Rondo, Celtics looking worried.

Rajon Rondo requested a rare post-game meeting with Doc Rivers following a difficult 97-81 loss to the Bulls.

After compiling 46 assists in the past four games, Rondo collected just six on Thursday night on 3-for-10 shooting. His counterpart, Derrick Rose, scorched the Celtics for 30 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals.

Rondo was visibly disappointed after the game.

"Think we need to play with a better sense of urgency," he said before his meeting with Rivers. ?It better be a wakeup call, if not, we won?t make it far. We?re a completely different team (than last year). It?s not the same team. We?re not going to be able to turn it on like we did year. I don?t know what we?re waiting on but these types of games we have to find a way to win. It?s a roller-caster and right now we went back down today."

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After seeing the Celtics crumble last night against the Bulls and watching them actually look worse than us when we lose, I'm not so dead-set on Miami in the first round anymore.

Although I still think it would be better to play Miami in the first, while we have fresh legs and adrenaline, we wouldn't match up so bad against Boston either especially when they are playing like this.

Also it depends on Billups and Amare. Are they gonna be fresh going into round 1 coming off these little injuries? If not maybe playing the Celtics while they fully recover wouldn't be so bad?

smokes said:

After seeing the Celtics crumble last night against the Bulls and watching them actually look worse than us when we lose, I'm not so dead-set on Miami in the first round anymore.

Although I still think it would be better to play Miami in the first, while we have fresh legs and adrenaline, we wouldn't match up so bad against Boston either especially when they are playing like this.

Also it depends on Billups and Amare. Are they gonna be fresh going into round 1 coming off these little injuries? If not maybe playing the Celtics while they fully recover wouldn't be so bad?

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Look at it like this...

You HAVE to rank BOS above MIA, they been there, the coach, etc... Until MIA gets there, BOS is better. But...

A 1st round MIA would be "easier" than an advanced round MIA (because they will gain confidence and feel its meant to be- void of doubt)

Whereas a later round BOS would not only be more fatigued but IF that happened would face a nothing to lose Knicks or have to compete against better teams than us (they think) and might just get bumped.

If you pick based on the "easiest" team or better match up then obviously you want to play the worst team possible. But if you project "what order if you advance" then i'll take the less experienced MIA, THEN the tired BOS team. Make sense?

Red said:

Look at it like this...

You HAVE to rank BOS above MIA, they been there, the coach, etc... Until MIA gets there, BOS is better. But...

A 1st round MIA would be "easier" than an advanced round MIA (because they will gain confidence and feel its meant to be- void of doubt)

Whereas a later round BOS would not only be more fatigued but IF that happened would face a nothing to lose Knicks or have to compete against better teams than us (they think) and might just get bumped.

If you pick based on the "easiest" team or better match up then obviously you want to play the worst team possible. But if you project "what order if you advance" then i'll take the less experienced MIA, THEN the tired BOS team. Make sense?

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Yeah, like I said, I still want Miami first and foremost. But before seeing last nights game I was really on the fence about our chances against Boston, after seeing that performance I have a lot less worries about facing them.

If Oneal and Oneal are out they are weak.

smokes said:

Yeah, like I said, I still want Miami first and foremost. But before seeing last nights game I was really on the fence about our chances against Boston, after seeing that performance I have a lot less worries about facing them.

If Oneal and Oneal are out they are weak.

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I had my doubts about Bos myself at first but I think all in all they are more of a problem than Mia. Coaching playing the biggest role IMO.

To be honest tho, I think we can beat both, but I look at it like this.. We take out Mia first, take the hearts from them. If they get confidence, and we face them in a later round, it might be tough to beat them. Bos will tire out eventually, and our young talent can run them out of the playoffs.

Well, I think J.O'Neal is back. I'm sure he is. Seen him put up 9 & 3 about 2-3 nights ago.

