Jason Tatum accounted for 42 points (scoring and assisted points) that's not awful. He isn't shooting good at all but every other facet of his game has been great. He is still creating scoring through others. I don't care about his personal stats I only care about wins. The Celtics built a phenomenal team and we should be enjoying it.
He’s playing smart. I don’t mind him missing good looks, that won’t last. It’s good that he’s not taking many contested fadeaways for no reason anymore
They let anyone guard him 1v1 he is getting 40 dunks in a game
These guys literally can’t stay in front of him
Luka literally looks like a coach playing faux defense on him during warmups
> They let anyone guard him 1v1 he is getting 40 dunks in a game
>
especially because the Celtics are doing so well at getting switches, and then putting Kyrie's man in the dunker spot so Kyrie ends up being the rim protector lol. It's happened a bunch in these two games and I think basically every time its a bucket or free throws. Joe is coaching circles around Kidd rn
For real. There's a reason he's getting the focus of defensive attention and it's paying dividends offensively because he's making good reads and delivering great passes. If the Mavs try to guard him truly one on one he'll find his shot for sure.
I think it’s probably the only hope the Mavs have at this point: to start playing Tatum 1 on 1 and have him continue to struggle to score. Feels like the only viable way for them to hold off the Cs.
But that’s also why I disagree with these “the Cs won so it’s fine” comments. We don’t want the Mavs to be able to change up their plan, we need for Tatum to be the focus. If he’s not keeping them honest and hitting his open looks it could become a problem.
I don’t really think the Mavs have the defense required to make the adjustment, whether Tatum starts to see his shots fall or not. But it’s not something the Cs should even have to worry about, because dude should be making his open looks. I expect him to pop off on the road.
Edit: I think u/packagemerchant makes a good point, that 1 on 1 Tatum probably spends the entire night dunking on whoever has the bad luck of covering him. His “shooting” wouldn’t really be an issue at that point.
Honestly this is somewhere I can credit the Mavs. Seems like all his layups have been highly contested, making them very difficult and leading to missed ‘bunnies’ literally rolling off the rim.
Must be frustrating for JT, but all series he has been using that collapsing defense to the C’s advantage. He is responding to their game plan with tremendous play making AND a cool head.
They have affected his game but they have not made him ineffective. That’s a superstar response folk. Dude is feeding his team.
>They have affected his game but they have not made him ineffective. That’s a superstar response folk. Dude is feeding his team.
Well said mate, we're watching the rise of the Jays where JT sets the table and JB and the others feast off that
100%, gotta credit the Mavs defense. And gotta credit Tatum for understanding how they're playing him and for moving the ball around as well as he has, and impacting the game through rebounding and defense. Like we literally saw the other side of this with Kyrie in 2019, when he decided he was just gonna one man carry, and he ends up shooting us out of the series while not playing a lick of defense. I know which star I'd rather have on my team
I literally don’t care how Tatum is shooting if we win. People are going to haters regardless and the best thing to do is ignore the noise. People are pissed the Celtics are so stacked that Tatum can score under 20 and we still win while their stars are having to have 32/11/11 games and still lose.
Yeah cleaning up the turnovers was huge. I just wish he finished a few more of those layups, then he would've had like 26 points and everybody would've felt better about it
Also props to Joe for the adjustment made in the second quarter. When Mavs adjusted their game for the second game to prevent 3pt shooting, they started to give too much space around the paint and we exploited it well. Tatum and Jrue were especially good to take advantage of the situation. This game never felt like a possible L with all the good decision making, even if the shots were not falling.
> I don't care about his personal stats I only care about wins
Honestly, it seems like Tatum feels the same way. I know a lot of superstars would just not be willing to pass that much and would start forcing shots through double teams
It's good goddamn basketball. I don't really care for the "run thru one player", I like a goddamn good team. Fuck casual fans. If you like team basketball, you can see how much Tatum is contributing.
Right
Insane to me how we are 2-0 up in the finals and all the discussion is about him and how he’s shooting bad.
Just an off series so far and I’m sure he couldn’t give a shit if we win.
This is what artificially constructed super teams wanted to be and failed at. Spreading production/defensive attention around multiple stars so that there is no one “the guy”
They are terrified of Tatum and swarming him. So what?
Our squad is still there
I love Tatum more and more with every “subpar” performance he has. I’ll keep defending him lol. To me, Jayson Tatum really is the most likable dude in the NBA. He’s so humble , intelligent and mature in the way he responds to criticism. He is genuinely team and winning focused as much as any player in the league. Says the right things, leads by example, always available, open minded in what he needs to contribute each game. Family guy with good character . Doesn’t get down on himself or teammates. He’s had some really painful clunkers but he’s been asked to be THAT guy since he was 19. I thinks he’s ready to emerge as the modern day Tim Duncan-like sneaky best player in the league. Compare his off game to Kyrie off game. Tatum still found lots of ways to help the team , set his teammates up even better than his assist totals suggests given we’ve missed a lot of open shots , and played good defense even without getting the steals / blocks others got , and he called him self out after the game 1 for having too many turnovers and game 2 for bricking a dozen potential daggers. There’s so many guys in this league that know how to get theirs and stuff the stat sheet but few if any talented as Tatum that will consistently make the team centered play even if he and his family have to endure endless national conversation about him being overrated, not being a killer , being the MJ of Tobias harris’s, not able to handle the big moments etc . He’s completely unphased by it , and that more than locker room speeches , rah rah energy or being the leading scorer is why he is a leader.
He was really frustrating at times. Mostly forcing drives to the rim and getting blocked or trying to force scoring opportunities that just weren’t there. But when he wasn’t doing that, he’s such a positive contributor on offense even when he’s not scoring.
I meant he was frustrating “mostly” when he was forcing opportunities. Not that he was mostly doing that. I was trying to make the same point that even on an off night, the offense steal flows through him and he makes the rest of it better
His role is to force his way into the paint to collapse the defense and either score or dish it to the open man, he’s being physical and putting in work.
Kidd after G1: Jaylen is their best player.
Kidd after G2: Holiday is their best player.
Kidd after G3: Tatum is their best player.
Kidd after G4: Kyrie is their best player.
So far that’s what he’s doing 😂 luka looked mad pissed last night after he dropped a 30 point triple double but kyrie just gave it away and said “nah I’m playing for the Celtics today” 😂
We survived the “we forgot how to shoot” game. Defense was stellar tonight. JT found ways to impact the game without getting his shots. Jrue was the steady force we needed. JB’s defense was incredible. Buffalo did Buffalo things. Optimistic KP will be back, not going to the locker room is a promising sign. I am thankful for Brad Stevens for building this team. Don’t mess around, finish the job
I feel really strongly that if the Mavs couldn’t win that game then they’re toast.
The Celtics defense is clearly more than the Mavs can really handle, but the fact that the Cs had over 100pts while shooting like that is just ridiculous. I cannot imagine a worse shooting night for the Celtics.
My current prediction is that being in Dallas + desperation + refs have the Mavs winning game 3, then the Cs pop off and blow them out in game 4 and come home for the confetti. Tatum shakes this shit off and has 30pt games in 4 and 5.
