It was the start of the fourth quarter when I finally realized what I should have known all along: This Celtics team is not going to win the NBA championship.
I could complain about the officiating again, talk about the free-throw differential, and remind everyone that four of the six fouls against Paul Pierce ranged from questionable to ridiculous, but there’s a larger issue here.
If it were just the officiating, I wouldn’t be stressed.
I know the Celtics are going to win on Sunday. As Donny Marshall reminded us on the Celtics’ TV broadcast, most of the questionable calls going against the Celtics aren’t going to go against them Sunday at home.
It’s not the officiating. It’s not the Hawks. It’s not a bad match-up. It’s not the Hawks being better than we thought they were (though they are much, much better than we thought they were…especially Joe Johnson).
This Celtics team has some serious, serious issues that I’m not sure they can overcome.
The biggest issue, and maybe the only issue that matters, is Doc Rivers.
In a pivotal playoff game, against a team that you don’t want to see in a game seven, that you should be stomping, you need to come out in the fourth quarter and stomp them.
You need to take the momentum away immediately, grab a lead, and never look back.
Doc Rivers thinks it’s more important to get his starters some rest. Now, this is understandable in the regular season, but inexcusable in the playoffs.
You’re talking about a group of starters that might only have ONE game left. They needed to win this game. But he played Paul Pierce and four bench guys to start the fourth quarter, and the Hawks made him pay.
Once he got the starters back in, Pierce was in foul trouble, the Hawks had all the momentum, and the game was basically over.
Doc Rivers needs to be fired immediately if this Celtics team doesn’t make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. If it doesn’t get out of the first round, he should be banned from ever attending an NBA game again.
He is the Grady Little of NBA head coaches. I’m baffled by his lack of adjustments and insistence on using his bench.
Doc Rivers will never coach an NBA champion. The best thing the Celtics could do is allow Garnett to coach the team and let Doc think he’s still in charge.
But Doc Rivers isn't the only problem. I’ve never seen a team settle for more jump shots than the Celtics.
Paul Pierce is taking the ball to the hoop. Leon Powe is pounding inside. That’s it.
Garnett’s fading away way too much. Ray Allen is taking too many three-pointers, including the ridiculous three he took down two with close to ten seconds left in the game last night.
Rajon Rondo went from the best player on the floor to an indecisive offensive liability in game six, replaced down the stretch by Cassell and failing to get the ball into a shooter’s hands on the last possession.
This team is missing something. Not sure what, but something is missing.
When Pierce fouled out, you knew they weren’t winning that game.
The Celtics will probably win on Sunday, but it won’t change anything I just said in this article.
This Celtics team might not beat the Cavs, it probably won’t beat the Pistons, and it has no chance against the Spurs, Lakers, or Hornets.
I’m going to drink heavily and forget this column ever happened. Maybe I can convince myself Doc Rivers will have this thing all figured out by the time the next round starts.
Hopefully the Celtics will be involved…
I’m SeanMC.
SeanMC is a Senior Writer at Bleacher Report. His archive can be found here. You can find everything he writes, including articles for other publications, here.
comments (13) write a comment »
write a new comment
2 months ago
Right now, the favorite in the East has to be Orlando. While Cleveland, Detroit, and Boston all had long, hard fought series, Orlando coasted their way to the second round, got some rest, and a huge boost of confidence as they were the first team to advance to the second round. With the way Dwight Howard is playing, I think the Magic could shock the world and win the East.
from 2 months ago
I disagree. I thought Detroit would win the East from the start, and I still do. But Orlando and Boston may as well. In the end it does not matter: the Lakers will win, and ifr not, the friggin' cheatin' Spurs, although Utah looks pretty impressive, too. (New Orleans did, too, but they were just playin' the Mavs.)
Love your take Sean: as always, you have good observations and wrote well.
from 2 months ago
I predicted Detroit before the season, then again right before the playoffs. I'd be perfectly happy with the Celtics losing to the Pistons in seven. I'll be perfectly ticked-off if they lose to the Hawks in seven.
Thanks for the compliments, MJ.
2 months ago
At this point, the east looks up for grabs. I initially thought Boston would blow Atlanta off the court and be waiting a week or so for whoever was next. Now after seeing Ray Allen shoot 2 of 963 from three point range, im not sure the celtics will make it out of the next round. Detroit looks the strongest of the bunch as they are the proven commodity, but its still wide open.
2 months ago
I'm not "sure" Boston will make it out of this round. Granted, I believe they will, and if I were betting money, I'd put quite a bit on them, BUT, it's no sure thing.
from 2 months ago
That's about where I am right now.
2 months ago
Just a quick fact, but no team has ever won each home game and lose each road game in the first round and win the NBA title.
2 months ago
i point to the officials - the celtics have not played their best, but to win in atlanta, the officials have made it so the celtics have to be perfect. i dont know too many teams that could overcome the officiating in games 4 and 6 to win. the celtics and their coach were not at their best, and no one on the team has really stepped up their game in the postseason the way joe johnson has for the hawks. but a 47-25 free throw difference is simply absurd.
from 2 months ago
The officials.... my GOD I hate NBA officials.
The thing is, I don't think they're pushing for either team to win. I just think the NBA's officials are the worst of all the major sports. Terrible. Awful.
What they need to do is stop the outside official from making calls when the inside official is three feet away from what's happening. I can't stand it.
Or when the official with the best view is overruled by the outside guy... Jesus, my head almost exploded when they called that block on Pierce in game 5....
2 months ago
Maybe if the Celtics spent more time going to the basket and not settling for jumpshots they would get to the line more often. Maybe if they were a little more athletic they wouldn't have to foul as much on the defensive end. But yeah, it's all the refs fault. An inability by Ray Allen to nail a jumper didn't factor in, did it? Rondo playing rather carless didn't factor in, did it? KG being unaggressive on the block didn't factor in, did it? The Hawks scrapping for offensive rebounds and Childress' energy didn't have an effect, did it? Leaving Marvin Williams open to constantly nail 18 ft jumpers didn't have an effect either, did it? Nope, all the refs.
from 2 months ago
Leaving Marvin Williams open wasn't the problem. It was the plan. Double Joe Johnson and leave someone open for a jumper, don't let them get to the hoop.
The issue is letting them get to the hoop. That's been the problem.
Part of that is the officiating. They're afraid to square up in front of the Hawks players because they're not getting ANY calls. Every questionable call has gone the other way. After a while, it gets in your head.
The Hawks have been good, the Celtics haven't been as good as they should be, but the officials have been terrible. In every game of the series, regardless of which team won and what building it was played in. Just awful.
2 months ago
The Hawks are putting up a good fight! It's going to be hard for the Celtics to get into round 2
2 months ago
Yeah, Sean, it was the problem. When he burries those jumpers and hits 18 footers, whether it was the plan or not, it's still the problem. Sometimes the "plan" becomes the problem.
Every questionable call has not gone against the Celtics either.
write a new comment