I don't fear Boston anymore either. Like we've all been saying since they lost a beast of a Center in Perkins; this is not the same team anymore. Rondo just let us know what we already knew... They just aren't the same. Kristic doesn't scare me one bit. All 3 of KG, Allen & Pierce all average a little under or a little over 15 pts per game. Shells of what they once were. Still a strong BIG 3... But nothing like KG of his Minny days, Allen of his MIL days & Pierce of his days where the BIG 3 was born in Boston. If an 8th seed ATL team could take them 7? When they were a younger Boston team? We can eliminate those guys in 6 or 7. Billups & TD23 both have exactly what it takes to shut down or at least contain Rondo. Billups is a smart veteran defender & will play off & allow Rondo to struggle shooting from the field. Douglas? He'll pressure Rondo like a bat out of hell. Slow down BOS & we eliminate em hands down. JMHO.

Don't forget that there's going to be less of a home court advantage if we play the Heat, remember when we versed the Heat in Miami and the Knick fans were booing Lebron lol.

Yeah but even I know as a Rays fan... MIA will SELL OUT for a playoff games. 100%. Just like they did in the 90's. It's ghost town until they make the playoffs then they catch Heat fever. It won't be any type of home court advantage for NY in South Beach. 85/15 MIA to NY fans at least. MIA fans have the season tickets & first takes. As a Rays fan? It was sad to see 17-20K fans all year as the 1st place team over BOS in 2008 only to see 38,000-40-000 fans going nuts @ the Trop with cow bells & gimics like that. I hate my Rays fan base & not to go off topic but Manny retired after pissing hot PED's. Bue yeah, MIA "fans" will show up in numbers & bunches.

I'm fairly sure all teams sell out their playoff games and the homers show up.

Still want boston. I think we lose no matter what... but the Boston series is going to be more epic.

KnicksFanFromQueens1985 said:

Yeah but even I know as a Rays fan... MIA will SELL OUT for a playoff games. 100%. Just like they did in the 90's. It's ghost town until they make the playoffs then they catch Heat fever. It won't be any type of home court advantage for NY in South Beach. 85/15 MIA to NY fans at least. MIA fans have the season tickets & first takes. As a Rays fan? It was sad to see 17-20K fans all year as the 1st place team over BOS in 2008 only to see 38,000-40-000 fans going nuts @ the Trop with cow bells & gimics like that. I hate my Rays fan base & not to go off topic but Manny retired after pissing hot PED's. Bue yeah, MIA "fans" will show up in numbers & bunches.

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I thought they were a myth similar to big foot...

MusketeerX said:

Still want boston. I think we lose no matter what... but the Boston series is going to be more epic.

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Really? I think with Melo and Amare going up against LeBron and Wade, reigniting the Knicks-Heat rivalry would be more epic than a series with Boston, just my opinion.

PaPZ187 said:

Really? I think with Melo and Amare going up against LeBron and Wade, reigniting the Knicks-Heat rivalry would be more epic than a series with Boston, just my opinion.

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There seems to be a certain aura around Boston/NY. I can see it going 7 games and nail-biting finishes every game.

The Heat series should be good, but just doesn't seem to interest me as much.

I'm not expecting anything this year, but isn't our ultimate goal to @ least make the Finals & take it from there? I know thats my goal (from a fans point of view).

Either way, it doesn't matter to me; we'll have to go through both MIA & BOS to reach the ECF's.

All I know is we'll have to play tough D & great overall ball to advance to the ECF's during the first two rounds. I'm ready for any team right now & feel we can compete against any contender. Billups, Melo & Amare give me hope. TD23 & Fields must be our X-Factors & play lights out.

Melo & Amare match up strong with both duo's of LeBron & Bosh / Pierce & KG @ the SF & PF positions. Both Wade & Allen become MIA & Bostons X-Factors @ the 2G position. Thats where we need the defense of both Fields & TD23 to play with intensity & heart on D. We have the advantage over MIA @ the Point & I'm confident Billups, TD23 & Carter can give Rondo a war. Slow Rondo's production down & we beat BOS. MIA's bench is weak & I no longer fear BOS C's without Perkins.

Looks like we might get the Celtics..

StEpHoN_mArBuRy said:

Looks like we might get the Celtics..

