Can't Hibernate on these Bears

The Celtics' inability to play defense and or rebound the basketball is becoming very concerning. Outside of Kevin Garnett and Chris Wilcox where are your rebounds coming from?

Rajon Rondo was an exceptional rebounder at his position, but who else can clean the glass? Going to be very difficult tonight as they face the number one defense (points allowed) in the Memphis Grizzlies. This defensive machine is fueled by Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol rebounding, defending, and blocking shots like no other power forward/center combo in the league. 

In addition to a powerhouse frontcourt, the Grizzlies also have a very good point guard Mike Conley and old friend Tony Allen is an elite on the ball defender. The Celtics only hope is to hit outside shots to free space inside, otherwise Randolph and Gasol will dominate the boards. Thankfully KG is a great shooter and will force the Memphis bigs to drift out to the perimeter.

The Grizzlies are a top five team in the NBA and are strong in many areas of Celtic weakness. In fact their only flaw is their offense, which has stalled on them this year and in seasons’ past.  Now without the offensive explosion of  Rudy Gay (traded to the Raptors) the Grizz rely on a dominant post game, the three shooting of Conley, and whatever offense they can get out of Tayshaun Prince and other role players.

The Celtics only chance of winning this game is to play nothing less than stellar defense, spread the floor,  and contain Randolph on the glass. KG and the outside shooters will have to play great to draw the Memphis rebounders away from the basket. Another key to this match up is controlling the initail point of attack. C's point guard Avery Bradley will need to meet this challenge head on as he'll try and slow the best Memphis shooter; Conley. Mike Conley has torched his last three opponents with 20 or more points.

The Celtics need to awaken from their three game hibernation, but its hard to see these Bears’ letting that happen tonight at the home den. 

Sources:

www.espn.com

Images:

www.si.com

www.espn.com

www.google.com

Game 2: Reckoning Day

5/6/11

Game 2: Reckoning Day

Last summer when the Miami Heat formed their “super dream team” I instantly thought that they were significantly better than last year. Miami had instantly become a fifty plus win team, a top four team in the Eastern conference, a highlight factory on a nightly basis, but never supposed to be a championship caliber team so soon. I maligned them as the “wrong big three” in two separate blog posts and in countless off the Internet conversations. I spoke of their lack of an inside presence, lack of team depth, and how LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were uncomplimentary superstars:

          My exact words were: "The Heat are an upper echelon team in the Eastern Conference because of the sheer talent of James, Wade, and Bosh, along with the fact that these players are surrounded by good shooters. James Jones, Eddie House, and (when he returns) Mike Miller are all great three-point shooters. LeBron and Wade are very similar players, but when you surround them with shooters to spread the floor they become more dangerous. When the defense is spread out to cover perimeter shooting there is more open room on the court for LBJ and D-Wade to drive to the basket". (Heat Have Wrong Big Three)

In game 1 we saw the danger of the potent three point shooters of Miami. We saw the Boston Celtics pull their defense in towards the basket to hinder the slashing Wade and James, only to get scorched by shooters (left wide open). James Jones lit up the scoreboard with a barrage of three pointers and 25 total points. This allowed Wade and LeBron to relentlessly hammer the paint, score the basketball, and spend virtually the entire game at the free throw line. In Game 2 LeBron and Dwyane punished the Celtics with their high-octane transition offense and potent inside attack. 

Miami's athleticism overpowered Boston on both sides of the floor and the more aggressive team dominated. Miami's 9 blocks compared to Boston's 2, Miami's 36 free throws to Boston's 22, and the 44 to 38 rebounding advantage all told this gruesome tale of Celtic defeat. Boston has no chance in this kind of up-tempo game and could only hope to win the way they did in the regular season. Dictate the pace of the game and force Miami to play in the half court. Never let them get out in transition and always be the more aggressive team. Play a game in which you bully them around by making LBJ and D-Wade work on the defensive end, and press them at their weak points; interior defense and point guard.

