After two games in Boston the series is tied one win each, and 173 points each. Tonight, on the home floor, in front of a sellout crowd, the Sixers will look to break both ties, hopefully once and for all.
Match Boston's energy early, then maintain it long past when Boston's tank runs bone dry. Extra attention to detail at the end of quarters when Doc Rivers re-inserts Garnett to try to steal momentum. Leave nothing on the floor, leave nothing to doubt. Emerge with a 2-1 lead, ready for Friday night. Sounds simple, right?
The tip is at 7pm. This is your game thread. I'll be right here throughout, join me and keep an eye out for that last straw. The Celtics are waiting to be broken, just begging for it. 48 minutes of hell tonight might just do the job.
Prediction: Whistles go the Celtics way as a makeup for the Garnett foul in game two, it isn't nearly enough to bail Boston out. 2-1, Philly before the clock strikes midnight.
I was watching some old Iggy highlights from the past two years. Most of the home highlights are him dunking in a mostly empty arena!
Quite a change from what was there in game 6 and I assume tonight.
I hope they win, and they have every chance too!
Let's also stop for a second and enjoy watching important growh and relevant basketball in the middle of May. It has been a long long time!
Not a must win, but one of those games where if the players want to be taken seriously as NBA players they need to come out strong and set a tone early. They took home court away, which is what you want to do in two games away, but losing tonight gives it right back...start off aggressive, with energy, don't settle for bad shots, play tough defense, smart basketball (DO NOT PULL EVAN TURNER IF THERE IS A SLOW START), go to mismatches, constantly, show a maturation and maturity...not just for us, or the fans, or anyone else watching who might start looking at this franchise as a free agent destination.
I don't necessarily disagree with benching Turner in certain situations because he does get carried away at times and his immaturity is evident. He needs to be calmed down every once in a while. I don't agree however with keeping him on the bench for extended periods of time (which Collins seems prone to doing) because he is one of the most productive Sixers players at this point. After Brand and Young imploded in the playoffs (at least so far), Turner is probably a top 3 player on this team. He needs to be on the floor.
Overall though Turner is averaging 34 minutes per game in the playoffs which makes him 3rd on the team and is well ahead of the fourth one so it's not like he is kept on the bench too much.
Saw this video of Sixers lockeroom post game 6 in the Bulls series:
http://www.nba.com/video/channels/playoffs/2012/05/15/philly_lockeroom_celebration.nba/
I'm pumped! Let's go get it. Play these guys like they broke into your house, beat up your momma and shot your dog.
Looks like Evan and Doug Junior x2 are pals :).
I hadn't seen that before. Imagine how great it would've been if Collins hadn't lost the team :)
Cool :) They really look like "family".
Can you tell me again Brian which Philly reporter said that?
Stockton and Webber. And I assume they'll tip it off at like 7:01 again, so I'm not getting caught by surprise tonight.
This is the D series on TNT isn't it?
Aaaaaand we're off....Hawes loses the tip.
They went to Pierce in the post on the first possession, immediate double, then a good recovery onto Garnett. The open man was Rondo for three, which is what you want. Good rotation early.
AI9 steal and slam next time down.
andre dunk, pierce didnt even try to get back
JRUE43!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
jrue 3!!!
turner could learn the art of the pump fake this off season.
ET off the screen, nice. Let's go.
eb and garnett going at it
EB+1!
Ugh, come on Hawes. Burned for a dunk on one end, turnover or blocked shot or some kind of weak slop on the other end.
Get Lavoy in.
thad and lavoy in
Lavoy and Thad check in.
Turner blocked by Bradley, Rondo blows by Jrue on the other end. Good timeout. Settle down a little now, get better looks.
Keep this energy and pace up. Will pay dividends.
Love the "red-out" from the crowd tonight with the T-shirts.
Jrue to the line. Hit 'em both.
jrue got away with a double dribble, gets to the line somehow, 2 on kg
2 on Garnett. Not sure that's great news, don't want him getting free rest.
He's their best player, that's great news. Now hopefully the refs still call it straight up bc Doc left him in.
