Our defense in transition was not good. We blew a 17 pt lead to go down.

Our "Stars" did their job. Melo was great.

Told my son "Billy walker gonna get at least one offensive foul"......and he held up to my expectation. Dude mixed with Cocoa Puff! Redemption!

Fields I thought had some nice moments when things flowed. He played "in the game".

Great first half. Nice preview of what can be.

good come back in the second half. Team was flat but its stars picked them up and carried them.

Not the kind of ball that wins championships, but home team gave them a push and sometimes your just gonna win on talent alone.

Wins come in all shapes and sizes. Teams build character this way. W is a W!

I expected them to not win. They exceeded!

Another expectation is not to add a new "Fantasy" player everytime Rondo blows by one our boys or gets hurt.
Injuries are to be expected. If we need to add anyone it need be a player who can actually run in the system so I expect we should have someone in the Dleague that we can call up to fill in as needed.

And I expect Rondo to make most players in the league look just as bad. They kid is a Top PG in the league.

But we still won.......So I expect fans to keep making trade ideas and signings on the internet never-the-less!

I expected them to not win. They exceeded!

The Celtics had injured players? Poor them. We were fortunate to have available our best PG, Davis, our backup PG, Bibby, and our rookie SG Shumpert and Jeffries for the whole game, right?

Cut all that "this win isn't impressive because they missed some players" crap. Its stupid to make such a proclamation for the first game of the season after the situations that happened in the NBA. This was a great win, not perfect, but it didn't have to be. Not when we are just getting used to the new pieces while we wait for others to get healthy.

And Boston did not control the tempo the entire game after they came back. We went up by 17 and totally dominated the 1st and most of the 2nd. We gave up 35 pts in the 3rd which was awful, but the Celts, the noted best defensive team in the league the last 3-5 years gave up 35 to us in the 1st. They fought back from 10 pts at half to take the lead, but we showed heart and fought back from 9-10 pts ourseleves to win. And as bad as some are saying we played on defense, we limited the Celts to 17 pts in the 4th quater.

It was inconsistant, but we gutted out a win in a game we would have surely lost last year and the year before. No, we cant expect Melo to score 37 every game but why cant we expect him to make key baskets down the stretch of big games? Thats what star players do. Did you wacth Chris Paul score 3 straight baskets down the stretch of the Clipper game last night to put the game away? Did you see Durant close the show last night?

You win in the NBA by playing good D in the 4th quarter, and having you star players (if you are fortunate enough to have one) seal the deal down the stretch. All the nice ball movement that we are all clamoring for is usually null and void when its winning time. When the game is on the line, you better believe that triangle offense was put in the cooler while Jordan or Kobe went one on one. Didn't see any Lob City last night when Paul took over last night. The running and gunning Heat will slow to a snails pace when they need a basket; Wade and or Lebron hold the ball for a final shot. Where the fancy plays in the championship last year when Dirk got the ball at the top pf the key and every in a Mavs uniform got the heck out of the way? Who said you cant win championships playing that type of offense when its winning time?

Uptown wrote:

MS wrote:I think it's concerning even though it's the first game that Amare was outplayed by Brandon Bass and that the Celtics were able to score so many points without Pierce. The Celtics can not shoot 51% from the field. There needs to be a better plan in place for Rondo, the coaching staff had an entire offseason to look at ways to slow him down.

We know that that the team is far from a finished product, but Mike Bibby is terrible and shouldn't have been signed. We would have been better off with Anthony Carter. Davis was just signed a week ago and can't be compared to the Celtics losing two of their top 6 players for the game.

That game shouldn't have been close yesterday and we can't count on Melo bailing us out.

How about the great Celts D allowing the Knicks to score 106? How about the great Celts D allowing 35 pts by us in the first. How about the Celts only scoring 17 pts in the 4th quarter when the game ws on the line? I agree that we need to do a better job on transition D but for crying out loud, we won the game! No way we win this game last year or the year before...

Yeah, I have to agree. This was not a perfect win by any stretch. But, c'mon. This was actually precisely the kind of win good teams get. We had some injury issues. We blew a huge lead and had lost all momentum. But when crunch time came, we played well, and had an elite player leading the way for us. NBA games are about peaks and valleys. Usually, the team that plays better in the fourth, or late in the fourth, wins. And good teams know how to close out close games.

Look at this game from Boston's perspective, because last year or the year before, we would have probably been in the Celts' shoes, and after losing a game like that we would all be posting on this board such comments as:

-- How can we start so sluggishly and allow the Knicks to get such a huge lead? We were not prepared!

