Celtics Start 2016 In The Worst Way Possible, Lose To The Nets At Home...THE NETS
This is now twice. Absolutely inexcusable. Lakers and Nets back to back? What the hell is going on around here? You can’t beat the Lakers or Nets…AT HOME?! The level of basketball being played by the Boston Celtics over the last two games, against the bottom of the NBA, has been down right embarrassing. Effort level is terrible, offense is pathetic, defense is even worse. Its enraging. Coming off their 4 in a row stretch, this was the easy stretch of their schedule, and they’ve fucked that up. Plain and simple. The Lakers loss is something you could sort of live with, given that in one twisted way it sort of helped you. There is nothing positive to take away from yesterday’s performance. Nothing.
The Celtics are 1-2 against Brooklyn this year. They account for 20% of their wins . Losers of two straight, it’s as if the Celtics have all the sudden turned into a different team when they play such weak competition. For example
Defense against the Nets: 105 ppg 45% shooting
Offense against the Nets: 99 ppg 40% shooting
Defense against everyone else: 99.1ppg 43% shooting
Offense against everyone else: 102 ppg 43% shooting
So it would appear, that when the Celtics match up with one of the worst teams in the entire league, they become the worst team in the league
Look emotions are flying everywhere for Celtics fans. Because of this little hiccup we are experiencing, it sort of discredits everything we have been puffing our chest out about. Defense, smart play, energy, effort. Those were the things that made this team a contender in the East. Those guys beat elite NBA teams. What we saw last night was the furthest thing from not only Celtics basketball, but basically any resemblance of a team that is worth getting excited for. Clean it the fuck up.
The Good
– For the first time in the history of this blog, we will not be doing a good section today. Not when you lose to the Lakers and Nets back to back. No no no, you get no praise from me. You gotta earn that shit.
The Bad
– Let’s begin right at the beginning. A solid 0-6 deficit at the start, the Celtics came out what you could call, flat. Their first 5 shots wereALL long jumpers, and shocking the Celts started 1-4. That’s when this next play happened that made me shake my head in sadness. I understand the Celtics like to use a lot of high screens, especially for Avery Bradley to get some open looks, but in a game like yesterday, THIS cannot be a shot you take (again when your team hasn’t hit dick from the outside)
– Long jumpers would be the writing on the wall for the Celts. I’ll never understand why they cannot shoot the ball at home, but it feels like they can’t. I was promised this summer that the team would me moving away from this type of offense, and the team backed that up to start the year. Last night was a step back that nobody needed.
– You see, there are certain things you can live while watching the Celts. Sometimes they are just matched up against a better team with more talent and that’s that. What is inexcusable is when they just play lazy. What does lazy look like? Well, here’s a prime example
I mean what was that? Have some freaking authority when you pass the ball Avery. But don’t worry, things got much much more lazy
This play is when the blood started to boil. The Celts were losing every 50/50 ball and it was infuriating. I’ll live with someone who is more talented, this was simply a case of effort.
– The way the Celtics started the second half also made me scratch my head. You see they shot 42% and 23% from three in the first half. So what play do we see on the first possession of the second?
Here’s the thing. I actually love this play, I just hate when they decided to use it. To me, this play should have been something to the basket, you know, where the Celts had been unstoppable.
– Avery’s injury. He’ll probably sit out Monday, and this team really cannot afford to lose him for any stretch of time. One because he is the best first quarter player in NBA history, but more importantly it will mean more Evan Turner. Nobody needs that in their life right now.
– HOOOOLLLDDD MMEE BACCKKK was high comedy, and sad. Sully with a hard foul and you know what happened next
Obviously this reminds you of the classic brawl of 2012. Loved that ’12 team. Still have sleepless nights about that Game 7.
– Also not sure why the Celtics decided to trap at the end of the game. It was 98-95 with 36 seconds left. Just play straight up defense. The clock is on your side to get the ball back one last time. Instead? They had a full court press, tried to trap, failed, and gave up an easy dunk to Brook Lopez to ice the loss. Bad decision there that is almost a no brainer. Sort of summed up the day.
The Ugly
– This goes without saying. Those fucking jersey’s. Absolutely horrific. No surprise the Celts played like shit because they looked like shit. Those need to be buried and never worn again. I don’t think I’ve seen the Celtics play well in them yet. Figure it out.
– I don’t know why the Celtics decided to not have any low post defense, but the strategy didn’t work out so well. Brook Lopez feasted on everyone thrown at him. They couldn’t guard anyone without fouling. Just a bad showing defensively from the frontline. This is weird since you know, on most occasions they are our best defenders. Awesome.
– Nope, I don’t think the 6 missed FTs would have helped the Celtics in a 3 point loss. Nope. No way.
– I hated all the yapping and frustration the Celtics showed last night. Pull yourselves together man. Two stupid techs, bad body language, it was painful to watch. You aren’t the Clippers, stop whining and play better.
– Thoughts and prayers to Jarrett Jack that his knee isn’t seriously fucked up. Jack has MA ties due to his time at Worcester Academy (where he was on a stacked team with Stevie Haley and Craig Smith) and I remember going to their school to watch him play. I’ve always wished the Celts signed him because he is such a solid guard, hate to see him get hurt last night.
– I repeat, the Celtics are 1-2 against the Nets,
Taking a step back and looking at the big picture, maybe this loss isn’t the end of the world, but it’s still frustrating as hell, With the Nets winning games, this is why I am firmly behind the possibility of flipping that 2016 1st for a proven stud if you can. I get that Simmons could be a franchise changer, but the chances of winning that pick are becoming smaller by the game. The longer you wait the less valuable that pick may become.
On the horizon, there are still opportunities for the Celtics to right the ship. Remember we saw them bounce back from their little 3 game slide with a 4 game streak. No chance Brad is happy, and more often than not, the Celts respond to him. Or at least I hope they will.
