It says much as to the praise being heaped upon the Boston Celtics during the regualar season. They were by far the best team in the NBA during the 82 game season . But their postseason play does nothing to suggest that what was evident has manifested itself in the postseason. if anyting the've been a caricature of that highly entertaining team that many were in awe during the regular season.
Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics look on as minutes wind down during the closing moments of the fourth quarter of the team's loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 108-84 loss was the team's most lopsided in postseason play thus far. picture courtesy of nbae/getty images/ Jesse D Garrabant..
Suffering a humiliating lopsided loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers would suggest the hype over the Celtics was exaggerated. They've yet to win away from home during the postseason. And that in of itself ought to suggest that this team is far from where their coach Glen 'Doc' Rivers thinks that they ought to be at this juncture. The great teams that've won championships have known how to win big at home as well as away from home. That's something that has been evading this Boston Celtics' team this postseason. Problems started with their first round series with the Atlanta Hawks and though they ended up winning the series 4-3. It was felt that they took their first round opponents far too lightly. In the Eastern Conference semi finals series it'd would appear that they've still not learnt from their mistakes.
LeBron James looks to make a pass whilst evading the defensive play of two Celtics' players. picture courtesy of nbae/getty images/ Jesse D Garrabant .......
Though the Celtics now lead the seven game series 2-1 they've yet to post an away from home victory this postseason. That most certainly isn't what is expected from an allegedly great team. But then in this day and age how does one equate greatness , winning ? At home the team would appear to be invincible but away from the TD Bankone Center in Boston they're as susceptible to being defeated as they come. It were as if two differing teams were stepping out unto the court at home and then away from home. That now has to be a perplexing situation for the Boston Celtics' fan who are now seeing their team play somewhat inconsistently during the postseason. Their triumvirate of stars notwithstanding this team can't seem to find an identity that feel comfortable with this postseason.
Cletics' point guard Rajon Rondo gets the better of Cavaliers' defender Ben Wallace. picture courtesy of ap/photos/ Mark Duncan ............
Garnett , Allen and Pierce have led the team with authority in the regular season but it'd appear that the postseason seems to have left them somewhat lacking in part. Defensively last night they were unable to keep James or his teammate Delonte West in check as they had their way with this team. And James himself would show some of his defensive prowess on several occasions. It was a complete nightmare for the Doc Rivers' coached team that seemed very ill disciplined and completely out of touch in the atmospshere of Cleveland's home arena and fans. It were as if they were somehow intimidated by this all ? The great teams know how to win be it at home or on the road. But at this juncture it seems to be that the Celtics prefer to learn this particular the hard way during the postseason.
Cavaliers' fans show their raucous approval having just defeated the Boston Celtics in game 3 of their Eastern Conference semi finals series. The Celtics though still lead the series 2-1 in the best of seven series. picture courtesy of nbae/getty images/ David Liam Kyle ...........
The Cavaliers for theit part are out to prove as Eastern Conference champions that last season's appearance in the NBA finals wasn't a fluke. And although they succumbed to the stellar play of the San Antonio Spurs in a four game sweep in the Finals itself. It can be said that this time around the team want to prove to the league that they'r e back and as a legitimate contender for the title itself. James and teammate Delonte West more than held their own against the Celtics. West if anything was imposing and his play was beyond what many may have thought West capable of. But then again those who've witnessed his maturation would certainly know what he's capable when given the chance to show his undoubted skills.
Delonte West of the Cleveland Cavaliers attempts to shoot over the outsretched arms of defender Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics. West led all scorers with 21 points 7 rebounds, 5 assissts. And he complemented James and his teammates his consummate allround play. picture courtesy of getty images/ Greg Shamus ..............
It was an allround effort from the team and though they still behind 2-1 in the series. It can be said that it gives the Cavaliers renewed confidence against the Boston Celtics. And for the Celtics for the second time during the postseason their presence and authority once again comes into question. They underestimated a previous foe and were found wanting only to show that they could acquit themselves . But they were pushed closer to the limits than they'd like to have been . This time around with the Cavaliers it's a chance that they can ill afford to have repeated . Second chances when given ought to be readily accepted and taken. Not doing so tends to have its consequences for a team .
