The Game Plan Is Simple

[CT34]

The Celtics game plan for this series is a simple on. Force anyone not name LeBron James to beat you. Now most of you would say; hold-up shouldn’t we let LeBron get his and just hold down everyone else.  Well that would work if LeBron James was, let say Kobe Bryant. However, LeBron James is always going to try to make the right play. He's going to take what the defense gives him. If he is double team he will just find the open guy.  He’s not going to force the action; he’s going to leave it in his teammate’s hands to make the right play. Not to mention the fact that the Cavs play the most guardable offense known to man.  It just that LeBron is so talented they can get away with it on most night. 

However the Celtics was the best defensive team in the league and has been able to shut down better offenses.  So this game plan is simple and should be effective.

Last night I thought the Celtics did a great job of letting the other guys beat them? When you look at it the only guy who really gave the Cs trouble was Big Z. I can live with that because if the big Z is going to lead the Cavs in scoring the Cs should win every game.

What I take from last night game is that it should have been a blow out but too many turn-over, untimely fouls, Paul and Ray having sub-par nights made this game close.  Let just take Ray Allen, he was 0-4 from the field which included 0-3 from the 3 point arch.  Let’s say Ray get those 11 points the Cs win by 15 points.

Now Lebron isn’t going to have an off night again, at lease that what we except.  But neither will Paul or Ray.  Still the game plan is simple force someone other then LeBron to beat you and the Cs should win this series in very short fashion.

[ALLSTAR5]

Lebron can have 40 in a game but we can still win the game. The Celtics know that. If he's passive all night then the other role players on the Cavs will be forced to make jumpers. Were able to win every game in a walk if they just play to there game plan. The Celtics are the best and even though they displayed a bad game. They still won the game and displayed one of their best defensive efforts of the playoffs last night.

[KJ33]

The Celtics game plan for this series is a simple on. Force anyone not name LeBron James to beat you. Now most of you would say; hold-up shouldn’t we let LeBron get his and just hold down everyone else.  Well that would work if LeBron James was, let say Kobe Bryant. However, LeBron James is always going to try to make the right play. He's going to take what the defense gives him. If he is double team he will just find the open guy.  He’s not going to force the action; he’s going to leave it in his teammate’s hands to make the right play. Not to mention the fact that the Cavs play the most guardable offense known to man.  It just that LeBron is so talented they can get away with it on most night. 

However the Celtics was the best defensive team in the league and has been able to shut down better offenses.  So this game plan is simple and should be effective.

Last night I thought the Celtics did a great job of letting the other guys beat them? When you look at it the only guy who really gave the Cs trouble was Big Z. I can live with that because if the big Z is going to lead the Cavs in scoring the Cs should win every game.

What I take from last night game is that it should have been a blow out but too many turn-over, untimely fouls, Paul and Ray having sub-par nights made this game close.  Let just take Ray Allen, he was 0-4 from the field which included 0-3 from the 3 point arch.  Let’s say Ray get those 11 points the Cs win by 15 points.

Now Lebron isn’t going to have an off night again, at lease that what we except.  But neither will Paul or Ray.  Still the game plan is simple force someone other then LeBron to beat you and the Cs should win this series in very short fashion.

Don't the details of your argument actually support the opposite of what you are saying?  You say we should let the other guys beat us, but yet, you say if we double LeBron he will find the open man.  Doesn't that actually support NOT leaving the other guys open by doubling LeBron?

[CT34]

The Celtics game plan for this series is a simple on. Force anyone not name LeBron James to beat you. Now most of you would say; hold-up shouldn’t we let LeBron get his and just hold down everyone else.  Well that would work if LeBron James was, let say Kobe Bryant. However, LeBron James is always going to try to make the right play. He's going to take what the defense gives him. If he is double team he will just find the open guy.  He’s not going to force the action; he’s going to leave it in his teammate’s hands to make the right play. Not to mention the fact that the Cavs play the most guardable offense known to man.  It just that LeBron is so talented they can get away with it on most night. 

However the Celtics was the best defensive team in the league and has been able to shut down better offenses.  So this game plan is simple and should be effective.

Last night I thought the Celtics did a great job of letting the other guys beat them? When you look at it the only guy who really gave the Cs trouble was Big Z. I can live with that because if the big Z is going to lead the Cavs in scoring the Cs should win every game.

What I take from last night game is that it should have been a blow out but too many turn-over, untimely fouls, Paul and Ray having sub-par nights made this game close.  Let just take Ray Allen, he was 0-4 from the field which included 0-3 from the 3 point arch.  Let’s say Ray get those 11 points the Cs win by 15 points.

Now Lebron isn’t going to have an off night again, at lease that what we except.  But neither will Paul or Ray.  Still the game plan is simple force someone other then LeBron to beat you and the Cs should win this series in very short fashion.

Don't the details of your argument actually support the opposite of what you are saying?  You say we should let the other guys beat us, but yet, you say if we double LeBron he will find the open man.  Doesn't that actually support NOT leaving the other guys open by doubling LeBron?

Yes I said if we double LeBron James he will make the right play by given the ball up to the open man.  If you notice in the last two game he did just that.  As a Celtics player, coach and fan you want the ball in someone else hands other then Lebron.  What the Cs are doing it putting the focus on LeBron making him either pass the ball or making him a jump shooter.  If he does pass the ball the Cs have been able to fall back to their man. 

