Liberty Ballers

Celtics Obliterate Sixers, Take 2-1 Series Lead

2012-05-17T01:50:08Z

The Boston Celtics ripped out the hearts of the Philadelphia 76ers in game three of the Eastern Conference semi-finals.

Fresh off a game two victory, playing in front of their home crowd, the Sixers got off to a hot start – scoring 33 points in the first quarter, after which they owned a five-point lead. But in the second and third quarters, the Celtics out-scored the Sixers, 61-33, and ended up cruising to an easy 107-91 victory.

As you guys know, I'm a big stat guy. I enjoy looking at statistics and evaluating why certain things happened at certain times. Unfortunately, I didn't need stats to tell me that the Celtics were simply the hungrier and more aggressive team on Wednesday. I hate to go all Skip Bayless, but the Celtics "wanted it more". They broke the Sixers will in the third quarter. The Sixers eventually quit.

Luckily, this ugly game counts as only one. The fact remains that the Sixers played the Celtics tough in games one and two, and have a chance to even the series in game four, Friday. It'll be interesting to see how the Sixers respond to this whopping. It'll be easy to lay down after that one.

A few observations after the jump.

A lot of folks are raving about Thaddeus Young's game. He scored 22 points on 16 shots off the bench. Did Thad play a good game? Sure. Did he play a great game? Not really. He wasn't stellar on defense, or the glass, and a lot of his buckets game on hustle and energy plays.
Spencer Hawes was awful. I don't know how else to put it. If you like uncoordinated attempts at defense, boxing out and rebounding, along with embarrassingly weak lay-up attempts and a perpetually confused face when his teammates look at him like "what the hell, dude", then you'd love watching Spencer Hawes play basketball.
Evan Turner was very bad on offense. He looked lost.
I enjoyed Jrue Holiday's game, and he continues to be a much better player in the Playoffs than the regular season. He finished with 15 points on 10 shots, three threes, six rebounds and nine assists. I love watching him attack the rim. After seeing Rondo destroy many other Sixers guards, it may be time to switch Jrue onto him permanently.
Lavoy Allen looked well on his way to another solid game off the bench, but was limited by foul trouble most of the night. The game changed when he picked up his third foul in the second quarter and Collins was forced to go back to Spencer Hawes. Everybody loses.
I don't understand why Nikola Vucevic doesn't get any burn. He can't be worse than Spencer Hawes. Outside of Spencer's blazing start to the season, I'd argue that Vooch out-played him during the regular season.
Congrats to Xavier Silas for scoring his first career points in a Playoff game.
I cannot say enough about the Celtics defense, and energy, and grittiness tonight. Their defense was phenomenal. And KG + Pierce looked like men on a mission. Mission accomplished.

Game four is scheduled for Friday, at 8:00 EST, on ESPN. We'll see if the Sixers have a response to that beatdown, fueled by pure hunger and effort.

Sixers Lose, Blow Chunks Versus Hungry Celtics Team Immediate Reaction Thread

2012-05-17T01:25:36Z

The Sixers got out to an early lead and led after a quarter. Then, the Celtics crushed their skulls and ate their souls. Kevin Garnett actually consumed four players.

This game was over in the second quarter. Pat yourself on the back if you stuck it out until the fourth. The good news: it's only one game. The Sixers are down 2-1, but they'll get a chance to even the series on Friday. Xavier Silas also got the first Playoff burn of his career! (He scored two points in garbage time).

React. And read this list of players who could guard Kevin Garnett better than Spencer Hawes.

Sixers Vs. Celtics - 'One Time' Game 3 Game Thread

2012-05-16T22:49:44Z

I wonder what Doug Collins told his team pre-game.

A home game in the second round of the Playoffs, with a chance to take a series lead?!

LET'S DO THIS!!! Go Sixers.