West and teammate Wally Szcerbiak celebrate the culmination of a play against the Celtics in the third quarter of game three played at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Oh. picture courtesy of getty images/ Gregory Shamus ..............
The anticipation for the Cavaliers' fans must be high at this juncture. But it can be said if Cleveland is pull equal in the series and even win the series outright. Then they'll have to prove themselves the equal of their more experienced opponents in terms of roster play and prowess. We've seen the glimpses of potential as to both team's play. But they've both yet been able to maintain that consistency over a prolonged period . If either are able to do that then we may well see the makings of classic series unfold. And that at the end of day is all the fan can ask for. At least amongst the purists of the game .
The Sizzle
Doesn't anyone read anythiing anymore where have I said that I hated the Cavaliers ? I'm making observations and giving an opinion. I've not stated that the Celtics aren't good. Perhaps you ought not to make rash opinions. That's something the unintelligent tend to do rather than reading an op-ed piece before coming to a conclusion.
if i were a little smarter i might think that you were calling me unintelligent.
you are entitled to your opinion just as i am entitled to my tophat. and even though you don't spell it out in your piece (your "dislike" toward cleveland) it is obvious in your work that there is a very strong bias against the organization.
The Sizzle
You couldn't fathom an opinion if it were staring you in the faace. I've no bias against the Celtics or Cavs either way. It's not stated in the piece anywhere. If you'd taken time to read the piece in its entirety instead of jumping to conclusions then you might've gleaned something. Like a politician you tend to only want assign reason or seek a disagreement if an opinion difffers from your's.
Tell me where in this piece it states a bias towards either franchise ? It appears that you can't . I value an opinion when it can be substantiated and thus far you've not done so .
The Sizzle I doubt that you'd feel that way if James were playing on your team ? But then as James not playing any defense . One might summize that last night's display was just an aberration ?
But then again it's how one view the game and the strategies played out for all to see.
I don't think I've ever seen a team that was SO dominant at home and SO mediocre on the road...especially being a number one seed. Makes for an interesting conclusion to the eastern conference finals. Detroit must be licking their chops....
i couldn't understand about 33% of the words in your last 2 comments so i guess you are right after all.
i actually left the original comment before you had posted the bottom two thirds of this post.
the only thing i COULD do was jump to conclusions and formulate an opinion which i couldn't fathom if he were staring me dead in the eyes with the thousand yard stare.
i could certainly go back through the archives and shove many many comments tapped out by you that shone the cleveland cavaliers basketball organization in a derogatory ramifications.
but i don't have time or energy for that right now.
i guess i was speaking more to you than i were to the piece.
BleedPRPL&GLD
The way that the Celtics are playing I think they'll be in for a rude awakening if they don't get their act in order. They're being foolhardy at present and it could very well come back to bite 'em in the #### . If they can't close out on the road then how the hell do they think that they'll be able to deal with the likes of Detroit let alone any of the teams that they could end up meeting should they get to the Finals ?
The great teams know how to win at home and on the road !
slshusker
West really impressed me with his game and the authority that he showed. Certainly not something that I'd have been prepared to say about prior to the game.
Now let's see if James can lead this team with authority at the same I'm hoping that Wallace can show something else within his repertoire rather than just standing there a lot of the time and contributing very little to the team as a whole. He's regressed as a player since those lofty heights of being in Detroit !
The Sizzle
I think you're mistaken in the criticims of the organization. I've never been derogatory in that regard. I've questioned their judgement and that of the ownership at great length. But never have I used any derogatory terms to describe them. That's not how I for one go about doing things.
Reverend Rhythm
The good teams know how to win in the postseason. But the great teams know how to win big at home and on the road. To date all the Celtics have shown me is that they can win at home but on the road they're just plain mediocre. And if they should make to the NBA finals. Their western counterparts aren't going to be so obliging at all !
