Game 2 is big for Brad Stevens.

bobbyjones2 · Apr 17, 2017

I like this guy, think he is a good coach and he gets a ton of praise from media and players.

But as above average as his team is, he better make some adjustments in the next 48. This Boston team is probably the worst one seed I can remember in any sport. Isiah, a good coach, good system, general team chemistry and playing in a God awful conference is the best I can come up to credit them.

This Bulls team is garbage but they really out hustled Boston in 1. Portis was a fluke, and Jimmy Butler, as stupid as he is, hit some tough shots, but there is no way Bradley or Crowder or whomever should have issues shutting down Wade.

This next game is big for Stevens. Or Danny Ainge gonna catch hell for standing pat at the deadline.

ShortBusDriver7 · Apr 17, 2017

Bulls did exactly what they've done all year vs Celts...crashed the glass and dominated the boards and putbacks. Not sure how Celts can find the size required when they've had the same roster all 5 games.

Bulls started the game 0-12 from 3 and their bench dominated Celts bench.

And yes, it is extremely hard to win a series when you don't have the best player on the court

bobbyjones2 · Apr 17, 2017

Not anti Celtic by any means, but when Clev came into the Garden and just curb stomped them a few weeks back, I guess my skepticism increased. And then to hear one of the players pull the " the whole world is dis respecting us, us against the world card, which never ever gets pulled ( Bama tried to use this bullshit in the title game and they were almost a td favorite)" I sighed.

This is not a great team by any means, and the Cavs, specifically Lebron made sure they were made aware, but imo, Stevens has got to make some adjustments here. This is a big game for both he and Ainge. Cause PG13 looking pretty good right now.

PatsFan1283 · Apr 17, 2017

Why wouldn't Ainge stand pat? He generally knows that the Celts have a lot of smoke and mirrors going on. Not worth mortgaging future and giving up assets for 16 months of Paul George when they still wouldn't be better than Cleveland and not even close to GS.

The team is what it is. A lot of really good roleplayers/wing defenders who can't create their own shot and IT fills that void and they cover for his defensive deficiencies with all their versatility on that end. Stevens micro-manages the regular season in a way that other coaches don't and it adds a lot of wins to the bottom line. But at some point those glaring holes and weaknesses should become magnified.

They know this isn't really a true contender, that's why they didn't try to make a big power move. They know what the Celts are.

I'm pretty lukewarm on the Bulls myself which is why I didn't grab the +360 series line like I should've (liked Pacers more than Bulls), but have Wiz to win conf and was hoping to get Wiz next rd vs C's.

Anything can happen but generally speaking the team isn't as close as it appears.

trixxonu · Apr 18, 2017

Playoff experience matters. Outside of hordors, no one on the Celtics have any meaningful playoff experience. Bulls have champions in wade and rondo (even if they're past their primes), and butlers played in plenty playoff games.

and as great as IT is, you're not gonna win much in the playoffs if he's your best player

bobbyjones2 · Apr 18, 2017

I agree with everything written. Its only one game, and Boston may rebound. Just so anyone knocks Cleveland out, I ll be happy.

PatsFan1283 · Apr 18, 2017

Gm 2 when home team L's gm 1 is usually tough to bet. Very tough to win both those games for road team it it is mostly priced into the line. That being said, if Ibaka sits out them I'm probably betting the bucks, they ain't keeping freak out of the lane without him.

Celts should try to get Smart on Butler more. He matches up really well with him. Butler has some size/length on Bradley but Bradley slips through those brush screens better and Celts didn't want IT getting switched into Butler.

When your offense is terrible unless a 5'9 guy is on the court it makes it tough to do everything you want to defensively. Obviously there's a reason there aren't any other guys that small in the league.

Green17 · Apr 18, 2017

PatsFan1283 said:
Why wouldn't Ainge stand pat? He generally knows that the Celts have a lot of smoke and mirrors going on. Not worth mortgaging future and giving up assets for 16 months of Paul George when they still wouldn't be better than Cleveland and not even close to GS.

The team is what it is. A lot of really good roleplayers/wing defenders who can't create their own shot and IT fills that void and they cover for his defensive deficiencies with all their versatility on that end. Stevens micro-manages the regular season in a way that other coaches don't and it adds a lot of wins to the bottom line. But at some point those glaring holes and weaknesses should become magnified.

They know this isn't really a true contender, that's why they didn't try to make a big power move. They know what the Celts are.

I'm pretty lukewarm on the Bulls myself which is why I didn't grab the +360 series line like I should've (liked Pacers more than Bulls), but have Wiz to win conf and was hoping to get Wiz next rd vs C's.

Anything can happen but generally speaking the team isn't as close as it appears.

You are precisely on point PatsFan. Ainge knows exactly what he has and what he's doing. To have gotten Paul George or Butler at the trade deadline he would have had to give up several starters and their top three pick in this year's draft. And in doing that they would have been worse off than they are now. Everybody likes to talk about what the C's should have done. But as you said, they aren't beating Cleveland or GS this year whether they had made a deal or not.

