Celtics (48-18) at Rockets (35-34) 3/18

[KungPoweChicken]

Rondo's adjusting to the new players, as everyone else is, and Rondo, despite his early-season injury, has played more minutes than anyone, and I thing he's just weary.

I loved the fact that Tommy lost his cool ... I have never heard him swear, (or if I did, I've forgotten it), and I've been watching for his entire career ... I was fuming at the crap that Martin was getting away with, and TH timed his overload perfectly, lol.

This team is just plain weary, (as they almost always are this time of year), and trying to integrate new players ... yes, this sucks right now, but I am honestly not worried ... the stars will align again soon.

Minutes played:



Ray Allen--2376


Paul Pierce-- 2288


Rajon Rondo--2059


I love peoples' enthusiasm to make excuses for the kid, though. The fact is that Rondo isn't as mentally tough as the elite/good players in this league.

[Celtics18]

I'm not really to worried about this loss. We'll bounce back.  

[Celtics18]

Rondo's adjusting to the new players, as everyone else is, and Rondo, despite his early-season injury, has played more minutes than anyone, and I thing he's just weary.

I loved the fact that Tommy lost his cool ... I have never heard him swear, (or if I did, I've forgotten it), and I've been watching for his entire career ... I was fuming at the crap that Martin was getting away with, and TH timed his overload perfectly, lol.

This team is just plain weary, (as they almost always are this time of year), and trying to integrate new players ... yes, this sucks right now, but I am honestly not worried ... the stars will align again soon.

Minutes played:



Ray Allen--2376


Paul Pierce-- 2288


Rajon Rondo--2059


I love peoples' enthusiasm to make excuses for the kid, though. The fact is that Rondo isn't as mentally tough as the elite/good players in this league.

Thanks for that fact. 

[KungPoweChicken]

Rondo's adjusting to the new players, as everyone else is, and Rondo, despite his early-season injury, has played more minutes than anyone, and I thing he's just weary.

I loved the fact that Tommy lost his cool ... I have never heard him swear, (or if I did, I've forgotten it), and I've been watching for his entire career ... I was fuming at the crap that Martin was getting away with, and TH timed his overload perfectly, lol.

This team is just plain weary, (as they almost always are this time of year), and trying to integrate new players ... yes, this sucks right now, but I am honestly not worried ... the stars will align again soon.

Minutes played:



Ray Allen--2376


Paul Pierce-- 2288


Rajon Rondo--2059


I love peoples' enthusiasm to make excuses for the kid, though. The fact is that Rondo isn't as mentally tough as the elite/good players in this league.

Thanks for that fact.  

Well, if you're referring to the minutes played, then, yes, that is a fact, and it is contrary to what Baku said. The truth must be known. If you're referring to "Rondo isn't as mentally tough as the elite/good players in the league," it may not be a fact, but it can be heavily supported.

[tenn_smoothie]

the starting five - especially Rondo - have been struggling badly since The Trade. can it be any more obvious ?

Danny has damaged the chemistry and the psyche of his team because he made a move that he thought looked like an overall improvement on paper. but nba teams - especially this team - don't play their games on paper. just ask yourself - would Red have made that deal ?  No Way, because Red understood people and that was his greatest strength and it is something Ainge seems completely oblivious to.

So tell me: what was our problem last season? We didn't look any better last season than we do now, if not worse, and all we did was trade Eddie House for Nate Robinson. I think Bill Simmons even went so far as to predict we would lose in the 1st round to the Heat. Whether that was silly or not was immaterial; THAT'S how bad we were playing. We were the 4th seed, and looking old as ever, as everyone wanted to tell us.

This season so far? We're STILL tied with the Bulls for 1st seed in the East, and subsequently tied for the 2nd best record in the NBA to the Spurs, even with our alleged woes lately. THAT'S how well we've played THIS season so far.

last season was a different issue.

........ and we have played well THIS season - until the disastorous trade we made on Feb. 24.

Agreed. As much as we were inconsistent last year, we were nowhere as disjointed on both sides of the ball as we are right now with less than a month until the playoffs. This team has no identity on offense or on defense right now and it gets worse every game. It has nothing to do with "flipping the switch" like last year.

I'd love to be proven wrong but we're going in the wrong direction. And what's worse, other teams can smell blood. Exhibit A: tonight.

 Do you really believe we were better last season when people said we would possibly be out in the 1st round? Seriously?  I almost feel like your post is contrived of you wanting to prove that the trade should never have happened. But between a 4th seed and how we finished out that season (3-7 in our last 10 games and 7-8 in our last 15, mind you), and the fact a lot of people thought the Celtics would be one and done, we definitely seemed disjointed then, too.

In the first 4 games since Krstic and Green came on, we scored 100. We even went on a five game winning streak with those guys on board.

In the last 7 games, we've limited our opponents to under 100 points in 6 games and under 90 in 5 of them.

