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Post by Admin on Sept 17, 2020 17:16:39 GMT -5
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Post by Admin on Sept 17, 2020 17:19:51 GMT -5
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Post by kivancb on Sept 17, 2020 17:19:56 GMT -5
We'll this one, but you know it aint gonna be easy.
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Post by Admin on Sept 17, 2020 17:30:24 GMT -5
Who Will Win Celtics/Heat Series? by Luke Adams
The Celtics and the Heat weren’t necessarily the teams that most fans and league observers expected to square off in the Eastern Finals this season, but the conference’s No. 3 and No. 5 seeds will fight for the right to play in the NBA Finals after knocking off the top two clubs in the East, Milwaukee and Toronto.
It’s a fascinating matchup, and one with no obvious favorite. The oddsmakers at BetOnline.ag currently list the Celtics at -137 for the series, meaning you’d have to risk $137 on a bet to win $100. That makes the Heat the slight underdogs at +118.
However, the Heat were the more impressive of the two teams in the second round, dispatching the top-seeded Bucks with relative ease in a five-game series. Miami held Giannis Antetokounmpo reasonably in check until he was sidelined with an ankle injury. And Jimmy Butler led a balanced offensive attack that saw four players – Butler, Goran Dragic, Bam Adebayo, and Jae Crowder – average at least 15 PPG, while Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, and Kelly Olynyk stretched the floor.
The Heat’s 113.0 offensive rating was second among the eight teams in the second round, behind only the Lakers, and their 106.6 defensive rating was the best of any team not involved in the Boston/Toronto series. Miami’s play in that impressive second-round win is a big reason why 11 of 22 experts at ESPN.com, including Bobby Marks, Tim MacMahon, and Ramona Shelburne, are picking the Heat to knock off the Celtics and make the NBA Finals.
The Celtics won’t be an easy out by any means though. Boston’s offense is a little more well-rounded than Milwaukee’s attack, with a number of players handling play-making responsibilities — if Kemba Walker doesn’t have it going, as was the case in the last two games of the second round against Toronto, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and even Marcus Smart can step up and shoulder the bulk of the scoring duties.
And while the Bucks had the NBA’s best defense during the regular season, the Heat will be tasked in the Eastern Finals with solving the defense that has ranked first overall during the postseason so far. The Celtics’ defensive rating in the playoffs is 101.9, including an eye-popping 100.3 mark in their seven games vs. the Raptors. Underrated center Daniel Theis helps anchor the unit, which is versatile, switchable, and features several dangerous perimeter defenders in Smart, Tatum, and Brown.
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Post by Admin on Sept 17, 2020 17:41:05 GMT -5
Dissension reported in the locker room after the last game as Tatum took a 3-pointer when Smart was open in the lane with Theis on the low post waiting for the pass from Smart. Supposedly there was some argument amongst the players regarding JT reverting back to "hero ball" and poor shot selection. It's even been reported that JT speaks with Kyrie Irving on a regular basis (yes, even while in the bubble) and what might he be telling JT affecting his game. Blogs & Talk shows are all caught up in the discussion ... here's an example from a regular C's forum: Jayson Tatum is forcing bad shots againJayson Tatum’s superstar leap happened when he cleaned up his shot selection and cut down on his long two’s. He reverted back to his old habits at the end of Game 1 against Miami and the Celtics paid the price.
So tonight we see if we revert to "ball movement" in lieu of "hero ball."
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Post by Admin on Sept 17, 2020 17:47:45 GMT -5
Boston Celtics key to victory No. 1) Win the 3-point battle
It seems like every time we publish a “3 keys” piece, the first key to victory is how the Boston Celtics need to win the 3-point battle.
THAT’S how vital it is in determining who wins and who loses during this 2020 postseason run. Like all of their losses prior, game-one saw the Miami Heat take control of this aspect of the game.
The second-best 3-point shooting team continued on with their successful ways from downtown, as they converted on 16 of their 36 attempts (44 percent). In comparison, though they started out hot from downtown — specifically Marcus Smart — Boston wound up losing the battle, converting on 15 of their 42 attempts (36 percent).
In all honesty, things could have easily ended up the other way around if they had treated all of Miami’s players as potential threats from long range.
Far too often did we see the likes of Jae Crowder and Jimmy Butler take, and make wide-open jumpers from beyond the arc. Because of this, they ended up posting two of the best 3-point shooting percentages on the game, with Crowder hitting five of his nine attempts (56 percent) and Butler knocking down two of his three attempts (67 percent).
In game two, it is imperative that the Celtics keep this level of consistency shooting from downtown while also honing in on doing a better job of closing out on open shooters.
