I see some cracks in the Celtics Exterior.

[Diesel]

I watched the post game interviews...  Adversity hasn't hit just yet but there are cracks.  IF we force a game 7, the whole team will be cracked.  Right now, most of them still think... we just let that one get away.  However, if we handily beat them in Atlanta (which will be damn near impossible to do) they will be a broken team. 

But Here is what I see Right NOW

JB is upset with his teammates.. Smart in particular.   His body language at the presser and what he said speaks volumes.

When Smart fouled Trae...   JB was like, "why did you foul?"

In the press conference, JB said "We should have never been in that situation in the first place." 

When you think about it from his perspective..  He had the playoff game of his life.   Dominating.   But because Trae hit the last shot over him, he may go down as the scapegoat.  The morning media has already jumped on him.  "You're 6'6".  Why are you backing up.  Why did you give Trae that much space.  Everybody in the world knew that Trae was going to shoot that last shot." 

But I think he heard it first from his coach...  Nobody knows Mazzulla.. really.  What I have gathered from his pressers and even his interviews between quarters is that he's an asshole that likes to point the finger.  He's a brilliant defensive mind but I don't think he's a guy who can build strong relationships with his players because he's too busy pointing out everything that they did wrong.    He's not exactly Nate because Nate tried to build relationships.   He's more callus like Thibs.  Those type of guys causes their team to eventually lose confidence. 

The Celtics are a talented team.. from top to bottom.  Udoka did a great job building them (congratulations on the new hire)...  BUT IF we win game 6... and it will take an effort.  And if we can win in a dominant fashion... like game 3...   This team will crumble.  If we get them to believe that their talent ain't enough to put us away, they don't have the coaching to tell them otherwise. 

Look at the Narrative.  They are the first Celtic team to lose a closeout game at home in the History of the Celtics.   They had everything they wanted in game 5... and they let us with no DJ (who had been our most consistent player) beat them in their house... and with what looks like the play of one guy.

Here's what will happen...

Boston will come out in game 6 and hit us with everything they got.   They will try to be as physical as possible.  Al Horford with elbows out on the moving screen and all.   They will be looking to draw blood and end us early and go home with the series win.   It's going to be hard because it's a lot.   This is by no means a done deal for Atlanta.  We will have to weather their storm and reach down deep and fight hard. BUT... If we weather that storm.. and win that game...   Those Boston Celtics over there... will quit.  They will publickly bicker.  They will have a loss of confidence.  They will have to hear the Friday media....  They will quit...I don't think they are built for adversity. 

 

 

 

[NBASupes]

They always had cracks which is why I wanted them. We have to keep the game close or be ahead to beat them. They are a better squad but they have no heart, no clutch factor, and aren't well-coached in key situations. 

[ShooterSays]

Yeah JB wearing an Atlanta Braves hat during the post game presser doesn’t exactly scream team or city unity.

[REHawksFan]

It's still more likely that the Celtics win by 20 Thursday than the Hawks win by 5, but I'll take it.  No one expected them to win last night.  No one will expect them to win Thursday.  Just gotta stay aggressive but under control.  

Don't let them pull away and you'll probably be there at the end of the game with a chance to win.  

[kg01]

Its been said that Tatum and Brown don't like each other.  Any pressure will stress that pairing.  Happened last night.  Any close game Thursday, especially late, and there's no telling what will happen. 

[JayBirdHawk]

We just need to take the fight to them and don't back down. Play with the same fight like last night.  We play until the clock hits 0:00.

[Final_quest]

It would be really funny to break the Celtics like we did Simmons.

[JayBirdHawk]

4 minutes ago, Final_quest said:

It would be really funny to break the Celtics like we did Simmons.

Let's all Pray for it  

[Diesel]

1 hour ago, REHawksFan said:

It's still more likely that the Celtics win by 20 Thursday than the Hawks win by 5, but I'll take it.  No one expected them to win last night.  No one will expect them to win Thursday.  Just gotta stay aggressive but under control.  

Don't let them pull away and you'll probably be there at the end of the game with a chance to win.  

Like I said, it will be the best Boston team we've ever seen in the beginning.   But we've been there before with Philly.  IF we weather their best shots... and they will have several... And we can pull out a win, Game 7 will be us vs. Brogdan, White, and Williams.  With us having a lot of confidence. 