How the Sixers Shut Down the Celtics in Game Two

2012-05-16T18:35:36Z

This is just one possession, but it's such a good one that I feel like it should be capitalized. Henceforth, this possession will now be known as The Possession, and everyone involved in the play shall be knighted in front of the queen. That's Sir Lavoy Allen to you, peasant. Matt Moore has the breakdown of the Sixers blowing up the Celtics offense with less than a minute to play. Great read. Now watch!

That's pretty amazing defense. In particular, Andre Iguodala takes one of the league's best at creating space in Paul Pierce and locks him up like a straight jacket. But the Sixers also didn't get beat by Ray Allen, and didn't allow Kevin Garnett's mid-range jumper, which has left the league in ruins throughout this season, to burn them. It may honestly have been one of the best defensive possessions this season. They forced the Boston Celtics, with all that ability, into a contested-mid-range-jumper from an older shooter with an ankle problem.

Watching this, I absolutely LOVED Lavoy getting up in KG's face and forcing a pass. He wasn't playing Spencer Hawes Wait In the Lane defense -- he was making him making a move. Forcing a pass to Rondo on the perimeter, which is decidedly not dangerous. Hawes probably looked really cute on the bench, but let's stick to Voy Boy for most of the game, okay? Beautiful defense - bravo's (not to be confused with Braavos, right Syrio?) go to Collins and Michael Curry.

Thank God Avery Bradley just stayed in the corner so Lou didn't have to actually do anything.

Sixers Slogans: Run With Us vs. Passionate. Intense. Proud.

2012-05-16T16:47:00Z

Over at the dot com, Jon Bois is assembling a nice portfolio of slogan-related graphings, and today he conquered basketball and all of the team-centered horrifics from ad-agencies and overly excited executives. The Sixers are included thrice on the list of the worst NBA slogans of all time.

Just like their baseball counterparts, NBA teams are fond of this "we're all a team" thing. I meaaaaan ... I get how you could interpret the producer/consumer dynamic as a form of teamwork, but teammates don't hijack each other's tax money or charge each other 11 dollars for a beer. If this is the way you're gonna roll, I'm not really comfortable with you calling me your teammate. I'm just gonna buy your tickets with the same emotional gravitas I feel when I buy Pop-Tarts at the grocery store. Cool? Cool. Good talk, glad we had this talk.

The "Run with us" was nice because those Sixers couldn't score in the half-court either. Isn't that nice! Passionate. Intense. Proud. (PIP) lends itself to more mockery because of how bad the Sixers had been the last half of the season. But now that they're winning games at an alarming rate, maybe PIP is working.

"It's A Philly Thing" may as well be saying "You do remember the Sixers are from Philadelphia, right? The same city the Eagles play for? The Eagles are cool."

Anything is better than show ya luv. What do you think?

2012 NBA Playoffs: Sixers. Vs. Celtics Game 3 Links

2012-05-16T13:00:46Z

Big, big game tonight. I'm stoked. I already emailed the guys - demanded that they open the Game Thread at 10 A.M. sharp. As I await their response, let's click on some links, shall we?

Yahoo Sports: Celtics know they're in a fight

The Sixers don't know it's a damn show! They think it's a damn fight!

ESPN Boston: The Truth hurts

This series needs more ‘truth' word play. Not nearly enough for my tastes.

Boston Globe: No support for Pierce

Comment from Boston.com reader, billcus1:

Iguodala is killing you, Pierce! C'mon superstar, stop putting on your show and play some tough ball - your team needs you to step up. We would even take your "crybaby to the stripe" act right now.

Preach it, billcus1. Preach it.

Philly Burbs (Tom Moore): Sixers not just getting close anymore

Good read from Tom here. The Sixers are 4-1 in games decided by seven points or less this postseason. Even a broken clock is right two times a day? Or four times? Or maybe five times after tonight?

Philly Burbs (Ron Burke): Collins is like a driver's ed teacher

Sure, Doug Collins can teach Nikola Vucevic how to parallel park, but he doesn't have the body definition of Mr. Tuttle.

The Point Forward (Zach Lowe): Garnett's offensive foul

Self-explanatory. Really good stuff here on the waning moments of Game 2.

