Is Mamba Mentality gonna doom Boston in the playoffs?

[FultzNationRISE]

Derrick White and Porzingis tonight:
45 points on 29 shots

Jay T and Jay B:
35 points on 43 shots.

This happens a fair amount, even in Celtic wins.

I know there are people who say if the other guys have to take more shots their efficiency wont look as good, which is probably true, but as long as it doesnt decline all the way to the equivalent of 35 points on 43 shots, it's still an improvement. Like even if it lands somewhere in between 45 on 29 and 35 on 43... that's better than 35 on 43.

Yes there are nights where JT/JB make their shots and they have big lines on good efficiency and it looks great. But it's not a consistent thing.

Im sure it's an awkward conversation for Boston to tell these two franchise cornerstones with the team's longest seniority to go ahead and just take a step back... but I also think it's kinda dangerous for their chances if they dont.

Horford only took 5 shots in 27 minutes. Porzingis scored his 21 points on 11 shots. Hauser and Pritchard took took 3 combined shots in 28 total minutes off the bench.

I mean is this really what the Celtics are gonna do? Have all this talent spread around the floor, and let JT and JB just go Mamba Mentality mode?

Is that really the plan?

I know RMWG thinks it's a great plan because he doesnt have an adaptive intellect, but does everyone else think this makes sense?

[elementally morale]

The Porzingis numbers are deceiving. He played very well in the 1st quarter and didn't do much after. White was good the whole game.

Boston is a very good team. As you said, both Tatum and Brown played below average and the team nearly survived. The Nuggets' all offense was Jokic and Murray today. Plenty of airballs from three. So both teams lacked some offense.

[FultzNationRISE]

The Porzingis numbers are deceiving. He played very well in the 1st quarter and didn't do much after. White was good the whole game.

Boston is a very good team. As you said, both Tatum and Brown played below average and the team nearly survived. The Nuggets' all offense was Jokic and Murray today. Plenty of airballs from three. So both teams lacked some offense.

Well he only took 11 shots total. He's a center not the point guard so if you stop feeding him what's he supposed to do?

[Xiao Yao You]

Well he only took 11 shots total. He's a center not the point guard so if you stop feeding him what's he supposed to do?

that's life in the NBA for most bigs today

[Real Men Wear Green]

Someone that actually knows about the Celtics would know that Tatum shots 47% and Brown shoots 49%. They lost today but they are not "the problem, " whatever the problem is for the best team in the league.

[fourkicks44]

Someone that actually knows about the Celtics would know that Tatum shots 47% and Brown shoots 49%. They lost today but they are not "the problem, " whatever the problem is for the best team in the league.

I only watched the last quarter but the problem is the same problem they had last year...

Their coach is not good enough.

[Airupthere]

Lol do the celtics need more help?

[elementally morale]

Well he only took 11 shots total. He's a center not the point guard so if you stop feeding him what's he supposed to do?

I saw the game from start to finish but would have to watch it again to see what really happened. I remember Porzingis having hit 3 three pointers by the 6 minute mark of the 1st quarter at the latest. Both him and Horford tried to stop Jokic one on one but it didn't really work. Jokic started missing late in the game but those were impossible shots to make. 0.3 on the shotclock and a Sombor shuffle 3 pointer (the one that went in against Davis in last year's WCF). The 76ers game play was much better.

What makes Boston very good is the fact they didn't play very well and almost won.

Then again, I'm not sure what has happened to Kristaps after the 1st. I forgot. The game was too intense and I somwhow simply can't remember his role after the 1st.

[elementally morale]

I only watched the last quarter but the problem is the same problem they had last year...

Their coach is not good enough.

Too bad you missed the 1st three quarters. You missed both Jokic and Murray at close to their best.

[Real Men Wear Green]

I only watched the last quarter but the problem is the same problem they had last year...

Their coach is not good enough.

Maybe Mazulla should have given more instruction but we saw JB miss two big free throws, White missed an open three Tatum set him up for and Tatum blowing a tough layup (which he didn't have to take). The players had opportunities to make plays.

[elementally morale]

Maybe Mazulla should have given more instruction but we saw JB miss two big free throws, White missed an open three Tatum set him up for and Tatum blowing a tough layup (which he didn't have to take). The players had opportunities to make plays.

Absolutely true but works both ways. The Nuggets were like 4 of 18 on three point attempts in the second hald and 4-5 of those misses were airballs. Jokic had at least 3 passes that normally result in a three with wide open looks but Gordon and Watson couldn't hit anything today.

However, the two best players on the floor tonight were Jokic and Murray and Boston had a very real chance of winning. (I thought all game long they would.) That's the sign of a great team.

[fourkicks44]

Maybe Mazulla should have given more instruction but we saw JB miss two big free throws, White missed an open three Tatum set him up for and Tatum blowing a tough layup (which he didn't have to take). The players had opportunities to make plays.