          Step 1: Make Miami’s Best Defend: When you do not force LeBron or Dwyane to work hard on the defensive end, they are free to expend all of their energy on offense, where they will destroy you. This is what Miami has done to nullify Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. As Paul and Ray are spending all of their energy on the defensive end, they are too fatigued to be aggressive on offense. Pierce especially needs to be the aggressor towards the basket and finally put some pressure on Miami’s dynamic duo. Also, Jeff Green and Delonte West need to continue with their timely shooting from Game 2, but most importantly need to provide defensive support at the small forward and shooting guard slots. Starters’ and bench players alike need to put some weight on the defensive shoulder’s of Flash and King James.

          Step 2: Dominate the Point: Rajon Rondo played great in Game 2 and will need to continue his assault on the weak Miami point guards. Rondo needs to ignite the fast break only after his team makes a defensive stop. Opening up the track meet with Miami will only hurt the C’s unless used wisely. Rondo needs to dominate at the PG position and when the Heat throws a bigger man on him, he must find the open teammate for an easy score. He can also greatly contribute to the execution of Step 1 with his uncanny quickness to the hoop; expect greatness from Rondo in this game.

Step 3: Lean on a weak interior: Perhaps this goes hand and hand with step 1, but attacking the basket will solve each step. Miami does not have a real center of any kind and this must be exposed. If Shaquille O'neal plays in this game Step 3 will be a walk in the park; as he can finish inside and abuse the 6’9 Joel Anthonys’ of the world. With our without Shaq Boston needs easy baskets, fouls called against the Heat, and to establish a physical and aggressive tone in the paint. To bring down a wall lean on its weakest point with all of your might; the Miami interior can be brought down.

Now the Celtics face a reckoning day with the Heat, a day that I thought would never come to be. The time has come for a reckoning with the fact that Miami is ready for a championship. That LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have clicked at the right time and have elevated the play of a depthless team. A time to realize D-Wade and especially LBJ are out for blood. In recent years Boston has become the ultimate slayer of one-man superstar teams. They dispatched the one man shows of Wade last year, and LeBron twice in three years. However, they have never faced a foe with two superstars of this caliber.

Saturday night's Game 3 is an absolute must win for the Green, as without a victory Boston will be down in an insurmountable hole. In NBA history there are been 98 teams down three games to one in a best of seven series, none of come back to win. Several players on the Celtics have echoed the "Do or Die" nature of this pivotal Game 3. If Boston can defend home court and win the next two games (re-tying the series) I see them being able to take this series in Game 7, but it all starts with this Reckoning Day.

Sources:

www.espn.com

Images:

www.si.com

www.espn.com

Game 1: Behind the Eight Ball

5/1/11

Game 1: Behind the Eight Ball

It seemed as if Doc River’s frustration went unheralded in Sunday night’s nine-point defeat to the Miami Heat. Rivers knows the pulse of his team very well and is always on point with what they need to do to improve. Throughout TNT broadcast of the debacle of a loss that was Game1; Rivers was heard in the “WIRED” audio clips urging his team to not play into the hands of the Heat: “...if you think you're going to beat them in an athletic contest, you're kidding yourselves”.

Other similar audio clips of River’s barking messages of urgency at his team seemed to have no effect on their play. As the Boston Celtics continued to play right into the hands of the Heat, and the game slipped away. Miami is a younger and more athletic team that wants to get out and run. Dwayne Wade and LeBron James are the best transition offensive players in the NBA and will eat you alive if you turn the ball over. This is what Doc urged his team not to do, but the turnovers piled up and the loss ensued.

When you turn the ball over LBJ and D-Wade fly down the court for alley-opp dunks, or they can be seen driving the lane for a basket and a foul. The Celtics kept turning the ball over and they kept trying to play an up-tempo game against The up-tempo team. It was sad to see the more experienced veteran team be pushed around so much. You cannot get behind this Heat team, play their game, and lose your composure and expect to win.