Atta boy, Thad.
thad
Yeah Thad.... need that man
Brian u stupid Lmaoo that maybe bad that gives kg rest lol comment of the night
That was a good offensive possession. Ball changed sides multiple times, they probed the lane. Boston really had to make a ton of rotations and contend with a bunch of movement. Run the offense like that whenever you're in the halfcourt, don't let them jog back and stand around on the defensive end.
Keep up the good ball movement.
Keep shooting jumpers, Rondo.
Need a better look from deep than that Dre.
Great block, Lavoy.
thad
AI943!!!
Thad! Good job stopping the ball at the foul line and letting Thad fill on the break.
Ugh, 2 easy ones for Boston right back.
AI943!!!!!!!!! Jrue w/ a sick one-handed feed.
Oh me Oh my!!! Jrue and Lavoy in a p&r and Jrue doesn't hit Lavoy rolling instead throws it cross-court to Dre whose man was cheating to cover Lavoy rolling down the lane. Sweet play for 3!
Webber is completely out of his mind.
nice pass to thad
THAD off the cut. Great find by AI9.
andre
Whew!!! what a cut from Thad but even better squeeze it in there pass from Dre
What a pass by AI9 to a great cut by Thad!
THAD TO LAVOY FOR THE DUNK!!!!!!!
thad to lavoy
Thad doubled. Lavoy slam!!
Rondo with a three, you've got to be fucking me.
jrue 3!!!
an early F me on a Rondo three. He's got way too many pts already.
Jrue!!! 4 3!!!
Rondo's scoring right now, but play the percentages. Stick to the gameplan.
JRUE43!!! Right back in his face.
ugh Dre played up so close Pierce blew by him, not enough help D though
Need to rotate quicker than that Lavoy. Even AI9 gets beat sometimes.
JRUE.
ugh, Pierce dunk again, not sure who was at fault for that one
What was the call there? Shooting, right?
Think you're talking Dre on the follow putback where he went to the floor? I thought he was shooting to.
Yeah.
why does it seem like every team other than the sixers have a bunch of screamers when they make a good play?
lavoy
Lavoy. Bang from 18.
Lavoy! Jrue with really nice patience on that p&p.
"AAAAAUAUAUAUAAAAAAHHH!!!!"
pierce was yelling before he got the ball
Shit, two on Lavoy and Pierce to the line. Think Iguodala needs to adjust and start playing him for the drive.
pierce starts yelling and gets the call....
Lmaoo pierce needs to stop with all that yelling it ain't that serious
Pierce has that dailed-in mean stare.
Dre, wipe that mess right off his face. Again.
lou at the buzzer
Louuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
forrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
33333333333333333333
at the buzzer!!
damn we should be up so much more...ill take the lead regardless
Hawes gets bailed out by Lou Williams quick hands. The BOSS nets a three at the buzzer
Louuuuuuuu. Hawes is retarded
LOU43 at the buzzer!
PHI 33, BOS 28 after one.
Defense needs to pick it up in a major way here in the second. Rondo and Pierce played the entire first quarter, and scored Boston's last 22 points.
If Pierce yells one more time they have to T him up, you can't do that shit every time down the court.
If I'm not mistaken, the Sixers took two long twos that quarter (Thad and Lavoy, hitting both). Everything else was an open three or a shot in the lane. That's exactly what you want.
ET hit one too right? or maybe it was a 15 footer
Yeah, forgot that one. That was off a screen as well. No settling, those were plays. Keep attacking like this.
Lmaooo all that yelling just to lose iggy lock his ass downnnn
Up 5. Feels like we should be up ~8. But I'll take it.
Now hopefully the 2nd unit can build on this while Pierce and Rondo (?) rest. Please take care of the Celtics 3PT shooters on the defensive end. And keep attacking.
Argh. Lou/Meeks/Turner. Please just maintain the lead here, at least.
thad
Thad J again. Build a cushion here.
not with lou/meeks/et, hope im wrong though
Thad, money.
Jodie Meeks in, flips Ray Allen upside down on a pump fake.
Thad with a jumper.
Well hell freezes over, Hawes with a help-side block!
