AP:KG, Powe wouldn't have made a difference today?, ABC Crew is awful!

[NBAJ2K]

According to the AP...

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view/2009_04_12_Cavaliers_clobber_Celtics_107-76/
"Paul Pierce [stats] scored 14 and Glen Davis 12 for the Celtics, who were without Kevin Garnett and Leon Powe — not that they might have made a difference"

I understand that the Cavs were rolling today and we were definitely not, especially after that start. But the Associated Press definitely seems a little biased.  So the heart and soul of the Celtics wouldn't have made any difference in the game today?  I'm not saying we would have necessarily won or anything, but really?  Leon scored what, 21 pts last time we played them?

Anyways, just an awful game, lets hope that we don't have too many Sunday afternoon games during the playoffs, it seems that we just can't get going until a ways into the game.

And by the way, I've stated this before on this message board, but Van Gundy, Breen and Jackson, I HATE when they do Celtics games.  I know we were getting blown out, but how bout focusing on talking about topics relevant to the the game for atleast most of the game instead of random NBA talk. 

I love how the Celtics are on a 14-0 row in the 2nd quarter, I believe they didn't even mention anything about the run until it hit 14, instead they were on some other topic such as if Scottie Pippen is a hall of famer or not.  How do some people really like these guys if they don't even stick to talking about the game.  I know it can be hard when its a blowout, but they do the same thing even when it isn't a blowout.  I'd almost rather watch the game on Mute then hear them.  And for whatever reason they keep getting Celtics games. 

I also love how they never give the Celtics any credit either.  Whenever they are commentating a Celtics game, if the Celtics are playing really well they don't give them any credit, its how the other team is having an off day that day. Today, which I know we were totally out played, its about how great the Cavs are playing and not about how the Celtics are having a bad game.

Sorry, a little ranting before heading to bed.  I just am hoping we're 100% going into the playoffs.

Go C's

~J

[xmuscularghandix]

not only do i KNOW that having Powe and KG would have made a difference, but i'm also sure that KG sitting on the bench would have made a difference. You can't tell me that after taking those horrible shots BBD wouldn't step up after a time out with KG. Garnett looking over the baby makes Glen Davis a very good player.

[Rondo_is_better]

Uhh that's like a solid 9 on the ridiculous scale. Right up there with the idea of Kobe being a good teammate and 2012 apocalypse prediction.

Get it together, AP.

[adam8]

depends what your definition of difference is. Would they have won with KG and Powe, not a chance they didn't show up and didn't want this game enough because it didn't matter. However would it have been competitive I think so beacuse KG gets those easy buckets when the team needs it most.

So if difference means closer game then yeah this is a dumb comment they made, but if difference is all about the bottom line, they were not going to win this game anyways.

[gustusias]

I am glad to see this topic. However, I was thinking something else. The TV crew for ABC is absolutely appalling. I really don't care too much about loving one team more than another, or if Powe plus KG would have helped us. I mean we were terrible. I do care about Van Gundy's continuous yaketyyak, discussing irrelevant topics ad infinatum such as 'Kobe, Lebron, or Wade', (I mean who cares!!?), their trite and repetitious game analyses which basically are just overly done, uninsightful, boring, or simply 'NBA and ABC' intentioned remarks aimed at highlighting the stars of the league or even certain teams. Somewhere in the second quarter I couldn't stomach listening to their inanities anymore. I cut off the sound to the broadcast.   

[TatteredOnMySleeve]

Theyre right, KG and Powe would not have made a difference...did you miss the game in january that we lost by 15 in cleveland completly healthy?

[Vatoloc]

I thought those commentators were getting an orgasm every time lebrick touched the ball, or when they were showing lechoke making a layup in slowmotion.

[NoraG1]

Theyre right, KG and Powe would not have made a difference...did you miss the game in january that we lost by 15 in cleveland completly healthy?

Everytime you post that I am going to post about the time the Celtics beat the Cavs by double digits without KG. LOL Which means that neither game really means that much. Pretty much a tie at best, as was the regular season series.

[celticinorlando]

the entire media, stern, the nba and abc/espn want a lebron-kobe finals with the lakers winning it in my opinion. cleveland is now the new detroit from the late 1980s in the equation while boston is still boston and LA still LA....

KG and powe would have helped inside and slowed the tempo down....to me boston lost this game when LBJ hit his second 3...there was a stretch after that where boston played good defense but rushed long jumpers and looked like they were rushing....baby was just firing up that jumper seconds after they crossed half court

cleveland is a DIFFERENT animal on the road...less confident and less physical...boston has to figure out how to match the intensity at cleveland....they can do it...did it at detroit when THEY HAD to have game 3....did it in LA....and yes powe and KG will help

[Thruthelookingglass]

Regarding the ABC crew:

I also love how they never give the Celtics any credit either.  Whenever they are commentating a Celtics game, if the Celtics are playing really well they don't give them any credit, its how the other team is having an off day that day. Today, which I know we were totally out played, its about how great the Cavs are playing and not about how the Celtics are having a bad game.

. . .

