Lakers 97, Celtics 94: Not big enough
Isn’t it weird to think people used to call the Lakers soft? They’ve been thrashing Boston in the paint for years now.
A loss, yes. But cherish the tight contests between these two teams while they’re still (somewhat) meaningful.
Related posts:
Celtics Blog | Jay King | March 11, 2012
If only we had a center…
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Wilcox would have had a huge effect on the game. Plus Steimer had some good highlights.
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Or even a center would help.
I have come to love both those guys. But we are playing without a center and have been for a long time.
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Stiemer s a center though…he’s gonna be a decent 5, he just needs to make some better decisions when it comes to rebounding and on offense. And we can only pray that Wilcox is cleared to play sometime this year.
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
I like Steimsma. I think he is a major find. If we keep working with him, who knows how much he can improve.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Somewhat important? Yeah, that’s the confidence that’s gonna help our team…
Great effort by the C’s. All of our starters played good games, Pietrus gave some very inspiring defense, and our offense looked really good excluding the first quarter. But it’s harder to win games whn the other team just so happens to be the best closer in the NBA since Jordan, and they have the best center in the game. So criticize Doc for not using our bench (even when he did they were ineffective) if you want, but you’d be idiotic to do so. This game came down to 3 possessions by the Fakers that could have gone either way. Big deal. We still have about 25 games this season. Move on.
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
I think the significance that Jay was referring to is within the context of the entire NBA, than just specifically in the team. Celtics-Lakers matchups aren’t as anticipated anymore like they were a few years ago.
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Kobe is a great finisher of games, yet, and so is Chris Paul, but it’s hard when our best player routinely disappears in the fourth quarter.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
if only we could score in the last 1:30 we would have won this game…. disgusting la fakers… But we played great until 1:30 left or our starters did.. the bench was awful..
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Pierce SUCKED…39 mins ZERO rebounds, 4-14 (10 shots were fall-away jumpers and the four he scored on he drove to the hoop or made lay-ups), ZERO points in the 4th QTR, and he couldn’t guard World Peace who lit him up. It’s not about us not having bigs, it’s about giving effort to rebound and our forwards played 82 mins and had 4 rebs (although BB had a great offense game). Should have left Pietrus in and PP on the bench in the 4th qtr as we were playing well and MP was guarding Kobe tenaciously and holding him down, until PP guarded him (of course). Terrible opening QTR, played well after but PP lost the game for the Cs today as he did not show up. Go Cs…and F**K Joey Crawford and the Laker refs.
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
P.S. Please get rid of Dooling and play E Moore. Dooling is worthless. Go Cs…12 FTS to 26 FTs for the Lakers…and why can’t PP take elbow jumpers like how he used to and how BB did all game??? Why does every jumper he take now have to be a fall-away??? If that’s how PP is going to play then trade his ass.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I agree on playing MOore/
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Well at least you’re placing 100% of the blame on Pierce and not Doc. Good job.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Doc is at fault for putting PP back in and taking MP out who was defending Kobe very well and was rebounding, as in the follow through dunk he had. And also playing Dooling and not Moore. So Doc sucked, too. Go Cs…
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Does seeing Moore on the floor get you hot or something? Because you whine everyone Doc doesn’t put him in…let’s see…HE’S A ROOKIE. If your as old as I think you are, you should (in case you forgot) know that experience trumps youth. I wouldn’t trust him in a late game situation like that.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
You need to read closer and not make up things that you think I am saying. Yes, Moore is a rookie and because Dooling is doing nothing with his minutes (go look at the box scores) then Moore should get his minutes, which are not at the end of the game. Pietrus was in and performing great in the 4th qtr and Doc yanked him to put PP in and then we lost. Enough said. Go Cs…
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
9 assists, though. Still, PP was one for ten at one point. If Rondo ever went one for ten, the fans and commentators would chop his head off.
But we do need a centr.
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
I was an advocate of getting Tyson Chandler this offseason as well as Pryzbilla, Nene, and Camby. Another stupid mistake by Ainge.
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
See,that wouldhave required Ainge admitting to the horrible mistake he made in the Trade Deadline of the Long Knives last year. That he doesn’t seem to be man enough to do.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Personally this game doesn’t have any importance because we won’t face the Lakers in the post season. I’m more worried about how we play against the Pacers, Bulls, Heat, Magic. Any other game we play has minimal importance to me and to this team.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
naaah man PP diden’t suck so much as you’re saying FUCK the stats for ones.. kobe shot 9-20 and only had 3 rebounds still he made 26 p… pierce was well guarded but if you want to bring up the stats he made 9 ast & 3 st and only 2 to’s kobe: 7, 1, 5… ohh yeah kobe sucked :S nobody sucked great game we just lost focus with 1:30 left while leading with 4-5 damn this happens everytime..