-- How can we allow Melo to have his way down the stretch? We had a whole offseason to prepare for him!

-- How can we lose depite getting such an amazing game from Rondo? I mean, if we can't win a game when Ronso goes off and the Knicks are basically playing without a point guard ...

-- How can we blow a 10-point lead after the Knicks suffer some key injuries?

Erniecat wrote:

Uptown wrote:

MS wrote:I think it's concerning even though it's the first game that Amare was outplayed by Brandon Bass and that the Celtics were able to score so many points without Pierce. The Celtics can not shoot 51% from the field. There needs to be a better plan in place for Rondo, the coaching staff had an entire offseason to look at ways to slow him down.

We know that that the team is far from a finished product, but Mike Bibby is terrible and shouldn't have been signed. We would have been better off with Anthony Carter. Davis was just signed a week ago and can't be compared to the Celtics losing two of their top 6 players for the game.

That game shouldn't have been close yesterday and we can't count on Melo bailing us out.

How about the great Celts D allowing the Knicks to score 106? How about the great Celts D allowing 35 pts by us in the first. How about the Celts only scoring 17 pts in the 4th quarter when the game ws on the line? I agree that we need to do a better job on transition D but for crying out loud, we won the game! No way we win this game last year or the year before...

Yeah, I have to agree. This was not a perfect win by any stretch. But, c'mon. This was actually precisely the kind of win good teams get. We had some injury issues. We blew a huge lead and had lost all momentum. But when crunch time came, we played well, and had an elite player leading the way for us. NBA games are about peaks and valleys. Usually, the team that plays better in the fourth, or late in the fourth, wins. And good teams know how to close out close games.

Look at this game from Boston's perspective, because last year or the year before, we would have probably been in the Celts' shoes, and after losing a game like that we would all be posting on this board such comments as:

-- How can we start so sluggishly and allow the Knicks to get such a huge lead? We were not prepared!

-- How can we allow Melo to have his way down the stretch? We had a whole offseason to prepare for him!

-- How can we lose depite getting such an amazing game from Rondo? I mean, if we can't win a game when Ronso goes off and the Knicks are basically playing without a point guard ...

-- How can we blow a 10-point lead after the Knicks suffer some key injuries?

Well done. We watch out team with a perspective of prejudice.

Celtic fans I am sure felt if pierce was in they would have won.

They must be in pain after trading Perkins and Green disabled now.

And in the scheme of things im sure there are many celtic fans who feel one title is underachieving.

Im sure not every fan is a Doc Rivers fan.

OasisBU wrote:I was obviously very happy with the Knicks win. They lost the momentum in the 3rd and fought hard to get it back in the 4th, it shows resiliency and a will to win. The game also showed how young this team is and that we have a lot to learn but that is to be expected.

Granted this is a w without Paul Pierce playing but like others have said, the Knicks are not at full strength either. The C's will be solid again when Pierce is back, Bass seems like a great pick up - he was playing great against the Heat last night too.

Speaking of the Heat, that team is scary this year. They will start off much faster than last year and I think Lebron and Wade know this shortened season is a great opportunity. The speed that the Heat play at is crazy.

The east is going to be a battle but the Knicks are definitely in the mix which is awesome.

The knicks will need to shore up their transitional defense. Rondo got them running in the 3rd and caught us bad.

Heat are very good doing this.

SSOL is not a failed scheme. Its used more than fans think. not for whole games, but in spurts.

Gotta hit the shots and reduce their opportunities.

Knicks-Heat will be fun to watch. I doubt we try to slow them down but instead trade punches with them. Game is about who scores most points.

Heat's problem in the finals was not knowing when to run and when to slow it down. The offense stagnated.

How big a problem was it for them?

Just two games! Thats all. More ego than fundamental. They thought they had it won.

The rookie PG Norris Coles is taking more shots than anyone! Spreading the floor out and trusting a rook to make shots.

Expectation: Knicks not at Heat level this season. We have work to do. But we have the potential to win a championship. That makes it interesting!

OasisBU wrote:

Nalod wrote:

OasisBU wrote:I was obviously very happy with the Knicks win. They lost the momentum in the 3rd and fought hard to get it back in the 4th, it shows resiliency and a will to win. The game also showed how young this team is and that we have a lot to learn but that is to be expected.

Granted this is a w without Paul Pierce playing but like others have said, the Knicks are not at full strength either. The C's will be solid again when Pierce is back, Bass seems like a great pick up - he was playing great against the Heat last night too.

