As a fan, I can rationalize the loss last night. Even in the third quarter of the Lakers game where the starters played heavy minutes you could tell that might come back to bite them. As soon as I saw the Raptors game on the schedule for the next day after the overtime I mentally chalked it up as a loss and hoped to be proven wrong. That doesn't make the loss any easier to take, just not surprising.
But that's me the fan. What about the players? Are they thinking of it that way? If they are, Doc isn't happy about it and wants to send that message to everyone.
Celtics on the low end - The Boston Globe
When asked if the overtime loss Thursday should be considered a factor in last night’s effort, Rivers said, "If you’re mentally weak. If they want to use the overtime [Thursday], then we are not mentally tough enough to be a winner. If you’re tough, you come in and grind this one out and win it, too. If you’re not, you use [Thursday] as an excuse." The Celtics met after the game and one player said it was not a "finger-pointing’’ session but more of a way to hash out some issues and prevent a backslide.
Good. I'm glad they all had a heart to heart. There's some real leaders in that clubhouse and the smart players will listen to them. Nobody wants to let the team down but there's always that temptation to let excuses deter you from doing what you know you should do. Nobody said this season was going to be easy. Nobody said winning happens just because you have a better roster. You have to put aside the excuses and do your job.
Hopefully they got the message.
0 recs | 30 comments
Doc
I appreciate him challenging the team, but I wonder about his game behavior and the comments. JJJ has a brain fart and so Doc seems to make him pay the rest of the game by benching him? It just seems sometime he bites off his nose to spite his face. I mean, aren’t his vets PHYSICALLY tired coming off the LA loss? And wouldn’t we have benefited from matchups involving JJJ and Wilcox? And not to digress, but are a better team with Rondo out?
Big_Easy - February 11, 2012 via mobile
A play was called during a time-out.
If JJJ doesn’t tell Doc “I don’t know that play” and just nods and says “yes”, “I’ll do it” and “okay”, it’s on him, and not on Doc.
There’s plenty of reasons you could think up why he’d get angry, and he definitely mentioned that it was more than just a single player anyway.
Kiorrik - February 11, 2012
+1
forever_green - February 11, 2012 via mobile
Doc is right --- no more EXCUSES
Glad to see Doc and the team are trying to address these issues now before it becomes something bigger. Celtics don’t have the luxury of another prolonged streak of bad play in this shortened season.
LOVE where Doc talks about not making EXCUSES for the game last night. Refreshing to hear the coach echoing the same sentiments instead of coming up with so many excuses night after night.
warnerjohn - February 11, 2012
ditto i agree
7tony2 - February 11, 2012
+2
forever_green - February 11, 2012 via mobile
GET SOME HELP AND LET THE SCORE DO THE TALKING
I believe this team has a legitimate chance at making some noise in the playoffs, but only if its needs are addressed. If we were take one lesson from the Lakers game, it should be the fact that the team is lacks depth at the center position. I am not trying to take any credit away from Wilcox for at least trying, but if he is the only other option besides Jermaine, then we are going to continue getting killed on points in the paint, rebounds, and toughness.
I am a firm believer that this team is in desperate need of scoring and athleticism. Besides Bass, no other player can come in the game and score consistently. But then on and off, we get some contributions from Moore, Avery and Pietrus and then everyone thinks this is it. This is the spark we needed to win night in, night out. I’m sorry. I am not convinced. DA must, must, must figure out a trade or two comes March to bail this team out. There are no others way to winning. This team needs help.
Now, let us stop with all the excuses, meetings…. GO GET SOME HELP AND LET THE SCORE DO THE TALKING
Danyck - February 11, 2012
I'm a fan and former college basketball player
Here’s my two cents. I know what it’s like sitting around in icebaths and getting taped and having a coach make you run until you legs cramp and you’re still sore from the day before and your ankle hurts. It’s hard.
What it came down to for me is being RAW, it’s a no apologies, aggressive competitive warlike mindset that isn’t necessary in other areas of life but was crucial to me since I didn’t have physical gifts to rely on. It’s also crucial to winning in competitive leagues in my humble opinion. As a player I never really rationalized losses, they just angered me (I know this is a clean language site but you get the idea haha)
I know different players have different ways of operating to be effective but that’s how I looked at it.
p-peazy - February 11, 2012
nice insight
mjtig - February 11, 2012
like that talk as a team hopefully the can execute against bulls GO C'S NO TRADES NO HARM
EXER123 - February 11, 2012
yea go boston go you are #1
let’s play be ready come playoffs
win it all this is a better team than last year
7tony2 - February 11, 2012
Nope
Rondo still the problem.
Trade for Gasol. Start him at PF. Start KG at C. Interchangeable.
PG – ???
SG – Ray Allen
SF – Paul Pierce
PF – Pau Gasol
C – Kevin Garnett
And last I check, big men wins championships, not PGs. Just ask Dallas, Chicago, Lakers, the Celtics in 2008 (KG and Perk). Overrated PG position.
SparzWizard - February 11, 2012
I hate to say it but I’d almost consider this. As much as I love Rondo, he’s not improving on offence. I’d want Lakers 1st round pick also. Size does win.
forever_green - February 11, 2012 via mobile
Are the Bulls this team's grim reaper?