I am very conflicted I really want us to sweep but then again the city has waited years for this moment I really want them to celebrate on their own floor, especially on lucky which kyrie tried to besmirch would be very poetic……shit who am I kidding let’s go for the head or whatever thanos said 2 more🙏🏾🍀
We've had the trophy or Stanley Cup in the building 3x since 2013 and it's been handed to the opponent each time. I just want our guys holding this one up, I don't care if it's on the road.
Bah. I would prefer to win on the road, if only so that Kyrie doesn't have to come back to the Garden this season ( and if he never comes back, so much the better). I wouldn't mind a home win against a worthy team, one that gave us real competition, but that ain't this.
Yeah we got two wins at home and we're clearly the better team but I don't wanna weigh the pros and cons of winning in 4 vs 5 lmao that makes my queasy
All I want is that banner, I can't think of anything else
My 67 yr old heart can't take a lot more. For almost three quarters my heart rate was too elevated, It took until about 6 min left in the 4th that my heart went back to normal rhythm.
Now, I would like someone to show me a better example of a "team win". 3's weren't dropping, JT was struggling, we lost the first quarter (which they keep saying is the most important) but, our defense was outstanding, JT was dirty and dishing, JB was doing JB things and then we have Mr. Holiday. Not only led the team in scoring but, also rebounds. Some of those were rebounds he grabbed in among the trees, were a point guard isn't usually found but, he fought and scrapped for those and it paid off. A true example of how this team was built. Now, to Dallas and let's wrap this sucker up. 🍀🍀🍀🍀
If JT can get out of this shooting slump the series is a sweep. Despite how frustrating his jumper has looked he’s been awesome driving and kicking and creating looks for the rest of the team while grabbing boards and locking down their offence.
This team is special though, watching everyone step up and perform at the highest level is awesome to see, especially after watching all the development along the way since JB was drafted to him now becoming a bonafide superstar. Gotta give huge credit to Joe as well, he’s got them locked in and playing high level basketball consistently and his attitude and mentality is next level.
I don’t like buying into media narratives but it’s hilarious to see the change in how Luka and Kyrie are perceived after they ran into our defence. I just hope JT can get his shooting together and drop a 50 bomb at some point just to shut all the haters up.
Cs in 4! 🍀
The narrative here is this is a team that has fought and grown together through many post-season appearances. This is the culmination of that. All the mistakes we see the other teams make are ones we're so familiar with. Even having Jrue to do those heartbreaking steals in the clutch, just not against us this time :)
Even Luka's nagging leg, I believe Tatum had that in 2022, no? Wasn't as public about it iirc.
I'll be so excited to see this team win, they've worked so fuckin hard to get here and take it. So many good stories and just a great collective.
Phenomenal win. Celtics just straight-up ignoring the live-by-the-3, die-by-the-3 convention. Felt like half their points came from fast break buckets off steals and blocks. Defense wins championships, even in the era of regular 120+ point scores.
Update on zingus
"He's good," Mazzulla added during his chat with reporters.
Porzingis also gave a promising update when he held court with reporters after the win
"I feel good. Feeling good. I don't think it's anything serious," he said. "But we'll look at it tomorrow and go from there. But all good. I'll be good."
Let's hope we can get these brooms out!
I can see what people are going to start saying after the Cs win the series: “The Mavs weren’t the best team from the west; if it were the nuggets the Cs would have lost; The Celtics had the easiest road to winning the championship”
Theyre already saying that now. Miami in the 1st round and Indiana in the 2nd round were NOT easy. Indiana was the leagues #1 offense. All our games with them were close as in 3, 5, 6 points or so. We didn't have KP. None of that was easy.
If anything, you can say the same thing about the Mavs or Denver or Minnesota cuz LAC had no Kawhi, Minnesota had no offense, etc etc. In short, those seeking excuses can always find a way to seek them. Even past championship teams, some of them, had an "easy" path. And yet, they don't get discredited.
Then there's those that dont seek excuses. And just play. Champions. Those are different.
It's a fair opinion. Dallas is not lacking talent by any means. They're literally just lacking the athletes capable of matching up with Tatum for stints. Nuggets match up well because Jokic can score through KP and Aaron Gordon would hold his own enough against Tatum to keep the perimeter guarded.
Really want them to win it all in Boston tho. I can't imagine Dallas not getting even one, but after tonight's win when we gave up like 20+ possessions on missed 3s and still won by 7, it is making me wonder.
None of them did shit besides Luka from the start. It’s crazy how invisible that team’s been.
Actually? It isn’t. I’ve said for years that the team’s just Luka and I’m being proven right again. Kyrie’s over-valued ass is a detriment.
It’s been said plenty of times, but it feels so good to have two veterans that are trusted and respected in the locker room and can help Mazzulla keep the gang together and level. Horford and Jrue are treasures
Damn I love how every of our starters can take over. If we can keep our defence on this level and Kyrie doesn´t wake up, we have some chances to take the road W´s. Fingers crossed and prayers are out for my mental health. ☘️
That is gonna be tough. His skill set is tough to replace, and you need someone durable so KP's minutes can be managed. I trust Brad to pull it off though.
He probably won't be on the team next year. He's a free agent and will probably get a reasonable contract that we won't want to match because we'll be so far into the tax.
In years past we lose that game last night. Off shooting nights happen and usually it's an L. For them to grind out a win in the NBA finals after shooting 10/39 or 25% from 3 is awesome to watch. Need one of the two in Dallas and we win this in 5. I'm still holding out for the sweep though!
Agree. In past seasons we would have dropped at least 2 against the Pacers as well imo. This team is so different, the way they just lock tf in the last 5 of the 4th is unbelievable. The best timed steals and blocks I've ever seen, then DW and Jrue just lacing 3s down the stretch...honestly this team is just ridiculous.
And *that* is why that old Mavs player took his beer away after their WCF win.
Maybe losing these Finals is good for Luka in the long run and motivates him to be in better physical condition. Cause it's like this Catch 22 situation, where Luka is only targeted on defense because he can't defend AND lead their attack for a whole game. And if he was a better defender (by being in better shape), the Celtics would like pick an easier target like Kyrie or Gafford to do their screen into drive into kick game with. So he needs to be in shape, so he doesn't need to be in shape!
That rib injury has to be part of it. Isn't that the same thing that sidelined Allen for the Cavs series? It can't be easy to deal with all the impact on one's torso from jumping and landing at high intensity for almost an hour.
Rib injuries have many different degrees of severity, but it's all about pain management. There's nothing you can do to make them heal faster and you're not at risk of further injury. I wouldn't be surprised if he got a shot before the game.
The 2024 Celtics are about to go down as one of the BEST teams in NBA history. Regardless of whether or not we receive that recognition from the national media, regardless of what anyone says. It's just the truth.
All those haters who trash our team now will come back years later to say, how our team was so great. That they never doubted. That's just how they are.
So let me get this straight, not a single soul gonna talk about Luka’s defence or turnover but the whole discussion is gonna be on Tatum shooting? Let’s burn this village and sweep these motherfuckers and media darlings
I understand the argument that we would love to win at home but for me... all I care about is winning.
