193 replies to this topic

[Pedro Cerrano]

Boston has to win game 2 to have a chance in this series.

Don't see it happening. They've been excellent on defense but they just don't have the scoring to be able to keep up. The injuries combined with Rondo's inability to shoot are really going to hurt them.

[Pedro Cerrano]

My God LeBron James is amazing. I can't see a way where he doesn't end up in the top 5 all-time list. He's that awesome.

Well he'll need some titles for most people to put him in that group. At the very least, he can't have Finals' series' like he did last year.

I think he will end up with some rings. I also think he's playing at another level and is past the whole choke artist label, but we shall see.

[SportsGuy]

Boston has to win game 2 to have a chance in this series.

Don't see it happening. They've been excellent on defense but they just don't have the scoring to be able to keep up. The injuries combined with Rondo's inability to shoot are really going to hurt them.

I agree...it's over in 4 or 5.

[SportsGuy]

Well he'll need some titles for most people to put him in that group. At the very least, he can't have Finals' series' like he did last year.

I think he will end up with some rings. I also think he's playing at another level and is past the whole choke artist label, but we shall see.

He not only has to win titles but he needs o be "the man" when they win...ie, Wade can't win MVP. Not saying it should be that way but it does for people to get past all this bs.

[mweb08]

Well he'll need some titles for most people to put him in that group. At the very least, he can't have Finals' series' like he did last year.

I think he will end up with some rings. I also think he's playing at another level and is past the whole choke artist label, but we shall see.

He likely will end up with some rings. I don't think he's past the choke artist label at all, he may be past actual choking, though. Of course he was tremendous in getting the Heat past the C's and Bulls last year before his lackluster effort in the Finals.

As for his ranking, he's had one of the best regular season runs in NBA history. MJ, Wilt, Shaq, and maybe another guy or two can compete with what he has done the past 5 years. That's it. He's had some great playoff series' in that stretch too, but a couple really poor and head-scratching stretches that led to his team being eliminated. For an example of an amazing entire playoff year from him, check out his numbers in the 2009 playoffs: http://www.basketbal... ... elog/2009/

[mweb08]

I think he will end up with some rings. I also think he's playing at another level and is past the whole choke artist label, but we shall see.

He not only has to win titles but he needs o be "the man" when they win...ie, Wade can't win MVP. Not saying it should be that way but it does for people to get past all this bs.

Well if he and Wade are playing like they are now and Wade just happens to play slightly better or get more votes for some reason, I don't think that will be much of an issue for him. No shame in that. Wade is a top 5 player in this league and can end up as one of the 10-15 best players ever if he ages well and the Heat win at least one more title.

[SportsGuy]

He not only has to win titles but he needs o be "the man" when they win...ie, Wade can't win MVP. Not saying it should be that way but it does for people to get past all this bs.

Well if he and Wade are playing like they are now and Wade just happens to play slightly better or get more votes for some reason, I don't think that will be much of an issue for him. No shame in that. Wade is a top 5 player in this league and can end up as one of the 10-15 best players ever if he ages well and the Heat win at least one more title.

Ehh, I disagree...at least in the eyes of those who dislike or want to bash James.

[mweb08]

It would be better if he won the MVP, but if he went for 32, 10, and 8 on over 50% shooting and still somehow lost out on the MVP, I think he'd get plenty of credit.

[SportsGuy]

It would be better if he won the MVP, but if he went for 32, 10, and 8 on over 50% shooting and still somehow lost out on the MVP, I think he'd get plenty of credit.

Yea but you know how stupid people are...They would say that he is still second best..didn't close out games, etc...

Of course, they would be morons for saying it but IMO, the only way LBJ gets people off his back is if he wins multiple titles, is the closer in the 4thQ and wins multiple finals MVPs.

[mweb08]

Yeah, well I don't really care all that much what people like that think.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Getting back to this series....

You are Doc Rivers today, what adjustments are you making for Game 2? What would be your strategy?

[SportsGuy]

Getting back to this series....

You are Doc Rivers today, what adjustments are you making for Game 2? What would be your strategy?

Get my team rested.

Bottom line is they can't win if Pierce and Allen shoot as poorly as they did the other day.

They need to play better but they are tired, old and injured. Not much Doc can do about that.

Other than that, Boston has to be more physical.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Get my team rested.

Bottom line is they can't win if Pierce and Allen shoot as poorly as they did the other day.

They need to play better but they are tired, old and injured. Not much Doc can do about that.

Other than that, Boston has to be more physical.

You have to push the ball inside. Can't settle for jumpers. Need to get looks inside, or get to the line.

[SportsGuy]

Get my team rested.

Bottom line is they can't win if Pierce and Allen shoot as poorly as they did the other day.

They need to play better but they are tired, old and injured. Not much Doc can do about that.

Other than that, Boston has to be more physical.

You have to push the ball inside. Can't settle for jumpers. Need to get looks inside, or get to the line.

Yea they do but not sure they have the players to do that.

Rondo can get inside but that's about it. KG is more of a jump shooter now.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Yea they do but not sure they have the players to do that.

Rondo can get inside but that's about it. KG is more of a jump shooter now.

No doubt, KG wants to sit outside taking jumpers. If he does that, Boston can not win. He has to remember he is 7ft tall, and battle inside. Especially without Bosh on the floor.

Pierce needs to do more posting up as well.

Boston also needs to walk the ball up the court, and use the entire shot clock every possession.

[mweb08]

Boston is a jump shooting team and there's not much getting around that. KG can post up some, but he and Bass are primarily mid-range shooters. Rondo and Pierce can drive to the basket and they need to do more of that, but don't expect much work in the low post from the C's.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Getting back to this series....

You are Doc Rivers today, what adjustments are you making for Game 2? What would be your strategy?

That's the tough part Chris. I'm not really sure what adjustments can be made.

You can't adjust age or fatigue or injuries (all of which are related) and those are probably the biggest problems with Boston right now.

I've said already that Ray Allen guarding Wade is a complete mismatch but what else can the Celtics do? If you put Rondo on Wade all game that will severely tire him out and would have to effect him offensively.

All you can do is hope to shoot better and hope for a better overall game from Rondo (he was pretty bad yesterday). If those things happen, and you catch the Heat on an off night you can steal a game but it won't win you the series.

At this point people pretty much know what Boston is. They are a very good defensive team that is insanely limited offensively. I don't see why anything would change at this point in the season. The Celtics beat a Hawks team that they matched-up well with and got a huge break by playing Philly (to 7 games) instead of a healthy Bulls team that probably would have knocked them out before this point. They are playing with house money and I'm afraid they're down to their last chip stack.

[mweb08]

They could try a zone and see how that goes.

[Pedro Cerrano]

They could try a zone and see how that goes.

With the way the Heat were moving without the ball last night I think that would not work.

[mweb08]

Probably not, but it's worth trying at some point given the Heat's history against the zone.