Suns (5-5) at Celtics (3-5) Game #9 11/17/14

[D.o.s.]

AB has to go.

Bradley was a +2.
Rondo was a -10.
Bradley committed 2 turnovers.
Rondo committed 5 turnovers.

Bradley had the biggest turnover of the game.
plus minus stats are irrelevant.

Only to an idiot.

You really think plus minus is all that?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

That's all I gotta say.

No, what you said was that plus and minus was irrelevant.

Now you are changing your tune.

It's a great stat because it's the only stat that includes team offense and team defense.

Rondo can't defend.

Not agreeing or disagreeing with the argument, since I had to miss the game, but I want to make sure that facts are, you know, known to the posters on Celtics Blog.

So I'm just trying to make sure: We are aware that catch-all stats are inherently worse than stats that measure only one thing, right?

[SHAQATTACK]

The Celtics are a bad, young team in the process of rebuilding.  Bad, young, rebuilding teams tend to have issues with closing out games.  It's not that complex an issue, honestly.

Bad, young, rebuilding teams don't regularly build double-digit leads against even good teams.  And Boston was pretty bad and pretty young last season but was playing defense a lot better than this.

Bad, young, rebuilding teams lose close games but they more often lose decisively or get blown out.  They don't really look like these Celtics.

Mike

If this is true ....it's an indication of leadership and ......ah coaching malady

You've clearly got to give Stevens credit for how good the team looks at times but they've got to, at some point, stop losing winnable games like they repeatedly did last season and so far this year.

Mike

Well....I d agree mostly .....except they look lost at the end of a game ........it's about winning ......no cigar for close ...he needs to be chewing nails ...get a little excited ..coach needs to right the ship before it sinks .    He leads them till the final moment .....and disappears.

It's at the end .....I feel he lacks the emotion to get the extra bit out of these guys

Seems like ...he lets them loose focus ......maybe it's just me

[Celtics4ever]

You've clearly got to give Stevens credit for how good the team looks at times but they've got to, at some point, stop losing winnable games like they repeatedly did last season and so far this year.

I disagree I think he has us playing way above our talent level.    I think we lose a lot of these games because NBA teams play in the 4th and coast a lot of the rest of the game.   Stevens and the team has us in these games and but when push comes to shove, we lack the talent and we lose.   It is debatable if these games are winnable given our talent level.   Do you think it is better than last year?   I do slightly but I do not see a winning team.   Red Auerbach or John Wooden could not win some of these games given our defensive prowess or lack thereof.  I doubt many coaches could take a mid major twice to the NCAA finals.  So he can coach.   Have to see what he can do with better players.     I do not think Phil Jackson would win with this team as he has only coached prebuilt loaded teams.  I do not think we have playoff talent, you must.

Ainge knows this is going to take time so he got a program builder for a coach.   I think Sully's trade value has improved a lot and we have better pieces to make a deal next spring than we had this year.  Lots of expiring guys who can be added or discarded.  I think anyone save MS is available too, that means RR and JG and AB( do not we will have a taker for him though).

[Beat LA]

Here's what I don't get - I thought that Stevens was a defensive-oriented coach.  Don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed seeing us pile up the points, but did he just forget all about defense this year, lol?  Aw well, another frustrating game, but you guys shouldn't overreact.  Is this not what you expected in year two of the rebuild, because this team is, to me, resembling those squads from 2005-2007 (albeit a much less talented version), that couldn't win in the 4th quarter (even with Pierce), either.

[SCeltic34]

The Celtics are a bad, young team in the process of rebuilding.  Bad, young, rebuilding teams tend to have issues with closing out games.  It's not that complex an issue, honestly.

Bad, young, rebuilding teams don't regularly build double-digit leads against even good teams.  And Boston was pretty bad and pretty young last season but was playing defense a lot better than this.

Bad, young, rebuilding teams lose close games but they more often lose decisively or get blown out.  They don't really look like these Celtics.

Mike

If this is true ....it's an indication of leadership and ......ah coaching malady

You've clearly got to give Stevens credit for how good the team looks at times but they've got to, at some point, stop losing winnable games like they repeatedly did last season and so far this year.

Mike

Completely agree.  This is something I am really looking at this season - the ability to improve execution down the stretch and win at least some of the close games.  Big fat "F" so far.

If you look up and down our roster, it's impressive how good we look offensively given our talent (or lack thereof).  For that, Stevens deserves praise.

Again, looking at our roster, you'd expect us to be an average defensive team at best.  But right now we're just atrocious.  Stevens has to answer for this.  We're fortunate to have 3 wins under our belt.

[Celtics4ever]

Zeller and Bass have NBA footspeed.   Green is fast.   Sully and KO have normal guy footspeed that you see at the YMCA, they also can't jump.   When someone pentrates they look at him rather than slide over to block the path.  Our rim protection is non existent even Zeller is not a pure rim protector though he can slide with his man.   

[MBunge]

The game Wednesday is going to be as meaningful as any 10th game of the season has ever been in the history of the NBA.  Boston undeniably has a good bit more talent than Philly and they have to be almost as desperate for a win as the Sixers.  If they lose, that's going to be a big sign that for all his smarts, Stevens just doesn't have what it takes to coach at this level.

Mike

[pokeKingCurtis]

rondo should really be in the gym 24/7 working on his fts

he does. He has prob shot more practice FTs than anyone in this league.

Just can't shoot

Shoot underhand.

Mike

Or pass it to the basket.

How are his passes so pinpoint, yet his shooting (especially FT's) so atrocious!?