It's a simple game plan one that the Cs took from the Spurs play book.

[Chef Parish]

Interesting strategy.

[LarBrd33]

Interesting strategy.

I guess we should officially declare this "bump day". 

I think that strategy in 2008 (shut down LeBron and force others to beat you) is still semi relevant in 2015.  But this playoff series is basically over.   We're getting swept.

Plus, that Cavs team in 2008 didn't have the weapons this 2015 Cavs team has.  Kyrie and Love would sweep this Celtic team without LeBron.

[Chris22]

How about we make our open shots?

[kraidstar]

Interesting strategy.

I guess we should officially declare this "bump day". 

I think that strategy in 2008 (shut down LeBron and force others to beat you) is still semi relevant in 2015.  But this playoff series is basically over.   We're getting swept.

Plus, that Cavs team in 2008 didn't have the weapons this 2015 Cavs team has.  Kyrie and Love would sweep this Celtic team without LeBron.

that's silly.

the cavs had a .400 record last year with a similar team to what they have now. the big difference this year is lebron. he completely changes how you defend the other team, as he's a dominant slasher who usually makes good passes to guys like love. take him away and you have a .500 team of jumpshooters that plays exceptionally bad defense and doesn't have an elite slasher.

and IMO by himself love doesn't move the needle much. he's soft and un-athletic, and was a proven loser with mediocre talent around him in minny. put lebron on that same minny team and they make the playoffs every single year. take lebron off the court for the cavs and we'd shut love down hard.

just look at what happened to the heat when lebron left. they're in tatters.

[alldaboston]

Interesting strategy.

I guess we should officially declare this "bump day". 

I think that strategy in 2008 (shut down LeBron and force others to beat you) is still semi relevant in 2015.  But this playoff series is basically over. We're getting swept.

Plus, that Cavs team in 2008 didn't have the weapons this 2015 Cavs team has.  Kyrie and Love would sweep this Celtic team without LeBron.

I beg to differ. LeBrona is the glue for this team. Remove him and there is NO WAY Cavs sweep.

Also, I think we can win tomorrow. These starting lineup change possibilities are intriguing

[Ilikesports17]

Interesting strategy.

I guess we should officially declare this "bump day". 

I think that strategy in 2008 (shut down LeBron and force others to beat you) is still semi relevant in 2015.  But this playoff series is basically over.   We're getting swept.

Plus, that Cavs team in 2008 didn't have the weapons this 2015 Cavs team has.  Kyrie and Love would sweep this Celtic team without LeBron.

that's silly.

the cavs had a .400 record last year with a similar team to what they have now. the big difference this year is lebron. he completely changes how you defend the other team, as he's a dominant slasher who usually makes good passes to guys like love. take him away and you have a .500 team of jumpshooters that plays exceptionally bad defense and doesn't have an elite slasher.

and IMO by himself love doesn't move the needle much. he's soft and un-athletic, and was a proven loser with mediocre talent around him in minny. put lebron on that same minny team and they make the playoffs every single year. take lebron off the court for the cavs and we'd shut love down hard.

just look at what happened to the heat when lebron left. they're in tatters.

Irving
Shumpert
JR
Love
Mozgov
Thompson

its not a terrible team, I think they are still better than us.

However I dont think you(LarBrd) realize how valuable Lebron is and how much he brings to a team and how much better he makes the players around him.

I mean Lebron can defend 5 positions, is arguably the best passer in the Eastern Conference after John Wall, he can rebound at a good rate, and also adds so much in terms of experience etc.

When the game gets tight in the 4th quarter they simply iso Lebron from 40 ft out and he is plainly unstoppable.

Take Lebron off this team and there is no way they sweep us he is just too valuable.

[loco_91]

Lol. I was really puzzled when I got to the part about the C's having the best defense in the league, and then when I got to the part about Ray and PP I was like ohhhh... 2008...

[GratefulCs]

Interesting strategy.

I guess we should officially declare this "bump day". 

I think that strategy in 2008 (shut down LeBron and force others to beat you) is still semi relevant in 2015.  But this playoff series is basically over.   We're getting swept.

Plus, that Cavs team in 2008 didn't have the weapons this 2015 Cavs team has.  Kyrie and Love would sweep this Celtic team without LeBron.

We're not getting swept!


We're about to go on to beat the mighty Pistons and beat LA for the title!

[LarBrd33]

Interesting strategy.

I guess we should officially declare this "bump day". 

I think that strategy in 2008 (shut down LeBron and force others to beat you) is still semi relevant in 2015.  But this playoff series is basically over.   We're getting swept.

Plus, that Cavs team in 2008 didn't have the weapons this 2015 Cavs team has.  Kyrie and Love would sweep this Celtic team without LeBron.

that's silly.

the cavs had a .400 record last year with a similar team

nope.   

Despite the fact he's been relegated to a Boshian third banana role player,  Kevin Love is still more than capable of being the 2nd best player on a great team.    Not saying that Irving, Shump, Smith, Love, Mozgov would win the title this year, but it would certainly be enough firepower to make quick work of this below .500 Celtic team.