Sure. They had opportunities, missed shots they should make. It happens, you lose games like this. The Nuggets are the defending champs.

The team is full of the best players in the world and the record reflects how good they are.

"Mr Offense" Muzzula is still the weakest link.

Say what you want about the three point attempts and Tatum and Brown's lack of free throws, but the last 17 seconds with possession and frantically using two timeouts like a NCAA team?

Well that laid it all out there for everyone to see the guy still looks like someone lucky to be there and that is way out of his depth.

[elementally morale]

Porzingis started the game on 3 of 3 and then on 4 of 5 shooting. Went 2 of 6 the rest of the way. He had 5 rebounds in the 1st Q. finished the game with 8 despite playing 36 minutes. So some of his lack of production later on in the game must have been his own doing.

[FultzNationRISE]

Porzingis started the game on 3 of 3 and then on 4 of 5 shooting. Went 2 of 6 the rest of the way. He had 5 rebounds in the 1st Q. finished the game with 8 despite playing 36 minutes. So some of his lack of production later on in the game must have been his own doing.

Pingis has never been a good rebounder, Ive pointed that out about his game for years, so thats something the Cs will just have to live with. But he is a good finisher, yet frequently lags well behind The Jay’s in shot attempts.

It doesnt make sense they would blatantly play in a sub optimal fashion, unless simply nobody is willing to tell the two long time captains they need to find the new guy more because he’s their most effective finisher now.

I said this earlier in the season, they need to play THRU the guy who’s one of the league leaders in TS% among 20+ ppg scorers more, instead of around him. They need to keep going to him UNTIL the defense adjusts, and let that open things up for the rest of them.

They have a unicorn on the team, and instead of riding it theyve got two dudes who arent those dudes just goin out there throwin it up, and sometimes getting KP involved as a secondary option.

It very well could cost them.

[ArbitraryWater]

Porzingis started the game on 3 of 3 and then on 4 of 5 shooting. Went 2 of 6 the rest of the way. He had 5 rebounds in the 1st Q. finished the game with 8 despite playing 36 minutes. So some of his lack of production later on in the game must have been his own doing.


What exactly is your point?

[FultzNationRISE]

I said this earlier in the season, they need to play THRU the guy who’s one of the league leaders in TS% among 20+ ppg scorers more, instead of around him. They need to keep going to him UNTIL the defense adjusts, and let that open things up for the rest of them.


^ Also I KNOW this is correct, because RMWG disagreed with it so it is guaranteed to be an intelligent idea.

[elementally morale]

What exactly is your point?

That Porzingis' declining contribution was not simply the result of him having been left out of possessions as was previously suggested. I'd still have to watch the game again to be able to tell what happened to him after the 1st because I was caught up in the action and paid little attention to Kristaps when he wasn't scoring. And he wasn't after the 1st 12 minutes.

[elementally morale]

They have a unicorn on the team, and instead of riding it theyve got two dudes who arent those dudes just goin out there throwin it up, and sometimes getting KP involved as a secondary option.

It very well could cost them.

You may be right, I don't watch the Celtics too often. In this game though the score was close all night. Boston went on miniruns in the middle of the quarters but the Nuggets kept coming back. And in the 4th Denver played better defense. I won't die defending my position but Boston seemed equally good all game long save for the last few minutes. It was just different guys stepping up. (Not White, he was there all game long.)

If you want to say a team is better off with Porzingis as the 1st option, I'm not at all sure. We saw that already and his team went nowhere. He somehow wasn't able to to it with Doncic and that may have been more becaus of the style Luka plays but throughout his career Porzingis is quite the same player. Great for stretches. A great game on occasion. But doesn't seem like the guy you want to carry your team. Boston is doing pretty well despite this loss. Can't win them all and both Jokic and Murray played very good games even by their respective standards. (Jokic would've finished with like 13-14 assists if Gordon and Watson had been able to not miss everything today.)

[FultzNationRISE]

If you want to say a team is better off with Porzingis as the 1st option, I'm not at all sure. We saw that already and his team went nowhere. He somehow wasn't able to to it with Doncic and that may have been more becaus of the style Luka plays but throughout his career Porzingis is quite the same player. Great for stretches. A great game on occasion. But doesn't seem like the guy you want to carry your team. Boston is doing pretty well despite this loss. Can't win them all and both Jokic and Murray played very good games even by their respective standards. (Jokic would've finished with like 13-14 assists if Gordon and Watson had been able to not miss everything today.)

I am not saying you just give Porzingis the ball and get out of the way. That's not his game. That's why I intentionally used the phrase 'best finisher' rather than 'best scorer.' He's not a guy who scores on his own the best, but he IS their best finisher. Whether it's rim running, popping out for the open 3, or catching a pass in the post off a mismatch and shooting over a smaller defender.