When you are behind against the Heat you try harder to score quickly and that is just a formula for disaster. The Celtics (as Doc stated post game)were not patient in their offense at all, despite out scoring the Heat in the second half. You cannot get behind the eight ball against this team because as you saw the Celtics would make a run, make the game close,and then all of the sudden be down by ten. It was so sad to see the Celtics let the Heat dictate the game and do all of the things they weren’t able to do in the regular season. Now it is up to the Will of the Big Four, the coaching of Doc Rivers, and some timely plays from the bench to retake this series.

Every time you hear Doc preach in game during time outs he impressively aware of game situations and precisely what his players need to do to win. Rivers is very much like Phil Jackson; knowing how to motivate his team very well and how to succeed in the postseason. Although not nearly as decorated as Jackson (with championships) Doc has become an excellent playoff coach taking his team to the finals two out of the last three years. He will be able to correct the issues we all saw in Game 1 and have his players ready for a must win Game 2. Make no mistake that if the Celtics get behind the eight ball again and play the Heat’s game; they will lose.

Sources Used

http://www.espn.com/

Photo:

ESPN: Photo gallery

The Missing Piece

Game 1: Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

The Boston Celtics finished the regular season as the best defensive team in the league (in terms of points allowed per game 91.1). In the Championship season of 2007/2008 defense was the winning formula for the Celtics. Despite again being the NBA's best defense this past season, there has been something missing from this team's defensive effort. Ever since the Kendrick Perkins trade and the injuries to Shaquille O'neal and Jermaine O'neal, this team has desperately lacked defensive production from the center position.

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal between the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics was determined by intense defense and clutch shooting. Many are not used to see the Knicks play any sort of defense, but they were a different team on Sunday night (holding Boston to 87 points). As well as New York defended the Celtics had a defensive stopper of their own, and his name was Jermaine O'neal. The much maligned six time all star has been injured nearly all season, but shined through in his first playoff game as a Celtic. O'neal made all six of his shots, grabbed four rebounds, blocked four shots, and in only twenty minutes greatly helped the Celtics in the victory.

This is what had been missing; a defensive presence in the paint to swat shots away and allow Kevin Garnett more free roam. KG is an excellent one on one defender, pressuring the ball, stealing the ball, bothering shots with his length, and is the best defensive communicator in the NBA. He can guard any position effectively, but does operate best with a defensively sound center at his side (which is true for any big man). Garnett and Perkins were so effective because Perk would hold down the fort underneath the basket while KG patrolled the paint. Jermaine backed up KG and was superb in this game and again proving why the Celtic's truly need a solid defensive center.

The Celtics should have no trouble surpassing the Knicks in the first wave of the postseason and will do so within five games (worst case scenario in six). Jermaine played very well in Game 1 and set the defensive tone for the night, but the game still came down to the wire and into the cold blooded hands of Ray Allen. This is why I named him the “Irreplaceable man” a player who you always want taking the big shots in the crucial moments. Ray continues to add to his storied history of hitting clutch shots and his game winning three pointer with 0:11 on the clock was yet another piece of greatness.

The Will of Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnet is at championship strength this year. They will never quit and they will never cease to will their way to victory, but they need a supporting cast to win a title. In Game 1 Jermaine O'neal was nothing short of a star supporter for the Big Four and his contributions from the Center position were invaluable. With, or especially without Shaq, the Celtics need this type defensive intensity from Jermaine. To emerge from the Eastern Conference past the Heat and Bulls they will need strong interior defense; to expose Miami's weakness and to combat Chicago's strength

Sources

http://www.espn.com/

http://www.weei.com/

Photos

ESPN Photo Gallery

Separation Anxiety May be Real:

 When Danny Ainge hastily traded away Kendrick Perkins (and virtually the entire second unit) I chalked it up to be nothing more than separation anxiety. Nervousness spawned in the wake of missing Perkins. This was the only ill effect I thought the trade would cause to the Boston Celtics. However, I could not have been more mistaken about Troy Murphy's ability to contribute, the health of Shaquille O'neal, and the severe damage caused to team chemistry. Making matters seem even worse is Ainge's admission that he never would have made this trade if he could have resigned Perkins long term.