One blowout loss doesn't mean we're suddenly more disjointed this season than we were last. One blowout loss is NOT the end of the world or this season.

sorry, but you are completely missing the point if you are trying to draw some kind of comparison between last season and this season - there are totally different dynamics at work between then and now - apples & oranges.


and yes, i do not believe the trade should ever have happened - what exactly was your first clue ?

i'm not putting any great effort into trying to prove that it was a bad trade. i'm simply making observations about the worst case scenario that has developed as a result of this team's heart being ripped away by their friendly GM - himself a manager of people who apparently has no insight whatsoever into the psychology of team sports.

[Tai]

the starting five - especially Rondo - have been struggling badly since The Trade. can it be any more obvious ?

Danny has damaged the chemistry and the psyche of his team because he made a move that he thought looked like an overall improvement on paper. but nba teams - especially this team - don't play their games on paper. just ask yourself - would Red have made that deal ?  No Way, because Red understood people and that was his greatest strength and it is something Ainge seems completely oblivious to.

So tell me: what was our problem last season? We didn't look any better last season than we do now, if not worse, and all we did was trade Eddie House for Nate Robinson. I think Bill Simmons even went so far as to predict we would lose in the 1st round to the Heat. Whether that was silly or not was immaterial; THAT'S how bad we were playing. We were the 4th seed, and looking old as ever, as everyone wanted to tell us.

This season so far? We're STILL tied with the Bulls for 1st seed in the East, and subsequently tied for the 2nd best record in the NBA to the Spurs, even with our alleged woes lately. THAT'S how well we've played THIS season so far.

last season was a different issue.

........ and we have played well THIS season - until the disastorous trade we made on Feb. 24.

Agreed. As much as we were inconsistent last year, we were nowhere as disjointed on both sides of the ball as we are right now with less than a month until the playoffs. This team has no identity on offense or on defense right now and it gets worse every game. It has nothing to do with "flipping the switch" like last year.

I'd love to be proven wrong but we're going in the wrong direction. And what's worse, other teams can smell blood. Exhibit A: tonight.

 Do you really believe we were better last season when people said we would possibly be out in the 1st round? Seriously?  I almost feel like your post is contrived of you wanting to prove that the trade should never have happened. But between a 4th seed and how we finished out that season (3-7 in our last 10 games and 7-8 in our last 15, mind you), and the fact a lot of people thought the Celtics would be one and done, we definitely seemed disjointed then, too.

In the first 4 games since Krstic and Green came on, we scored 100. We even went on a five game winning streak with those guys on board.

In the last 7 games, we've limited our opponents to under 100 points in 6 games and under 90 in 5 of them.

One blowout loss doesn't mean we're suddenly more disjointed this season than we were last. One blowout loss is NOT the end of the world or this season.

no offense, but you are completely missing the point if you are trying to draw some kind of comparison between last season and this season - there are totally different dynamics at work between then and now - apples & oranges.


uh yeah, i do not believe the trade should ever have happened - what exactly was your first clue ?

The problem with your point is that you're basically assessing every loss as to mean that the trade shouldn't have happened.

You claim the trade damaged the chemistry and psyche of this team? Where are you getting that from? You couldn't have gotten that from the first 5 games the team played with Krstic and Green, because they a) won, and b) scored at least 99 points in 4 of those games. I have no doubt the team wasn't happy that Danny traded Perkins, just like they weren't when House was traded last season, and sure, the new guys will take a while to get acclimated into how the Celtics play, but their psyche and chemistry didn't seem damaged in the games immediately after the trade. Heck, they've killed the Bucks and Pacers in the last week. Krstic and Green, for the most part, actually seem comfortable now.

I feel like you're just exaggerating the damage of anything, let alone psyche or chemistry, to help your point. No one's saying Krstic and Green will be best best buds with the team like Perkins was before the season ends, but it's unfair to claim every loss at this point is on Danny for making the trade.

[Tai]

And the reason I compare this season to last season is because we looked horrid ending that season, and no one had faith we'd go far in the playoffs.

Just saying we don't look good now doesn't prove this was a bad trade, for whatever reason you may claim. Not when the team started off well with the new guys after the trade. It's clear Krstic and Green can in fact "fit in". Maybe not the way we want them too (or basically, like Perk could), but they have nonetheless.

Just like you allege that last season was a different issue from this season, I think our problems this season is a different issue from the trade.

[tenn_smoothie]

And the reason I compare this season to last season is because we looked horrid ending that season, and no one had faith we'd go far in the playoffs.

Just saying we don't look good now doesn't prove this was a bad trade, for whatever reason you may claim. Not when the team started off well with the new guys after the trade. It's clear Krstic and Green can in fact "fit in". Maybe not the way we want them too (or basically, like Perk could), but they have nonetheless.

