Should we really be surprised?

[adam8]

This team has obvious flaws, we all know that, this team was not competing for a championship this year we all have known that. With that said this team is clearly better than they have played the last two games, but this team is going through something that is really unprecedented. To have your leader emotional cut down right before the playoffs is extremely detrimental to the mental and emotional fortitude of a team.

I think before he series started but after hearing the news of Isaiahs sisters passing there was probably a thought that this could pull the team together, they will fight hard for each other, this is true and if this was the regular season they might rattle off a couple wins as a show of support for their star. The difference is this is the playoffs, the other team is gonna show up giving 100% effort so we can't gain that emotional edge of playing harder for the team leaders loss.

What does happen though without question is preparation for games has got to be limited, IT might be able to play in the games and escape his nightmare for a couple hours when the adrenaline is pumping, but in practice does anyone think he can focus? If your leader isn't focused the rest of the team is going to try to make their leader feel better, now they aren't focused on preparation either.

When I heard the news I knew there were probably two options they come out gang busters, or they come out kind of shell shocked, trying to do to much and emotionally on the edge before the game even starts. Obviously option two is what we got but as I look back now I think it was unrealistic to think this would go any other way in the playoffs, everyone gives full effort and it's then all about matchup preparation and game plan. We aren't prepared, probably can't game plan how we really want to and the bulls aren't exactly the best match up anyways.

[MBunge]

IT gets a pass this entire series.  I'd even give the whole team a break for game one.  But last night?  You can't tell me the rest of those guys are that shook up over someone most of them barely knew.

But we really shouldn't be surprised because we've seen this same kind of pitiful effort many times this season, way more than you'd expect for a 53 win team.

Mike

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

IT gets a pass this entire series.  I'd even give the whole team a break for game one.  But last night?  You can't tell me the rest of those guys are that shook up over someone most of them barely knew.

But we really shouldn't be surprised because we've seen this same kind of pitiful effort many times this season, way more than you'd expect for a 53 win team.

Mike

Yup. We even saw it in some of their wins—they were just fortunate to be playing crappy teams who couldn't take advantage of Boston's severe flaws.

[CoachBo]

Not really. This team has some serious deficiencies that have been, to put it mildly, belligerently unaddressed by management.

I agree that Thomas gets a pass - but invoking his sister's death as THE excuse for the two losses is an excuse, not an explanation.

It has absolutely nothing to do with the fact Amir is cooked. It has nothing whatsoever to do with Jaylen Brown playing himself quickly onto the bench last night with his defensive incompetence.

And those are just two examples.

[adam8]

I know we have flaws I thought I covered that, no one is responding to my real point here.

Do you think our team has the ability to game plan and prepare the way we should be before a playoff series when are best player is obviously not emotionally with the team?

how do you come up with a game plan in these instances, how do you make sure everyone is focused on the game between games when you know everyone feels so terrible for Isaiah?

Layoffs is all about making adjustments and hyper focus not just during games but in between games, if you think our team has the ability to do that right now all I can say is you are clearly wrong.

If you want to believe we are worse than the bulls that's your choice, but I will take 82 games of evidence over two games of evidence under extreme duress.

[flybono]

I know we have flaws I thought I covered that, no one is responding to my real point here.

Do you think our team has the ability to game plan and prepare the way we should be before a playoff series when are best player is obviously not emotionally with the team?

how do you come up with a game plan in these instances, how do you make sure everyone is focused on the game between games when you know everyone feels so terrible for Isaiah?

Layoffs is all about making adjustments and hyper focus not just during games but in between games, if you think our team has the ability to do that right now all I can say is you are clearly wrong.

If you want to believe we are worse than the bulls that's your choice, but I will take 82 games of evidence over two games of evidence under extreme duress.

The bottom line is, "not enough talent".. You can game plan all you want. If the talent is not there your in trouble or at best a .500 Team.

Celtics vs Playoff Teams this Season 20 22

Stevens should have put muscle on Rondo, Smart maybe? The lack of in game adjustments by Stevens has me concerned.

If your swept and I'm Ainge, you have to seriously think about your Coach and dumping dead weight to include Horford..




 

[adam8]

I know we have flaws I thought I covered that, no one is responding to my real point here.

Do you think our team has the ability to game plan and prepare the way we should be before a playoff series when are best player is obviously not emotionally with the team?

how do you come up with a game plan in these instances, how do you make sure everyone is focused on the game between games when you know everyone feels so terrible for Isaiah?

Layoffs is all about making adjustments and hyper focus not just during games but in between games, if you think our team has the ability to do that right now all I can say is you are clearly wrong.

If you want to believe we are worse than the bulls that's your choice, but I will take 82 games of evidence over two games of evidence under extreme duress.

The bottom line is, "not enough talent".. You can game plan all you want. If the talent is not there your in trouble or at best a .500 Team.

Celtics vs Playoff Teams this Season 20 22

Stevens should have put muscle on Rondo, Smart maybe? The lack of in game adjustments by Stevens has me concerned.

If your swept and I'm Ainge, you have to seriously think about your Coach and dumping dead weight to include Horford..




 

I agree until that last statement, Ainge is not going to make changes just to shake up a team that is getting a top 4 pick, is young, is only a couple years into a rebuild that we expected to take much longer, and on top of that they were already the number one seed.

When we went into this season I think 95% of fans would have been very happy to get home court in the first round and win one series, doesn't look like we will get that series win, but we have an up and coming team and we are nowhere near "treadmill" we have a top 3 pick last year a top pick this year (1-4) and another one next year hopefully, this team was always meant to be a bridge team never built to compete so why overreact when we basically do what the talent of the roster says we should do.

[vjcsmoke]

I am still shocked we did not go for Cousins when he was available for so cheap.

We just made Robin freaking Lopez look like a hall of famer last night.  I mean Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline.?

We need quality big men who can rebound and defend.

Apparently we don't have those.

We're down 0-2 in the hole.  Zeller and Olynyk don't appear to be the answer to stop the bleeding.

I expected us to beat the Bulls.  But the team with the chemistry issues the last two games appeared to be the Celtics and not the Bulls...