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Post by Admin on May 9, 2018 19:14:51 GMT -5
The Celtics Must Use Their Home-Court Advantage to Contain TJ McConnell in Game 5by Andy GoffinThe Boston Celtics head into a pivotal Game 5 against the Philadelphia 76ers on their home-court after TJ McConnell’s miraculous performance in Game 4 sparked a do-or-die mentality for the 76ers Undefeated at home in the playoffs this postseason, the Boston Celtics look to wrap up the Eastern Conference Semifinals at the TD Garden tonight. With a 3-1 series lead, the Philadelphia 76ers, winners of Game 4, hold slight momentum after a brutal domination of the Celtics this past Monday night. In Game 4 the 76ers were led by TJ McConnell, who was placed into the starting lineup and immediately provided the uproar his team needed to pull out its first victory of the series. He finished with 19 points on the night. Through four games, McConnell leads both teams with an impressive plus/minus of +38, quite the feat for a primarily backup point guard and unexpected leader for the 76ers. Fortunately for the Celtics, McConnell will not have the crowd to boost his energy in Game 5. The Celtics will still have to do a much better job of containing McConnell on all ends. The most difficult part of McConnell’s game is that he essentially is a decoy in taking the attention of players like Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid due to the fact that McConnell is not one of the 76ers’ labeled stars. When he gets the ball, Celtics’ defender anticipate him to set up the offense and pass. In Game 4, McConnell recognized that the Celtics were not respecting his offensive game, and he repeatedly drove to the hoop or pulled up for a jumper. Now, as a multi-threat offensive presence, the Celtics’ defense will have to adjust how they treat McConnell’s game. And they will have to do it without Shane Larkin, who is out tonight after injuring his shoulder in Game 4, and the severity of the injury is unclear at the moment. The good news for the Celtics is that if McConnell is the worst of their problems, then they are likely doing a pretty solid job in containing Simmons and Embiid. Robert Covington has also been a complete non-factor this series, besides a 22-point performance in a Game 2 loss for the 76ers. Simmons and Embiid both put up efficient numbers in Game 4, but they assumedly would credit McConnell for his energy and leadership. The Celtics’ bigs have played effective defense on Embiid for the majority of the series which opened up more opportunities for McConnell to shine. Simmons was due to bounce back at home in Games 3 and 4 after the Celtics held him to just one point in Game 2. McConnell’s grit and tenacity on both ends will certainly be a challenge for Boston tonight. He presses full-court all game and gets in the face of offensive powers like Jayson Tatum and Marcus Morris without even budging. His fearlessness and energy he brings to the 76ers is uncanny, but the Celtics can only hope that their home-court advantage can overcome him. The Celtics can finish off the series if they play their pace. They must limit turnovers (fifteen in Game 4) and unforced errors. Working the ball into the paint has been the 76ers’ bread and butter, so interior defense may be a struggle tonight. However, their resilience and passion in the first three games can surely be resurrected in Game 5. If the Celtics can benefit from a loud TD Garden crowd, then they can use their underdog edge to its fullest ability and head into the Eastern Conference Finals for a matchup against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. hardwoodhoudini.com/2018/05/09/the-celtics-must-use-their-home-court-advantage-to-contain-tj-mcconnell-in-game-5/
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Post by Admin on May 9, 2018 19:17:06 GMT -5
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Post by Admin on May 9, 2018 19:18:36 GMT -5
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Post by Admin on May 9, 2018 19:20:49 GMT -5
Brown starting has all 6pts for the C's
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Post by Admin on May 9, 2018 19:21:29 GMT -5
Al scores but again, no +1 for Big Al
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Post by Admin on May 9, 2018 19:22:46 GMT -5
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Post by Cabutan on May 9, 2018 19:24:10 GMT -5
Poor D already.
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Post by Admin on May 9, 2018 19:24:33 GMT -5
Rozier mismatch defending Saric on a switch for an easy lob from Embiid on the perimeter ...TO Brad
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Post by Cabutan on May 9, 2018 19:24:37 GMT -5
A few questionable picks by sixers
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Post by Cabutan on May 9, 2018 19:25:03 GMT -5
Who are the refs? Anyone knows?
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Post by Admin on May 9, 2018 19:25:22 GMT -5
14-10 Sixers 5 minutes into it ...
