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Foul mood

E-mail|Link|Comments (11) Posted by Ian Rider May 27, 2008 11:15 PM

The Celtics lost another game that Detroit let them hang around in, and very easily could have swept this series. So I'm not the happiest kid at Summer Camp at this point ... here are a few reasons why.

Bad looks
You can call this piling on if you want to, but I'm going to start with Ray Allen. He may just shoot his way into the Hall of Fame, but Ray-Ray is lacking in other areas of his game. For example, Ray can't pass. I don't know if it is because this is a "new" team for him, or if he is so used to shooting all of the time, but Ray just seems to throw the ball away more than any guard on the team. Sometimes he throws the ball behind cutters, sometimes he telegraphs it and the defense jumps the pass, and other times he throws the ball to absolutely no one. I don't know why it is, the man clearly has a great basketball IQ, but either way, if he can't put the ball in the hole, he needs to be able to put the ball into teammates' hands without turning it over half the time.

Ticky hack fouls
Another issue with Ray is his fouls. In Game 2, the only game in which he came alive offensively, ticky tack fouls cost him crucial minutes in the second half, and may have cost the Celtics the game. A great offensive player knows how to stay on the floor and stay out of foul trouble. Even great offensive players who are also great defensive players can switch off the defensive aggression (see Kobe and MJ). Allen has never been confused with a lockdown defender. Why did he decide to randomly break into slap fights in the backcourt during crucial moments of games? You got me! It kills me that he acts like he didn't just foul the guy, too. First he freaks out and shakes his head, then he puts his hands on his hips and gives the disappointed parent look to the ref, and finally he nods his head in recognition. It's like fast forwarding through a 12-step program; I can't say that I hate to watch it.

Finally, and this may be the most frustrating part of the foul issue, is that when Ray gets an opportunity for a hard foul to negate an easy hoop, he gives a little slap on the wrist and gives up two plus the foul. I can deal with him missing wide open threes. I can deal with him throwing the ball away. I can even deal with him getting burnt defensively. I can't deal with him high-fiving the other team on the way to the basket. Either let him go by you, or knock him on his back. This is the Eastern Conference finals. These are the Detroit Pistons. Draw some blood.

And speaking of fouls, the whole team, both teams really, are foul crazy. Game 4 was like watching a middle-school girls travel team. I kept waiting for Doc Rivers to pull Flip Saunders' hair at midcourt.

One player that bothers me with his unnecessary fouling is Rajon Rondo. Rajon picks up fouls that can only be described as silly. In Game 2, Rondo was in a switch in the corner and had to cover Tayshaun Prince. Rondo proceeded to put his hands over Prince's eyes like he was leading him to a surprise party. It was the most ridiculous foul I've ever seen. The analysts had a good laugh, and it got its 3 seconds on the highlight reels, but I didn't think it was funny. And neither did the chair that I kicked across the living room. I realize he has freakishly long fingers but that is no excuse to use them to cover Tayshaun Prince's freakishly long head.

Time for some McDefense
This next one goes out to Tom Thibodeau. Yeah, that's right, I said it. What? If this guy can get all of the credit for the Celtics' dominant defense all season, why can't he hear it a little when there is a breakdown. After every loss I hear about the Celtics watching film. How many times do they need to watch Antonio McDyess splashing a mid-range jumper in their faces before Thibs ditches the whole "Leave McDyess wide open" defensive strategy? No one has been within three feet of his jumper all series. This guy has been in the league for 13 seasons; he isn't exactly sneaking up on us. Who knows, though, maybe that's what Tom is constantly screaming on the sidelines to them and they just can't get it through their heads. I'll make it real simple. McDyess shoots mid-ranger jumpers. If you let him beat you, he can and will oblige. Lock it up.

Why hasn't Leon Powe played in this series?
What's going on here? As much as Perkins has had "strong" showings in two of the four games, isn't Leon a better matchup for McDyess? At least he would be a change of pace. Perkins has played well on the boards and has somehow found a way to put the ball in the hole, but I think Leon brings an energy off the bench in the form of a big man that this team has lacked since early in the Atlanta series. I just have not seen evidence in Leon's play that earned him a spot on the bench. They should just let him go in and airball three pointers, hack people for no reason, get posterized in the lane, and chuck basketballs at unsuspecting rich folks in the first row. He could be the starting shooting guard.

Three things I thought while I kept telling myself "we're in the East finals, we're in the East finals, I'm happy to be here ..."

Hey, I thought of drinking game you can play with your friend while watching the game Wednesday night. Just take a shot every time Kendrick Perkins gets called for a moving screen. See if you make it to halftime.

If this team is going to run the "post one guy up and space everyone else out" offense, Paul Pierce needs to take 20 shots a game. I hate what the offense has turned into more than anyone, but if we are just going to give it to one guy and clear out, that guy HAS to be the Captain. There isn't another one-on-one player on the team with the inconsistent exception of Rondo. Garnett always has bigger games when he is catching off the pass from PP.