Boston Celtics key to victory No. 2) Daniel Theis has to play smarter
It has been a common theme by Boston Celtics fans to vocalize the apparent disdain the officiating crew has had for starting center Daniel Theis throughout, not just the postseason, but the bubble as a whole.
Often have we seen the German-native get penalized unnecessarily on questionable calls which, in turn, has limited his usage late in games.
In game one of this Eastern Conference Finals series, however, this was not the case.
Far too often did we see Theis battling too aggressively after losing positioning on box outs and while in post defense and, as a result, racked up fouls faster than anticipated.
Though he did end up logging 35 minutes on the night, he found himself attaining his sixth personal with 3:31 left in the fourth, thus forcing him to miss the remainder of regulation and overtime.
Being that he placed as the second-ranked player in Defensive Real Plus-Minus rating for the 2019-20 season (4.45) his services were undeniably missed late in the game.
Moving forward, Theis has to find a way to play both aggressive and smart should the Cs wish to win game two.
Boston Celtics key to victory No. 3) Kemba has to play like his All-NBA self
At this point, enough is enough!
The past three showings for Kemba Walker have been unacceptable if Boston wishes to win a championship, especially considering the All-Star status in which he resides in.
Averaging 12.7 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.3 rebounds on a putrid 28 percent shooting from the floor and 14 percent shooting from deep just simply won’t get it done moving forward — it almost didn’t get it done at the end of their second-round series as well.
When the Boston Celtics inked Kemba Walker to his four-year, $141M max contract, they believed they were getting an All-NBA player at the game’s most important position to help guide them towards glory with this young and talented core.
For the most part in 2019-20, this seemed to be the case as he helped the team to a 48 win season and the third seed in the Eastern Conference while boasting All-Star averages of 20.4 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.9 rebounds on 42.5 percent shooting from the floor and 38 percent shooting from deep.
If we want to win game two and, frankly, this series, we need this type of production to shine through once again.
There cannot be any more “off” nights for the franchise point guard. There cannot be any more “it’s his first real postseason” excuses.
He is a player the Houdini believes has the capability of guiding this unbelievably talented Celtics team to their first NBA Finals in a decade. Now, he needs to play like it!
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Post by Admin on Sept 17, 2020 17:52:06 GMT -5
... three MOAR potential keys to winning:
Boston Celtics X-factor No. 1) Robert Williams
First up on the docket we have the Time Lord himself, Robert Williams III. Though he has seen limited action throughout the entirety of the Disney bubble, the tantalizing big man has impressed thoroughly when found on the hardwood and should continue this trend as we progress through this series should he find playing time.
With starting center Daniel Theis‘ propensity for fouling during this postseason, minutes will likely continue to be easy to come by for the second-year talent.
In extended minutes during this year’s playoffs, Williams has managed to shine. When logging 15 or more minutes, the Texas A & M product finds himself boasting impressive averages of 7.8 points, five boards, and just shy of a block per game on 93 percent shooting from the field.
His rim-protecting abilities will be vital for the Boston Celtics against the likes of All-Stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, both of whom love to attack the rim.
When Theis gets into foul trouble — which, as recent history will suggest, he will — look for Robert Williams to pick up the slack with his insane athleticism, otherworldly shot-blocking prowess, and mind-blowing hustle to log meaningful minutes for this shamrocks squad.
Boston Celtics X-factor No. 2) Kemba Walker
If you were to have told someone who had never watched a lick of Boston Celtics basketball prior to these playoffs that Kemba Walker was a perennial All-Star and an All-NBA player, they would almost certainly not believe you based on his most recent performances.
Throughout this year’s postseason, Walker has only managed to put up messily per-game numbers of 12.7 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.3 rebounds on a horrid 28 percent shooting from the floor and 14 percent shooting from deep. Sure, he has put up a handful of 20+ points on 50 percent shooting performances, but these nights have grown too few and far between and, thus, the Cs have struggled.
What’s impressive, however, is that even with his putrid play — take game one of this series, for example — Boston has still managed to stay productive and give themselves legitimate chances of winning virtually every game.
In outings where Walker has dropped 20 or more points on 50 percent or better shooting from the field, the Celtics are 4-1. Had he consistently produced at this type of level, Boston could have escaped from the second-round in a much easier of fashion and likely would find themselves up 1-0 in this Eastern Conference Finals rather than be down in a 0-1 hole.
It’s sad to say, being he’s a max-contract player, but Kemba Walker needs to step up big if he wishes to keep his longest career playoff run going. Should he continue to struggle, unfortunately so too will the Celtics.