But now they kept their roster intact and will have a top three pick in the draft, AND have the cap space to pick up a max free agent if they can. The top two at the moment are Gordon Heyward and Blake Griffin....and who knows what other trade deals can come about when you have a top draft choice.

Celtics did exactly what they should have done at the trade deadline. It will become much more obvious as the summer months pass.

bobbyjones2 · Apr 18, 2017

PatsFan1283 said:
Gm 2 when home team L's gm 1 is usually tough to bet. Very tough to win both those games for road team it it is mostly priced into the line. That being said, if Ibaka sits out them I'm probably betting the bucks, they ain't keeping freak out of the lane without him.

Celts should try to get Smart on Butler more. He matches up really well with him. Butler has some size/length on Bradley but Bradley slips through those brush screens better and Celts didn't want IT getting switched into Butler.

When your offense is terrible unless a 5'9 guy is on the court it makes it tough to do everything you want to defensively. Obviously there's a reason there aren't any other guys that small in the league.

I thought Butler hit some really tough, contested shots Sunday. The rebounding, especially Lopez is a concern, but I really feel like the Bulls are happy about getting game one, on the road, and won t have the same intensity or hit those mid range jumpers again. I like Boston by dd tonight. I bet Portis does not have another game like he did Sunday.
The Raptors, man they gotta be concerned. Lowry continues his horrid play off shooting and the Milwaukee length really looked like an issue. Toronto just cant go small with these guys or they get hammered trying to play Joseph or DR against those big Buck guards. WTF? Is Jason Kidd a good coach?

r.a. · Apr 18, 2017

Why would the Bulls just be happy to win the 1st game, on the road, and somehow just mail it in tonight. You've got a savvy veteran like Wade who I'm sure will not allow this kind of mindset to prevail. Boston may well win tonight but i don't think you'll see the Bulls dominated.

PatsFan1283 · Apr 18, 2017

It's not really mailing it in, it isn't like they're gonna take it like it is nothing and coast.

But it is very tough to match intensity up 1-0 on the road, you got a game on the road and it isn't necessarily a must win for the home team but it is pretty close.

Samething as when a team is up 2-0 and playing the first game on the road, those 2 setups I find it very difficult to bet.

bobbyjones2 · Apr 18, 2017

Amir Johnson is so soft. Celts roll.

trixxonu · Apr 18, 2017

Celtics has to be the worst #1 in recent memory

PatsFan1283 · Apr 18, 2017

They obviously only got the #1 for the reasons I said above, they got a pretty good team for the regular season and Stevens gets the most out of it. Tough to say "Oh it's embarrassing to lose as a #1 seed" when they overachieved in the regular season. What is really embarrassing about overachieving?

Obviously they have tons of holes though. I didn't think they would struggle this much vs Chicago but figured they weren't long for the playoffs.

IT just got killed on D all night. Tough to bench him because their offense is bad without him but he is making Rondo look like it is 2012. Rondo played well but a lot of that is just having a 5'9 guy on him. Everything is easier.

Even offensively, so much of what IT does in the regular season is harder to do in the playoffs. A lot of those quick shots off screens guys just will chase you around and close harder.

Now y'all know why they didn't spring for George lol

PatsFan1283 · Apr 18, 2017

Be interesting to see what the line is in Chicago. Pre-series it is in the PK range but I think after these last two games that won't be the case. It will adjust.

bobbyjones2 · Apr 18, 2017

Be wary of an involved Rondo. He is abusing IT. Amir Johnson should be playing lunch time ball at the Y. Where the hell is Al Hortford?

Anyone know what the odds were for this series? How about Bulls in 4?

bobbyjones2 · Apr 18, 2017

I mean, the bulls were 41-41.

PatsFan1283 · Apr 18, 2017

Bulls were +360 to win the series fwiw.

Smart did a good job on Butler and they still got rolled. When you got Rondo playing like that against IT it just gets everyone going. Even that white guy Zipser was feeling it.

PatsFan1283 · Apr 18, 2017

Lost in the #1 seed losing to the #8 seed shuffle is the Bucks looked really good tonight. Both teams shot the ball really well but Bucks were there at the end. Derozan and Lowry hit some tough shots the final 2 minutes and the Bucks missed a few open 3's.

Giannis didn't even play that well. I'll be on the Bucks back in Milwaukee and I project the line to be in the PK range. Think it is more likely they go 2-0 there than 0-2.

LeBron doesn't wanna see that cyborg rd 2. You don't wanna deal with that. You just want the Raptors and business as usual. Even if Giannis is too young, if he gets going, he is capable of anything. It's like he was made in a science lab.

RDuddy · Apr 19, 2017

Bulls have best player in the series. Damn should have checked out that series price beforehand

Game 2 is big for Brad Stevens.

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