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
If you’re happy with PP getting ZERO rebs and shooting fall-away jumpers all night then I feel sorry for you, as your expectations are not where they should be for an All-Star, captain, leader, and our ‘go to guy’. Remember the play at 70-70 when PP let Barnes get inside him and Barnes scored a lay-up because PP was lazy? Or how about the time he had the rebound, but got out hustled by Bynum who started 5 ft’ behind PP and stole the loose ball away from him because he moved like a sloth? If you’re happy with that kind of play then so be it, but in my book PP SUCKED today (despite the 9 assists which thank God he choose not to shoot those times). He did nothing in the 4th QTR but get beat and give up points. Go watch the game again and be realistic in your assessment and you will find he SUCKED!!! Go Cs…
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
We were getting beat to loose balls all game
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Again, overreaction to a close game by “fans”…saying Pierce sucked because he didn’t do what you wanted him to is moronic. The Lakers are a very solid defensive team, the second in the league. Mike Brown told his team to double team PP WHENEVER he got the ball, and Pierce isn’t the best when double teamed. He had good stats amidst an off night shooting-wise, and the reason we lost was a combo of a few Jordan-Edie shots by Kobe and none of our shots falling. BB had a very good look that would have ended the game, but he missed it. That kind of thing happens. Get over yourselves and move on. We have a game tomorrow which should be another meaningless game.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
*-esque
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
He sucked because he did not show up to play. And it’s hardly ‘moronic’ for me to expect him to get at least one f’in rebound in a game and not shoot crap fall-aways for his 10 missed shots. “none of our shots falling” were 10 contributed by PP who has decided that falling away all the time on his jumper is better than leaning in or squaring up like Kobe, Bass, Ray, or any good shooter does. But I’m a moron. OK, so be it. Go Cs…
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
i dont like ainge most of the time but im all in on him trading the big 3 for a big C like dwight or bynum we need to get younger. DA needs to pull the trigger and make a big move move on a big man… soon
Like or Dislike:
0 
1
it’s in human nature to overreact to a loss greg..its just fucking frustrating to lose like this and to the FAKERS we had this one… crunch time is just not our friend this year… “nice” call spanky trade big 3 will destroy the chemistry so much we even woulden’t make it to the playoffs even if we get d howard…
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
what happens to the chemistry in a year or two when kg paul and ray have hung up their jerseys… we will be unprepaired so thats why we have to act now while time is still here we need to start rebuilding now
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Metta World Peace crushed PP again. Cost us one NBA championship. Artest killed him again today.
Disgusting
ps: If wilcox plays we win by 10
Like or Dislike:
0 
1
refs were on the late whistle if a laker misses system today.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Awe James is having a temper tantrum because Pierce missed some shots today. Because players never ever do that. And because James is such an experienced NBA player and coach.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Again, I am entitled to my opinions. And if you like PP not getting a rebound and shooting jumpers like he did then f’in great for you. That is not Celtic basketball. I wish PP would watch and learn from KG because that is how one gives effort. So have at me. I can take it. Go Cs…another pathetic PP display of not showing up.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
So somehow, against two seven footers, PP was magically gonna get some rebounds because James wants him to? And he’s supposed to get 20 points against the second best defense in the NBa because James is gonna have a period if he doesn’t? Get over yourself dude. You micromanage way to much. You criticize as if you’ve been there, done that. You’re an Internet blogger dude, you have no idea what it takes to be the Hall of Fame caliber player that PP is. You make it seem like PP’s main focus shoul be on rebounding. You should really think about what position does what. His main thing is scoring and defense. Of which he did the best he could. But keep whining behind your computer. I’m sure Pierce takes it to heart…
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
James is right. We need rebounding from Pierce. And we need him to stop with the constantly shooting Js crap. This team relies waaaaay to much on Js, and everyone except Doc knows that.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Yep, Greg, I’ve never been an NBA player, but I do know basketball as I’ve played it, watched it, studied it, for 50 years. That includes all the Cs titles vs the Lakers, all the UCLA titles as I lived in Santa Barbara and watched it all (as Keith Wilkes went to SBHS and his teammate Don Ford who I played baseball with and was friends with played for the Lakers). Yep, I know nothing. Keep digging the hole deeper as the sand is now fogging your brain. Again, read what I say and do not put words into my mouth. I never said I wanted PP to get 20 pts, but yes I do expect him to rebound. Seven footers? So f’in what. How does that matter? Is he not capable of making an effort to rebound??? Even if he gets beat on every one at least that’s giving effort. He gave ZERO effort and therefore had ZERO rebounds. He can try and maybe those 7-footers go over his back and foul him? Your lack of understanding that I am entitled to my opinions, and rudimentary hoops knowledge only gets worse each time you reply to me so do yourself a favor and read the posts of paul and Chris H who seem to agree with me and back off. You are not helping your agruments by replying. Go Cs…
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Especially when you tell me “to think about what position does what”. So PP doesn’t need to rebound because of his ‘position’??? Yep, you got me there. That’s brilliant hoops knowledge Greg. Who taught you that gem? Go Cs…
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I agree that Pierce was jumper crazy for much of the game, and that kills us more than anything.