Go C's

~J

The ABC crew gets under my skin, but not for their lack of respect for the C's.  I did notice in their end-of-season awards Mark Jackson had Rondo as League Most Improved, and Van Gundy had Doc Rivers as a Co-Coach of the Year and (somehow) as Defensive Player of the Year.

They are paid to hype players and I don't fault them for that either.  They want their ratings up and if the NBA and ABC tells them they'll fare better by screaming "Le-BRON!" 20 times a game they will do it.  It's just that like a lot of C's fans I don't want or need hype.  I want play-by-play and analysis from people who have done research. 

As an aside, I'd give my end-of-season award for calling a game to the local Clippers crew.  Solid, respectful, objective and knowledgeable about BOTH teams, and no Stuart Scott lurking at halftime.

[Chris]

The only way KG and Powe would have made a difference was if they had thrown a bucket of cold water on the rest of the team to wake them up before tip-off. 

The C's didn't show up, plain and simple.  Now, perhaps if Garnett was there, they would have shown up, but thats not a given.  With the circumstances of the game (meaningless, the day after clinching second place, etc. etc.), and the fact that the C's have been cruising through much of this season, even when the games did mean something, I have a feeling KG and Powe wouldn't have made a huge difference.

[TatteredOnMySleeve]

the entire media, stern, the nba and abc/espn want a lebron-kobe finals with the lakers winning it in my opinion. cleveland is now the new detroit from the late 1980s in the equation while boston is still boston and LA still LA....

KG and powe would have helped inside and slowed the tempo down....to me boston lost this game when LBJ hit his second 3...there was a stretch after that where boston played good defense but rushed long jumpers and looked like they were rushing....baby was just firing up that jumper seconds after they crossed half court

cleveland is a DIFFERENT animal on the road...less confident and less physical...boston has to figure out how to match the intensity at cleveland....they can do it...did it at detroit when THEY HAD to have game 3....did it in LA....and yes powe and KG will help

Why do people talk about cleveland not being a good road team?

wake up and smell the coffee people, they have the same exact road record as us.

And no, KG and Leon would have made absolutely no difference whatsoever in yesterdays game( they were healthy last time and we lost by 15, hello?), if they are healthy of course they will make a difference in the playoffs , but theres no guarantee thats going to happen, and if you think there is you're kidding yourself

100% healthy the cavs are still the better team and have been all year, sorry im just being a realist...its basically going to take a choke job to get by them, they control their own destiny

[Chris]

the entire media, stern, the nba and abc/espn want a lebron-kobe finals with the lakers winning it in my opinion. cleveland is now the new detroit from the late 1980s in the equation while boston is still boston and LA still LA....

KG and powe would have helped inside and slowed the tempo down....to me boston lost this game when LBJ hit his second 3...there was a stretch after that where boston played good defense but rushed long jumpers and looked like they were rushing....baby was just firing up that jumper seconds after they crossed half court

cleveland is a DIFFERENT animal on the road...less confident and less physical...boston has to figure out how to match the intensity at cleveland....they can do it...did it at detroit when THEY HAD to have game 3....did it in LA....and yes powe and KG will help

Why do people talk about cleveland not being a good road team?

wake up and smell the coffee people, they have the same exact road record as us.

Well, its because they are so dominant at home.  If a team is nearly undefeated at home, but loses 14 on the road, I see a significant difference in their vulnerability there.

[TatteredOnMySleeve]

the entire media, stern, the nba and abc/espn want a lebron-kobe finals with the lakers winning it in my opinion. cleveland is now the new detroit from the late 1980s in the equation while boston is still boston and LA still LA....

KG and powe would have helped inside and slowed the tempo down....to me boston lost this game when LBJ hit his second 3...there was a stretch after that where boston played good defense but rushed long jumpers and looked like they were rushing....baby was just firing up that jumper seconds after they crossed half court

cleveland is a DIFFERENT animal on the road...less confident and less physical...boston has to figure out how to match the intensity at cleveland....they can do it...did it at detroit when THEY HAD to have game 3....did it in LA....and yes powe and KG will help

Why do people talk about cleveland not being a good road team?

wake up and smell the coffee people, they have the same exact road record as us.

Well, its because they are so dominant at home.  If a team is nearly undefeated at home, but loses 14 on the road, I see a significant difference in their vulnerability there.

Its still good for one of the best road records in the league...its not like they are the jazz, who are 32-8 at home and 15-25 on the road...

The games in boston are much more competive as well, the cavs have been right on the verge of winning in boston for a while now (had a big lead in game 5 last year, lost by only 5 in game 7, had a decent lead on opening night, and were much more competive here in boston then we were down in cleveland)

[wahz]

This is silly. Its one thing to say they might not have made enough of a difference to cause the Celtics to win. I'd agree with that. But they would have made a difference. Even a healthy Scal would have given us 33% more depth up front and kept Minnie on the pine and allowed Baby and Perk to bang a little more.

The Cavs clog the middle and are quick to the jump shooter. KG spreads the floor a little more than Baby and we alos wouldn't have been our rebounded by 14 in the first 20 minutes of play.

Probably.