2023-24 Playoff Series #2 | Game #1 | Cavaliers @ Celtics | May 7, 2024

[kookoo]

Are you confident garland can turn it around next year when his most significant limitation is his mind?

I think with a good coach, we're not going to be so consistently reliant on him just scoring. He'll be able to affect the game with playmaking. The way we consistently just go to ISO and slow pick and rolls is doing no one justice. Mitchell is elite as a scorer so he's going to get his regardless of system. If Garland's shot isn't going in the playoffs, we don't have the off-ball movement to get him in a passing mood.

We don't know how to get good shots consistently for role players. JBB getting fired if we can bring in a good coach is going to be the biggest change for this team. I also hope we sign a small forward with size.

 

[Otsego Mar]

Wasn't that the same sentiment with Allen after last year's playoffs?

A 7 ft big with his skill set is worth a lot more than an undersized PG who really isn't even a true PG and is poor defensively.

I think Allen has improved since being here (outside of the Knicks series) and I still think he can improve by hitting more outside jumpers. I never like to advocate for traditional bigs to shoot the 3-ball, but his shot looks pretty good to be trying open jumpers when available.

 

[Smooth]

Are you confident garland can turn it around next year when his most significant limitation is his mind?

We've seen him make an All-Star game with that same mind and if he's as damaged as some say he is then is it worthwhile to take pennies on the dollar?

 

[inliner311]

A 7 ft big with his skill set is worth a lot more than an undersized PG who really isn't even a true PG and is poor defensively.

I think Allen has improved since being here (outside of the Knicks series) and I still think he can improve by hitting more outside jumpers. I never like to advocate for traditional bigs to shoot the 3-ball, but his shot looks pretty good to be trying open jumpers when available.

Garland is just a poor fit for a team that is going to rely on 2 guards to be their top 2 scorers. I think some team will see value in Garland. I think to have a chance at getting another star player, we have to be willing to give up two of Garland, Allen, or Mobley.

Im also not banking on Allen improving that much more, I think this is very close to his ceiling. Mobley still has a lot more in his ceiling. When we get a new coach, I would be looking for someone who has a plan to develop Mobley as one of the main criteria.

 

[PIP]

I knew it was coming.

Weather is warming up, he’s sweating a lot…His acne is operating on a billion right now…

Just feel for him…

 

[Otsego Mar]

Garland is just a poor fit for a team that is going to rely on 2 guards to be their top 2 scorers. I think some team will see value in Garland. I think to have a chance at getting another star player, we have to be willing to give up two of Garland, Allen, or Mobley.

Im also not banking on Allen improving that much more, I think this is very close to his ceiling. Mobley still has a lot more in his ceiling. When we get a new coach, I would be looking for someone who has a plan to develop Mobley as one of the main criteria.

I'd take a 1st and a solid role player for DG.

I'd look to hang onto Mobley and Allen.... especially if we can get another shooting big.

A guy like Vasectomylucius or Vuvuvic come to mind.

 

[mAo_mAo]

Derrick White becoming this player after leaving San Antonio is pretty wild

World of difference from Dejounte/Keldon to Brown/Tatum too.

 

[Jscc]

Wrong thread.

 

[Smooth]

• Starting the game, it was eye opening to see the amount of space created on the floor with the Celtics lineup. They space you out so well 1-5 and create a decision for your defense: Force individual point-of-attack defenders to hold up against Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum so help defenders can stay attached to shooters or sag off to help on Brown and Tatum and let the shooters make their mark. Either way, you’re choosing versus two perennial All-Stars or the league’s best shooting team.
• Early on, Max Strus was losing that battle. Brown is a good player, but he was in getting whatever and wherever he wanted. Brown had 15 first quarter points included 5-for-6 from the field, and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.
• Speaking of Strus, how many times will he step on the sidelines for a turnover?
• After the Celtics came out to a quick 10-2 lead, the Cavs had an 8-0 response of their own. Not shockingly it came with two made three-pointers: One by Isaac Okoro on a kick out and one by Donovan Mitchell pulling up off drop coverage.
• The Celtics are willing to give the Cavs that pull-up three off picks. Al Hoford was hanging back in drop most of the evening. Mitchell was 3-for-5 on three-pointers in the first quarter while Darius Garland was 1-for-3.
• Rolling that 8-0 run into a bigger run, the Cavs managed to parlay it into a 21-11 run. Another shocker: The Cavs made 5 three-pointers in that span. Throw in another one made by Mitchell, Okoro and Garland.
• Seeing Okoro be aggressive on the offense end and make his perimeter shots is always fun to see. When Okoro is playing decisive and confident, he’s a positive offensive player. With some more coaching and more confidence there’s no reason why he can’t be a Josh Hart like player.