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We didn't lock up 6 seed so who knows.

I started expecting Boston awhile back and I've been saying i wanted Boston while everyone wanted the Heat. The problem w/ The Heat is they are to unpredictable for my tastes. Also besides the Ray Allen matchup,though I think Landry can chase him off screens, is there any other position you wouldn't want to go to war at? Besides that blown 4th qtr. during our loosing streak we were dominating Boston and it wasn't even close, imagine us playing how we are now for a whole 48 minutes....

MusketeerX said:

There seems to be a certain aura around Boston/NY. I can see it going 7 games and nail-biting finishes every game.

The Heat series should be good, but just doesn't seem to interest me as much.

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Count me in the minority, but I also would love to start out with Boston..

la2ny said:

I started expecting Boston awhile back and I've been saying i wanted Boston while everyone wanted the Heat. The problem w/ The Heat is they are to unpredictable for my tastes. Also besides the Ray Allen matchup,though I think Landry can chase him off screens, is there any other position you wouldn't want to go to war at? Besides that blown 4th qtr. during our loosing streak we were dominating Boston and it wasn't even close, imagine us playing how we are now for a whole 48 minutes....

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Yeah I know what you mean about Miami, they are unpredictable. I could see them coming out guns blazing or struggle out the gate, neither start for them would surprise me really.

Boston has proven champions and can turn it on once the playoffs hit, just look at last year where they made it into the playoffs as a 4th seed I believe, then went on a tear winning on the road and beating the best the East had to offer. Yes, Perkins is not there anymore and they are a year older, but they are still defending Eastern Confrence Champions and were one quarter away from being World Champions. Jermaine O'Neal looked decent today on D taking charges and blocking shots. KG is gonna give Amare all he can handle. Rondo is just a straight up playmaker and diffrence maker. Ray Allen can still stroke it with the best of them and you have Pierce who gets up for big games and thrives on playing on big stages, the man is pure clutch and a solid defender. They are also alot deeper than most with Green, Big Baby, Delonte West, O'Neal and Kristic all as very servicable players that can impact a playoff game, especially Green and Big Baby.

I think we may have a chance to win a couple games, even possibly going to a game 7, but I cant see us winning this series barring a serious injury to one of there key players. You never know though, we are pretty unpredictable ourselves. I was looking forward to playing Miami, but Boston will be a fun series as well and its the PLAYOFFS, cant complain either way.

I'm just really happy to be thinking about the Knicks in the playoffs again. It's been TOO long.

Red said:

Look at it like this...

You HAVE to rank BOS above MIA, they been there, the coach, etc... Until MIA gets there, BOS is better. But...

A 1st round MIA would be "easier" than an advanced round MIA (because they will gain confidence and feel its meant to be- void of doubt)

Whereas a later round BOS would not only be more fatigued but IF that happened would face a nothing to lose Knicks or have to compete against better teams than us (they think) and might just get bumped.

If you pick based on the "easiest" team or better match up then obviously you want to play the worst team possible. But if you project "what order if you advance" then i'll take the less experienced MIA, THEN the tired BOS team. Make sense?

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Red.....I always respected your opinions especially when they were
oposites of mine.
But facts are facts......none of the NBA top-10 winning teams want
to bumb into "Lebron & D.Wade" in the first-round of the playoffs.
That is a NBA FACT.

Both players know and have what it takes to get to the "Promise-Land",
its just the two dont have the right pieces to conquer the promise-land.
But neither do Boston, Orlando, or Chicago.

Boston lost all its depth in losing great backup pieces in Tony Allen, Daniels,
and energy Nate. Plus without Shaq the Celtics team is without a center to
dominate in a half-court setting game (Perkins was just as valuable to the
team as Rondo).
Boston's deadline trading put "Chicago, Orlando, or Miami" in the ECF.
Beating anyone of those four EC teams in a 7-game series will wear u out
for the next round series.
Knicks, Hawks, 76ers, and Pacers are all 5 game losers in the Postseason
games do to no injuries on Bulls, Heat, Magic, and Celtics.