Boston Celtics X-factor No. 3) Gordon Hayward
Despite what Hooligan may think or say — you know you’re my mans Hools — Gordon Hayward is arguably the C’s biggest X-factor, not just in this series but, as we’ve pointed out in the past, for their chances of winning a championship in 2020.
There is no denying that even without his presence in the lineup the Boston Celtics have found ample success throughout this year’s campaign and in these playoffs — thankfully, Marcus Smart has been amazing when filling in during his absence.
That said, a healthy Hayward has proven to be a revelation for this Celtics team in 2019-20. Through 52 games played, the forward has managed to put up impressive averages of 17.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists on 50 percent shooting from the floor and 38 percent shooting from deep.
In the last slide, we stated that it’s impressive that Boston has managed to stay productive and give themselves legitimate chances of winning virtually every game with the putrid play of Walker. What’s also impressive is the prospect of how good this team can prove to be moving forward should their All-Star point guard start producing coupled with having Hayward back in the lineup.
With him in tow, the shamrocks legitimately have four players who could drop 20+ points on any given night. Gameplanning for such a lineup is not an easy task for any team, even one as good defensively as Miami has been.
Not only has his scoring punch been missed, but Hayward has also shown to be one of the team’s best facilitators throughout the season. No matter which way you look at it, having the former All-Star on the court will likely lead to easier scoring opportunities, which has become somewhat of a struggle for the team late in games throughout the postseason.
Make no mistake about it folks, a healthy Gordon Hayward — alongside a functioning Kemba Walker — may just be the biggest X-factor for this championship aspiring Cs team.
If they wish to advance to the fourth and final round of these playoffs, they’ll need all hands on deck, as Miami will not go away without a proper fight.
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Post by hedleylamarr on Sept 17, 2020 18:00:22 GMT -5
Game time Go time
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Post by Admin on Sept 17, 2020 18:03:09 GMT -5
By JR ...
Celtics coach Brad Stevens says the Miami Heat had too many opportunities in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals and that the Celtics need to imnprove their transitional defense. I miss Bob Cousy announcing Celtics games. He was good for at least one "The Celtics need to pick up their defensive intensity" each game. Other adjustments I'd suggest: A little less hero ball in the 4th and when the Celtics have a big lead, in the words of Tommy heinsohn, "step on their throats!" That's what the Nuggets did in Game 7 against the Clippers in the fourth quarter. We've blown enough double digit leads this playoffs. Quote has been filled.
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Post by Admin on Sept 17, 2020 18:07:45 GMT -5
“Some of the guards were able to keep in front with their lengths, and then Bam [Adebayo] was switching a ton of pick and rolls all day,” explained Stevens.
“Bam’s a tremendous defender, so we’re going to have to figure out, again, better ways to attack, especially late,” he added. “I thought we really moved it at times, and then we did get stuck.”
“The fouls killed us, and then the transition, with our transition defense. In addition to playing slower and pounding the ball more so we just got to be a lot better in all those areas. These games go back and forth like this. We were down six I think and then took that lead. We got to play better though, and transition defense really stands out. That Hierro 3 with a minute left and regulation was a killer.”
“But there were multiple other plays that led up to that, that I thought let them back in.”
“What I said yesterday stood out more than anything was a transition defense, [which] was just really bad. To their credit, they attacked us all night down the floor, and … some of those plays in the fourth, where we gave up layups and or got lost on some 3s hurt us. So we’ve just got to clean that up, we’ve got to be a lot better in transition. I think we got to be a lot better on some of their actions, though we guarded other actions well. And then we need to know what to react [to]. We need to know what not to overreact to from an action standpoint.” “So, those are things that we talked about on the defensive end, we’ll look to play better,” he added.
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Post by Admin on Sept 17, 2020 18:15:55 GMT -5
Preview: Miami Heat at Boston Celtics ECF Game #2 9/17/20 Celtics look to even the series as they take on the Heat in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. By flceltsfan
Photo by Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images
After letting Game 1 slip away from them, the Celtics are looking to bounce back in Game 2 to even the series at a game apiece. The Celtics pretty much controlled the game through 3 quarters but let they became complacent in the 4th quarter after building a 14 point lead and allowed the Heat to be the more aggressive team and steal the win.
Going into the game, the Heat were well rested after finishing the Bucks in 5 games and they had been off for a week. The Celtics had just 2 days to regroup from a grueling 7 game series. The Celtics started off the game strong, outscoring the Heat 83-71 in the first 3 quarters. However, the Heat outscored the Celtics 46-31 in the 4th quarter and overtime.
The Celtics could definitely benefit from a healthy Gordon Hayward. Hayward has been going through workouts at practice and is said to be getting nearer to a return, but he is listed as doubtful for this game and would be a game time decision if he were able to play. The Celtics can win without him, but it would be much easier with him in the lineup, whether as a starter or off the bench.
