We need player who doesn't take plays off

[moiso]

Glad there is nobody named Cousins on this roster if we are talking about taking plays off.  I think we have a pretty hard working team right now.

[Ory]

This is why the player's union wanted the schedule lengthened without adding games. These guys fly all over the continent around 80 times in around 6 months. They get sick constantly. They cross time zones and borders. They live in hotels for a lot of the time. For 2/3 of the season they can be traded with no notice. They have to bond with teammates, knowing that the rug can be pulled out at any point by trades, injuries, free agency, or just about anything life throws at all of us.

NBA teams win more at home and lose more on the road with few exceptions because of fatigue. It shows up more in the regular season, since in the playoffs both teams are travelling parallel to each other after game 2 of a series.

I wanted the C's to close out last night's game. It is hard to watch west coast road trips for me because they always look half dead. Last night was particularly bad because of missing Bradley and Horford. I really just hope we can go into the playoffs this year healthy.

[mmmmm]

He wins us games when he is making the right plays, but cost us when he forces things or playing half-assed like this one, more often than not.

Hmm... the Celtics are 86-52 (a 51-win pace) in games Isaiah has started since becoming the regular starter in the Fall of 2015.

That seems to suggest maybe he wins us games more often than not.

Instead of focusing on the one free throw (out of 11) that IT missed in the closing minute, perhaps you might focus some attention on the TEN missed FTs by the rest of the team throughout the game. 

The last play was (correctly) charged as a turnover (bad pass) by Jae.  He waited too long to pass it in, allowing Chriss to get way too close to Isaiah.

The play that tied it was due to failed defensive rotations to help once Bledsoe blew past Marcus.

[Clench123]

this is what you get with a roster full of role players and no star.

they play on emotion and hustle... ya can't do that every night, it's impossible, some nights a star picks up the slack and good ole talent prevails. this is why this team(like Atlanta) gets referred to as a "regular season team". that's why when this team gets in the playoffs no matter who they play or what their seeding is it's not going to be easy and they could lose in any round.

Reality

[Ilikesports17]

He wins us games when he is making the right plays, but cost us when he forces things or playing half-assed like this one, more often than not.

Hmm... the Celtics are 86-52 (a 51-win pace) in games Isaiah has started since becoming the regular starter in the Fall of 2015.

That seems to suggest maybe he wins us games more often than not.

Instead of focusing on the one free throw (out of 11) that IT missed in the closing minute, perhaps you might focus some attention on the TEN missed FTs by the rest of the team throughout the game. 

The last play was (correctly) charged as a turnover (bad pass) by Jae.  He waited too long to pass it in, allowing Chriss to get way too close to Isaiah.

The play that tied it was due to failed defensive rotations to help once Bledsoe blew past Marcus.

im pretty sure Marcus was on booker the entire last possession

[GRADYCOLNON]

I think the taking plays off is not the biggest problem for the players.  I think it is more of symptom all team experience during the regular season.  Taking plays off in the playoffs is more troublesome. 

What I find more troublesome has been the team getting caught up in the rhythm of bad teams.  The last two games, and others earlier in the season, the Celtics are not controlling the tempo or playing their style of play, letting the bad teams dictate their play. 

The lack of defense and ball security has been the most apparent issue against the Suns and Lakers.  Brown and Smart have been two players still working hard, but a lot of others have been playing below their standard.  It was apparent that Olynyk was just lost, really struggling, probably is hiding that he is sick or has a problem in his social life.  Jonas is still struggling with his slump.

One player that I think has really been holding back the team has been Crowder.  Things are a lot different for him from last year.  His offensive has been a huge gain, but defensively it is different.  Last night, he was burned multiple times on pick and roles, and the same was happening in the Cleveland game.  This isn't to say Crowder is at fault for all the team's inconsistencies; he does need to up his game if we want to be successful in the playoffs.  Because Derozan and James are going to be the big hurdles if we want to make it into the finals. 

[oldtype]

The NBA season is 82 games and players are human.  Everyone takes a few plays off here and there (aside from Marcus Smart, who is genetically closer to a velociraptor.)

West-coast road trips are weird and Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline.ty losses to Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline.ty teams happen. (I think it's happened to us at least once on every extended trip.)  Last night was embarrassing but it shouldn't change what you think about the team in general.

[Rosco917]

Smart, Crowder, AB, and even Brown play hard most of the time. These players are the heart and backbone of the Celtic team. They are the reason this team is far better than the sum of it's parts. 

When ever I feel down on the Celtics, I look at the Lakers, where nobody plays hard nose basketball, or defends, and where everybody is looking to be "the new Kobe"

Honestly if you look around the league, many teams have more actual talent than the C's. The Celtics have a core of players that actually compete. They just happen to be short a few important pieces.   

[green_bballers13]

Smart, Crowder, AB, and even Brown play hard most of the time. These players are the heart and backbone of the Celtic team. They are the reason this team is far better than the sum of it's parts. 

When ever I feel down on the Celtics, I look at the Lakers, where nobody plays hard nose basketball, or defends, and where everybody is looking to be "the new Kobe"

Honestly if you look around the league, many teams have more actual talent than the C's. The Celtics have a core of players that actually compete. They just happen to be short a few important pieces.

