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The runs
In the Pistons debacle that Magic and Charles are
laughing at us about, we don't really need to be reminded
about the spate of scoring droughts (an 0-12 run in the
1Q, 0-11 run in the 2Q, capped by the 2-34 nightmare in
10 minutes of the 2nd of half). Boston has more or less
put that blowout behind them.
But what's problematic is that this is not a one-game
aberration. I'm sure everyone else out there has noticed
too.
Offensive scoring droughts have played a big part in some
otherwise winnable games. Here are the lowlights from the
other three losses in the current streak:
@Detroit (L 83-86)
-Boston gave up a 16-3 run in 4:43 (early 2Q) to face a
28-40 deficit.
-Boston hand Detroit yet another safe lead by allowing a
13-4 run in 4.36 (3Q) to make it 47-57.
(comment: In a close game, you can't get outscored 29-7
over a 9 minute stretch!)
Detroit L66-118
-Over 16+ minutes combined, Boston was held to all of 2
points of offense while giving up 57 points.
Indiana 100-109
-The Celtics 20-12 lead with 5:21 left in the 1Q turned
into a 25-35 deficit. That's a 23-5 run.
-Boston followed that up by going five minutes with only
4 points (a 4-14 run) in the 3Q.
(Again this was a winnable game where Boston let a bad
stretch (5-23) cost us. The Celtics can't let that
happen.)
@ NO 96-103
-Boston's offense generated all of 1 point in 8 minutes,
over a 1-18 New Orleans run. We turned a six point lead
into a 12 point deficit (33-21). That's the second
straight time we let our guard down in the 1Q after a
good start on offense.
-The Celtics scored 2 points in a 5:40 stretch of the 3rd
and 4th quarters to fall behind 70-80 via a Hornets 11-2
run.
Typically, veteran teams can stop the bleeding by running
a solid go to play or tightening up their
focus/execution. It is a unfathomable that Boston can go
10 to 15 straight possessions game after game without
running a play that has at least a 50% chance of leading
to a basket or foul.
I don't want to over-dramatize this, because NBA games
are chock-filled with 11-2 type runs on both sides.
Boston had a few good runs too.
The good news is that Boston's defense woke up for long
stretches of the second half versus the Hairnets.
This actually resembled REAL Celtics team defense, even
if the results were mixed (which is what happens during a
slump). Four quarters of that stuff is more than enough
to win most games. For awhile I was starting to worry
that opposing teams had figured out the holes in our
defense.
Also, you have the injury setbacks. Tony Battie would
have surely had a monster game if he had any oomph in his
leg. A lot of slam dunk putbacks and rebounds turned into
an adventure, because of his lack of explosion. Part of
the reason Boston's defense is at around 80% of playoff
intensity is because of the injuries. A lot of our key
guys are at 75-80%. Delk has been struggling on defense,
producing few steals or stops.
I credit JR Bremer (20 ppg this month) for bouncing back
from the "flash in the pan" label after he had seemingly
found his level a week ago.
What's nice is how JR looks to score and demonstrates
poise when things look worst. The Celtics need guys to
stop the bleeding during momentum runs, like Antoine
often did during the Nets series last Spring.
With more maturity, Bremer could become a nice bench
combo guard in the Microwave mold. I'm not sure he's a
starting PG, because of the playmaking issues. He's too
slow at times getting the half-court offense started.
It has to be said that Boston's three amigo PGs have
gotten only 13 assists and 7 steals (10 TOs) in the past
four games combined, despite combining for 227 minutes
(57 mpg). Those numbers need to become more robust as
Tony Delk's health improves.
Tonight will be yet another interesting matchup for our
PGs.
We can't go into the second half (and Far West trip) on a
5-game losing streak. Four quarters of REAL Celtics
defense would make life so much easier.
Everyone who is a Celtics fan knows what is at stake
here. At times like this, what can we do but cheer and
hope for the best?
Joe Hironaka
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