SI Vault: Photos of past Sixers/Celtics series

Look at picture #2. A very agile Don Nelson. Although, doesn't it look like he jumped off the wrong foot on that lay-up? Also, a Scott Brooks sighting!

Philly Sports History: A timeline of Sixers vs. Celtics Rivalry

Monday was the Sixers first playoff win in Boston since 1982. That last win came in Game 7 of the 1982 Eastern Conference Finals, where Andrew Toney, "The Boston Strangler," blew up for 34. Charles Barkley has said that Toney was the best player he ever played with, but that's only because he didn't appreciate the nuances of Matt Maloney's game.

Obligatory Wrestling Clip

Wrestlemania VIII : Undertaker vs. Jake "The Snake" Roberts.

Obligatory Booker T Clip:

Booker T vs. Disco Inferno for WCW's TV Championship.

Sixers Clip

Thad Young game-winner against Orlando: Game 3, 2009 Playoffs.

Anyone going to the game tonight? What's the jersey/shirt of choice?

Talk to me.

Go Sixers.

EXCLUSIVE: Doug Collins Addresses Sixers Chances Of Winning NBA Title After Practice

2012-05-16T06:40:30Z

I woke up butt-naked this morning. I had no idea why, so I immediately checked my phone for clues. After scrolling through 47 Instagram notifications, 12 SPAM e-mails, one drunk A/S/L text from Doug Collins, and 50+ 'FREE BOOSIE' retweets, I realized I had nothing – no evidence as to why I woke up naked.

Cold and confused, I surrendered all hope on figuring out how I ended up in this predicament. Instead, I shifted gears and did what any dedicated NBA Blogger would do – closed my eyes and thought about the Sixers. I seriously asked myself the question, "Could the Sixers win the championship this season?"

My first answer was "No. HELL NO! Even the Sixers and Doug Collins aren't dumb enough to think they can win the championship."

Then, I was like, "Wait, maybe. They just played the Celtics close, twice, winning once. The Heat are going to be without Chris Bosh and looked very mortal against the Pacers. If the Sixers can miraculously make their way to the Finals, they at least have a puncher's chance against a surely exhausted Western Conference team, right?"

Finally, I was like "Oh, em, gee, I almost forgot I installed international spy software in the Sixers locker room two months ago!"

Craig Brackins wanted an XBox 360 installed in his locker in March and Adam Aron obliged cause he responds to all requests. When I got wind of this news, I drove to my nearest Best Buy, tricked the Geek Squad into following me into a dark alley, where I claimed I had bootleg editions of Diablo 3 hidden. They bought it; I beat them up and stole their gear. I showed up at the Wells Fargo Center, pretending to know how to install XBoxs, when I really just wanted to take this opportunity to install a high tech video-monitoring system in the locker room, for moments exactly like these!

We last used this monitoring system to uncover the greatest speech Doug Collins had ever given, which led to a blowout victory over the Celtics, mind you. Excuse me, that was his greatest speech, until now. I couldn't believe my eyes and ears upon watching Doug Collins address his team after Tuesday's practice.

Allow me to reenact.

Doug Collins: Okay guys, listen up. We had a good practice today, and the way things are shaping up in the East, we really have a chance to make the Finals this season. Then, anything can happen!

Andre Iguodala: Coach, you're getting ahead of yourself. The Celtics are a good team, and Doc Rivers coaches the pants off you every night.

Jodie Meeks: Yeah, we shouldn't even play anymore.

Jrue Holiday: We're just delaying the inevitable.

Doug Collins: What about games three, four, five, six and seven?!

Lavoy Allen: Tell David Stern we're too mediocre.

Elton Brand: Liberty Ballers said so!

Evan Turner: Yep.

Lou Williams: Chyeah.

Meeks: Let's have another lockout ...

