it's worked. I had to water twice on Friday and Saturday, but rain has taken care of it since then. I watered about half of it last night before the rain started and I ran out and shut it off.
So be mad at me for the rain: I don't care. Water--and the sewage cost they tack on even if the water doesn't go through the sewage process--is expensive.
I'm very pleasantly surprised that some grass started sprouting so soon. I'd heard 7 to 14 days from planting. This picture was taken on the morning of Day 5. It was thicker still last night. We're not ready to putt, but we had at least a 2 o'clock shadow going. I think it got thicker during the evening and there was definitely much more by this morning.
Today's song of the day is obviously doubly appropriate. The rain has been explained, mainly without disdain. I think you probably understand the Celtic angle.
boomp3.com
Friday, June 13, 2008
Great Celtics moment
The series was on its way to being tied. I was already hearing in my head the Laker lovers talking about the series being tied but the Lakers having all the momentum. Those two Celtics wins, they'd say, were a long time ago. They'd say the Celtics couldn't finish the blowout they had going, but the Lakers could.
Then the SS Kobe hit the iceberg. And the Zen master is being outdone by Doc Rivers. The Celtics have outscored the Lakers in every third quarter of the series by AT LEAST 8 points. AT LEAST 8 points in a single quarter in every game, coming out the most intense period of in game coaching is significant.
Doc should get MAJOR props for the way he's using his talent perfectly. The three superstars are a no-brainer, but the way he's out coached Jackson with the matchups is the key to the series. He's pushing all the right buttons and pulling all the right levers. And his consistency in dealing with the team, in both mood and coaching messages, has been pitch perfect.
And I don't want to too my own horn, or anything, but during his runnig diary last night, espn's Bill Simmons made the following observation:
You might remember noternie making this comparison THREE WEEKS AGO:
"From the Good News/Bad News category: Yesterday I suggested that Ray Allen would become the JD Drew of the Celtics. Granted, it's not a perfect comparison as Drew struggled mightily all season last year before hitting the playoff grand slam while Ray has struggled only a few weeks. Anyway, I hoped Allen was watching yesterday's game and that Drew's latest grand slam would trigger the memory of his more dramatic one last year and get Allen off the schnide. It worked as Allen finally started knocking down jump shots and looked much more confident."
Look for Simmons to discover Andrea Bocelli, the newest female singing sensation, sometime in July. I'm not accusing him of plagarism, but I'm clearly an influence.
Then the SS Kobe hit the iceberg. And the Zen master is being outdone by Doc Rivers. The Celtics have outscored the Lakers in every third quarter of the series by AT LEAST 8 points. AT LEAST 8 points in a single quarter in every game, coming out the most intense period of in game coaching is significant.
Doc should get MAJOR props for the way he's using his talent perfectly. The three superstars are a no-brainer, but the way he's out coached Jackson with the matchups is the key to the series. He's pushing all the right buttons and pulling all the right levers. And his consistency in dealing with the team, in both mood and coaching messages, has been pitch perfect.
And I don't want to too my own horn, or anything, but during his runnig diary last night, espn's Bill Simmons made the following observation:
8:46: Capital letters coming ...
RAY ALLEN!
RAY ALLEN!
RAY ALLEN!
After a Lakers basket, Allen whittled the next 20 seconds off the clock before completely abusing Vujacic for a back-breaking layup. (Special thanks to Gasol for not helping in time -- I'm starting to think Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton and two draft picks was a fair trade.) Boston by five, 17 seconds left. I'm not kidding, Ray-Ray is in "I'm destroying Papa Shuttlesworth and I'm not signing that letter of intent!!!" mode right now. This seems like a good time to mention he has played the entire game. Amazing. This was like J.D. Drew's $14 Million Grand Slam in October, only for two solid hours. I'm stunned and continue to be stunned.
You might remember noternie making this comparison THREE WEEKS AGO:
"From the Good News/Bad News category: Yesterday I suggested that Ray Allen would become the JD Drew of the Celtics. Granted, it's not a perfect comparison as Drew struggled mightily all season last year before hitting the playoff grand slam while Ray has struggled only a few weeks. Anyway, I hoped Allen was watching yesterday's game and that Drew's latest grand slam would trigger the memory of his more dramatic one last year and get Allen off the schnide. It worked as Allen finally started knocking down jump shots and looked much more confident."
Look for Simmons to discover Andrea Bocelli, the newest female singing sensation, sometime in July. I'm not accusing him of plagarism, but I'm clearly an influence.