Speaking of Pierce, I expect a big Game 5 from the Captain at the Jungle. The Celtics win going away and finish this on the road on Friday. You can quote me on that.

tags Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons

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11 comments so far...

Harsh. Ray gets held, tugged, pulled, and whacked by Hamilton and others. The calls against him are his efforts to extricate himself from the dirty play coming from the Pistons (and did Wally get to be a lock down defender all of a sudden or did he just push Ray out of bounds and hold him and his jersey?). As far as Perkins' moving screens, how many times does Rondo get knocked down by the movers on the Pistons? How many time does he get knocked down by the help defenders at the top of the key? If you believe that this series has been called fairly and evenly then you're living in a fool's paradise. I don't care how many free throws they shot in game 4, they should have shot 20 more, but the officials didn't want to disrupt the Piston's pretend defense. The illegal picks and excessive hand-checks are a revulsion and a corruption of the game, but that's what they allow Detroit to get away with, time after time. You are only taking a superficial look at these games.

Posted by Painter33 May 28, 08 10:35 AM

i'm with you on tayshaun prince. he looks like somebody hung a mask from that "scream" movie on a coat hanger. add that to sheed's annoying white spot, chauncey's horse teeth (when he took his mouthguard out the other night, his face didn't change), and the Brothers Mask (btw, doesn't mcdyess look old enough to be greg oden's grandfather?), and i think the pistons are not only the ugliest team in the league in terms of their play, but their appearances as well. no wonder the ratings go down when they're on.

Posted by benjikaye22 May 28, 08 11:01 AM

moving screens are not always the fault of the screener. The guy with the ball must wait until screener is set before he uses it...........

Posted by dbs May 28, 08 01:08 PM

With you on Leon. he needs to see some time. fewer easy layups for the Pistons, too. would be nice to see Hamilton splattered ont he deck a couple of times and take that smirk off his face. Where's Luscotoff when you need him.... Ray isn't getting the same easy looks he got during the regualr season. Is he surprised? all teams turn it up a notch on D. he just has to work harder to get open, and keep taking it to the hole..

Posted by paul baccari May 28, 08 03:27 PM

That was a horrible observation about Ray's passing. He has less turnovers than any of the perimeter players. Most games, he doesn't have any turnovers. It's obviously also a lot harder to make a pass when being double-teamed.

Posted by Mike B. May 28, 08 03:59 PM

I couldn't agree more with your comments - spot on analysis. I understand Ray Allen has built a certain level of credibility but at some point you need to call a spade a spade. Detriot has 2 definites on the NBA All-Ugly team and a Hamilton is debatable depending on if he's wearing his mask or not. Overall, I thought your blog was great analysis, hilarity, and very well written. I'm looking forward to reading more.

Posted by Phlyins May 28, 08 04:32 PM

We could have swept this series?? Huh??

Detroit is a talented, experienced, and very deep team. They are 9-3 in their last 12 games. No team this year would sweep the Pistons - that's absurd.

Nonetheless, I expect a Celts win tonight. The Pistons played out of their mind in Game 4 (like we did in Game 3), and usually teams come back to Earth after a monster showing like that.

Posted by scott May 28, 08 05:44 PM

We need to be brutal about KG being soft on offense. The man needs to go strong to the hole. Forget about the fall away crap and quick passes back to the perimeter. This is the playoffs and you are supposed to be one of the best big men left in the tournament. Why are we as fans supposed to accept 18 foot jumpshots from this guy this time of the year. Folks, he is to blame if we don't advance. Period.

Posted by downlow May 28, 08 06:15 PM

Are you series? Are you judging Leon's play off the 1 minute of scrub time he got? Or was it the 2 minutes the other night? Or was it the DNP the night before? You have to get playing time to be criticized. You need to go to that Leonpowe.org fan site and read up. That site makes better points than I can make. But I do know that no one can make a better case for Big Baby over Leon.

Posted by Doug May 28, 08 08:03 PM

KG 33pts, Ray allen 29 pts. I hope everyone gets off these two about scoring. This was one of the wildest games i've seen the Celtics play in a long time. They need to maintain focus for 48 mins. The offense has to be more consitent during tight parts of the game. We haven't really excuted under pressure. Ray allen hit a big shot from the corner tonight to save the Celtics from possible blowing a large second half lead. But they shouldn't of been in that situation. They wouldn't attack in the last 6 minutes of the game. They were playing passive and not to lose. Doc might wanna perscribe some aderol for the fourth quarter of game Six.

Posted by Willy bigz May 29, 08 01:24 AM

oh yeah ray does need to pass quicker out of the double team. Our screeners need to do a better job of slipping screens. When their big guy cheats Garnett needs to slip the screen quickly and it will open him up for his mid range jumper. Once he starts doing that, they can't cheat on the screen, which willy open up Ray Allen.

Posted by Willy bigz May 29, 08 01:36 AM