Javonte Green has been out since August 25th when he had a procedure on his knee. He is also listed as doubtful and would be a game time decision as well. Even if he is available, he would not likely to have a consistent role in Boston’s rotation. Only Chris Silva is listed as out for the Heat with a pelvis injury.
Probable Celtics Starters Kemba Walker
Marcus Smart Jaylen Brown Jayson Tatum Daniel Theis
Celtics Reserves Semi Ojeleye Brad Wanamaker Grant Williams Enes Kanter Romeo Langford Robert Williams III Tacko Fall Tremont Waters Carsen Edwards Vincent Poirier
Injuries Javonte Green (knee) doubtful Gordon Hayward (ankle) doubtful
Head Coach Brad Stevens
Probable Heat Starters Goran Dragic
Duncan Robinson Jimmy Butler Jae Crowder Bam Adebayo
Heat Reserves Kyle Alexander Udonis Haslem Tyler Herro Solomon Hill Andre Iguodala Derrick Jones, Jr Myers Leonard Kendrick Nunn Kelly Olynyk Chris Silva Gabe Vincent
Injuries/NWT Chris Silva (pelvis) out
Head Coach Erik Spoelstra
Key Matchups
Kemba Walker vs Goran Dragic Kemba struggled in the Raptors series and he struggled once again in Game 1 of this series. He scored 19 points, but shot just 31.6% from the field and was 1-9 from beyond the arc. The Celtics will need his leadership and his offense in this series if they are to win it. Dragic had a big game with 29 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. He shot 58% from the field and 50% on threes. The Celtics need to find a way to get Kemba going and also to slow Dragic down.
Jaylen Brown vs Jimmy Butler Although I expect others to share the job of guarding Butler, Jaylen will certainly be one of the choices as will Marcus Smart. Butler finished Game 1 with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. He shot 50% from the field and an incredible 67% from beyond the arc. Jaylen scored 17 points on 43% shooting and was 3-4 on 3 pointers but Butler was the more aggressive player and the Celtics will need Jaylen to be more aggressive in Game 2.
Daniel Theis vs Bam Adebayo Daniel Theis played well but fouled out in the overtime period. The Celtics were outscored 11-4 after he left the game. Adebayo finished with 18 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 blocks. Adebayo is quick and mobile and Theis needs to defend him without fouling and especially keep him out of the paint.
Honorable Mention
Jayson Tatum vs Jae Crowder Crowder finished Game 1 with 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist. He shot 64% from the field and 56% from beyond the arc. He should not be allowed to shoot those percentages. The Celtics must defend better. Jayson finished with 30 points, 14 rebounds and 5 assists, but was just 4-12 from three. He was just 2-10 in the 4th quarter and overtime. He reverted to hero ball in crunch time and it did not work out very well for the Celtics.
Keys to the Game
Defense- Defense is the biggest key to winning playoff games. Offense is important but if you don’t get stops, it won’t win you many games, especially against a team like the Heat that can shoot the lights out from three. The Heat shot 47% from the field and 44% from beyond the arc. The Celtics failed to get back in transition allowing the Heat to get 16 fast break points. The Heat also had 48 points in the paint compared to 26 for the Celtics. The Celtics must up their defensive intensity both on the perimeter and in the paint if they hope to win this game.
Rebound- The Celtics are averaging 45.7 rebounds while the Heat are averaging 44.9 rebounds per game. However, in Game 1, Miami out rebounded the Celtics 41-37. The Celtics allowed the Heat to get 15 second chance points. Much of rebounding is effort and the Celtics must put out more effort on the boards If they hope to win this series.
Play Hard 48 Minutes - The Celtics played hard for 3 quarters and were up 12 points going into the 4th quarter. Then, they got complacent and let their foot off the gas and allowed the Heat to be the more aggressive team and to play harder in the 4th quarter and overtime. The Celtics must come out strong to start the game and not let up until the end, regardless of the score. They have to want it more and play like it for 48 minutes (or more if it goes to overtime).
Play Team Ball - The Celtics need to keep the ball moving and play team ball. in the 4th quarter and overtime when the Heat picked up their play on both ends of the court, the Celtics lapsed into hero ball and they settled for iso play on most possessions. Team play and ball movement gave the Celtics the lead and then they went away from that. Hero ball rarely ends well as they become predictable and are much easier to defend. They have to make the extra pass and find the open man and the best shot and play as a team on every possession.