Hawes w/ the weak-side block. Then lets Garnett get great position, ugh.
Hawes got the block, but Lavoy made that play. Nice recovery after screwing up and leaving your feet.
... what the hell, Spencer.
Dammit, confusion on who had who. Leaves KG wide open trailing the play for a J.
every time were like 7 pts up and close to busting it open we always ALWAYS let them come back
Fuck this lineup on the floor right now.
Thad!!! go up and draw contact son...
Meeks to the line. That just pussied out of a layup. Shit.
Thad shoots the second he touches it. And Hawes needs his fucking head checked. He's the white, less talented mcgee
Wow, great defense ET
Turner just stoned Pietrus.
That ball looked saved to me
I think you have to establish your feet inbounds after going out
He didn't get both feet back inbounds.
How many games do we have to see the super soft combo of Hawes,young and Lou fail and get killed by KG before Collins stops opening the 2nd and 4th qtr with them.
Seems like everytime Hawes had tried to throw a pass or even give a handoff the ball either almost or does end in a turnover.
Looks like Doug's plan is to use two big man units and constantly rotate in fresh legs. We need Allen to not pick up his third quickly here.
Where's Vuc? Why not give him a couple mins?
Bleh. Turner was right there, think he stumbled or something.
Time to get Jrue and Dre back in. Right now.
Not a minute too soon.
Brand took himself out of the play by taking a crappy angle at Rondo on that boston break
jrue coming in
Ugh, ET w/ a nice crossover, couldn't finish it though. ugh again, missed the first free throw. ugh
Turner to the line. Hit 'em both.
Turner took a terrible angle on that transition play.
Turner can't shoot for shit tonight. Goddamnit, should have made the layup and the foul.
Damn
3 on Lavoy.
Lou/Meeks/Turner = -7.
Shit, Lavoy with his 3rd foul.
This overexuberant grunting and screaming ala KG there really wears thin quick. Hate that mess like a LB sacking a QB.
No problem. Weather this run.
Hawes w/ a baseline look/pass, gets pushed right off his spot.
May need a timeout here, down 5
lou
Lou to EB in the post, back to LW for the leaning two.
Fuck, Brand. Can't waste that shit.
Got to make that EB. got to....
Jesus, EB, you need to hit that shot.
That's a BS whistle. Jrue rode him all the way under the hoop and he had no room. Fucker.
Eb has to hit that shot
Can't stand when the refs do that. Ray misses the layup after contact and the ball is caroming off the rim and back into his hands and THEN the ref blows the whistle for a foul on the previous shot. Too late.
"KG doing a good job intimidating" someone needs to explain to cwebb that our bigs never attack the rim
The Cs runs start when the team goes to its super soft front court. Then it takes another 10 minutes of game time for the rest if the team to finally slow them down. Never go soft with the Hawes and Young combination and the Cs would not heat up in the first place.
Need to stay close here to close this half. Crucial point in game. We were up, then they've gotten up. Keep your poise and play some damn nasty D.
Oh Hawes, you unbelievable fucking sissy.
Thad.
Shit, Jrue. Gotta throw that down.
This is going downhill quickly. Just weather it.
Come on man
Wow, nobody boxed out the shooter. Lucky there.
let's go, finish the half strong!
Hawes+1 off the Lou missed three.
Hawes with an o-board?? And a foul? and a putback?
hawes did something good!!!!, i thought he would miss the putback
Fucking Hawes yea white men can jump lol
Come on thad
They've got to have a guard come over on the KG catch and not rely on Hawes to get out there and close out. Make KG swing it to someone else.
Hawes on KG is like taking 5 years off his game. It rejuvenates his game back to his prime because he knows is a sack of ...
Hawes in every kg highlight.
Terrible D off their inbounds. geez come the eff on guys
Man, Jrue should have twice as many assists as he does.
Under 10 at the half, please.
How can this whole team be such poor shooters?
Son of a ............ Pietrus 3 off a Jrue turnover.
This couldn't be worse quarter. Man, can't buy a bucket, and the C's hitting everything.
And-one by Lou
Lou got the whistle there and hit the shot. Nice.