The Celtics could absolutely be doing more to go through him than they currently are. First of all they should be finding him way more in the pick n roll, as I said they should basically just keep doing it until the defense adjusts, and THEN let the other guys exploit the attention on KP. Beyond that, they could even just extend possessions out longer to increase the chances of finding KP for a lob or a mismatch in the post.

Instead, Tatum and Brown frequently have to put on a game-long iso exhibition so everyone can see the moves they practiced over the summer. It's just not smart basketball. These two are NOT Embiid on offense. Theyre not Luka. They're not Shai. They are not good enough to justify putting Mamba Mentality above ball movement and off-ball movement. Ideally these guys are just excellent role players, but they've been saddled with the expectation of being 'stars' because fans think every team has to have someone be the flashy star or theyll suck.

Maybe this will be enough to win the East, but if it is that will speak more to the lack of other elite teams. To beat one of the elite teams out west in a Finals they're gonna have to play better basketball, plain and simple.

[FultzNationRISE]

The funny thing is, the Celtics are doing the exact same thing the Spurs were criticized for. Having a bunch of chucker guards ignore the Unicorn.

The Celtics are on the opposite end of the win column because they have far more talent and experience, but they're still playing the same exact style everyone was calling the Spurs low IQ for. Ignoring the unicorn. Same exact situation.

[elementally morale]

I am not saying you just give Porzingis the ball and get out of the way. That's not his game. That's why I intentionally used the phrase 'best finisher' rather than 'best scorer.' He's not a guy who scores on his own the best, but he IS their best finisher. Whether it's rim running, popping out for the open 3, or catching a pass in the post off a mismatch and shooting over a smaller defender.

The Celtics could absolutely be doing more to go through him than they currently are. First of all they should be finding him way more in the pick n roll, as I said they should basically just keep doing it until the defense adjusts, and THEN let the other guys exploit the attention on KP. Beyond that, they could even just extend possessions out longer to increase the chances of finding KP for a lob or a mismatch in the post.

Instead, Tatum and Brown frequently have to put on a game-long iso exhibition so everyone can see the moves they practiced over the summer. It's just not smart basketball. These two are NOT Embiid on offense. Theyre not Luka. They're not Shai. They are not good enough to justify putting Mamba Mentality above ball movement and off-ball movement. Ideally these guys are just excellent role players, but they've been saddled with the expectation of being 'stars' because fans think every team has to have someone be the flashy star or theyll suck.

Maybe this will be enough to win the East, but if it is that will speak more to the lack of other elite teams. To beat one of the elite teams out west in a Finals they're gonna have to play better basketball, plain and simple.

Makes sense.

I'm at the same point with this Celtics team as I'm at with Embiid (and to a lesser extent the 76ers because Embiid is the 76ers now). I'll give both one more playoffs to see if they qualify for 'great'. These teams should meet in the ECF and I want both playing out of their minds great basketball. Both can't advance to the Finals but if neither can do it I'll not take them seriously next year. I very well shouldn't now but I'll show some patience.

[Manny98]

Porzingis had the hot hand and was completely iced out by Tatum trying to be the hero :facepalm

[FultzNationRISE]

Porzingis had the hot hand and was completely iced out by Tatum trying to be the hero :facepalm


Tatum for Lebron who says no?

[FultzNationRISE]

Someone that actually knows about the Celtics would know that Tatum shots 47% and Brown shoots 49%. They lost today but they are not "the problem, " whatever the problem is for the best team in the league.

Such a simplistic low IQ take as usual.

[tpols]

This isn't a really great bumpable thread. Zingis would get hurt with a larger burden and white isn't a true superstar talent albeit a very good ancillary player.

The only way the Celtics win is if Tatum nuts up and Brown does similar.

[rawimpact]

Tatum and brown are the most disappointing duo we've seen in a while. Always underachieving in the post-season, consistency is a problem as is coaching adjustments IMO.

[ImKobe]

There's no Mamba Mentality in Boston. In fact, they're soft AF. They can be pushed around. Not enough dawg in that team.

[Real Men Wear Green]

Such a simplistic low IQ take as usual.
What does Mamba mentality" mean? Did Tatum demonstrate it when he settled for 13 shots? You're an idiot. You and the other twits can keep on going nuts every time time the best team in the league loses a game. Remind me of a bunch of insects scrambling after someone lifts the rock they were buried under.

[Wally450]

Tatum and brown are the most disappointing duo we've seen in a while. Always underachieving in the post-season, consistency is a problem as is coaching adjustments IMO.

Comparing where they are in their careers compared to some other duos, they should be approaching the age where they get their first title. Most guys hit it around that 27-28 year old mark. They get looked at as disappointing because they've made deep playoff runs right from the start of their careers.

[Street Hunger]

The Celtics have a whole nice set of versatile offensive weapons