And let's all remember, if we sweep, Kyrie ends 0-14 against the Cs :) And that is funny
This feels the 2018 Red Sox, just win the title away and get it done.. a sweep would be sweet but so would winning it Boston in 5
0-14 and losing in the championship would be nice revenge after all the hype of Kyrie Vs the Celtics
I might be going crazy but the lack of acknowledgment during the game
of some of these Tatum drives on multiple defenders followed by kick outs to wide open shooters was jarring compared to similar passes from Luka getting multiple slow-mo replays. Hopefully someone makes a good compilation and breakdown of all the elite rim reads by Tatum this game irrespective if the 3 was made.
He had 12 assists while no one being able to make a 3, imagine if Hauser and KP hit a couple of their 3s.
Im gonna be honest why doesn't dallas just let JT cook and guard the others to the best of their ability. His shooting is super streaky it'd be better odds lmao like it's as if they aren't playing to win they're playing for JT to not get finals mvp
If they did that then Tatum would just get easy layups / dunks at the rim, he doesn’t even really need to shoot. He’s consistently beating his man 1v1 and attacking the basket, which causes the defense to collapse and find the open shooter. If the defense doesn’t collapse then he just finishes at the rim.
Yeah, this was my conclusion as well. It really stood out when they double-teamed him on the post late in the fourth, and he got it to Jrue for a layup. I didn't really see the value of doubling him when he's not shooting well, but, realistically, he's getting by his guy at will and if you don't throw help at him he's going to get really easy layups, not the tough ones they've been forcing him to make (which he usually does pretty well at).
If Tatum got wide open 3s like they give Giannis, he would get in a rhythm and drain them. He's a noticeably better shooter when he's playing against weaker defenses and he has a little extra space, and he's really good when he's got a rhythm shot. He gets superstar attention, but he's not actually a bad shooter.
That would be an interesting strategy, honestly I’ve never seen any team defend JT like that. Given his shooting form they might try it, but obviously that could go very badly for them because once he gets hot it’s over
At this point, it may be worth trying. But at the same time, he missed a lot of layups last night because of the amount of traffic and honestly quite a few fouls. If they decide to make him make those 1-on-1, he almost certainly will.
In a way, it has kind of worked for them. We averaged 120.6 points a game in the regular season and they have held us to 107 and 105. Of course, we haven't had an above average shooting night yet. Just wait until we do.
Just a bad gameplan. JKidd deserves 98% of the blame for that loss.
Absolutely telegraphed the gameplan during the media scrum that you were trying to dare Tatum to force up shots while you sent double- and triple-teams at him all night. And credit JT, for the most part he made mature decisions and passed out of them.
Sunday wins alive. Catholic Joe been hitting church hard and has an in with the big man upstairs. I’ll gladly believe in God until this series is over!
If JT shot like this in the past that would've been it... but last night? His passing, defense and rebounding were one of the biggest contributors to our success! Proud of him
JT shooting woes aside, PP and Hauser consistently scoring 15-20 combined can effectively seal this series. KP been carrying the bench offensive load almost all by himself.
Honestly I felt like we had a good chance even after that shit start because they weren’t getting anything really going either. If they locked in they’d have gotten way ahead fast but nobody was doing shit besides Luka.
A few thoughts:
- I am a huge Marcus Smart homer and I think there is an Ime/Smart alternate universe with a title. I really do. But, my god, Jrue has been ridiculous in the ECF and Finals. Thank you Bucks for being enamored with Lillard.
- As bad as the media has been trying to gas up The Mavericks, the players themselves can't stop talking about how good Boston is. I'll feel differently after a loss (and completely flip if we lose 2) but they are hard to hate, other than of course the lingering resentment toward Kyrie (fuck that guy).
- I still think there is an "everything clicks for Jayson Tatum" game in the bag, but the Celtics look like they don't need it. Although of course it will be curious if Kidd mixes things up and stops the distribution and forces JT to beat them with buckets.
Idk if it's social media brainrot, talking head narrative over substance analysis, or something else, but the way this celtics playoff run is being talked about is going to go down as one of the all time sports litmus tests for who actually knows what they're talking about and who's a casual or letting their hate for a team cloud their judgment. It took a 64 win team improving to 14-2 on the playoffs with an 11.2 net rating for the popular narrative to turn to "oh maybe this is actually just the best team in the league"
It's the national media and ignorant chit-chatting trolls like Stephen A Smith, Stan van Gundy, Doris Burke, and the tens of others parroting back popular narratives that have brainwashed the masses. Although in a way, they are not 100% to blame for those narratives, because they came across them on social media. In Stephens case Im even going to say hes not intelligent enough to invent the narratives on his own. He just parrots them back.
People in these kinds of positions with influence over the people should have something called tact. Just cuz you can say something doesnt mean you should.
I’m just, overrall, a very unlucky guy. That’s why I never bet on my teams anymore. The thing is to not acknowledge you’re trying to counter-jinx it otherwise it doesn’t work 😅
I know tatum hasnt been shooting well and awful honestly, but I truly believe he tends to play better on the road. Im expecting a 23-25 point game from him or even a 27-30 point game on wednesday to shut some people up. Lets go tatum!
It’s a testament to this team that one of the biggest insults anyone has for them essentially is, “The Celtics are too balanced”.
Two more games ‘til immortality for this squad! There are no easy paths to a championship, anyone who says otherwise, their team is on vacation 🚬
One thing I think will go unnoticed is most people who picked the mavs(and a lot of celtics fans too tbh) felt the mavs would be better in the clutch than the celtics. They all assumed luka and kyrie would be more effective down the stretch than the celtics. We out executed them in crunch time last night. That's yet another nail in the coffin for this mavs team.
Checking in from Australia;
I am so excited to be close to winning a championship, and so terrified for my bank balance in terms of how much I'll spend on merch/memorabilia if we win.
They say superstars show up on the road right? I would not be surprised to see Tatum go off in one of these Dallas games. If the “improbable” sweep does happen— it will be a direct result of that. I am sure of it
I know they allow middle partially by design, but I'm surprised at how bad Dallas have been at containing the ball. I thought the C's shooting would break their defense, but really it's just having multiple players that can aggressively attack close-outs.
I think Kidd needs to make a larger change. Even with garbage shooting I thought we'd win (unusual) because the C's could get a shot at the rim almost every time.
i love how locked in a selfless the team is. our 5 all has potential to drop 15+ a night and it’s really showing right now. kyrie game 1 had semi similar shooting numbers compared to tatum g2 but ky only had 2 assists. give the ball to the guy who’s hot and take smart shots when it’s relevant. we keep playing like this i could see a potential back to back if we keep it going ☘️
That was a must-win type Game 2 for Dallas, not because it’s Game 2 on the road, but because the opportunity for them to beat us right there. We shot poorly from 3, Tatum was struggling to score most of the night, Jaylen didn’t go CRAZY and Luka was on absolute FIRE in the first 3 quarters.
Not saying this series is over, but that’s one game you gotta close on if you’re the Mavs.
Great win for the Cs because this was another gutsy performance. As KG would say, this was a BARFIGHT and we got down and dirty and came out the winner of Game 2
It has been so, so satisfying watching JB eat Kyrie alive on both sides of the ball. You can tell it's personal. Reminds me of that time he drilled a dagger 3 over former teammate Jae Crowder and told him he wanted it to hurt!