Let's get this thing down to 8 by half
Alright, C's turnover, make this two for one count now....
get it to single digits.
Let's go
AI943
Iguodala 3 on first chance!!! Stop please.
AI9 bags a corner 3!!
AI943 and they got the two-for-one. Get this fucking stop and score on the other end.
I feel good going into the half we got this game tonight shoyaluv
Jeebus, the red sea parts for Rondo.... ugh
Good foul
What the hell? Lou blows a bunny and they convert a lay-in. Damn darn dern
Damn bad finish ... We still got this though
Fucking Lou goes too early and they get another hoop. Damnit. Terrible end.
PHI 49, BOS 60 at the half.
60 points in the first half? Come on, that's terrible. Clean up your act on the defensive end.
Damn it, can SOMEBODY get back on defense? Transition defense is terrible. Clean that shit up in the second half.
Think I'm going to pass on the halftime show hating mofos
Lou always goes too early and gives the other team one last shot. Always. God damn it.
20 minutes for Rondo, 19 for Pierce, 18 for KG. Punch them in the mouth here early in the third, make it a battle. Don't let them push it to 15 or 20 and give Rivers a chance to rest those guys.
Missed most of the half for work function. Were Lavoy's fouls legit?
no.
Shaq on kg mind of a champion that was like got Damn 4 yrs ago.
If Lou and Meeks play less than 20mins combined in the 1st half, we will probably win.
Let's buckle down in the second half boys...if they play the kind of Def they are capable of, the points will come. Def should be the easy part for this team.
Sixers notes (with Collins video interview): Rookie Vucevic waiting for his postseason chance:
http://www.phillyburbs.com/sports/sixers/vucevic-waiting-for-his-chance/article_8daa4c87-eecc-587a-82cd-ab641f287d36.html
jesus eb
Shit, Brand. That's fucking free money, man.
Those two quarters were the epitome of a Jekyll and Hyde.
Really disheartening.
Not asking for much but we need a starting-worthy center and shooting guard in the worst way.
Brand is just off right now. If he can't hit that shot, the offense can't run through him.
Man, if Hawes loses this jump to Rondo...
Hawes you weakass piece of shit.
Little by little. Possession by possession. Just whittle it away ever so methodically. A run would be gravy.
Bleh, Jrue.
Damnit, Jrue. Needed that three so badly.
No life here at all. Need a timeout.
Bad shot Iguodala. 2nd chance though. Jrue misses from deep. No one can shoot for shit tonight.
Meanwhile, the Celts can't miss.
sissy floater
Hawes w/ the sissy scoop. Can we get a stop? Got it, and then they get the loose ball. Fuck me.
aaannnnnd a damn turnover
What the fuck was that? How do you screw up a handoff?
No need for EB to grab KG's jersey. He did that the other night. He was right there for the contest.
Really surprised we haven't seen a timeout yet. They're losing it out there.
Why is Hawes still playing? He should not get any minutes this game.
Well, I guess this is what youth and non-consistent shooters gets you. Fucking pitiful.
Turner didn't even leave his feet to contest that layup. They're quitting.
And what the fuck was ET doing just looking at Rondo drive right at him and lay it up?
start a run here.
Lou three and a stop. Come on, show some life. Get this to single digits.
Nope. Missed shot turns into a 3 on 2.
Three Sixers right there and Rondo throws a behind the back and Pierce just lays it in. sheesh
Then a miss turns into a sissy foul on Garnett for an and-one. Four on Lavoy. Horrendous.
And Lavoy has an Evan Turner-esque pussy swipe at KG on the weak foul.
I like that speech by Collins
Hey Doug, how about giving Sam Young a run to knock some heads around a bit? I bet he'd show some verve.
Look how deep the Celtics are packing it in.
Well, at least Thad wants it. That's something.
Well, one good sign is Thad's got a pulse tonight. And a little fight too.
Jesus, get Iguodala out of there. No use wasting his legs at this point. Get him some rest for game 4. He isn't doing anything out there anyway.