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Post by Cabutan on May 9, 2018 19:29:36 GMT -5
Morris shot selection. Rozier and tatum hold the key for us on this one
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Post by Admin on May 9, 2018 19:30:48 GMT -5
Who are the refs? Anyone knows? Referees For Celtics-Sixers Game 5 Are Out And The Fix May Not Be InBy Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.comWinslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
The NBA has announced the referees for Wednesday night's Game 5 at TD Garden, and there may be a slight advantage for ... the Celtics? As announced via the official NBA Referees account on Twitter, the three officials for Wednesday night have been announced: James Capers Jr., Tom Washington, and Zach Zarba. Anyone who watched Game 4 on Monday night couldn't help but wonder what the hell was going on with Scotty Walnuts, a.k.a. Scott Foster. The same Scott Foster who became infamous for his "friendship" and hundreds of phone calls with disgraced former referee and known illegal gambler Tim Donaghy. So thankfully, Foster is not going to be patrolling the TD Garden court on Wednesday. But you may still be interested to know that, between the three officials for Game 5, their collective playoff history has slightly favored home teams. While it's not necessarily an appreciable advantage, it's not as glaring as what you get from Foster, who has officiated the last three games against teams down 3-0 - all wins to extend the series. There may be no such engineering going on this time. The sketchiest referee of the three is Zarba, whose games have posted a 3-4 record for home teams so far this postseason, according to Basketball Reference. He's averaged 20.1 personal foul calls against home players, against 19.3 for those on the road. The home team winning percentage is minus-.602 below the average mark in terms of win percentage. Capers and Washington, however, offer more hope that the officiating will be on the level on Wednesday. They've combined for a 9-4 record (.692) for the home teams in games they've officiated in the 2018 playoffs. On the other hand, based on their foul data the calls could still have a slight chance to go Philly's way. Washington, in particular, has called an average of 23 fouls on home teams compared to 21.8 against visitors. Capers' average foul calls are virtually identical, but lean ever-so-slightly in favor of home teams at 21.7 vs. 21.9. So the fouls may continue to frustrate Celtics fans on Wednesday night - the NBA certainly wouldn't mind the Sixers getting one more home game out of this if they can force a Game 6 - but the home team records are certainly encouraging. If the Celtics can shoot respectably and figure out a way to stop the Sixers' T.J. McConnell, they'll give themselves a great chance of closing out the series. And of course, they'll need to make their effin' free throws. Regardless of whatever zebras are trotting along the sidelines. 985thesportshub.com/2018/05/09/celtics-sixers-game-5-referees/
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Post by Cabutan on May 9, 2018 19:30:54 GMT -5
Brad insert semi please
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Post by Cabutan on May 9, 2018 19:32:02 GMT -5
At this point i prefer semi over morris. Morris shot selection is just horrible.
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Post by Deleted on May 9, 2018 19:32:09 GMT -5
Need somebody to start playing inspired basketball.
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Post by Cabutan on May 9, 2018 19:32:28 GMT -5
At least semi can guard simmons who so far right now has had easy baskets
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Post by Admin on May 9, 2018 19:35:00 GMT -5
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Post by Admin on May 9, 2018 19:36:35 GMT -5
Al picks Covington's pocket but C's can't score ...
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Post by Cabutan on May 9, 2018 19:36:56 GMT -5
Horford with the steal and the bad shot on the other end.
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Post by sfbosfan on May 9, 2018 19:38:23 GMT -5
Switching back & forth between Sox Yankee game. We could even get swept. No Sale & Price, just bad luck I guess, hurt and really hasn’t helped especially for the money we expected.
Yankees pitching may not be as good as ours but their lineup is the new murdersrow. We have maybe only 2-3 players who would make their hitting lineup. Yankees, hate to say it, are doing as was predicted.
I am really now more interested in the Celtics who better win tonight as I don’t want us to be first team to lose with 3-0 lead.
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Post by Cabutan on May 9, 2018 19:38:24 GMT -5
I am surprised none of our centers has tried to get an offensive foul out of embiid
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Post by Admin on May 9, 2018 19:39:22 GMT -5
So far Saric, McConnell & Simmons doing all the scoring for Sixers ...
Smart with a deflection gets it back and makes the lob to a streaking Tatum for the dunk!
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Post by Deleted on May 9, 2018 19:40:22 GMT -5
Starting to see the game now. Need something to happen to inspire the crowd.
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Post by Cabutan on May 9, 2018 19:41:33 GMT -5
Tatum shoot away honestly
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