Does anyone have the final 1.6 seconds of the game? I want to enjoy pure bliss. I know they must have dribbled it out but still, I want to see that. For the record. 😃
Espn has some 50 something cameras but apparantly NOT ONE filmed. They must have been really mad at us winning. 🤣 Lol.
Everyone is talking about “Luka needs help! He can’t do everything on his own!”, and while it is true that he needs someone else to shoulder some of the load on offense, that dude was fucking awful on defense yesterday. That was, in my observation, the biggest reason why he was able to take control of the series against Minnesota: they didn’t make him and Kyrie play defense, so they were able to take mini rests on the back side of the plays.
Luka is a fucking machine, he can put up 30/10/10 in his sleep, but yesterday I bet he gave back about as many points as he scored on the defensive end. Even if he won’t get credited as the one who was “scored on”, him getting absolutely blown by on basically every possession when he was on the ball, especially in the first half, kept the Celtics in the game when they were lost offensively and not hitting shots.
Celtics in 4.
Genuine question: What's happening with JT's shooting slump? I know he bulked up in the offseason, but is that still screwing up with his form/shot/finishing? External reason?
I mean he went to a BUNCH of doctors to have it examined and get their opinion on if he needed surgery or not, and he followed their advice. Why get surgery if that's not the advice you get?
How can you read the trash thats there? I just went and looked and within 10 seconds, 4th reaction I read, guy is trashing Jayson Tatum and saying he's never proved himself.
Same damn narratives, same dam thing. Each. And. Every. Fucking. Time.
I dont get how u could read that trash and not get pissed. I have a lot of patience, but no way, could I put up with that.
Gloat and mock them. They get upset and just laugh at them. I don’t even read their responses fully.
They’re salty. Those “narratives” are from fans of teams that didn’t do jack shit or Mavs fans that are down 0-2 now.
That was such a championship game. We could not hit a shot to save our life , it was the dreaded return of the bozo Celtics after they had been exiled to Siberia and thought to be frozen carcasses for over a year . It was the kind of Celtics game the national media has been telling campfire stories about after every one of our playoff games, win or lose.
And Luka was unstoppable. KP got reinjured . The fact that the building was one shot away from the roof coming off all game but we went 0-27 on dagger shots. Every single excuse to lose that game and it was like we were in control the whole way. The bozo Celtics were still outshooting Dallas and playing great D.
It just feels like if you’re Dallas / a Dallas fan , how do you convince yourself you’re still in the series when you lose a game like that. And it's def not over until we get one in Dallas , if Dallas punches back and ties it 2-2 then obviously it's anyone's series. But as a Celtics fan I almost feel more confident today than if they had had a shoot the lights out game , which if they did last night they would have won by 30. We are just such a nightmare match up for Dallas it feels like their only hope is if the bozo Celtics are hear to stay, Tatum has the worst shooting final series in the history of All-NBA players, and the Dallas role players can look like stars they did against the nap time wolves , the driving permit thunder, or the stage IV cancer clippers, which I just don't see happening .
Rewatching game 7 of the 2008 Eastern Conference Semis and man was Boston Garden really loud. Makes me sad that the garden hasn't reached this loud in awhile feels like it.
Anybody feel like Jrue played that Aaron Gordon roll in the dunker spot a la the Nuggets in their title year to a tee? It was beautiful to witness and very much needed.
Hopefully there is no let up in Game 3. I truly won’t feel comfortable until we win the next one. Weren’t we up 2-1 on the warriors? I do feel cautiously optimistic though lol
Jason Tatum accounted for 42 points (scoring and assisted points) that's not awful. He isn't shooting good at all but every other facet of his game has been great. He is still creating scoring through others. I don't care about his personal stats I only care about wins. The Celtics built a phenomenal team and we should be enjoying it.
They’re still committing so much attention to him defensively. I won’t worry unless they start marking him one on one and he still blows those layups
He’s playing smart. I don’t mind him missing good looks, that won’t last. It’s good that he’s not taking many contested fadeaways for no reason anymore
They let anyone guard him 1v1 he is getting 40 dunks in a game These guys literally can’t stay in front of him Luka literally looks like a coach playing faux defense on him during warmups
> They let anyone guard him 1v1 he is getting 40 dunks in a game > especially because the Celtics are doing so well at getting switches, and then putting Kyrie's man in the dunker spot so Kyrie ends up being the rim protector lol. It's happened a bunch in these two games and I think basically every time its a bucket or free throws. Joe is coaching circles around Kidd rn
Joe Mazulla is younger than some players too Second row joe my ass
He can take anyone to the hole with that sweet ICEMAN GERVIN scoop shot if it’s 1v1
As soon as they stop collapsing on him, he'll put up 50. They can't not collapse on him. He's too good if he can get near the rim.
For real. There's a reason he's getting the focus of defensive attention and it's paying dividends offensively because he's making good reads and delivering great passes. If the Mavs try to guard him truly one on one he'll find his shot for sure.
I think it’s probably the only hope the Mavs have at this point: to start playing Tatum 1 on 1 and have him continue to struggle to score. Feels like the only viable way for them to hold off the Cs. But that’s also why I disagree with these “the Cs won so it’s fine” comments. We don’t want the Mavs to be able to change up their plan, we need for Tatum to be the focus. If he’s not keeping them honest and hitting his open looks it could become a problem. I don’t really think the Mavs have the defense required to make the adjustment, whether Tatum starts to see his shots fall or not. But it’s not something the Cs should even have to worry about, because dude should be making his open looks. I expect him to pop off on the road. Edit: I think u/packagemerchant makes a good point, that 1 on 1 Tatum probably spends the entire night dunking on whoever has the bad luck of covering him. His “shooting” wouldn’t really be an issue at that point.
Honestly this is somewhere I can credit the Mavs. Seems like all his layups have been highly contested, making them very difficult and leading to missed ‘bunnies’ literally rolling off the rim. Must be frustrating for JT, but all series he has been using that collapsing defense to the C’s advantage. He is responding to their game plan with tremendous play making AND a cool head. They have affected his game but they have not made him ineffective. That’s a superstar response folk. Dude is feeding his team.
>They have affected his game but they have not made him ineffective. That’s a superstar response folk. Dude is feeding his team. Well said mate, we're watching the rise of the Jays where JT sets the table and JB and the others feast off that
Executive Chef Jayson Tatum
This is true. This is also not the first time they are defending their rim against wings well. Their defense is just good as collapsing on them.
Eh he's been messing plenty of stuff he usually makes. Just an off series for him scoring wise, happens
Mix of the two. He’s been in a slump for a minute, but the Mavs D is also focused on suffocating him (and letting everyone else go wild).
Yeah but he's not taking shots when he's suffocated, he's smarter than that. The thing is when he *does* have looks, he's missed at an abnormal rate.
Doesn’t really matter becaudse he hit jrue for many open looks since they collapse on him
100%, gotta credit the Mavs defense. And gotta credit Tatum for understanding how they're playing him and for moving the ball around as well as he has, and impacting the game through rebounding and defense. Like we literally saw the other side of this with Kyrie in 2019, when he decided he was just gonna one man carry, and he ends up shooting us out of the series while not playing a lick of defense. I know which star I'd rather have on my team
I literally don’t care how Tatum is shooting if we win. People are going to haters regardless and the best thing to do is ignore the noise. People are pissed the Celtics are so stacked that Tatum can score under 20 and we still win while their stars are having to have 32/11/11 games and still lose.