33 point first quarter and a snowball downhill since so frustrating
It's startling, but understood, how much they're packing it in on us. Just saying go ahead and shoot from out there cause you ain't coming in here. Reminds me of the Bulls defense in the 1st round.
Except the Bulls had legit shotblockers in there. The Celtics are packing it in with fucking Brandon Bass. Drive anyway.
Burns even more when you see that Lou and Thad have broken out of their shells and we're stinking it up like this. Center and shooting guard are giving us absolutely nothing.
Smart D, Lou.
This is the worst possible thing that could have happened, Doc gets to rest his main guys now because it's so far out of reach. That's why, as you said, I wish Doug would have called an earlier timeout to stem the tide a little in this 3rd quarter. We needed to at least keep it close to force Doc to play his horses.
Finally got out on the break.
Like I said, Thad wants it.
Thad, I'm soooo glad to see you've woken up. Nice block.
and what the hell was that mess?
Too weak Lou, too weak.
Lou has Thad wide open under the hoop, drives and avoids contact instead. Bleh.
PHI 66, BOS 89 after three.
Quarters don't get much worse than that.
These guys better be ready to kick some ass Friday night .... Game thread I'm out gn
Heh, exact opposite of game 2.
Sixers - 33 points 1st quarter
Sixers - 33 points 2nd AND 3rd quarter combined.
Celtics having that many fast break points is none other than inexcusable.
Garnett back in. How about making a big run so Doc has to use him the rest of the way?
Games like this I can't help but question the leadership on this team. Where is Dre to settle things down? EB? Can EB step up one fucking game these playoffs?
Doug not waving the white flag yet. Still wish he'd give Sam some run.
Pierce coming back in too.
Come on. Shave another 10 off this lead. Let's fucking go.
These Spencer 20 footers are not what we really need. Ever.
Sigh
Thad...nice work.
Jogging out to contest the three, huh?
Sissy non-finish.
Buckle down on D. come on
Well Thad, that was a weak ass closeout. Fucking inexcusable the way you trotted out there on Pietrus' three.
fucking Hawes. What a pussy.
Just not what I hoped to see out of the first 3 quarters...
Nice drive, Jrue.
Jrue
Hawes, you are the softest player I've ever seen.
lol hawes
Not sure if I have ever seen a guard shoot as poorly as Evan Turner
OK, what exactly is Doc saying with his big three/four in the game up 23 w/ 6+ left?
He doesn't seem too concerned about Friday night.
Allen got plenty of rest tonight: 12 minutes.
KG was just over 30, 33 for Pierce, 37 for Rondo.
What are the chances that Dick Stockton pulls out a gun and shoots "c-web" in the fucking head?
This is pretty in line with the rest of the season. As soon as I start to buy in again, they just flat out pull the rug out from under me. Quick.
is it possible for no-one to get POTG?
It's Thad.
Winner Winner chicken dinner
Lou w/ another pussy attempt in transition.
Pierce has now resorted to hollering on layups, not dunks. Did it on his last two.
Evan Turner, you suck man, you really do.
Nothing worse than a team that quits.
Hey, Meeks hit a three!
Hopefully the last one he attempts on this team ever
why weren't they pushing the ball up the court like this earlier? did they forget they are the younger and faster team?
There are a lot of whys about this one.
one of the biggest is why has Brand lost his stroke? When it had seemed to have come back a bit last game? The injury? He's battling, getting rebounds though. There were a couple of chippies he missed in the second quarter that could have really changed things and kept them in it.
And then the WHY did Collins go with that shit lineup again in the second quarter when they lost the lead?
It's true, so many why-o-why's in this one...
Or his injury history and age just means he's done...which is not surprising, as for most of the last 1/4 of the season he was done too...Brand is just done
yea, he sure appears to be. If nothing else, he did finance a Werner Herzog film, which is pretty cool. Maybe he'll have some more time for his production company real soon.
Our bench has 50 points
our starters have 36
sweet
And Evan ends up out there with the garbage-timers. Deserved.
Voose, looking mobile as ever.
Thanks for the laugh, it's needed. lol
Silas gets his Rudy moment. Good for him.
PHI 91, BOS 107 Final.