Just like you allege that last season was a different issue from this season, I think our problems this season is a different issue from the trade.

fair enough - and i agree that Kristic and Green have played well.
i'm not blaming the losses on them.

on the other hand, just because the team has won some games (vs weak opponents) since the trade doesn't prove their individual and collective psyches have not been damaged. look at the starting fives' performances and stats since the trade. those are the guys that would be most effected emotionally and those are the guys who, until feb. 24, were carrying this team thru all the injuries and keeping the Celts in that first spot in the east.

Rondo's been a zombie since the trade and Garnett has been less aggressive. Pierce and Allen's shooting has been scattered all over the place.

i'm not happy that the trade has been a kick in the gut to our team, but this team, more than any other group in the league and probably more than any Celtic team since Russell's 1969 champions, played for each other and thrived on emotion and a shared motivation to get the title back to Boston. that intangible togetherness has been affected.


last season, the Celts struggled the entire second half of the year due to a still healing Kevin Garnett, the alpha male push and pull created by the emergence of Rondo's desire to be a team leader and a weak bench. this season, the struggles started specifcally among the starters and immediately after the trade.

[wiley]

Not worried!     Rockets were not containable....their basket was like the ocean for like 3 of their guys....

We are still an undermanned team....we made two big signings at center and neither is playing.  We need them!  They (or at least one of them) will be back soon...

Ainge is a great GM.  Trust! 

The Celtics are tired but their pride will take over.....no East team has a chance against us! 

Go Celtics!

[Celtics18]

Rondo's adjusting to the new players, as everyone else is, and Rondo, despite his early-season injury, has played more minutes than anyone, and I thing he's just weary.

I loved the fact that Tommy lost his cool ... I have never heard him swear, (or if I did, I've forgotten it), and I've been watching for his entire career ... I was fuming at the crap that Martin was getting away with, and TH timed his overload perfectly, lol.

This team is just plain weary, (as they almost always are this time of year), and trying to integrate new players ... yes, this sucks right now, but I am honestly not worried ... the stars will align again soon.

Minutes played:



Ray Allen--2376


Paul Pierce-- 2288


Rajon Rondo--2059


I love peoples' enthusiasm to make excuses for the kid, though. The fact is that Rondo isn't as mentally tough as the elite/good players in this league.

Thanks for that fact.  

Well, if you're referring to the minutes played, then, yes, that is a fact, and it is contrary to what Baku said. The truth must be known. If you're referring to "Rondo isn't as mentally tough as the elite/good players in the league," it may not be a fact, but it can be heavily supported.

I was referring to your quote about Rondo not being "mentally tough."  That's not a fact, as you claim.  That's an opinion that I strongly disagree with. 

[BballTim]

Rondo's adjusting to the new players, as everyone else is, and Rondo, despite his early-season injury, has played more minutes than anyone, and I thing he's just weary.

I loved the fact that Tommy lost his cool ... I have never heard him swear, (or if I did, I've forgotten it), and I've been watching for his entire career ... I was fuming at the crap that Martin was getting away with, and TH timed his overload perfectly, lol.

This team is just plain weary, (as they almost always are this time of year), and trying to integrate new players ... yes, this sucks right now, but I am honestly not worried ... the stars will align again soon.

Minutes played:



Ray Allen--2376


Paul Pierce-- 2288


Rajon Rondo--2059


I love peoples' enthusiasm to make excuses for the kid, though. The fact is that Rondo isn't as mentally tough as the elite/good players in this league.

  Do you realize that Paul and Ray have played 11 more games than Rondo? Rajon's led the team in minutes per game every month of the season in spite of playing through injuries like plantar fasciatis and hamstring issues. He hasn't been complaining about playing through pain and he hasn't been asking out of the lineup. Saying he isn't mentally tough is ridiculous.

[BballTim]

Chris Paul is going to thoroughly demolish Rondo.

   Are you as sure about that as you were that Jennings was going to get 30 the game the Bucks ended up with 56 points?

[lovely_20]

So many negative Nellies on this board.  I'm not worried just yet. 

[IrishGreen]

Rondo's adjusting to the new players, as everyone else is, and Rondo, despite his early-season injury, has played more minutes than anyone, and I thing he's just weary.

I loved the fact that Tommy lost his cool ... I have never heard him swear, (or if I did, I've forgotten it), and I've been watching for his entire career ... I was fuming at the crap that Martin was getting away with, and TH timed his overload perfectly, lol.

This team is just plain weary, (as they almost always are this time of year), and trying to integrate new players ... yes, this sucks right now, but I am honestly not worried ... the stars will align again soon.

Minutes played:



Ray Allen--2376


Paul Pierce-- 2288


Rajon Rondo--2059


I love peoples' enthusiasm to make excuses for the kid, though. The fact is that Rondo isn't as mentally tough as the elite/good players in this league.

You do realise Rondo hasn't played as many games due to injury??

MPG Rondo leads the team.

[yibanbana]

If Budinger C can contain less than 20 years, I am happy. You can not begin to slow down the door.