Re: Jazz OutSmart Celts: Utah 96- boston 86

[Josh Ozersky <josh_ozersky@yahoo.com>]

I really didn't expect us to win this game, and I
don't feel like we lost it.  The Jazz just beat us. 
They are probably the #1 hardest team for us to beat
in the NBA, the closest thing, along with San Antonio
(our next opponent) to an automatic L.  To play them
without three fifths of our starting lineup is to
accept a loss going in, I'm sorry.  I thought the team
played well.  If they had made their shots, it would
have been a little closer.  But Utah's offense is
absolutely unstoppable.  I mean they barely exerted
themselves.

--- Bill Cooper <wfcooper@tiac.net> wrote:
> 	Not a bad effort for the Celts.  Toine played his
> best game in
> a very long time (maybe since his second year in the
> league).
> Unfortunately he chose to have it against the grand
> old team of the
> NBA.  The Jazz were always well in control of the
> game, and got a big
> lift from their bench at the start of the 4th
> quarter.  The Celts did
> perform some of their finest ball movement of the
> season, but didn't
> display the shooting skills to take advantage of it.
> 
> 	Slow start to a slow paced game.  Both teams coming
> off games
> last evening, and neither club seemed inclined to
> push the tempo.
> Toine was concentrating on keeping his offense down
> low and in
> fronting Malone on defense.  The Celts supported him
> with good ball
> pressure and some help on the weak side.  Toine
> scored 11 in the first
> quarter, while Malone was held to just 2 free
> throws, as the Celts
> took a 21-17 lead into the second quarter.
> 
> 	Both teams went with their benches at the outset of
> the second
> period.  The Jazz bench (Eisley and Vaughn mostly)
> out dueled the C's
> as they were able to take a 27-25 lead 4:00 into the
> quarter.  The 2
> clubs traded hoops, until Stockton, and Hornacek who
> had spent a large
> amount of time on the bench got back in.  Stockton
> quickly picked
> apart the C's fronting defense against Malone, and
> also managed to
> ignite a couple of fast breaks, as the Jazz took a
> 40-35 lead at the
> end of the half.  
> 
> 	Walker was supplying the bulk of the C's offense as
> the second
> half started.  But behind superb play by Stockton
> the Jazz slowly
> extended their lead, going to double digits for the
> first time at
> 53-43 (7:00).  The Celts managed to keep the lead in
> the ten point
> range, and then ran off 6 straight points to
> closeout the quarter.
> The final play of the period, which had the Celts
> pulling down the
> rebound with about 3 seconds to go, and then rushing
> the ball down the
> court, ending with a fine pass from Barros to
> Griffin for an easy
> score.  That made the score 67-63 heading to the
> 4th.
> 
> 	The Celts started the quarter with most of their
> bench (plus
> Griffin).  They were overwhelmed by the the Jazz
> bench (plus Russell),
> as Utah broke the game open with a 19-6 run (86-69).
>  That was pretty
> much the game (Sloan never even put Hornacek back
> into the game).  The
> Celts did work the lead down to ten over the last
> couple of moments,
> but were never within shouting distance.  The final
> was 96-86.
> 
> 	The Celts got clobbered on field goal differential,
> shooting
> .403 to the Jazz .500.  The Celts fought hard on the
> boards, though
> they had a hard time converting, and had 18
> offensive boards to the
> Jazz 12.  the Celts shot just 3-12 from the 3 point
> line.
> 
> Lineups:
> Celts: Anderson, Griffin, Williams, Walker, Battie
> Utah: Stockton, Hornacek, Russell, Malone, Polynice
> 
> Players:
> Walker: This was the best game I've ever seen Toine
> have in the low
> post.  I think that I posted a few days ago, that I
> didn't think that
> Walker was a very good player with his back to the
> basket, but tonight
> he seemed like a different player.  He took good
> shots, under control
> and didn't seem to be rushing his low post
> opportunities.  The shots
> actually looked like they should go in, instead of
> going in by
> accident like they usually do.  He ended up with 36
> points (13-23), 12
> boards and 4 assists in 44 minutes.  He got to the
> line 12 times, and
> hit 9.  A qualitatively different game, not just
> great stats.
> 
> Griffin: Gorman (I think) reported, that Pitino had
> said that he
> thought that Griffin should shoot the ball more.  I
> think that Pitino
> (and everybody else) should leave Adrian alone.  He
> did score 12
> points but just shot 6-15, and was clearly rushing
> his shots.  Still
> managed  8 boards and 3 steals, but did not have a
> single assists.
> 
> Anderson: much better shooting night than in
> Cleveland.  Had 14 points
> on 6-11 shooting, but had just 3 assists in 35
> minutes.
> 
> Battie: inconsistent play continues.  got in a bit
> of foul trouble
> early, which limited his minutes, but he wasn't
> going to have a good
> night if he played all 48.  4 points and 6 boards in
> 23 minutes.
> Mysteriously, continues to stay away from the
> offensive board (2
> tonight).
> 
> Williams: poor shooting from the floor continues as
> he went 2-9
> tonight.  Played well other than that, but not what
> you really expect.
> though a 5-6 at the free through line helped a bit.
> 
> Cheaney: was shooting the ball with his new found
> confidence, but
> seems to have misplaced the accuracy that caused it.
>  he shot just
> 1-5.  One thing about Calbert, he seems to get down
> on himself pretty
> quickly.  After his first couple jumpers missed, he
> began to pass up
> shots.  Definitely not one of those guy who shoot
> themselves out of
> slumps.  
> 
> Ellison: was very active tonight.  had 3 points and
> 6 boards in 25
> minutes.  Also had a real strong block against
> Malone.
> 
> Barros: Every time Dana makes a shot, or even comes
> close I think that
> the draught must be almost over.  But it just
> doesn't seem to be
> happening.  He was 1-6 tonight, and I don't see much
> improvement.
> Instead of Dana's tradition of fluctuating from
> being a 40% shooter
> one night and then a 60% the next, it seems as
> though his whole level
> has dropped.  I've always thought that a players
> shot was the last
> thing to go, But Dana certainly seems to have
> misplaced his.  
> 
> Coaching: The Celts started out fronting Malone, and
> got some decent
> results from it early.  After the first quarter
> though, Malone scored
> 24 points in about 27 minutes.  You just can't keep
> doing the same
> thing the whole game against Malone and the Jazz. 
> They've seen it
> all, and eventually they'll adjust.  
> 
> Opposition Teams of Note:  The Jazz are the NBA
> poster children for
> continuity.  Unlike a lot of teams (not to mention
> fans) who seem to
> prefer change for the sake of change, the Utah
> franchise functions on
> the theory that you don't fix what ain't broke. 
> It's resulted in
> (generally) the highest consistent level of
> basketball in the league
> in the 90's.  And 0 championships, of course.  I
> still think that the
> theory has a lot to recommend it, and wish that the
> Celtics would
> adopt it themselves (perhaps not too such a great
> degree).
> 
> The Celts are now 10-11.  They travel out to Texas
> for 
=== message truncated ===

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