*Collins bows his head in disappointment, slowly walks toward Allen Iverson's old locker, lethargically sits cross-legged on ground*

Collins: *sigh* There's something you guys should know. I stopped playing basketball in 1980, when I told Billy Cunningham I wasn't even good enough to out-play Lionel Hollins in practice. I never played again.

Nikola Vucevic: Why?

Collins: Cause Lionel Hollins and Andrew Toney both dunked on me. So, I started blogging from the alias 'Skip Bayless', in my mother's basement.

Allen: That's where we belong, with all those losers from Liberty Ballers.

Collins: No you don't. Michael Levin is an idiot. You know how I know you guys are can win the championship? Because I can be a way better coach than Doc Rivers. And Phil Jackson, for that matter!

Holiday: You couldn't coach a pizza into the oven.

Collins: That's not true! Once I coached Lou Williams into hitting a game-winning shot against the Miami Heat ... in the Playoffs!

Iguodala: That was one time ...

Tony Battie: You know one time, during my third NBA season, I blocked the hell out of Wilt Chamberlain's lay-up attempt.

Brand: You blocked The Big Dipper?! He scored 100 in a single game!

Turner: That's nothing! One time I broke my back in the middle of the season, only to come back and hit a buzzer-beater in the Big 10 Tourney, win National Player of the Year and swoop on Mark Titus's girlfriend!

Williams: Mark Titus had a girlfriend?

Spencer Hawes: One time I went to a carnival with Sarah and Bristol Palin. I was the only one who didn't embarrass myself by singing 'She Thinks My Tractors Sexy' after the Bud Light/Apple Pie eating contest.

Iguodala: Who cares, we still suck at basketball. Well, you guys do anyway.

Collins: Hold the phone. Who said anything about playing good basketball? The only reason we're still alive is because I have Voodoo Dolls of every NBA player, and David Stern. And the only reason I coach, is because I'm getting paid, and Adam Aron buys me Taco Bell every day. And you guys ... make 50-plus million a year as a team. One of you even had a million in the bank before a notch on your belt! Don't get me wrong, I still think this team is freakin' atrocious, and the only reason we were .500 is because I'm awesome. However; even if we have a Dumb and Dumber's chance of winning the championship, that still leaves ...

Holiday: One time.

Williams: Boss time.

Iguodala: Yeah, ONE TIME!

/scene

One time, guys. Basketball is the most predictable sport on the planet, and the Sixers chancing of beating the Celtics are slim, let alone winning the championship. But all it takes is one time!

Game three tonight. Let's take a 2-1 series lead!

Doc Rivers on Sixers Game Two Win Over Celtics, Fouling

2012-05-15T22:27:12Z

Doc Rivers always seems to get a pass. He can yell and complain about the refs, but his frustratingly savvy veteran team almost always pulls out the win so people tend to give him the benefit of a few mistakes. That wasn't the case in Game Two, when the Sixers beat the Celtics by a single point in Boston, evening the series up at 1-1. Doc himself was responsible for a questionable decision to foul late in the game.

A big issue was the fact that the Celtics weren't hitting shots (we can sympathize!) but once the Sixers took a 1-point lead on an AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME Evan Turner drive and Ray Allen's jumper clanked off, Rivers instructed Rajon Rondo to foul Turner with 14.4 seconds left. The shot clock had 10 seconds remaining at the time. They could have played the rest of the possession out and had a chance at a look with 4ish ticks left. Doc decided to foul. Why?

"Obviously, if they didn’t have a foul to give we would’ve played the clock out," Rivers said. "My thinking was, it would be a four-second differential. There’s no guarantee you’re going to get the rebound. By the time you rebound it’s probably three seconds, and then they have the foul to give, so they foul and now it’s down to two seconds."

The bigger issue was: if you're going to foul, why not do it earlier in the shot clock? Why wait until 14 seconds had already gone by before making the decision?

That’s the mistake we made.

You can stuff your veteran savvy in a sack! Poor decision-making from Rivers after Rondo showed some impressive awareness at the end of Game One. Evenness and symmetry so far. Also ugliness. Tons of ugliness.