 

[Diesel]

58 minutes ago, kg01 said:

Its been said that Tatum and Brown don't like each other.  Any pressure will stress that pairing.  Happened last night.  Any close game Thursday, especially late, and there's no telling what will happen. 

Right now, Brown is mad... He's going to come out on fire Thursday.   He's mad because he played like it was a closeout.   He feel that some of his teammates didn't.  If he's close to a TV, he hears Charles and Kenny say that "they didn't play like they wanted to win".  He hears House say " They played not to lose instead of playing to win."   He hears Jay Williams blaming him for the bad defense on Trae.   Yeah, I would have all that going on in the hotel and the airport so that he can hear it.  He's the first crack.

Tatum looks scared.  I see fear in his eyes.. but maybe that's just how he looks. He has had to work for everything. 

I guarantee you that Mazzulla is pointing fingers.   A finger pointing coach will have a finger pointing team. 

If we survive game 6, Game 7 is ours.

 

 

 

[kg01]

15 minutes ago, Diesel said:

Right now, Brown is mad... He's going to come out on fire Thursday.   He's mad because he played like it was a closeout.   He feel that some of his teammates didn't.  If he's close to a TV, he hears Charles and Kenny say that "they didn't play like they wanted to win".  He hears House say " They played not to lose instead of playing to win."   He hears Jay Williams blaming him for the bad defense on Trae.   Yeah, I would have all that going on in the hotel and the airport so that he can hear it.  He's the first crack.

Tatum looks scared.  I see fear in his eyes.. but maybe that's just how he looks. He has had to work for everything. 

I guarantee you that Mazzulla is pointing fingers.   A finger pointing coach will have a finger pointing team. 

If we survive game 6, Game 7 is ours.

 

 

 

You mean Brown has had to work for everything, right?  The issue between them, per Scalabrine, is that Tatum has been given everything that Brown has had to work for.

Also, Scal mentioned that Brogdon wasn't happy with Joe after being subbed out.  Not mad, but not happy about it.

If we keep it close, they may implode (again). 

[REHawksFan]

27 minutes ago, Diesel said:

Like I said, it will be the best Boston team we've ever seen in the beginning.   But we've been there before with Philly.  IF we weather their best shots... and they will have several... And we can pull out a win, Game 7 will be us vs. Brogdan, White, and Williams.  With us having a lot of confidence. 

 

To your point (heard this stat on one of the pods I was listening to)...

Boston is 2-7 in games decided by 2 pts or less this year

Atlanta is 10-5 in such games this year

Keep it close.  Boston isn't a super clutch team.  But keeping it close will be a battle.  

[Diesel]

12 minutes ago, kg01 said:

You mean Brown has had to work for everything, right?  The issue between them, per Scalabrine, is that Tatum has been given everything that Brown has had to work for.

Also, Scal mentioned that Brogdon wasn't happy with Joe after being subbed out.  Not mad, but not happy about it.

If we keep it close, they may implode (again). 

Oh yeah...  we have to weather their first two attacks..

The thing about this point in the series is that we have seen just about everything that they will do.   Quin is smart... he's coaching up our guys on where we have been failing... stopping the down hill scores.   I'm afraid that Boston will do one new thing though.. I think they will put a constant double team on Trae. 

It's a Mazzulla thing to do...  He is probably thinking, it worked for Miami. 

The problem is that it creates doubt for your defense... I love it.   Plus, it opens the flood gates for all the other hawks... where a guy like Bogi or Bey and definitely Dejounte can eat.  And Trae will still get his dimes.   The thinking of Mazzulla is that if I can get the ball out of his hands, I can beat them.    A little of that is true.. and would have worked for game 5.  But DJ coming back.   The unknown is JC.  IF JC can reach down and have another good game, Boston is in trouble. 

 

 

[Final_quest]

34 minutes ago, Diesel said:

Tatum looks scared.  I see fear in his eyes.. but maybe that's just how he looks. He has had to work for everything. 

I saw the look as well.  He did not look like he was built for the moment.  

[Diesel]

Just now, Final_quest said:

I saw the look as well.  He did not look like he was built for the moment.  

Tatum is hard to read.   He looks a little bitchmade.  but I know he has hella game and hella experience.  He stood toe to toe with Bron.

But Hunter is giving him that work. 

He scored 19 points in a closeout game loss at home. For somebody who has everything catered to him.. that's failure.  He's going to come out as hard as he can on Thursday.  Hunter needs to keep to his fundamentals.   If they lose, he's going to be the 2nd player to crack.