Speaking of the Heat, that team is scary this year. They will start off much faster than last year and I think Lebron and Wade know this shortened season is a great opportunity. The speed that the Heat play at is crazy.

The east is going to be a battle but the Knicks are definitely in the mix which is awesome.

The knicks will need to shore up their transitional defense. Rondo got them running in the 3rd and caught us bad.

Heat are very good doing this.

SSOL is not a failed scheme. Its used more than fans think. not for whole games, but in spurts.

Gotta hit the shots and reduce their opportunities.

Knicks-Heat will be fun to watch. I doubt we try to slow them down but instead trade punches with them. Game is about who scores most points.

Heat's problem in the finals was not knowing when to run and when to slow it down. The offense stagnated.

How big a problem was it for them?

Just two games! Thats all. More ego than fundamental. They thought they had it won.

The rookie PG Norris Coles is taking more shots than anyone! Spreading the floor out and trusting a rook to make shots.

Expectation: Knicks not at Heat level this season. We have work to do. But we have the potential to win a championship. That makes it interesting!

I think the problem with trading punches with the Heat is that they are a very solid defensive team and the Knicks are just starting to commit themselves to the D. I think we can get there but the Heat have a big head start.

Coles is a great addition for them, hopefully Shump will be able to do the same for us when he gets back. I do think when we are 100% healthy we will give them a run for their money but I agree with you that the Knicks are not at the Heat level this season. I do think the Knicks make it to at least the second round of the playoffs.

Heat have been very quietly going about their business.

Spolestra is a good X's and O's coach and the players are behind him. No "Riles" is coming either.

This works for "superfriends" because Riles can be a dickhead and this is not his team, this is the "superfriends" team. They created this team and they choose Spolestra to be the coach.

I seriously doubt their not winning was on the coach, it was on the execution and the players failed to execute.

Thats my expectation with the knicks. MDA was an elite coach before coming to knicks and I doubt he fogot how to coach.

Elite coaches are usually set in their ways and know what they want.

Its well documented our roster was not fundamentally sound or consistant for each of his 3 seassons.

Unless you have Phil Jax in your back pocket you don't let this guy get away. Give him two more seasons.

Knicks tonite was What I have been talking about. The game was just out of synch.

Not gonna panic. They'll work it out. It will be hard for many to see this.

Nalod wrote:Bobcats took them to the limit. Heat are a highlight show!

Knicks tonite was What I have been talking about. The game was just out of synch.

Not gonna panic. They'll work it out. It will be hard for many to see this.

Its tough without real PG play. Gotta adjust the gamepicker.

Uptown wrote:

Erniecat wrote:

Uptown wrote:

MS wrote:I think it's concerning even though it's the first game that Amare was outplayed by Brandon Bass and that the Celtics were able to score so many points without Pierce. The Celtics can not shoot 51% from the field. There needs to be a better plan in place for Rondo, the coaching staff had an entire offseason to look at ways to slow him down.

We know that that the team is far from a finished product, but Mike Bibby is terrible and shouldn't have been signed. We would have been better off with Anthony Carter. Davis was just signed a week ago and can't be compared to the Celtics losing two of their top 6 players for the game.

That game shouldn't have been close yesterday and we can't count on Melo bailing us out.

How about the great Celts D allowing the Knicks to score 106? How about the great Celts D allowing 35 pts by us in the first. How about the Celts only scoring 17 pts in the 4th quarter when the game ws on the line? I agree that we need to do a better job on transition D but for crying out loud, we won the game! No way we win this game last year or the year before...

Yeah, I have to agree. This was not a perfect win by any stretch. But, c'mon. This was actually precisely the kind of win good teams get. We had some injury issues. We blew a huge lead and had lost all momentum. But when crunch time came, we played well, and had an elite player leading the way for us. NBA games are about peaks and valleys. Usually, the team that plays better in the fourth, or late in the fourth, wins. And good teams know how to close out close games.

Look at this game from Boston's perspective, because last year or the year before, we would have probably been in the Celts' shoes, and after losing a game like that we would all be posting on this board such comments as:

-- How can we start so sluggishly and allow the Knicks to get such a huge lead? We were not prepared!

-- How can we allow Melo to have his way down the stretch? We had a whole offseason to prepare for him!

-- How can we lose depite getting such an amazing game from Rondo? I mean, if we can't win a game when Ronso goes off and the Knicks are basically playing without a point guard ...

-- How can we blow a 10-point lead after the Knicks suffer some key injuries?

Very well said...

Must be Doc Rivers getting out coached three games in a row! FIRE DOC!!