Defend Without Fouling - In the 4th quarter, the Heat became the more aggressive team and the more aggressive team usually gets the benefit of the doubt from the refs. The Heat were in the penalty with 7 1/2 minutes left in the 4th quarter. 10 of their 35 fourth quarter points were at the line. The Heat are 2nd among bubble teams attempting 28.4 free throws per game. The Celtics must try to focus on getting stops without fouling.
Bench Play - The Heat have a very good bench. They got 22 points from their reserves in Game 1, led by Tyler Herro. With Duncan Robinson in foul trouble, Herro played 40 minutes off the bench and finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists. He shot 50% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc. Brad Wanamaker played well for the Celtics off the bench with 11 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals. The Celtics need to try to stagger their bench minutes so as to have 3 starters in with them for stability.
X-Factors
Coaching - Erik Spoelstra made the first moves to get the win in Game 1. It’s Brad’s turn to make adjustments and counter the defense and offense that he saw from the Heat, especially down the stretch. Spoelstra is a very good coach and hopefully Brad is up to the challenge and will make the changes necessary to give the Celtics the edge in Game 2.
Focus - The Celtics seemed to lose their focus once they built their lead in the 3rd quarter. Instead of continuing to do what got them that lead, they lapsed into iso’s and hero ball and let up on defense. At times they passed up open shots to take contested 3’s. They need to keep their focus and take good shots and keep their minds on playing Celtics ball.
Officiating - Officiating is always an x-factor in every game. Every crew officiates differently. Some call it tight, others let them play. While there isn’t really a home court advantage in the bubble, some refs may simulate one with their calls. Some just make bad, head scratching calls as we have seen in several of the games in the first 2 rounds. The Celtics need to adjust to the way the refs call the game and not let bad calls take away their focus.
The three refs for today’s game haven’t been particularly bad and aren’t the names that come to mind when you think about bad refs. But like any officials, they can be good or bad on any given night. James Capers called Game 3 vs the Raptors and David Guthrie called Game 7. The Celtics are 7-3 in their last 10 games with Capers while the Heat are 6-4 in their last 10. The Celtics are 4-6 in their last 10 with Guthrie while the Heat are 6-4 in their last 10. The Celtics are 8-2 in their last 10 games with Tony Brown while the Heat are 5-5 in their last 10.
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Post by hedleylamarr on Sept 17, 2020 18:16:54 GMT -5
Kemba needs about 10 of those
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Post by Admin on Sept 17, 2020 18:23:47 GMT -5
Robinson off to a fast start with three 3-ptrs ...
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Post by Admin on Sept 17, 2020 18:25:15 GMT -5
Kemba looking good so far ... except for 3 TO's
Romeo & Kanter in early for Smart & Theis. 17-16 Heat ... Time Out Brad.
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Post by jdm894g on Sept 17, 2020 18:26:30 GMT -5
Brad grew a pair and yanked Smart for that 1 on 2 pull up three pointer. I don’t see why he pulled up versus running the offense. HERO ball
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Post by fierce on Sept 17, 2020 18:27:10 GMT -5
I can't believe the Heat shooting.
Someone from the Celts should smack somebody from the Heat.
The Heat's rhythm needs to be broken.
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Post by Admin on Sept 17, 2020 18:28:21 GMT -5
Brad grew a pair and yanked Smart for that 1 on 2 pull up three pointer. I don’t see why he pulled up versus running the offense. HERO ball
Yeah, 5 mins in and the only C to miss a three ... C's are 6-7 overall.
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Post by Admin on Sept 17, 2020 18:30:12 GMT -5
JT gets a cheap foul as Butler leaps over him for a rebound and falls to the floor ...
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Post by Admin on Sept 17, 2020 18:31:36 GMT -5
Now Smart hits a wide open three ...
Oly +1 vs Theis.
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Post by Admin on Sept 17, 2020 18:33:38 GMT -5
JB with contact makes one in the paint ... Heat looking for a charge but whistles are quiet tonight with 4 on C's and just 2 on the Heat.
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Post by fierce on Sept 17, 2020 18:34:01 GMT -5
I like the way the Celts responded from the Game 1 loss.
This should be a Celtics win.
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Post by jdm894g on Sept 17, 2020 18:37:38 GMT -5
I wish they wouldn’t fall for pump fakes
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Post by Admin on Sept 17, 2020 18:39:43 GMT -5
JT makes a floater ... C's down 1pt.
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Post by jdm894g on Sept 17, 2020 18:40:59 GMT -5
Theis looks lost on pick and rolls. He’s too far off his man
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Post by Admin on Sept 17, 2020 18:41:43 GMT -5
JT drives the lane and gets a lefty layup ...
Smart another three ... C's up 4 with 15 secs left in Q1.
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