Pass the Darn Ball!

[CaptChris]

The key to success in game # 3 of the series is: Taking care of the ball!

How many times have you heard the announcers say: "You can't give up possessions against the Cavs." We are shooting very well, over 51% last game. Wouldn't it be great to have 9 more shots against the Cavs?

Instead we have been making it hard on ourselves, with our Ugly Ball-Handling. The main offender is Paul Pierce.

Why won't he just "Pass the Ball"? PP has gotten into a terrible habit of dribbling himself into a trap. He puts his head down, and gets pressured into throwing bad passes under the pressure. It is not like he is making a move to the basket. it is just a habit of bouncing the ball before he passes. He is getting trapped on the wings, and in center court.

The Cavs have spotted this weakness, and are exploiting it. Look ath the Film Paul.

Move the Darn Ball! Keep it moving to get easy open shots.

[RAH]

It is not like he is making a move to the basket. it is just a habit of bouncing the ball before he passes. He is getting trapped on the wings, and in center court.

The Cavs have spotted this weakness, and are exploiting it. Look ath the Film Paul.

I think you are right that the defense is exploiting a weakness of Paul here. However, I do think on those occasions when he keeps getting trapped in center court, he is trying to go to the basket, but being stopped and then stuck. I think the idea is that he can either drive or go for one of his fall-away, mid-range jump-shots, which it looked like he was finally getting back against Miami. But now he is getting double-teamed immediately and it starts to look like PP from the dreary years from seasons past when he was trying to do it all. Cleveland is definitely shutting him down. :(

[Celtics17]

That's an interesting take, Captain.

I don't think that this team's turnover problems are due to a lack of ball movement. As a matter of fact, I believe it to be exactly the opposite. We have been a high assist, high turnover team all year. This team generally looks to make the extra pass. Sometimes that leads to carelessness with the ball, but it also leads to a beautifully efficient offense when it's clicking.

Now, I do think that in the last game, after gaining a 25 point lead with under 9 minutes to go, the Celtics stopped running their offense and were just trying to run out the clock, and that led to some ugly offense down the stretch which let the Cavs get the impression that they were back it in it.

If they find themselves up by 20+ points in the 4th quarter in the next one, they'll have to clean that up. We can only hope that we find ourselves faced with that dilemma again.

[CaptChris]

Celtics 17: Every member of the Celtics makes DUMB plays in some games. Some make DUMB moves in all the games. It is normal.

You can't defend those DUMB moves. Be it Paul Pierce,kRondo, Perk, RA, KG, Wallace, BB, etc.. Just ackowledge them, and hope that they are smart enough to correct them.

That has been the problem this year with PP. He has a problem ove- dribbling the ball, when he doesn't have to. TEAMS see this and trap him.

Now, it is up to Doc to get on his case. Let's see if our Captain can avoid these DUMB mistakes. They are unforced errors. He is putting himself in the bad position to be trapped. It is up to him to correct the problem.

I tape every game, and then re-run them to see if I am making fair judgements. Heck, the station even re-runs the plays during the game. So BB's goofs or Perks are visible to all. If you are willing to see them.

Problem seems to be that the players we like never make a mistake, only the ones we don't like make them!!!

[Celtics17]

Captain,

I tape the games and re-watch them, as well (well, admittedly, some of the more terrible performances, I erase right away, because I can't bear to watch them again).

In regards to Paul Pierce's over-dribbling, one of his roles on this team is to be a guy who can create things for himself or others off the dribble. At times, like so far in the Cavs series, he struggles with this and gets into trouble. To me, that doesn't mean that Doc should change his role at this stage of the game. It means that he and his teammates have to find ways for him to be more successful.

Also, the beauty of this team is that it is not about one individual. So if our captain can't get it going offensively, Rondo, KG, and Ray will have to continue to pick up that slack.

As always, I find myself more concerned about the defense with this team. If they can continue to play the kind of D that got them a 25 point lead in game 2, the Boston Celtics are going to be very, very tough once again this post-season.

[CaptChris]

17: Play-offs are all about adjustments. You can go off for 25 Pts. in one game, and the opponent changes his "D" to shut you down. You can be playing great "D" against a team, and they change thier "O" to defeat you "D". When it gets to be a problem is when you don't adjust to what a team is doing to you. That has been the problem with PP. He hasn't adjusted. Now is the time to correct the problem. He has to accept the fact that he is getting suckered. Concentrate, stay focused, and use the trap against the Cavs.

It isn't just the T/O's. It is that they have coverted the T/O's to easy baskets. YOu work to hard on the "D" to give away break-aways for lay-ups.

Play SMART! Stay FOCUSED! Playing good ball for 48 minutes has been a tEAM problem for the whole season.

We we 27 -- 27 since Christmans, because of the lack of focus.

[Celtics17]

Ubuntu!

If Pierce struggles again, and we manage to pull off the win, I'll be very happy. It's not about one guy's performance at this stage of the game.

[CaptChris]

17: You are Right! It is about cutting down on the T/O's and playing SMART!!!

[Celtics17]

Captain,

You're right, too. Big cyberhug, and a rousing rendition of Kumbaya.

[CaptChris]

How can PP believe his own BS?


“You see Rondo, he was special tonight,” Pierce said. “How am I going to take away from that? I can’t do it. We’ve got four All-Stars on this team, so you gotta respect that.”

What a PATHETIC STATEMEMT! He is Stinking up the joint because he doesn't want to make Rondo look BAD!

How about if Rondo played terrible because he didn'to make PP look BAD? STUPID!