• The Cavs giveth and the Cavs taketh. After the last Mitchell three-pointer, which gave the Cavs the lead, the Cavs didn’t have a field goal for another three minutes.
• And this is the Cavs offense in a nutshell: When they’re on, they’re on and when they’re not, they’re not. Expert analysis, I know.
• Part of that is because of the offensive flow, or whatever they rely on offensively. When one of their creators are creating and some of their shooters are knocking down shots, the offensive looks good. When either, or both, stall, there’s not really a backbone to fall back upon to help generate offense. The offense slows down, and quality looks are hard to come by. That’s where the offensive breakdown is, and why the offense is so inconsistent.

RCF RECAP


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[Wham with the Right Hand]

In a game between a great shooting team and a bad shooting team, the great team always wins. White and Brown were 11-for-18 on 3's. They were unstoppable. The rest of the Celtics were 7-for-28, or 25%, but those two won them the game, IMO.

The Celtics also had a huge edge on the boards 55-38. Allen being out really hampered us on the glass. Luke Kornet came off the bench for 10 rebounds and a couple of blocks in 23 minutes.

The Cavs just ran into two red hot shooters and missed a lot of open shots, especially the mid-range jumpers that were uncontested.

It was discouraging to watch the Cavs play great defense for 24 seconds only for somebody to hit a 3-pointer with a Cav player right in their grill.

The Cavs did not score a point for the first 4:20 of the second quarter as JBB went with TT, Morris, Okoro, Merrill, and Garland. There's no way that lineup will score. With Allen and Wade out we have no bench. Merrill could not get a clean shot off. Okoro started out great and disapppeared after the first quarter.

 

[Futuredome]

The obsession with Garland during a lousy defensive road performance cracks me up. It completely misses the point. The Cavs need to turn it up 1000% on d. You just rewatch it, they were a step slow on d all night, especially Strus and Mitchell. This team isn't out scoring people with this crappy scheme. They gotta play d. Mitchell is the only player that is a true iso player outside LeVert. It shows. Poor JB, it's just over his head.

 

[Dr. Claw]

Pretty much went like I expected it to go. Can't match the shooting for an entire game. Really compromised on defense w/o JA, and in reserves without Dean.

Donovan was all right. Okoro started out nice. Max and Morris had moments. Sam was pretty putrid. Dunno what to say about Caris, it's a roulette wheel with him. Evan was poopoo on offense until garbage time. Shooting over all was poo poo.

This team is well behind in its development. Boston has been a several-years work in progress. Besides the physical differences, this is the main thing.

I'm not completely ambivalent but the reality of these two teams couldn't be anymore clear. "It is what it is".

Try again, game 2 and do better.

Don't get swept. Hope JA can come through this series.

 

[chuck0609]

Wasn't that the same sentiment with Allen after last year's playoffs?

And where is he right now? He plays a good series vs Orlando and we act like NY wouldn’t abuse his ass again.

 

[chuck0609]

The obsession with Garland during a lousy defensive road performance cracks me up. It completely misses the point. The Cavs need to turn it up 1000% on d. You just rewatch it, they were a step slow on d all night, especially Strus and Mitchell. This team isn't out scoring people with this crappy scheme. They gotta play d. Mitchell is the only player that is a true iso player outside LeVert. It shows. Poor JB, it's just over his head.

Agreed to defense. But when two of your best defenders are “unavailable”, or “unreliable’, this is what happens.

 

[Damage]

@Damage was on to something in the S34 thread… in the 3-ball era, this Celtics team has built a damn near perfect roster. You just don’t know where you’re gonna get punched in the mouth from next.

They're impossible to cover. Mobley was not good but to his credit Boston did a great job of pulling him away from the paint, which was one of my top fears with JA out.