Playoff Observations

Seems a new thread is in order for playoff discussions.

1. I'm glad the C's are up 3-0 but Indiana is missing its best player Oladipo
2. Still don't think the offense looks good. Too much pickup basketball offense.
3. Kyrie and Tatum both had zero free throws until the last minute of the game when Indiana was forced to foul. Still too many long 2's and not enough drives to the rim and paint.
4. The defense looks vulnerable. Indiana had no business being within 2 points with 2 mins left, with a squad with far inferior talent
5. If the Celtics advance I see them having a very hard time getting past Milwaukee

Thoughts?

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it was nice to finally watch a full Celtics game. at least they had different start time than the bruins. about time. whoever decided to have them both on at the same time should be fired. they played really well. gordon Hayward is back. he was on fire. I'm still not sold. let's see them against the bucks.

Comments:

a.) Boston's offense is fine. Indiana is really a deep team defensively with Collison, Joseph, Evans, Bogandovic, Young, Sabonis, Turner, Matthews, and etc.. all guys were very very disruptive. It wasn't until Indiana started to double Kyrie that our offense broke open.

b.) Indiana's offense was pretty bad for stretches at time and yes...having Oladpio would have helped them close out games...but one thing that has been overlooked in this series is how well the Celtics have out rebounded the Pacers in all 4 games.

c.) The Celts did what they had to do...and I am loving the intensity on defense that I am seeing.

d.) As I have said here...in the play-offs the rotations are shortened...we have not seen Wanamaker, Williams, Ojeleye, and Yasbuelle. We are only seeing Kyrie, Brown, Tatum, Horford, Baynes, Hayward, Theis, Rozier, and Morris out there.

e.) While we miss Smart...we are getting more offense in his absence at least.

f.) The Bucks are a whole another animal....but they are missing Brodgan who is a important player for them, IMO. Makes up for us missing Smart for another 3 weeks. Brodgan was slated to return after 6 weeks on March 15th....he could be back for games 3 or 4...not sure.

g.) The Bucks are essentially the same team the Celts beat in round 1 last year sans Kyrie/Gordon EXCEPT for: A new coach, Brook Lopez, Ersan Ilyasovic, George Hill, Nikola Mitronic, and Connaugthon.

h.) In the second round we likely will see a lot of: Antetokounpo (PF), Middleton (SF), Bledsoe (PG), Lopez (C), Brown (SG), Hill (PG/SG), Connaughton (SF), Mitronic (PF), and Ilyasovic (PF/C) or Wilson (PF/C).

i.) We have to split the first two in Milwaukee, IMO....and I feel it is doable as long as we keep it close and let Kyrie close it late. The Bucks just don't have a clutch closer...their most clutch player might be Middleton. The problem is always Antetokoumpo....and I think we see a lot more of Ojeleye in this series to defend Giannis. We can't really double Giannis at the top of the key....the Bucks have too many good shooters on the arc. The weak side defender will need to help out in the paint and the C's will have to close out the open shooter when the Bucks flip it around.... not going to be easy. IMO, the Celts need to play rock solid defense and out rebound the Bucks to keep it close...if they do that consistently...I love our chances with Kyrie in close games.

The Celtics can't compete inside vs the Bucks. The free throw disparity will be a bigger factor this series. Boston needs to get hot from 3 point land. If not.....Bucks in 5. They have been the dominant team all season usually destroying their opponents while Boston has been in dog fights vs most every team, when they weren't getting blown out
Get the Freak into foul trouble and actually try to guard Middleton....easier said and done.
I'll be interested to see if Semi gets minutes vs. the Freak....he's had success in the past and that's 6 extra fouls to use up

borg said:

The Celtics can't compete inside vs the Bucks. The free throw disparity will be a bigger factor this series. Boston needs to get hot from 3 point land. If not.....Bucks in 5. They have been the dominant team all season usually destroying their opponents while Boston has been in dog fights vs most every team, when they weren't getting blown out
Get the Freak into foul trouble and actually try to guard Middleton....easier said and done.
I'll be interested to see if Semi gets minutes vs. the Freak....he's had success in the past and that's 6 extra fouls to use up

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so far, the only thing that is obvious is that outside of giannis, the celtics are insanely more athletic than the bucks........the big men (lopez, ilyasova, mirotic) are not meant for playoff basketball

Comments in this thread were unfortunately right.

Celtics offense is still too iso and long 2's. Defense is tough with Giannis shooting 22 free throws last game

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Good Bye Kyrie Irving


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DropKickFlutie said:

Good Bye Kyrie Irving


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He was seen hanging with Lebroni ...