Friday, June 6, 2008
1-0, Celtics
Dramatic game last night. Pierce deserves to be the story and is being discussed in all the appropriate ways (except the very few loonies suggesting the injury was exaggerated). Garrnet, too. So I'll try to find topics that I think are being undercovered.
Rondo. Despite a long stretch on the bench in the second half while Cassell played very well and then very poorly, Rondo did very well. Looked a little more confident hoisting shots than he has in previous series. Stayed out of traps and other situations that required nail biting passes. The guy can get almost anywhere he wants to go on the court. When he learns to finish once he's there, look out. Also very good defense and valuable help on the boards.
Allen. His defense, his shooting and his rebounding. I think he's still returning to form and could get better as the series goes on, attacking the hoop more, etc.
Posey and Brown. Neither of them can score in any kind of traffic, which is frustrating. But they both defend pretty well. Brown grabs valuable rebounds and Posey can knock down valuable threes when the defense rotates away.
Gasol. His easy scores while moving through the lane worried me early. They seemed to eliminate that as the game went on. Maybe Doc was right when he said they simply didn't play enough defense in the first half. He's one of those guys that I watch and can't believe what he's able to accomplish. Everyone says he's really good, but I can't bring myself to believe it. Even as I watch it.
Rondo. Despite a long stretch on the bench in the second half while Cassell played very well and then very poorly, Rondo did very well. Looked a little more confident hoisting shots than he has in previous series. Stayed out of traps and other situations that required nail biting passes. The guy can get almost anywhere he wants to go on the court. When he learns to finish once he's there, look out. Also very good defense and valuable help on the boards.
Allen. His defense, his shooting and his rebounding. I think he's still returning to form and could get better as the series goes on, attacking the hoop more, etc.
Posey and Brown. Neither of them can score in any kind of traffic, which is frustrating. But they both defend pretty well. Brown grabs valuable rebounds and Posey can knock down valuable threes when the defense rotates away.
Gasol. His easy scores while moving through the lane worried me early. They seemed to eliminate that as the game went on. Maybe Doc was right when he said they simply didn't play enough defense in the first half. He's one of those guys that I watch and can't believe what he's able to accomplish. Everyone says he's really good, but I can't bring myself to believe it. Even as I watch it.
Friday, May 23, 2008
112
I don't think Dice K watched Jon Lester's performance the other day. If he did, he needs someone to translate to him the importance of throwing strikes and how dramatically it improves results. It is utterly maddening to watch (or listen to on the radio) a game in which Dice K (Dice BB?) pitches. To make matter worse yesterday he added wild pitches to his repertoire.
From the Good News/Bad News category: Yesterday I suggested that Ray Allen would become the JD Drew of the Celtics. Granted, it's not a perfect comparison as Drew struggled mightily all season last year before hitting the playoff grand slam while Ray has struggled only a few weeks. Anyway, I hoped Allen was watching yesterday's game and that Drew's latest grand slam would trigger the memory of his more dramatic one last year and get Allen off the schnide. It worked as Allen finally started knocking down jump shots and looked much more confident. Unfortunately, Rondo now looks afraid to take shots, even when he creates opportunities off the dribble. Oh yeah, and the Celtics lost their first home game. Maybe that will motivate them to effort a road win.
At some point, I must post something about the fouling and officiating in the NBA. Mark Cuban is right; they need to have a better way to review officials performance and have them call games in a way that makes more sense. Sure scoring is up, but the logic behind some foul calls is so absurd as to ruin the enjoyment of the game.
From the Good News/Bad News category: Yesterday I suggested that Ray Allen would become the JD Drew of the Celtics. Granted, it's not a perfect comparison as Drew struggled mightily all season last year before hitting the playoff grand slam while Ray has struggled only a few weeks. Anyway, I hoped Allen was watching yesterday's game and that Drew's latest grand slam would trigger the memory of his more dramatic one last year and get Allen off the schnide. It worked as Allen finally started knocking down jump shots and looked much more confident. Unfortunately, Rondo now looks afraid to take shots, even when he creates opportunities off the dribble. Oh yeah, and the Celtics lost their first home game. Maybe that will motivate them to effort a road win.
At some point, I must post something about the fouling and officiating in the NBA. Mark Cuban is right; they need to have a better way to review officials performance and have them call games in a way that makes more sense. Sure scoring is up, but the logic behind some foul calls is so absurd as to ruin the enjoyment of the game.
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