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
Pierce hurt the C’s today, period. he got lit up on D time and time again. Artest ate his lunch, so did Kobe. And on offense, he forced many bad shots. No excuse for no rebounds. He was lethargic and shouldn’t have played down the stretch, but Doc is afraid to sit him out of loyalty to his captain.
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
What to say of my beloved Celtics. Do you have it in you to beat this Laker team? What is that? 3 or 4 in row that the Lakers have beat the C’s in tight games. The last win I can remember was the win the C’s had in LA in 2011 when we had(does anybody in Boston remember this guy?), the Big Shamrock who incidentally scored 0 points on that outing. I remember that great win because I, yes MrCelticPride UFC was at that game. Traveled all the way from Perth, Western Australia to return to the scene of the crime. From memory, the Lakers got beat by 15 points or so. That’s the way to do it if you are going to beat this Laker team. You can’t be up by 3 or 4 points against them because they have proved too many times that they can deliver in the clutch. The way the Celtics have played up against them since 2010 has been soft. If the likes of Bynum and MettaWorldIdiot want to play rough well we gotta take it to them. I watched the play where Pierce and MWP got tangled up and that contact was definitely initiated by the latter. All Pierce did was guard that fool close and MWP didn’t like it. What’s Pierce supposed to do? Step aside and say come on down MWP and get your two points? It was good hard, non-malicious D from Pierce and y’all saw the rest. Garnett jawing MWP which was good support for a team member, however I felt that perhaps MWP has 1 over Pierce mentally. Pierce shoulda got right up in that fools grill and man-handled the little b—h. Sure, it could have lead to 2 possible ejections, but it’s actions like that that inspire your team-mates to win. Then there was the shove from MWP on Rondo to the floor. Pathetic sportsmanship. I really can’t stand this idiot who the league should have banned for life from playing NBA basketball. The fact that his 3 pretty much buried us in 2010 and he subsequent kiss to the crowd was all the more gut-churning. In all of my rambling and Artest Bynum bashing, I want to get at this. When the Celtics play the Lakers, it’s nothing short of World War 3 in my book. This Laker team has shown time and time again that they play dirty and the only way our guys can beat them is by strong plays to the basket, burning them from distance and hard nose no nonsense D. Physicality is a must and yeah i’ll go as far to say, beat em down. Go out there and f–k s–t up. I flash back to that awful day in 2010 when we were robbed of the title and just feel that if the C’s were a little tougher and more aggressive against the Lakers , that title would have been ours. Somebody channel Larry Bird or Eddie House diving on the floor for loose balls or even Big Baby taking all those charges and of course Rondo’s inspiring comeback dunk after dislocating his arm.It is that attitude of giving your all of sacrificing yourself for the good of the team that I haven’t seen in this Celtics lineup in quite some time. I really hope that the C’s go far this year because there is nothing more I would like to see in life, than the Celtics Big 3 win it all for one last time. C’mon Celtics, show us your teeth and be that Champion Pitbull one more time.
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
I love Pierce and don’t believe in hating on him, the way so many deranged fans continue to hate on Rondo. Any player can be picked apart by frustrated fans unwilling to put the blame where it belongs – on Danny.
That said, Pierce really does seem to be struggling to adapt more than anyone. He behaves at times like a confused old lion. I think Heinsohn may have had him specifically in mind last night when he basically called out the Big Three for not doing enough to support Rondo’s Rise. I wish some of the old celtics would talk to Pierce about the importance of making and believing in the transition from one generation of Celtics to another. This has been a key part of what made the Celtics special.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
paul…the blame goes on players not giving 100% effort all the time. PP should, and everyone else that’s not performing as they should, look to KG and emulate his game effort. If PP, who used to play with that kind of passion but seems to have lost it more times this season then ever before, ever just hustled and gave 100% all the time whether rebounding, defending, running the offense, etc. then this team would not be two games over .500 but at least ten. That’s my frustration. I would rather see 100% effort and lose every game than see half-ass effort and be winning. When I was playing more regularly in my 40′s I gave more effort than PP does in lousy pick-up games compared to him raking in $15MM this season. He has lost his will to fight it seems and coasts way too much for my liking and it is definitely hurting the team. Go Cs…
Like or Dislike:
0 
0