Celtics’ Offense in Hibernation: Grizzlies 90, Celtics 87

Posted by Brian Robb on Mar 23, 2011 1848580 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F2011%2F03%2F23%2Fceltics-offense-in-hibernation-grizzlies-90-celtics-87%2FCeltics%27+Offense+in+Hibernation%3A++Grizzlies+90%2C+Celtics+872011-03-24+02%3A32%3A52Brian+Robbhttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F%3Fp%3D18485

ESPN Recap • 3 S.O.B.  • Straight Outta Vancouver

Doc Rivers may have said in his post game presser that the Rajon Rondo half floater/half runner with 20 seconds left to go in the game was a good shot, or more appropriately “one of his shots”, but he is wrong.  That was not a good shot; especially in that situation.  Down one point, the Celtics would have been better off holding for one final heave than trying to bank a shot from 10 feet.

Speaking of final heave, the last three point attempt by Paul Pierce wasn’t exactly that much better.  A lack of offensive execution would be the theme of the entire night.  The Celtics were given a ton of breaks in this one by both the officials (4 more free throw attempts than the Grizzlies, which would have been 8 had the Celtics not had to foul Marc Gasol and Mike Conley in the final minute) and the Grizzlies themselves.  The Grizzlies played great one-on-one defense tonight but their wing players were often lost in rotations leaving the Celtics wing players wide open with good shots.  Some of those shots didn’t get knocked down and the ones that did weren’t enough.

The Celtics were able to make the Grizzlies cough up the ball three times in the final four minutes and also baited Tony Allen into airballing a three point attempt.  Still, none of these gifts were capitalized on as the Celtics squandered an opporuntity to stayed tied with Chicago for the top spot in the East.  With Miami winning tonight, the Celtics can ill-afford to lose games against inferior opponents.  Either rest the starters or win the game.  Don’t do neither.

Brian will be back with a more in depth analysis later.  To bad you have to chew on this frustration until then.

~Brendan Jackson