If Chicago beats this team twice this week, does Ainge pull the trigger on something. We all know Ainge has a couple of scenarios ready to go.
jackscompletelackofsurprise - February 11, 2012
It's on Doc
D’Antoni got desperate and had to try Lin. Well, what do you know! That Toronto game was a perfect opening for Doc to throw a Hail May pass with his end of bench players. His starters were lifeless. What does Doc do? Same old, same old. Yank the first young guy who makes a mental error, which is not quite as bad as the dead legs-dead hearts of his starters.
C’mon Doc. Yes I know we’ve never traded away any young bench guys who have gone on to show you wrong but when your starters stink, gamble a little for Chrissake!
Wildblu1 - February 11, 2012
100% agree
love this team and doc, but for too many years now I’ve seen Doc put the blame on the players. Is it your starters fault that they cant finish in the 4th becasue they’re gassed? Is it the benches fault that they dont know plays and are not confident in their abilities when they are spectators for 3/4 of the season? I enjoy watching the starting 5 but I dont enjoy watching them struggle and fight when they cant. Its not about heart with this team, its about energy. Doc, in these last two games went right back to the same crap. Now look at the previous 4 games…lots of energy, people making plays, learning the plays, etc. maybe it was becasue rondo wasnt there or maybe its becasue you had players that wanna play. The mental game is gonna start to get to your bench too, when they feel they can contribute and never get a chance. Doc needs to utilize, everyone!
cltc5 - February 11, 2012
About time Doc went off on this team, because they’ve played poorly the last 2 weeks. In recent games they’ve lacked aggression and urgency and fans are taking notice.
The Celtics have no room for error and need to be consistent. Let’s hope the C’s get the message as they play the Bulls tomorrow.
C'sFanfrmNy - February 11, 2012 via mobile
I heard Derrick Rose is coming back...
Am I ready to see another digit on the “L” category for tomorrow? Prove me wrong, Celtics!
SparzWizard - February 11, 2012
Of course...
Of course Rose will play tomorrow’s game. The Bulls vs Celtics on national TV, better believe Rose will show up. He knows the Celts can beat the Bulls when they’re at their best.
C'sFanfrmNy - February 11, 2012 via mobile
What’s the update on Jermain, is he playing? I hope he got chewed into as well even though he wasn’t playing last game. Celtics rely on him, he needs to play well.
forever_green - February 11, 2012 via mobile
Celtics are only 3 games on the loss side behind #3 Philadelphia.
Let’s continue to cheer for our Celtics and at the same time, root that Philly, Atlanta, Indiana and Orlando all lose their upcoming games!
Celtics own the refs - February 11, 2012
Cant afford to LOSE
winnable games vs raptors — or @ home in OT to lakers when stars dont execute down the stretch (kg 0-7 fg) pp poor decision making.
bad loss to cavs @ home also decided by poor execution down the stretch (blew 13pt lead)
if celts cant win 3 0f next 5 games – we are looking @ .500 record (again) after working so hard to get to 14-10 —
could be looking @ 15-16 record.
lefty12 - February 11, 2012
How could they lose to the Raptors w/o Barganani and Bayless, probably their two top scorers. Its just beyond comprehension. There has to be a lot of inner fighting in that team. Why? Because they have never been in this situation before. They must feel that the whole season is becoming meaningless cause they see that they are not a top team anymore and Probably they cannot cope with that realization.
I bet KG is not a happy camper and he is letting the other players know about it ( remember him chastiszing BBD) and bad feelings may be leaking among the troops. They wont admit it to the fans, but I feel its reasonable to think that there has been some finger pointing lately and pretty soon we will learn something not good is going on in Denmark, to put it more swallowable.s
Dantenina - February 11, 2012
Sad to say it
but if rondo was still injured, we would’ve beat the lakers and blown out toronto
celticswavesurfer - February 11, 2012
assuming Bradley could play hard you might be right.
I love Rondo, I really do but all that talent doesn’t help too much when you are lazy on d, can’t make free throws, are afraid to drive to the hoop, and really aren’t a good shooter. If we can roll him for something good Id be for it. Its a shame it really is. He should have been the future. But something isn’t right in his head and a few things aren’t good enough with his game. He just isn’t improving his shot and that is the clincher. Now maybe its his wrist but there is always a reason right?
This whole thing tears me up. Hopefully some great things can happen that, as fans, are obviously out of our control
wahz - February 11, 2012
We are becoming the team that had Toine, PP and Blount and Ricky Davis; Good enough to reach the playoffs but that is as far as we go. We got to start rebuilding intelligently – Lets get Pitino back. lolololololololol> Sorry, I had to say it. If I dont laugh, then I’d have to cry. lol
Dantenina - February 11, 2012
Rick Pitino
He’s tanned, rested, and ready!
Big_Easy - February 12, 2012
A liitle off topic with Jeremy Lin
I was little concerned the other day when Avery Bradley couldn’t keep this kid out of the paint. Four games later this kid shows that he has the complete package for a NBA point guard. Have the the Knicks noticed they play better with Lin than they do with Amare “small game” Stoudamire, and Carmelo “the team Cancer” Anthony. Can we trade Rondo straight up for Lin???
BigAlbert - February 11, 2012
Rondo for Lin is ridiculous
Lin has confidence for 4 games, big deal. How does he deal with adversity? How does he deal with must win pressure? How does he deal with a playoff game? How does he fight back from a slump? How does he play when the media isn’t kissing his butt? Total foolishness.
p-peazy - February 12, 2012
Here's the message for this team
You’re old and getting older, you have very little interior strength or scoring, and on the second night of a back-to-back, you’re on your own.
Big_Easy - February 12, 2012
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