Goin' into da play-offs, I thought the Celtics would win it all...I don't think so now...By virtue of their conferences..The West has continuously had to play at a higher intensity than the East just to get in the play-offs and atda enda da day, that fact is gonna surface come Finals time..regardless of the Celts opponent...assumin' they git there..Champs'll come from the West.
very simple!!!! if you score more points at the end of the game you win!!!! stupid thing to say yes!!!! but no matter who you are or your team is... why i love sports now more than ever!!!! you might hate like sin a team... but take the time to just sit back and watch the talent they have and enjoy the game (FOR ONCE)!!!! i think we as fans dont really enjoy the game as we should(no matter what sport it is) we get so caught up in the winning or losing we miss out!!!!
kelly scott We'll laud teams such as the Celtics in the regular season and prounounce them as unstoppable. But when they disappoint as they have done thus far what ought we to make of it all ?
They've struggled on the road and though the Cavaliers have played well. The Celtics themselves have fallen into the belief that they're entitled to go unchallenged within the Eastern Conference. At least that's the belief by the majority of their fans. They're in for a rude awakening if they can't get their act together.
Spurcse
I'll bear that in mind next time around but I can't make you andy definite promises.
Suffice to say that the Celtics are not what many of us believed them to be at this juncture.
I've alluded to this before the great teams know how to win at home and on the road. This Celtics' team in its present incarnation doesn't do it predecessors any justice at all. They're a shell of a team as it now stands even with the likes of Garnett, Pierce and Allen on it.
The Sizzle
SteveoinHTown
Reverend Rhythm
slshuker
BLEEDPRPL&GLD
kelly scott
Spurcse
The Celtics' triumvirate of Bird, Parish and McHale would do whatever it took to win. The Ceitics' present incarnation of that trio has yet to measure up . And until they do they'll only be ever thought of as being something akin to good regular season team.
Waiting to create something but they just don't know how to accomplish it. But winning it all would most certainly help at this juncture !
rampant' aka tophatal ..........
Last edited by rampantfanatic on May 12th at 10:35 AM.
SteveoinHTown They're still capable of winning it all but they've got to learn how to win on the road in the postseason. They ought to consider themselves lucky that they're not playing in the Western Conference. Or they might well have been at home watching the remainder of the playoffs at this juncture.
ATTITUDE 70
Somewhere along the way the Celtics left their will to win on the road. But it's a testament to the Cavaliers however who've fought themselves back into the series and are prepared it'd appear to make a contest of it. As to how the rest of the series'll unfold is open to question. But at this juncture to an extent it rests in the hands of the Celtics themselves and how they're prepared to go about proving many of us that we're wrong in our assumptions of them. In the case of James if he can lead the Cavs back from the brink of defeat and into the conference finals. Then I for one will see him in a new light. He's a great player and has years ahead of him to show us just how greater he can become. The winning of an NBA championship would certainly go a long way in justifying the belief that many already have in him.
I think the one thing that is overlooked with the Celtics big 3 is while all have extensive playoff experience none have extensive playoff experience winning. No finals among the three.
I've said from the beginning that it was asking too much for a group of guys who have never played a single season together to suddenly win the NBA title. The Celtics are going to fall to the Cavs like I said all along. They're lucky LeBron couldn't find the bucket in games 1 and 2 or this would be over before the weekend.
Nique
With experience comes wisdom and the Celtics' triumvirate have a great deal of that. But unfortunately what they also lack is real postseason leadership and that's what they're now lacking.
Suffice to say of they can't cut it now then they'll not fare too well.
The Cavs did what was needed to make the remainder of the series a rather intriguing one for the fans as well as the general public.
Curly Mo
That's indeed true of LeBron and how good he's been. But it also tells me that his teammates haven't stepped up to the plate often enough. We only saw fruition of this come to the fore until Delonte West showed his prowess.
But what about the likes of Ilgauskas and others that were meant to be players that are meant to be stepping up to the plate ?
An avid martial artist and fan of Jet Li. Possessing a black belt in karate (2nd degree Black Belt) I'm of Caribbean parentage born in the UK and have lived in the US for the past 14 years. A lover of sports in particular Soccer, NFL, NBA and MLB.
Slowly getting use to NASCAR but I prefer F1 Practices martial arts, karate and wu shu kwan , muy thai -kick boxing) College grad BA in Int'l Fin and BA in Economics.
I've recently received my MBA here in the US
Teams Chelsea (EPL) Patriots,Spur s, Marlins..LaDa nian Tomlinson & Roger Federer favorite sports personalities
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