NEW NEWS...

I have heard on good authority that Marcus Smart is in his feelings about Udoka being hired by the Rockets.   He said something to the effect that we had built a real relationship.   I think he really felt that Udoka would be coming back to Boston.  They said he had the same reaction when BKL was courting Udoka. 

Quote

“We obviously thought [Udoka would be] be back, but obviously the team and organization felt a different way,” Smart said. “Unfortunately, that’s the business side of it and we have to deal with it. … Now he’s possibly going to take a job right down the street from us and be coaching the same guys we were trying to beat to get to where we were last year.”

 

I get the feeling that Smart has not bought in on Mazzulla.   I can guarantee that Smart had Mazzulla finger pointing last night.  Yeah.  He will be the first to crack. 

[hawkman]

Boston's aura of invincibility fell after last night's game. The momentum shifted when the Hawks didn't lay down after Boston went on a run to go up 13. The Hawks gifted them plenty of 3 pointers and layups, yet they're still in a 3-2 series. There's no way self doubt isn't creeping in. It's only going to get worse after the Hawks win Game 6.

[kg01]

6 minutes ago, Diesel said:

Tatum is hard to read.   He looks a little bitchmade.  but I know he has hella game and hella experience.  He stood toe to toe with Bron.

But Hunter is giving him that work. 

He scored 19 points in a closeout game loss at home. For somebody who has everything catered to him.. that's failure.  He's going to come out as hard as he can on Thursday.  Hunter needs to keep to his fundamentals.   If they lose, he's going to be the 2nd player to crack.

NEW NEWS...

I have heard on good authority that Marcus Smart is in his feelings about Udoka being hired by the Rockets.   He said something to the effect that we had built a real relationship.   I think he really felt that Udoka would be coming back to Boston.  They said he had the same reaction when BKL was courting Udoka. 

 

I get the feeling that Smart has not bought in on Mazzulla.   I can guarantee that Smart had Mazzulla finger pointing last night.  Yeah.  He will be the first to crack. 

Panic moves:

Subbing Griffin in.  I mean, why?

Not playing fat arse Grant.

Subbing out Brogdon.  Guy's been killin us. 

These are how you lose the room, especially when half of em probably still wanted Udoka back. 

Edited April 26, 2023 by kg01

[Diesel]

1 minute ago, hawkman said:

Boston's aura of invincibility fell after last night's game. The momentum shifted when the Hawks didn't lay down after Boston went on a run to go up 13. The Hawks gifted them plenty of 3 pointers and layups, yet they're still in a 3-2 series. There's no way self doubt isn't creeping in. It's only going to get worse after the Hawks win Game 6.

Boston has one more run in them.  They will put it all out during the first half of game 6.   IF we can weather that... Self doubt, lack of confidence, coaching doubt, and every bit of bickering about others not doing their job will spill in.  Unless Al Horford is coaching these guys up where Mazzulla is failing, they are due for an implosion. 

 

[Diesel]

1 minute ago, kg01 said:

Panic moves:

Subbing Griffin in.  I mean, why?

Not playing fat arse Grant.

Subbing out Brogdon.  Guy's been killin us. 

These are how you lose the room, especially when half of em probably still wanted Udoka back. 

Honestly, I think they subbed in Griffin as a player tribute.  It's like the Knicks go up big and they sub in Rose to please the fans.   They were playing at home in a close out.  They had been scoring comfortably.  Nobody was in foul trouble.  The players have probably been saying coach put him in.   So coach played him.  It's the closest sign of take your foot off the gas behind clearing the benches. 

Brogdon had been killing us.  But there were a couple of sequences that Trae played excellent defense on him. 

 

[kg01]

9 minutes ago, Diesel said:

Honestly, I think they subbed in Griffin as a player tribute.  It's like the Knicks go up big and they sub in Rose to please the fans.   They were playing at home in a close out.  They had been scoring comfortably.  Nobody was in foul trouble.  The players have probably been saying coach put him in.   So coach played him.  It's the closest sign of take your foot off the gas behind clearing the benches. 

Brogdon had been killing us.  But there were a couple of sequences that Trae played excellent defense on him. 

 

Eggsactly.  He thought the game was over, his team followed suit.  This coaching mismatch is starting to bear out as I said it would.