Shit job. Don't ever do it again.
As much as I despise the Celtics, I would have rather sat through a Heat thrashing with the refs sucking up to LePip and Wade.
Eagerly awaiting a blog post from Kate Fagan about how bad the Sixers are.
Well, you know, working at ESPNW gives her more access than she had as a sixers beat writer.
Since everything in the playoffs is blown out of proportion on a moment by moment basis (sports is a victim of the '24 hour news cycle' just like anything else it seems) this probably hurts the dwight howard chances
:)
Yet, it's funny that this game shows just how badly we need a center who is not a giant pussy/can finish/can defend.
Yeah, if only I believed Dwight understood the overall game of basketball better to make that connection...somehow I doubt he can (and his agent really won't want him to sign in Philadelphia since the advertising dollars can be bigger in a place like Brooklyn or LA or whatever)
Course the fact that he opted in (for the most asinine of reasons it seems) makes it more difficult - but if dude really wanted a title this team was the obvious destination and ownership could have pointed out to agent that if they ditched brand they could max out dwight
I don't get why he opted in either, unless it's for some conspiracy-esque reason like he knew that he needed to get surgery soon.
Just her? If you bother to look (and I don't blame you if you don't) you'll probably hear it from everyone.
gosixers and the dc naysayers will run along any minute to tell you Collins's lost the team again
I find it fascinating that you people have to call me out for things I never even said.
And yet you can't notice that I had already responded 6 minutes before hand.
All I ever said was that I expect collins to be gone sometime next season - since he's never lasted 3 seasons anywhere - one is my opinion - the other is fact
The sixers aren't a championship contending team - that's also fact - they choked when they had a chance to prove it tonight - I'm sure there's enough blame for everyone to pick the player they hate...it was evan's fault, andre's fault, jrue's fault, thads fault lou's fault eltons fault
They had a chance to show everyone who was talking about how the celtics weren't interested until after they lost wrong, guess what, all they really did was reinforce the believe that this isn't a team that can contend for a title
Unlike most people - I don't make decisions or opinions based on a game or two or 12...my opinion of this team has been the same - consistently - for a couple months now - and nothing the playoffs has changed that one iota
But please - continue to make me laugh by calling me out by name - it's the most hysterical thing
GoSixers replied to comment from eddies' heady's +/-April 5, 2012 10:38 AM | Reply
The coach has lost the team...
---------
"I find it fascinating that you people have to call me out for things I never even said."
That's most hysterical, no?
I'm just asking here .... but are you always this much of a hypocrite?
hahahahahahahhaa good one
Hmm.
You either saved that up for future reference or took the time to look it up - both are rather pathetic commentaries on how much you feel that a blog is important...which is a commentary on how sad and pathetic you truly are. It's funny.
And yes, look how I admit I'm wrong, I guess I did said it. Unlike your life, I have a lot of things to do and a lot of interests and thus I can't remember everything I said on something that is purely diversion for me (but very important to your life)...you've still hardley (if ever) admit you were wrong, even when presented with a mountain of evidence.
The fact that you need to keep calling me out just demonstrates your patheticness...
You often refer to this 'wrong' thingie, or 'not admitting wrong', what exactly have I been so 'wrong' about? You toss it around so frequently, you surely must have a list of something? Please share.
Please, amnesty Elton Brand. Even if we are not signing anybody, just so I don't have to watch him labor through next year and remember this postseason.
Terrible defense, but next game will say a lot. Must win coming up
Column: Celtics show there's plenty of life left in them:
http://www.phillyburbs.com/blogs/sports_columnists/tom_moore/celtics-show-plenty-of-life/article_963e91f6-c001-5d81-adc2-7a8ff0b6cdfa.html
Sixers will put forth a better effort next game (can't get much worse right?). I am trying to keep this team in perspective and not get too hung up on horrible losses like this.
On a different note...watching Jordan Hill play for LAL, he may look good at the 5 in a sixers uniform next year. Probably get him without a crazy contract (i.e. what it would take for a shot at either McGee or Hibbert) and I think he may be a nice piece. Not the answer to our problems at center, but a nice piece.