Low energy or just good?

[cfoo]

A lot was made of how Pierce, Garnett and Allen were going to make games a cake walk for each other, and I think we are seeing that. Over the years we have become accustomed to watching losing basketball and players trying as hard as they can and killing themselves trying to scrap out a win. Now we are seeing winning "regular season" basketball for the first time in 20 years. I remember watching the lakers and celtics during the late 80's and they used to get some flack because it seemed like they weren't trying so hard some games.

What amazes me about this team is we are 17-2 and out of those 19 games only 4 of them have ever been in doubt really. 15 of those games we dominated. Most of these games I watch and we coast for the most part. Some games we come out get a big lead and hold them off. Other games we just coast and just hold them off and build a lead as the game goes. Take tonight for example. There was never a threat chicago was going to win that game. Chicago made a little run late and Garnett hit that turnaround to finally seal it and that was the energy he expended for the night.

I don't think we need to come out all fired up every night and blow teams out every night. You expend more energy doing that sometimes then what we've been doing. When you are on a good team and know you can win you expend very little energy for the most part in general. It's just easier. Vs playing on a bad team and trying your hardest to get a win. The c's know when to turn it up for the most part and they have been blowing teams out.

The nba is a marathon and the C's know this. Garnett came out hte first week or two and was really pumped but I think he realized this is a long season and has toned it down a bit as have a lot of the guys. The bench is getting more time. Doc is doing a great job with the rotations and working in various guys like Posey, House, Baby, TA and Scal, Powe and Pollard are being used in situations and it's good. We have a defense that can hold teams down and we just play off of that and score our points and move the ball and take good shots. It's good basketball.

[cfoo]

I guess the point is good teams make it look easy because it is. We shouldn't be trying so hard. Confidence and talent and knowing when to do what and what you are doing is good basketball.

[DERRENMATTS]

I think we aren't too far from a rude awakening. We do coast, and I think that's bad. Chicago hasn't been a good team this year, and yet, if they had a good run, they could have made this a really close game. We even played sluggishly against the Bobcats, and it was too close for comfort for me.

I never want to see our guys coasting. I want to always see our team playing hard from the very beginning, and coast ONLY when the game is well in hand. I don't care if we are playing the worst team in the league--I still want our guys to come out with intensity and seal the game by the half--and then coast the rest of the way and let the subs get some playing time.

Tonight, Pierce seemed like he was coasting (though he did play good defensively). Even KG seemed to be coasting a bit, and that's something I never thought I'd see. I just love to see guys hustling, and that's why Baby has been fun to watch. That's why Posey and House have been fun to watch. They play hard all the time because they are trying to earn Doc's favor.

The original Big Three played hard, right? They would play their usual terrific game from the start of the game, and if the competition is playing really good, and they needed to turn the notch up some, they'd do it. But our guys right now seem to be playing subpar early on, and then turn on the switch at some point in the game, and then run away with it. I don't agree with this gameplan.

[cfoo]

See I think they are hustling. That's where we disagree. I think guys are playing hard and smart and confident. They are more than capable of turning it up and they do. It's a long season and I kind of think you have to pick your spots. I think we are playing great basketball right now. The original big 3 used to do what we are doing. A lot of games they would rest the 4th quarter or the final 5 minutes. And so are we.... A lot of times they'd find themselves in a clsoe game the end of the game and pull it out.

[cfoo]

I remember watching bball with my dad when i was younger and he would be like the first 3 quarters they just trade shots and then win the game. Because they did. Most games the first 3 quarters the c's would trade shots until the final 2 minutes they'd turn it up and win the game.

Hensohn says the same thing where you kill the teams will. You just hold a team to a certain amount of points and score off of that. When you are that good you can do that. The other team is basically helpless. This team is that good. That is what great teams do. It's easy. The other team is scrapping and clawing for nothing. that is what dominant basketball is. It demoralizes the hell out of other teams.

It's also not like we aren't trying. It's we are being smart about it. We also aren't letting teams catch up and any of that. Some games we blow out. Other games we grind it out and trade shots and put them away at the end. When we give up a lead Doc gets pissed. I guess the thing is during the regular we are going to blow out a lot of teams. We are going to grind some games out. We are going to coast a bit. During the playoffs we will really sprint to the finish line. We have a huge lead and we aren't sacrificing anything by doing that. It's the whole tortoise and the hare thing. The tortoise kind of just went at a slow steady pace. It's not like we are overly confident. That would be different. You listen to the players and all they talk about is getting better. The hare made this mad dash and then crapped out. Got overly zealous and was stupid. We aren't doing that. We are just rolling along.... Confident and intelligently.

