Author Topic: Poor execution from the C's, what happend?  (Read 2151 times)

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Poor execution from the C's, what happend?
« on: December 31, 2008, 01:01:18 AM »

Offline Binky-King

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This team's execution down the stretch has been horrible as of late.

I can live with guys missing shots, but the Celtics aren't getting a chance to do that they're just turning the ball over.

2 key turnovers by Garnett & Rondo were a killer against the Blazers, and the horrible shot by House iced the game.

I'm not sure if it's coaching or bad play or both, but the mentality in tight games has to be different from the 5 minute mark and onward in the fourth quarter. The C's should only run bread & butter sets for Garnett, Pierce & Allen...and Garnett HAS to be aggressive offensively during that time.

Only Pierce understood that against the Blazers but it was a little too late. I know everyone wants to talk about how the horrible the bench is & they are horrible but the Celtics lost 3 winnable games (LAL-POR-GS) because of lack of execution, something that separated them for other teams prior to Christmas.

Re: Poor execution from the C's, what happend?
« Reply #1 on: December 31, 2008, 01:05:01 AM »

Offline Rondo_is_better

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[quote author=Binky-King link=topic=24446.msg397850#msg397850 I know everyone wants to talk about how the horrible the bench is & they are horrible but the Celtics lost 3 winnable games (LAL-POR-GS) because of lack of execution, something that separated them for other teams prior to Christmas.
[/quote]

I would argue that the execution of the bench and bench players is what has been lacking. The starting five has been good. They've gotten us into the lead by at least 6 at the end of every first quarter on this trip. Then the bench comes in and loses the lead for us.
Grab a few boards, keep the TO's under 14, close out on shooters and we'll win.

Re: Poor execution from the C's, what happend?
« Reply #2 on: December 31, 2008, 01:17:42 AM »

Offline Binky-King

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I would argue that the execution of the bench and bench players is what has been lacking. The starting five has been good. They've gotten us into the lead by at least 6 at the end of every first quarter on this trip. Then the bench comes in and loses the lead for us.

The bench has been absolutely horrific, but the bench wasn't in at the end of the game against the Lakers & the Blazers. The starters were, and bad shots and turnovers cost them.

It's not as if there weren't in a bunch of close games earlier in the season. There execution in Atlanta was flawless, but lately it's been turnover and awful shots.

Re: Poor execution from the C's, what happend?
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2008, 01:21:17 AM »

Offline Rondo_is_better

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I would argue that the execution of the bench and bench players is what has been lacking. The starting five has been good. They've gotten us into the lead by at least 6 at the end of every first quarter on this trip. Then the bench comes in and loses the lead for us.

The bench has been absolutely horrific, but the bench wasn't in at the end of the game against the Lakers & the Blazers. The starters were, and bad shots and turnovers cost them.

It's not as if there weren't in a bunch of close games earlier in the season. There execution in Atlanta was flawless, but lately it's been turnover and awful shots.

Yes, but if the bench were able to maintain our early leads, or at least not give them up entirely, then we'd have more of a cushion at the end of the game. We were up by 14 on the Blazers. Then the bench came in full force, and ruined everything. If they had played well, the Celtics could have gone into the half with a 10 or 12 point lead, and put away a Portland team that was missing its best player.

That's why I think even though the starters are choking at the end (a little), its ultimately the bench's fault.
Grab a few boards, keep the TO's under 14, close out on shooters and we'll win.

Re: Poor execution from the C's, what happend?
« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2008, 01:31:48 AM »

Offline Binky-King

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I would argue that the execution of the bench and bench players is what has been lacking. The starting five has been good. They've gotten us into the lead by at least 6 at the end of every first quarter on this trip. Then the bench comes in and loses the lead for us.

The bench has been absolutely horrific, but the bench wasn't in at the end of the game against the Lakers & the Blazers. The starters were, and bad shots and turnovers cost them.

It's not as if there weren't in a bunch of close games earlier in the season. There execution in Atlanta was flawless, but lately it's been turnover and awful shots.

Yes, but if the bench were able to maintain our early leads, or at least not give them up entirely, then we'd have more of a cushion at the end of the game. We were up by 14 on the Blazers. Then the bench came in full force, and ruined everything. If they had played well, the Celtics could have gone into the half with a 10 or 12 point lead, and put away a Portland team that was missing its best player.

That's why I think even though the starters are choking at the end (a little), its ultimately the bench's fault.

You're right about the bench, but even with a great bench you're not going to up 10+ pts consistently, you can't just excuse how the starters have executed in close games as of late.

Re: Poor execution from the C's, what happend?
« Reply #5 on: December 31, 2008, 01:51:27 AM »

Offline Chris

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I know its a cop-out...but I think the guys are very tired.  It has been a brutal first 2 months, and it all seemed to catch up with them on this road trip.  They just haven't had that extra gear in the second half of games that they had at the beginning of the season.  I think part of that is because the bench has really not been able to maintain leads, which puts a lot more pressure on the starters, but more just because they have played the most brutal schedule I have seen in a long time.  The built up fatigue combined with the road trip, and the holidays (remember they still have families, and have to deal with them over the holidays just like the rest of us) just seemed to form the perfect storm.

They definitely need to get some reinforcements to the bench, but I think the problem of execution late in games will solve itself as the schedule slows down in the new year, and they are able to get a little more rest.