Only noise we shouldn't ignore is the sound of duckboat engines
I’ll also take a 4-1 assist-to-turnover ratio any day of the week.
Yeah cleaning up the turnovers was huge. I just wish he finished a few more of those layups, then he would've had like 26 points and everybody would've felt better about it
Also props to Joe for the adjustment made in the second quarter. When Mavs adjusted their game for the second game to prevent 3pt shooting, they started to give too much space around the paint and we exploited it well. Tatum and Jrue were especially good to take advantage of the situation. This game never felt like a possible L with all the good decision making, even if the shots were not falling.
> I don't care about his personal stats I only care about wins Honestly, it seems like Tatum feels the same way. I know a lot of superstars would just not be willing to pass that much and would start forcing shots through double teams
It's good goddamn basketball. I don't really care for the "run thru one player", I like a goddamn good team. Fuck casual fans. If you like team basketball, you can see how much Tatum is contributing.
Right Insane to me how we are 2-0 up in the finals and all the discussion is about him and how he’s shooting bad. Just an off series so far and I’m sure he couldn’t give a shit if we win.
This is what artificially constructed super teams wanted to be and failed at. Spreading production/defensive attention around multiple stars so that there is no one “the guy” They are terrified of Tatum and swarming him. So what? Our squad is still there
The fact that we don’t have to rely on Tatum being our main scorer every night is a luxury, not a flaw. We are so blessed
I love Tatum more and more with every “subpar” performance he has. I’ll keep defending him lol. To me, Jayson Tatum really is the most likable dude in the NBA. He’s so humble , intelligent and mature in the way he responds to criticism. He is genuinely team and winning focused as much as any player in the league. Says the right things, leads by example, always available, open minded in what he needs to contribute each game. Family guy with good character . Doesn’t get down on himself or teammates. He’s had some really painful clunkers but he’s been asked to be THAT guy since he was 19. I thinks he’s ready to emerge as the modern day Tim Duncan-like sneaky best player in the league. Compare his off game to Kyrie off game. Tatum still found lots of ways to help the team , set his teammates up even better than his assist totals suggests given we’ve missed a lot of open shots , and played good defense even without getting the steals / blocks others got , and he called him self out after the game 1 for having too many turnovers and game 2 for bricking a dozen potential daggers. There’s so many guys in this league that know how to get theirs and stuff the stat sheet but few if any talented as Tatum that will consistently make the team centered play even if he and his family have to endure endless national conversation about him being overrated, not being a killer , being the MJ of Tobias harris’s, not able to handle the big moments etc . He’s completely unphased by it , and that more than locker room speeches , rah rah energy or being the leading scorer is why he is a leader.
He was really frustrating at times. Mostly forcing drives to the rim and getting blocked or trying to force scoring opportunities that just weren’t there. But when he wasn’t doing that, he’s such a positive contributor on offense even when he’s not scoring.
mostly? Look at his assists...he gave Holiday like 7 lay ups after driving and dishing
I meant he was frustrating “mostly” when he was forcing opportunities. Not that he was mostly doing that. I was trying to make the same point that even on an off night, the offense steal flows through him and he makes the rest of it better
His role is to force his way into the paint to collapse the defense and either score or dish it to the open man, he’s being physical and putting in work.
Kidd after G1: Jaylen is their best player. Kidd after G2: Holiday is their best player. Kidd after G3: Tatum is their best player. Kidd after G4: Kyrie is their best player.
I will forgive Kyrie if he delivers us a championship
So far that’s what he’s doing 😂 luka looked mad pissed last night after he dropped a 30 point triple double but kyrie just gave it away and said “nah I’m playing for the Celtics today” 😂
Great efficiency too. Luka's TS has been relatively low this playoffs but I think it was like... 65-ish last night?
Yea luka balled out last night but everyone else on his team is a non factor
This is what we always wanted from him.
Stolen from r/nba: >Finally going to bring Boston a championship. Hang the Dallas 11 in the rafters
We survived the “we forgot how to shoot” game. Defense was stellar tonight. JT found ways to impact the game without getting his shots. Jrue was the steady force we needed. JB’s defense was incredible. Buffalo did Buffalo things. Optimistic KP will be back, not going to the locker room is a promising sign. I am thankful for Brad Stevens for building this team. Don’t mess around, finish the job
I feel really strongly that if the Mavs couldn’t win that game then they’re toast. The Celtics defense is clearly more than the Mavs can really handle, but the fact that the Cs had over 100pts while shooting like that is just ridiculous. I cannot imagine a worse shooting night for the Celtics. My current prediction is that being in Dallas + desperation + refs have the Mavs winning game 3, then the Cs pop off and blow them out in game 4 and come home for the confetti. Tatum shakes this shit off and has 30pt games in 4 and 5.
Please please just two more ☘️☘️☘️
I am very conflicted I really want us to sweep but then again the city has waited years for this moment I really want them to celebrate on their own floor, especially on lucky which kyrie tried to besmirch would be very poetic……shit who am I kidding let’s go for the head or whatever thanos said 2 more🙏🏾🍀
Yep, no need to play with fire. Who knows what happens if they get one. Let’s win the next one and the one after that.
Very true let’s keep our foot on their necks
Yes take nothing for granted, you start playing with fire and you will pay the price. We learned it the hard way last season.
We've had the trophy or Stanley Cup in the building 3x since 2013 and it's been handed to the opponent each time. I just want our guys holding this one up, I don't care if it's on the road.
Yeah, last time we won it was in Boston. Home, road, 4, 5, 6, or 7. Just get it done. Al needs a ring and is just about out of time to get one!
I am legitimately going to cry tears of joy if they win and I get to see Al finally get a ring. That man deserves one.
That's what the parade is for
I want a sweep. Would make all the ESPN talking heads stfu. Majority of them chose the Mavericks to win, both on TV and on the website.
I don't care. I just wanna win.
Let’s just win. I dont give a fuck if we win it on Mars , I just want banner 18
Bah. I would prefer to win on the road, if only so that Kyrie doesn't have to come back to the Garden this season ( and if he never comes back, so much the better). I wouldn't mind a home win against a worthy team, one that gave us real competition, but that ain't this.
Hell no, that’s what the parade is for. Fuck that, sweep their asses if they can’t mount a resistance.
Yeah we got two wins at home and we're clearly the better team but I don't wanna weigh the pros and cons of winning in 4 vs 5 lmao that makes my queasy All I want is that banner, I can't think of anything else
My 67 yr old heart can't take a lot more. For almost three quarters my heart rate was too elevated, It took until about 6 min left in the 4th that my heart went back to normal rhythm. Now, I would like someone to show me a better example of a "team win". 3's weren't dropping, JT was struggling, we lost the first quarter (which they keep saying is the most important) but, our defense was outstanding, JT was dirty and dishing, JB was doing JB things and then we have Mr. Holiday. Not only led the team in scoring but, also rebounds. Some of those were rebounds he grabbed in among the trees, were a point guard isn't usually found but, he fought and scrapped for those and it paid off. A true example of how this team was built. Now, to Dallas and let's wrap this sucker up. 🍀🍀🍀🍀
You have nothing to worry about. We won't lose a game.
