Does this win over Orlando get the Celtics into their groove?

[GRADYCOLNON]

Tonight's win over Orlando is the finest example of the expectations analysts and fans had coming into the season.  All starters in double figures, bench scoring, rebounding was up, assists were up, points off TO up, and the defense was fire.  And all of this was done without best player, Isaiah Thomas. 

Here is a sound bite from after the game:

http://www.csnne.com/video/bradley-we-were-just-having-fun-playing-celtics-defense

Bradley's last comments about playing for each other are interesting. Possibly reading too far into the comments but seemed like a shot at Thomas for putting too much pressure on the team to the point where the team wasn't having fun on the court.

[Who]

I hope it is a game that IT watched and learned some lessons from.

That the team needs to play with more togetherness and less individuality (from IT).

Sometimes star players do realize that when they are out injured. Other times they do not.

I hope IT did.

[TheTruthFot18]

I hope it is a game that IT watched and learned some lessons from.

That the team needs to play with more togetherness and less individuality (from IT).

Sometimes star players do realize that when they are out injured. Other times they do not.

I hope IT did.

Makes me think of Melo.

I think IT gets it. Not worried.

[Csfan1984]

The grove I thought the C's play in the garden. But I like it since Knicks also play in a garden. We should call it the Grove.

[hwangjini_1]

I agree with csfan. Trees are important to life and help us live betters lives. If we can get Celtics into a group of trees I am sure they will be healthier and play better.

Great thread on trees. Thanks. 

[SHAQATTACK]

I see Crowder and Smart moving a lot better .   Ankle sprains can be nagging .  Both were jumping battling under the boards .  They feel good now .  Same with Avery .  He seems 100 % now .

Kelly was more daring a tad last night .....sticking his big toe in the paint a couple times. .....but not willing to claim space in the paint still amoung other 7 ft guys.

The Celtics looked healthy finally last night . .....IT withstanding

[kozlodoev]

I hope it is a game that IT watched and learned some lessons from.

That the team needs to play with more togetherness and less individuality (from IT).

Sometimes star players do realize that when they are out injured. Other times they do not.

I hope IT did.

The only thing that we learned is that this team needs to play the Orlandos of the world every night, otherwise it is not pretty. 

[Surferdad]

It was all keyed off the defense, especially in the 2nd half.  They have to play that way every night, and while it is almost impossible to do that for 48 minutes, they have to try to play that way as much as possible.  This is the current Boston Celtics 'brand' and most team know it and likely do not look forward to playing the C's.  That good.

I felt like KO was still much too tentative with his shot.  He had a good game otherwise.

[PickNRoll]

This was one of the first times since the preseason that felt like our defense was truly swarming and "flying around" as CBS would say.  THIS is what the team's identity needs to be, which is why I've been calling for IT to come off the bench.  Setting the defensive tone is everything given how this roster is constructed.  We can't play mediocre defense and pray to shoot 40% from 3.  We can't shuffle the ball back to IT 3 or 4 times in a possession and pray for quality ISOs.  It's not sustainable.  We need to be a top 3 defense or we'll be sent home in the first round.

Another thing I noticed last night was an emphasis on running offense through Al in the post.  I hope that's not a fluke.  It relieves pressure from Smart and Rozier and plays into our defense-first gameplan when we're not chucking transition 3's.

[trickybilly]

I hope it is a game that IT watched and learned some lessons from.

That the team needs to play with more togetherness and less individuality (from IT).

Sometimes star players do realize that when they are out injured. Other times they do not.

I hope IT did.

The only thing that we learned is that this team needs to play the Orlandos of the world every night, otherwise it is not pretty. 

Someone needed to say it... Although I think the magic beat the Spurs recently.

[Surferdad]

This was one of the first times since the preseason that felt like our defense was truly swarming and "flying around" as CBS would say.  THIS is what the team's identity needs to be, which is why I've been calling for IT to come off the bench.  Setting the defensive tone is everything given how this roster is constructed.  We can't play mediocre defense and pray to shoot 40% from 3.  We can't shuffle the ball back to IT 3 or 4 times in a possession and pray for quality ISOs.  It's not sustainable.  We need to be a top 3 defense or we'll be sent home in the first round.

Another thing I noticed last night was an emphasis on running offense through Al in the post.  I hope that's not a fluke.  It relieves pressure from Smart and Rozier and plays into our defense-first gameplan when we're not chucking transition 3's.

The flaw in that argument is that the C's didn't pull away until the 2nd half.  They did NOT set the defensive tone at the start of the game.  In fact, Orlando was shooting really well from the field in the 1st half with Fournier and Augustin hitting everything.

[PickNRoll]

This was one of the first times since the preseason that felt like our defense was truly swarming and "flying around" as CBS would say.  THIS is what the team's identity needs to be, which is why I've been calling for IT to come off the bench.  Setting the defensive tone is everything given how this roster is constructed.  We can't play mediocre defense and pray to shoot 40% from 3.  We can't shuffle the ball back to IT 3 or 4 times in a possession and pray for quality ISOs.  It's not sustainable.  We need to be a top 3 defense or we'll be sent home in the first round.

Another thing I noticed last night was an emphasis on running offense through Al in the post.  I hope that's not a fluke.  It relieves pressure from Smart and Rozier and plays into our defense-first gameplan when we're not chucking transition 3's.

The flaw in that argument is that the C's didn't pull away until the 2nd half.  They did NOT set the defensive tone at the start of the game.  In fact, Orlando was shooting really well from the field in the 1st half with Fournier and Augustin hitting everything.

We have a D rating of 108 with IT on the court.  That's not cutting it. This roster can't win that way.  Personally, I'd trade him, but barring that I'd use him as a sparkplug scorer off the bench.