... and we've learned NOTHING about these two teams aside from the fact that no one on the Celtics can guard Ilgauskas - and that it doesn't matter because the Cavs will forget about him halfway through the game anyways.
In my last entry, I complained that people made idiotic assumptions about the Celtics based on the last series with Atlanta. Well, now the idiocy will continue because people will make one of two silly assumptions:
A. The Cavs are finished.
B. The Celtics will lose the next two games.
Neither one is a rational assumption.
To assume that Cavs are dead just because the C's "shut down" Lebron is moronic, especially in light of the last series with Atlanta. The Hawks weren't finished when they went down 2-0 and Cleveland is a much better team. Also, since "shutting down" Lebron apparently means he doesn't get a triple double with 30 plus points, that's not much of a "shut down". Containing is a more accurate description. And let's be fair, the Celtics can not defend those mid range jumpers that Ilgauskas can hit in his sleep. The Cavs haven't been going to him that frequently (which, as Charles Barkley pointed out, is insane) but I can see the big man going off on the C's in a tight game. I expect the Cavs to win at least one of the games in Cleveland. They'll have the home court advantage, a partisan crowd (and some "home cooking" from the officials) and you can only "contain" Lebron for so long.
I also think it's dumb to expect the C's to lose the next two game. As I said last time, the C's will not have an identical experience in this round to the one they had at Atlanta. If they lose the next two - and I don't think they will - there's no guarantee that they win game five. Likewise, I don't think the Cavs will be able to exploit the Celtics in the identical way the Hawks did.
It's cute to use past performances to determine future results. But this is sports and things do indeed change.
Showing posts with label Cleveland Cavaliers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cleveland Cavaliers. Show all posts
Friday, May 9, 2008
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Stupid things I keep hearing about the Celtics
Ever since the Atlanta Hawks won game 3 against the Boston Celtics, the idiots have really come out of the woodworks. The following is a small sampling of the utter drivel we've been subjected to from WEEI, the Herald, the Globe, ESPN and even random conversations I keep hearing at the gym:
1. All the Celtics have to do is win all of their home games and they'll be fine: This is probably NOT going to happen. Yes, the Celtics are the best team in the NBA in the regular season which won them home court throughout the playoffs, but it defies all logic to think that the Celtics are somehow going to go 16-0. Given the horrific nature of NBA officiating, the C's are bound to get hosed in at least one of those (potential) 16 games. Add a bad call to a close game, and you can very easily lose.
2. The Celtics were exposed by the Hawks. They can't win: Wrong again. Just because Atlanta exploited some favorable match-ups, doesn't mean that Cleveland will be able to do the same. The Hawks are a different team than the the Cavs and they have different strengths and weaknesses. It doesn't mean that the Cav's are an easier opponent, but the odds of this series going exactly the way the last one did are remote.
3. Kevin Garnett sucks: This is so idiotic it doesn't deserve comment.
4. The C's weakness is their bench: Another gem. Posey, House, Tony Allen, and Powe have all been very pleasant surprises this year and they do have veteran leadership in PJ Brown and Sam Cassell. This was actually a STRENGTH for the team this year and is further proof that Doc Rivers is the luckiest human being on the planet. Is it better than Cleveland's bench? That remains to be seen.
5. The refs are out to get the Celtics: The NBA is by far - BY FAR - the worst officiated of the four major sports. The refs aren't out to get anyone. They just miss a lot of calls and fall for a LOT of flopping. Both teams have to deal with inconsistencies. The Celtics just had to deal with more against the Hawks.
6. Paul Pierce is secretly a member of the Bloods/Crips: Another great one. One hand signal and he's the next 50 Cent? I'm not sure if this is closet racism or paranoia, but you'd think that once you started making upwards of a million dollars a year, your participation in drive-bys would cease, right?
7. The Celtics are going to lose because Lebron James will score 40 points a night: He might very well do this, but if the C's can shut down everyone else, they might win anyways.
8. The C's are going to win because they're going to shut down Lebron James: I don't know if this is even possible.
9. People care about Gerry Callahan's political views and/or golf game: Sorry, I couldn't resist.
10. The series with the Hawks proves that the Celtics will/won't win the NBA title: We have a long way to go before we can say these things. All the series with Atlanta proved is that the Celtics aren't as good as the media thought they were and the Hawks were much better than people game them credit for.
1. All the Celtics have to do is win all of their home games and they'll be fine: This is probably NOT going to happen. Yes, the Celtics are the best team in the NBA in the regular season which won them home court throughout the playoffs, but it defies all logic to think that the Celtics are somehow going to go 16-0. Given the horrific nature of NBA officiating, the C's are bound to get hosed in at least one of those (potential) 16 games. Add a bad call to a close game, and you can very easily lose.
2. The Celtics were exposed by the Hawks. They can't win: Wrong again. Just because Atlanta exploited some favorable match-ups, doesn't mean that Cleveland will be able to do the same. The Hawks are a different team than the the Cavs and they have different strengths and weaknesses. It doesn't mean that the Cav's are an easier opponent, but the odds of this series going exactly the way the last one did are remote.
3. Kevin Garnett sucks: This is so idiotic it doesn't deserve comment.
4. The C's weakness is their bench: Another gem. Posey, House, Tony Allen, and Powe have all been very pleasant surprises this year and they do have veteran leadership in PJ Brown and Sam Cassell. This was actually a STRENGTH for the team this year and is further proof that Doc Rivers is the luckiest human being on the planet. Is it better than Cleveland's bench? That remains to be seen.
5. The refs are out to get the Celtics: The NBA is by far - BY FAR - the worst officiated of the four major sports. The refs aren't out to get anyone. They just miss a lot of calls and fall for a LOT of flopping. Both teams have to deal with inconsistencies. The Celtics just had to deal with more against the Hawks.
6. Paul Pierce is secretly a member of the Bloods/Crips: Another great one. One hand signal and he's the next 50 Cent? I'm not sure if this is closet racism or paranoia, but you'd think that once you started making upwards of a million dollars a year, your participation in drive-bys would cease, right?
7. The Celtics are going to lose because Lebron James will score 40 points a night: He might very well do this, but if the C's can shut down everyone else, they might win anyways.
8. The C's are going to win because they're going to shut down Lebron James: I don't know if this is even possible.
9. People care about Gerry Callahan's political views and/or golf game: Sorry, I couldn't resist.
10. The series with the Hawks proves that the Celtics will/won't win the NBA title: We have a long way to go before we can say these things. All the series with Atlanta proved is that the Celtics aren't as good as the media thought they were and the Hawks were much better than people game them credit for.
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