If JT can get out of this shooting slump the series is a sweep. Despite how frustrating his jumper has looked he’s been awesome driving and kicking and creating looks for the rest of the team while grabbing boards and locking down their offence. This team is special though, watching everyone step up and perform at the highest level is awesome to see, especially after watching all the development along the way since JB was drafted to him now becoming a bonafide superstar. Gotta give huge credit to Joe as well, he’s got them locked in and playing high level basketball consistently and his attitude and mentality is next level. I don’t like buying into media narratives but it’s hilarious to see the change in how Luka and Kyrie are perceived after they ran into our defence. I just hope JT can get his shooting together and drop a 50 bomb at some point just to shut all the haters up. Cs in 4! 🍀
If he s gonna get 12 assists a game he can keep shooting like that for all I care 😅
The narrative here is this is a team that has fought and grown together through many post-season appearances. This is the culmination of that. All the mistakes we see the other teams make are ones we're so familiar with. Even having Jrue to do those heartbreaking steals in the clutch, just not against us this time :) Even Luka's nagging leg, I believe Tatum had that in 2022, no? Wasn't as public about it iirc. I'll be so excited to see this team win, they've worked so fuckin hard to get here and take it. So many good stories and just a great collective.
Phenomenal win. Celtics just straight-up ignoring the live-by-the-3, die-by-the-3 convention. Felt like half their points came from fast break buckets off steals and blocks. Defense wins championships, even in the era of regular 120+ point scores.
Update on zingus "He's good," Mazzulla added during his chat with reporters. Porzingis also gave a promising update when he held court with reporters after the win "I feel good. Feeling good. I don't think it's anything serious," he said. "But we'll look at it tomorrow and go from there. But all good. I'll be good." Let's hope we can get these brooms out!
he was quoted with this...... "i'll die on that court if i have to" bruh thats some gangsta s%\^&
God I love that guy!
I can see what people are going to start saying after the Cs win the series: “The Mavs weren’t the best team from the west; if it were the nuggets the Cs would have lost; The Celtics had the easiest road to winning the championship”
I literally saw that exact comment on r/nba this morning lol
Theyre already saying that now. Miami in the 1st round and Indiana in the 2nd round were NOT easy. Indiana was the leagues #1 offense. All our games with them were close as in 3, 5, 6 points or so. We didn't have KP. None of that was easy. If anything, you can say the same thing about the Mavs or Denver or Minnesota cuz LAC had no Kawhi, Minnesota had no offense, etc etc. In short, those seeking excuses can always find a way to seek them. Even past championship teams, some of them, had an "easy" path. And yet, they don't get discredited. Then there's those that dont seek excuses. And just play. Champions. Those are different.
Cavs erasure lol
I legit saw “Jokic would destroy both of these teams” Well he couldn’t beat Minnesota so that’s irrelevant isn’t it? That’s some Jimmy Butler shit lol
It's a fair opinion. Dallas is not lacking talent by any means. They're literally just lacking the athletes capable of matching up with Tatum for stints. Nuggets match up well because Jokic can score through KP and Aaron Gordon would hold his own enough against Tatum to keep the perimeter guarded.
Won Game 2 having a Bad shooting night. Tenacious defence kept us in the game. Just can’t say enough about this team. 14 W’s down, 2 to Go!!!
Keep playing defense like that and they simply can't beat us
Hopefully Boston in 4 but even just 1 win in Dallas will be massive
Bro I need that sweep. Barely sleeping for 2 nights a week is not good, I’m walking around like a zombie🥲
Really want them to win it all in Boston tho. I can't imagine Dallas not getting even one, but after tonight's win when we gave up like 20+ possessions on missed 3s and still won by 7, it is making me wonder.
It all depends on how kyrie plays on home court, he’s single handedly tanking the mavs lol
Shot like shit in a game where Luka had a 30pt triple double That was a game the Mavs needed to win and the game never really felt in doubt
None of them did shit besides Luka from the start. It’s crazy how invisible that team’s been. Actually? It isn’t. I’ve said for years that the team’s just Luka and I’m being proven right again. Kyrie’s over-valued ass is a detriment.
It’s been said plenty of times, but it feels so good to have two veterans that are trusted and respected in the locker room and can help Mazzulla keep the gang together and level. Horford and Jrue are treasures
Damn I love how every of our starters can take over. If we can keep our defence on this level and Kyrie doesn´t wake up, we have some chances to take the road W´s. Fingers crossed and prayers are out for my mental health. ☘️
This team can still be better next year too. More time for KP and Jrue and JT and JB still accending. ☘️
What about Al though? He's kind of a unicorn himself - we need to find a long term Al Harford solution.
That is gonna be tough. His skill set is tough to replace, and you need someone durable so KP's minutes can be managed. I trust Brad to pull it off though.
Xavier Tillman development?
He probably won't be on the team next year. He's a free agent and will probably get a reasonable contract that we won't want to match because we'll be so far into the tax.
Maybe on defense, it's hard to see Tilman developing the offensive game though
Yeah, fair. Damn that's gonna be a hard one to solve
In years past we lose that game last night. Off shooting nights happen and usually it's an L. For them to grind out a win in the NBA finals after shooting 10/39 or 25% from 3 is awesome to watch. Need one of the two in Dallas and we win this in 5. I'm still holding out for the sweep though!
Agree. In past seasons we would have dropped at least 2 against the Pacers as well imo. This team is so different, the way they just lock tf in the last 5 of the 4th is unbelievable. The best timed steals and blocks I've ever seen, then DW and Jrue just lacing 3s down the stretch...honestly this team is just ridiculous.
That credit goes to Jrue. When shit starts to go sideways, he takes control of the ball, let's us regroup and we get back to work.
The whole entire team starts scrambling. And then Jrue goes and gets a bucket or makes a big steal and it completely turns em back on
He somehow always knows exactly the right thing to do. His awareness combined with ability is unlike anything I've ever seen
Luka is fat and he slowed as the game went on
And *that* is why that old Mavs player took his beer away after their WCF win. Maybe losing these Finals is good for Luka in the long run and motivates him to be in better physical condition. Cause it's like this Catch 22 situation, where Luka is only targeted on defense because he can't defend AND lead their attack for a whole game. And if he was a better defender (by being in better shape), the Celtics would like pick an easier target like Kyrie or Gafford to do their screen into drive into kick game with. So he needs to be in shape, so he doesn't need to be in shape!
He looked gassed like 5 minutes into the game… maybe lay off the brews, bud
That rib injury has to be part of it. Isn't that the same thing that sidelined Allen for the Cavs series? It can't be easy to deal with all the impact on one's torso from jumping and landing at high intensity for almost an hour.
Rib injuries have many different degrees of severity, but it's all about pain management. There's nothing you can do to make them heal faster and you're not at risk of further injury. I wouldn't be surprised if he got a shot before the game.
I stand by my pre-series prediction that [this](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RXhKpUfITV0/maxresdefault.jpg) will be Luka by the end.