I'm guessing everyone would be fine with Steph Curry who was a ghost by the end of the finals last year...

[mr. dee]

The NBA season is 82 games and players are human.  Everyone takes a few plays off here and there (aside from Marcus Smart, who is genetically closer to a velociraptor.)

West-coast road trips are weird and ****ty losses to ****ty teams happen. (I think it's happened to us at least once on every extended trip.)  Last night was embarrassing but it shouldn't change what you think about the team in general.

And this is why depth matters in an 82-game grind season. Need others to step up if others are having a bad night. Seeing Smart as our leading rebounder this game makes me want to puke at our soft front court. Horford ain't that bad, but he was burned many times.

One injury from our core rotation players, and the whole team is messed up.

Kelly is invisible again and got raped by Plumlee, lol. Once again, only Smart and Brown showed up. I'll say it again, we need more players who rarely takes plays off on the defensive end.

[TheSundanceKid]

The NBA season is 82 games and players are human.  Everyone takes a few plays off here and there (aside from Marcus Smart, who is genetically closer to a velociraptor.)

West-coast road trips are weird and ****ty losses to ****ty teams happen. (I think it's happened to us at least once on every extended trip.)  Last night was embarrassing but it shouldn't change what you think about the team in general.

Last night wasn't some weird incident. It has happened in a lot of our losses to lesser teams this year. We have a trend of being lackadaisical in those games. You see lots of throwing hands in the air after a no call, not bothering to rotate on defense if the guy seems too far away, throwing up crap shots.

I'm usually a big defender of IT, he gets a lot of undue stick. But last night he deserved the stick, when things were going wrong he started playing with a stubbornness that hurt the team. The same with Smart. Brad pulled them both at different points in the game, the problem is there is no-one who can replace them. Al had a good game but it was wasted because our guards wouldn't play within the system.

Last night was hugely disappointing to me. It leads me to worry about the 1st round. I know these guys can perform against Washington, Toronto or Cleveland. But will they bother showing up when they face Miami or Milwaukee? Because on this season's evidence they will play with a lack of purpose as if it didn't really matter

[tazzmaniac]

This is why the player's union wanted the schedule lengthened without adding games. These guys fly all over the continent around 80 times in around 6 months. They get sick constantly. They cross time zones and borders. They live in hotels for a lot of the time. For 2/3 of the season they can be traded with no notice. They have to bond with teammates, knowing that the rug can be pulled out at any point by trades, injuries, free agency, or just about anything life throws at all of us.

NBA teams win more at home and lose more on the road with few exceptions because of fatigue. It shows up more in the regular season, since in the playoffs both teams are travelling parallel to each other after game 2 of a series.

I wanted the C's to close out last night's game. It is hard to watch west coast road trips for me because they always look half dead. Last night was particularly bad because of missing Bradley and Horford. I really just hope we can go into the playoffs this year healthy.

TP for a very lucid, rational first post.  People working normal, routine 8x5 jobs have good days and bad days.  Yet players are somehow expected to be automatons. 

[tazzmaniac]

this is what you get with a roster full of role players and no star.

they play on emotion and hustle... ya can't do that every night, it's impossible, some nights a star picks up the slack and good ole talent prevails. this is why this team(like Atlanta) gets referred to as a "regular season team". that's why when this team gets in the playoffs no matter who they play or what their seeding is it's not going to be easy and they could lose in any round.

Completely agree with you.  I don't care much where we finish in the regular season as long as we won't play the Cavs until the ECF.  Home court would be a plus but it is not going to make up for our lack of stars. 

[mr. dee]

this is what you get with a roster full of role players and no star.

they play on emotion and hustle... ya can't do that every night, it's impossible, some nights a star picks up the slack and good ole talent prevails. this is why this team(like Atlanta) gets referred to as a "regular season team". that's why when this team gets in the playoffs no matter who they play or what their seeding is it's not going to be easy and they could lose in any round.

Completely agree with you.  I don't care much where we finish in the regular season as long as we won't play the Cavs until the ECF.  Home court would be a plus but it is not going to make up for our lack of stars.

Winning turns role-players into stars. Was Havlicek an All-Star during Russell's prime? Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton were never considered stars until they have won it all too.

There's the fallacy of needing many stars to win it all. Hakeem only needed Robert Horry, Sam Cassell and Vernon Maxwell and Kenny Smith. Without Russell, I doubt guys like Satch Sanders would even be a HOF'er. We need talent, yes. But talent without chemistry spells disaster. It doesn't matter how many all-star we have. It they don't fit well together, those talent are pretty much useless.

I get that post season is more important than the regular season. But they have alot to prove. They bounced in the first round in the last two years. They haven't earn the rights to take a day-off as they haven't proven themselves yet. If they were veteran teams who need rests during the regular season, its reasonable. If you are one of the best young upcoming team, no excuse.

[Celtics4ever]

this is what you get with a roster full of role players and no star.

How can anyone think IT4 is not a star these days, seriously what more would he have to do?