KG I think realized he was expending a lot of energy to start the season and then realized it was a long season and decided it was best to tone it down a bit. He was right though and he wanted to get off to a really good start and we did. I think we are playing really solid basketball right now and are more into the meat of the season right now. IT would be different if we were losing ground. But we aren't. We are gaining ground. Our stars are resting more and our bench is playing more and being worked in, and we are winning games easily.

[The Eye of the Q is upon you!]

It won't always be this easy throughout the 82 game sked. There will be weeks we run into a bunch of hot clubs playing to get into the post season tournament. We are building a nice cushion so can absorb some losses but gain experience in doing it.

The Patriots are experiencing resistance from clubs desperate to win games (Baltimore, Philly). Pittsburgh played like they expected to lose once the Patriots got their double digit lead in the 3rd Q.

[FLCeltsFan]

I remember over the last several years, Detroit, San Antonio, all seem to toy with us and then put us away at the end. We could stay with them all game but then at the end they seemed to be able to turn it up a notch and beat us. Remember how many close games we lost over the last couple of years? Now, we are that team that can turn it up a notch at the end of games.

[eja117]

flceltsfan12 said:

I remember over the last several years, Detroit, San Antonio, all seem to toy with us and then put us away at the end. We could stay with them all game but then at the end they seemed to be able to turn it up a notch and beat us. Remember how many close games we lost over the last couple of years? Now, we are that team that can turn it up a notch at the end of games.

I remember that very well and it always ticked me off. Every once in a million years they'd stay hot or PP would go off or maayyybe they'd play a little defense or some rookie trying to prove himself would have a career nite (remember Greg Minor?) and we'd win and that was it.

[runrondo]

flceltsfan12 said:

I remember over the last several years, Detroit, San Antonio, all seem to toy with us and then put us away at the end. We could stay with them all game but then at the end they seemed to be able to turn it up a notch and beat us. Remember how many close games we lost over the last couple of years? Now, we are that team that can turn it up a notch at the end of games.

Wow, bad memories But yeah, this is just a sign of a good team not wasting themselves early on with the lesser teams...

[DERRENMATTS]

One thing for sure--this is the easiest Garnett has ever had to play to get wins. Same goes for Ray and Pierce. Without really giving it 75% effort, they have won 18 games. At least they should be fresh in the playoffs.

[Roadrunner]

cf00 said:

I remember watching bball with my dad when i was younger and he would be like the first 3 quarters they just trade shots and then win the game. Because they did. Most games the first 3 quarters the c's would trade shots until the final 2 minutes they'd turn it up and win the game.

Hensohn says the same thing where you kill the teams will. You just hold a team to a certain amount of points and score off of that. When you are that good you can do that. The other team is basically helpless. This team is that good. That is what great teams do. It's easy. The other team is scrapping and clawing for nothing. that is what dominant basketball is. It demoralizes the hell out of other teams.

It's also not like we aren't trying. It's we are being smart about it. We also aren't letting teams catch up and any of that. Some games we blow out. Other games we grind it out and trade shots and put them away at the end. When we give up a lead Doc gets pissed. I guess the thing is during the regular we are going to blow out a lot of teams. We are going to grind some games out. We are going to coast a bit. During the playoffs we will really sprint to the finish line. We have a huge lead and we aren't sacrificing anything by doing that. It's the whole tortoise and the hare thing. The tortoise kind of just went at a slow steady pace. It's not like we are overly confident. That would be different. You listen to the players and all they talk about is getting better. The hare made this mad dash and then crapped out. Got overly zealous and was stupid. We aren't doing that. We are just rolling along.... Confident and intelligently.

KG I think realized he was expending a lot of energy to start the season and then realized it was a long season and decided it was best to tone it down a bit. He was right though and he wanted to get off to a really good start and we did. I think we are playing really solid basketball right now and are more into the meat of the season right now. IT would be different if we were losing ground. But we aren't. We are gaining ground. Our stars are resting more and our bench is playing more and being worked in, and we are winning games easily.

Kind of reminds me of when a 25flat 5-miler said to me that a guy was hanging on him for 3-miles, and he turns to the guy and says 'do you know who I am', and pulls away. The Celtics have showed when to push, and when to hold.