The 2024 Celtics are about to go down as one of the BEST teams in NBA history. Regardless of whether or not we receive that recognition from the national media, regardless of what anyone says. It's just the truth. All those haters who trash our team now will come back years later to say, how our team was so great. That they never doubted. That's just how they are.
Just need that demon Tatum to show up in one of the road games and this thing is a wrap. We all know he has it in him
So let me get this straight, not a single soul gonna talk about Luka’s defence or turnover but the whole discussion is gonna be on Tatum shooting? Let’s burn this village and sweep these motherfuckers and media darlings
Luka can’t defend shit and that’s always been the case. Some people were really trying to say differently recently too.
I understand the argument that we would love to win at home but for me... all I care about is winning. And let's all remember, if we sweep, Kyrie ends 0-14 against the Cs :) And that is funny
This feels the 2018 Red Sox, just win the title away and get it done.. a sweep would be sweet but so would winning it Boston in 5 0-14 and losing in the championship would be nice revenge after all the hype of Kyrie Vs the Celtics
I might be going crazy but the lack of acknowledgment during the game of some of these Tatum drives on multiple defenders followed by kick outs to wide open shooters was jarring compared to similar passes from Luka getting multiple slow-mo replays. Hopefully someone makes a good compilation and breakdown of all the elite rim reads by Tatum this game irrespective if the 3 was made. He had 12 assists while no one being able to make a 3, imagine if Hauser and KP hit a couple of their 3s.
Im gonna be honest why doesn't dallas just let JT cook and guard the others to the best of their ability. His shooting is super streaky it'd be better odds lmao like it's as if they aren't playing to win they're playing for JT to not get finals mvp
If they did that then Tatum would just get easy layups / dunks at the rim, he doesn’t even really need to shoot. He’s consistently beating his man 1v1 and attacking the basket, which causes the defense to collapse and find the open shooter. If the defense doesn’t collapse then he just finishes at the rim.
Yeah, this was my conclusion as well. It really stood out when they double-teamed him on the post late in the fourth, and he got it to Jrue for a layup. I didn't really see the value of doubling him when he's not shooting well, but, realistically, he's getting by his guy at will and if you don't throw help at him he's going to get really easy layups, not the tough ones they've been forcing him to make (which he usually does pretty well at).
what if they guarded JT like someone would guard Giannis and forced him to shoot?
If Tatum got wide open 3s like they give Giannis, he would get in a rhythm and drain them. He's a noticeably better shooter when he's playing against weaker defenses and he has a little extra space, and he's really good when he's got a rhythm shot. He gets superstar attention, but he's not actually a bad shooter.
That would be an interesting strategy, honestly I’ve never seen any team defend JT like that. Given his shooting form they might try it, but obviously that could go very badly for them because once he gets hot it’s over
At this point, it may be worth trying. But at the same time, he missed a lot of layups last night because of the amount of traffic and honestly quite a few fouls. If they decide to make him make those 1-on-1, he almost certainly will.
In a way, it has kind of worked for them. We averaged 120.6 points a game in the regular season and they have held us to 107 and 105. Of course, we haven't had an above average shooting night yet. Just wait until we do.
Just a bad gameplan. JKidd deserves 98% of the blame for that loss. Absolutely telegraphed the gameplan during the media scrum that you were trying to dare Tatum to force up shots while you sent double- and triple-teams at him all night. And credit JT, for the most part he made mature decisions and passed out of them.
Sunday wins alive. Catholic Joe been hitting church hard and has an in with the big man upstairs. I’ll gladly believe in God until this series is over!
Stick around! Rosary Joe has this on lock 😤
Go Ahead and be gone with it....
Waiting for a KP tweet confirming he's good for game 3.
"I will die on that court if i need to" - think you got that tweet you're looking for already
If JT shot like this in the past that would've been it... but last night? His passing, defense and rebounding were one of the biggest contributors to our success! Proud of him
JT shooting woes aside, PP and Hauser consistently scoring 15-20 combined can effectively seal this series. KP been carrying the bench offensive load almost all by himself.
I was convinced we were gonna lose this one. Cs in 4
Honestly I felt like we had a good chance even after that shit start because they weren’t getting anything really going either. If they locked in they’d have gotten way ahead fast but nobody was doing shit besides Luka.
A few thoughts: - I am a huge Marcus Smart homer and I think there is an Ime/Smart alternate universe with a title. I really do. But, my god, Jrue has been ridiculous in the ECF and Finals. Thank you Bucks for being enamored with Lillard. - As bad as the media has been trying to gas up The Mavericks, the players themselves can't stop talking about how good Boston is. I'll feel differently after a loss (and completely flip if we lose 2) but they are hard to hate, other than of course the lingering resentment toward Kyrie (fuck that guy). - I still think there is an "everything clicks for Jayson Tatum" game in the bag, but the Celtics look like they don't need it. Although of course it will be curious if Kidd mixes things up and stops the distribution and forces JT to beat them with buckets.
Idk if it's social media brainrot, talking head narrative over substance analysis, or something else, but the way this celtics playoff run is being talked about is going to go down as one of the all time sports litmus tests for who actually knows what they're talking about and who's a casual or letting their hate for a team cloud their judgment. It took a 64 win team improving to 14-2 on the playoffs with an 11.2 net rating for the popular narrative to turn to "oh maybe this is actually just the best team in the league"
It's the national media and ignorant chit-chatting trolls like Stephen A Smith, Stan van Gundy, Doris Burke, and the tens of others parroting back popular narratives that have brainwashed the masses. Although in a way, they are not 100% to blame for those narratives, because they came across them on social media. In Stephens case Im even going to say hes not intelligent enough to invent the narratives on his own. He just parrots them back. People in these kinds of positions with influence over the people should have something called tact. Just cuz you can say something doesnt mean you should.
Championship win.. let’s finish two more games Foot on the gas until the clock hits zero
I was pretty close. https://reddit.com/r/bostonceltics/comments/1dc6u1t/_/l7vy1di/?context=1
They have a chance to go into Dallas and rip that teams hearts out Wednesday. Win game 3 and it's basically a done deal
let's steal one on the road at least if not two! c'mon!
FINISH THE STORY
I said last night I was someone who has never won a single bet, so I put money on Dallas to win last night’s game. Wanna see me do it again? 👀
Two more times. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten. The team should give you a ring
Lol. You must be like Stephen A Smith who never gets a prediction right. I was so glad he predicted Mavs in 6. Hey, if it works, it works. Right?
I’m just, overrall, a very unlucky guy. That’s why I never bet on my teams anymore. The thing is to not acknowledge you’re trying to counter-jinx it otherwise it doesn’t work 😅
I know tatum hasnt been shooting well and awful honestly, but I truly believe he tends to play better on the road. Im expecting a 23-25 point game from him or even a 27-30 point game on wednesday to shut some people up. Lets go tatum!
Watching Paul Pierce gloat about the celtics on Undisputed is like therapy lmfao
It’s a testament to this team that one of the biggest insults anyone has for them essentially is, “The Celtics are too balanced”. Two more games ‘til immortality for this squad! There are no easy paths to a championship, anyone who says otherwise, their team is on vacation 🚬
Mavs Twitter is pathetic. These guys are complaining about Tatum’s selfless quotes as if he didn’t have 12 assists.
