Celtics (22-20) at Raptors (26-15) Game #43 1/20/16

[JOMVP]

So hard to watch losing all these close games! Either Smart needs to be added back into the starting lineup to help slow down these early starts by other teams, or Kelly needs to be in there to help space the floor to get the offense going more early on. I think Jae's improvement in shooting and scoring in general, we can get away with Smart starting. Isaiah is just getting exposed most nights as a starter. Energy, volume scorers need to be brought off the bench, especially when they are barely five feet tall.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

Our best ball against them was a lineup of Smart, AB, Turner, JJ and KO. Didn't see that grouping in the 2nd half.

[max215]

Oh, and if we move IT back to the bench, we can put KO in the starting lineup:

Smart
AB
Bae
KO
Amir

[Bostoncelticsforlife7]

Avery is NOT clutch...

He's made quite a few big shots over the past few seasons.

He rarely makes them it p---es me off how Brad runs plays for him in crunch time... SMH

[B0S_C]

Oh, and if we move IT back to the bench, we can put KO in the starting lineup:

Smart
AB
Bae
KO
Amir

I would LOVE to see them start... Tired of "at least brooklyn lost"-ing thing

[mctyson]

Our best ball against them was a lineup of Smart, AB, Turner, JJ and KO. Didn't see that grouping in the 2nd half.

You are correct I believe.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

Avery is NOT clutch...

He's made quite a few big shots over the past few seasons.

He rarely makes them it p---es me off how Brad runs plays for him in crunch time... SMH

He does it probably based off of last season, AB was one of the best in those situations. I think he has to go to someone else this season when he sees it not working this season.

[Walter Moss]

I remember Minny in 2013 lost like 20 games by less than 5 points or something crazy like that.. How many are Cs up to now?

Celtics now 10-14 in clutch games (+/- 5 pts, last 5 min). That .416 winning% is tied for 23rd in NBA with … the 11-win Brooklyn Nets.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I remember Minny in 2013 lost like 20 games by less than 5 points or something crazy like that.. How many are Cs up to now?

Celtics now 10-14 in clutch games (+/- 5 pts, last 5 min). That .416 winning% is tied for 23rd in NBA with … the 11-win Brooklyn Nets.

I guess it's part of the growth curve ... right now these guys just don't have it mentally in crunch time.

Also seems like this team has gotten away from its defensive intensity—you should never lose a game in which you score 109 points.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

Every game we lose the guards get blamed for it. Yes, AB and ET couldn't stop Derozan but he is a great offensive player, he is going to go off sometimes (score 23 a game).

I wish someone wouldn't be as lazy as I am and see if this is true. In the majority of our losses, only 1-2 of our bigs play well in the same game. We want our guards/wings to stop the best players in the game and also score the ball. The best players in the game overwhelmingly are on the perimeter, chances are those players are going to do what they do best and score the ball from time to time. Demar and Lowry avg 50pts a game, they got 48 tonight, what's new?

When is more than 1 of the bigs at a time going to take some of the offensive load off? 1 of our bigs scored in double figures tonight and only 2 last game!! CAN THEY GIVE US SOMETHING??? Not only did they give us NO OFFENSE they didn't stop Toronto bigs!!! 

Also AB/IT4 had 40pts to Lowry/Demar's 48... if you can't defend them at least score and that's what our guards did AGAIN!

[SHAQATTACK]

Another tough loss. ET wasn't bad tonight or anything, but he can't play the same number of minutes and take more shots than Smart. It also may be time to move IT back to the bench. Smart must play more.

Smart needs more than 24 minutes.

Bingo......Celtics won't improve till Smart plays huge minutes with KO