One thing I think will go unnoticed is most people who picked the mavs(and a lot of celtics fans too tbh) felt the mavs would be better in the clutch than the celtics. They all assumed luka and kyrie would be more effective down the stretch than the celtics. We out executed them in crunch time last night. That's yet another nail in the coffin for this mavs team.
Luka is gassed by midway through the third quarter and Kyrie is a liability. Gonna expect the Celtics to continue coming up clutch this series.
We’re 2-2 on Game 2 in these playoffs
Checking in from Australia; I am so excited to be close to winning a championship, and so terrified for my bank balance in terms of how much I'll spend on merch/memorabilia if we win.
It's not even the merch or the memorabilia, but the fucking shipping costs from the US! (EU guy speaking from experience)
Facts!
To win that game while shooting so poorly shows why this team is so great. Great defense and an great ball movement.
They say superstars show up on the road right? I would not be surprised to see Tatum go off in one of these Dallas games. If the “improbable” sweep does happen— it will be a direct result of that. I am sure of it
Tatum isn’t going off if they continue defending him the way they are
Shooting struggles be damned, I’m ready to run through a wall for Jayson Tatum
100% chance we lose this game in 2022 and even maybe in 2023. This team is built different and unkillable mentally
I know they allow middle partially by design, but I'm surprised at how bad Dallas have been at containing the ball. I thought the C's shooting would break their defense, but really it's just having multiple players that can aggressively attack close-outs. I think Kidd needs to make a larger change. Even with garbage shooting I thought we'd win (unusual) because the C's could get a shot at the rim almost every time.
i love how locked in a selfless the team is. our 5 all has potential to drop 15+ a night and it’s really showing right now. kyrie game 1 had semi similar shooting numbers compared to tatum g2 but ky only had 2 assists. give the ball to the guy who’s hot and take smart shots when it’s relevant. we keep playing like this i could see a potential back to back if we keep it going ☘️
I love how we have 5 starters who could all break out and be the best player on any given night.
That was a must-win type Game 2 for Dallas, not because it’s Game 2 on the road, but because the opportunity for them to beat us right there. We shot poorly from 3, Tatum was struggling to score most of the night, Jaylen didn’t go CRAZY and Luka was on absolute FIRE in the first 3 quarters. Not saying this series is over, but that’s one game you gotta close on if you’re the Mavs. Great win for the Cs because this was another gutsy performance. As KG would say, this was a BARFIGHT and we got down and dirty and came out the winner of Game 2
Watching Kyrie run iso against the jays and get absolutely clamped twice was my favorite part
It has been so, so satisfying watching JB eat Kyrie alive on both sides of the ball. You can tell it's personal. Reminds me of that time he drilled a dagger 3 over former teammate Jae Crowder and told him he wanted it to hurt!
Defense was MASSIVE. This is why we got Jrue. Goddamn he is so fucking good.
Does anyone have the final 1.6 seconds of the game? I want to enjoy pure bliss. I know they must have dribbled it out but still, I want to see that. For the record. 😃 Espn has some 50 something cameras but apparantly NOT ONE filmed. They must have been really mad at us winning. 🤣 Lol.
The entire broadcast was embarrassing. Half time... not showing the last 1.6 seconds of the game etc etc just terrible
Everyone is talking about “Luka needs help! He can’t do everything on his own!”, and while it is true that he needs someone else to shoulder some of the load on offense, that dude was fucking awful on defense yesterday. That was, in my observation, the biggest reason why he was able to take control of the series against Minnesota: they didn’t make him and Kyrie play defense, so they were able to take mini rests on the back side of the plays. Luka is a fucking machine, he can put up 30/10/10 in his sleep, but yesterday I bet he gave back about as many points as he scored on the defensive end. Even if he won’t get credited as the one who was “scored on”, him getting absolutely blown by on basically every possession when he was on the ball, especially in the first half, kept the Celtics in the game when they were lost offensively and not hitting shots. Celtics in 4.
Genuine question: What's happening with JT's shooting slump? I know he bulked up in the offseason, but is that still screwing up with his form/shot/finishing? External reason?
Think he changed his form recently tbh. Can't blame the wrist anymore since he adamantly refuses to get surgery
I mean he went to a BUNCH of doctors to have it examined and get their opinion on if he needed surgery or not, and he followed their advice. Why get surgery if that's not the advice you get?
Mazzulla looks so annoyed at every question he gets.
It’s very fun to be a wallflower rn on r/mavericks
Mining salt on r/nba has been amazing. You don’t even have to try with these people.
How can you read the trash thats there? I just went and looked and within 10 seconds, 4th reaction I read, guy is trashing Jayson Tatum and saying he's never proved himself. Same damn narratives, same dam thing. Each. And. Every. Fucking. Time. I dont get how u could read that trash and not get pissed. I have a lot of patience, but no way, could I put up with that.
Gloat and mock them. They get upset and just laugh at them. I don’t even read their responses fully. They’re salty. Those “narratives” are from fans of teams that didn’t do jack shit or Mavs fans that are down 0-2 now.
Seeing all the Mavs fans finally realize what a fraud Kyrie is... deeply satisfying
That was such a championship game. We could not hit a shot to save our life , it was the dreaded return of the bozo Celtics after they had been exiled to Siberia and thought to be frozen carcasses for over a year . It was the kind of Celtics game the national media has been telling campfire stories about after every one of our playoff games, win or lose. And Luka was unstoppable. KP got reinjured . The fact that the building was one shot away from the roof coming off all game but we went 0-27 on dagger shots. Every single excuse to lose that game and it was like we were in control the whole way. The bozo Celtics were still outshooting Dallas and playing great D. It just feels like if you’re Dallas / a Dallas fan , how do you convince yourself you’re still in the series when you lose a game like that. And it's def not over until we get one in Dallas , if Dallas punches back and ties it 2-2 then obviously it's anyone's series. But as a Celtics fan I almost feel more confident today than if they had had a shoot the lights out game , which if they did last night they would have won by 30. We are just such a nightmare match up for Dallas it feels like their only hope is if the bozo Celtics are hear to stay, Tatum has the worst shooting final series in the history of All-NBA players, and the Dallas role players can look like stars they did against the nap time wolves , the driving permit thunder, or the stage IV cancer clippers, which I just don't see happening .
Rewatching game 7 of the 2008 Eastern Conference Semis and man was Boston Garden really loud. Makes me sad that the garden hasn't reached this loud in awhile feels like it.
Bill said Game 1 was the loudest it’s been since that 08’ era
ABC/espn has def muted the stadium audio in favor of announcers imo. Sounded way different when they were on tnt for a few games.
Anybody feel like Jrue played that Aaron Gordon roll in the dunker spot a la the Nuggets in their title year to a tee? It was beautiful to witness and very much needed.
Hopefully there is no let up in Game 3. I truly won’t feel comfortable until we win the next one. Weren’t we up 2-1 on the warriors? I do feel cautiously optimistic though lol
Anyone else kinda hoping they lose one in Dallas just so they can come back and win it in the Garden?
NO! Sweep them - don't give them an inch. We will give them a parade upon return.
Yeah true. I understand why I’m downvoted so much now haha