This trade did increase the offensive talent of the team, but the damage done to a championship level team chemistry is now readily apparent. The Celtics have complied a 14-12 record (with one remaining) since the trades happened and have fallen from the Eastern Conference's top seed down to the third. This is not a losing record and the postseason has yet to be told, but this team has looked lost and has been spectacularly inconsistent. One night they lose to the  Charlote Bobcats without their best player (Stephen Jackson) and on another night the defeat the San Antonio Spurs by ten points on the road. This inconsistency is eerily similar to the 2009/2010 Celtics.

At this time last year the Celtics had five less regular season wins, inexplicable problems on their home court, and were the fourth seed in the East. Yet I knew they had an excellent chance to turn up the heat in the playoffs and make a run to the Finals. They had no deficiencies on defense with Kendrick Perkins, Rasheed Wallace, Kevin Garnett and that staring unit had never lost a playoff series. Also, I incessantly refereed to the concept of “the Will of the Big Four”, how they would not let failure happen. This carried them all the way to the brink of an 18th Championship banner, yet in the end was not quite enough. Despite the better regular season this year, it is harder to feel so strongly about this team “flipping the switch” when the postseason begins.

The Celtics have a much tougher road to the finals this time around; as they will not have a push over opponent in the first round , they will have to face the Chicago Bulls, and there will be no Kendrick Perkins. However, the most difficult challenge that awaits the Celtics is competing for a title bout with many new and inexperienced team mates. The will of the Big Four is still strong, but without a supporting cast this will cannot and will not be imposed. Without significant contributions from Jeff Green, Delonte West, Jermaine O'neal, and something from Shaq this team will not even return to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Garnett is an excellent defensive player and a floor general for his defense, but without a brute center he can be exposed. Garnett is tall and lean and not meant to be a physical presences down low (like Kendrick did so well). The greatest risk of trading Perkins was banking on the fact that Shaq would return and that he would combine with Jermaine O'neal to fill the void at center. Now Shaq's health is still a blaring question mark as the playoffs approach. Without Shaq at their disposal, there has to been angst about Boston's championship aspirations. Maybe this team truly and desperately does miss the defensive toughness of Perk, but more importantly they miss the  camaraderie of a team that had been to two Finals in three years.

Keep in mind that the validity of this trade cannot be truly finalized until the Celtics complete their postseason gauntlet run. I was wrong that the trade did not instantly make this team better or instantly more equipped to reach and win the NBA Finals. I was  also wrong that this team's chemistry would not suffer so dramatically. However, until this team is eliminated from playoff contention this situation remains nothing more than separation anxiety.

Sources

http://www.espn.com/

http://www.weei.com/

Photos

Google Images

Heat Have Wrong Big Three II:

On the first day of December I proclaimed the Miami Heat to have the "Wrong Big Three"  (LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh). I discredited this Heat team by speaking to the fact that they do not have the defensive personell to contend for a title. Also speaking to the fact that they have all the talent in the world to win any one given contest, but not a seven game series against The Boston Celtics or Chicago Bulls. Yet after this proclamation of a faulty "Big Three" Miami  soared to new heights, winning 21 out of 22 games, before crashing back to earth in a 1-5 skid.

The Heat again began to ascend with an eight game winning streak until they matched up with the Celtics. Boston clinched the season series between the two rivals with their thrid win over Miami this year. After picking themselves up from the Boston defeat, the fickle world of professional sports fans and media revised their thoughts on the Heat (considering them title contenders once again). This is due to an upswing in the Heat's play as they have beaten the  L.A. Lakers and San Antonio Spurs in recent times. The knock on Miami this year has been that they cannot beat any of the top teams in the NBA. Now that they have (beaten two of the best), people who were ripping them during their five game losing streak, are ready to praise them, and ride their coat tails to promise land.

To say that as a (unoffical) sports analyst I have never been fickle is not true, nor was that my intention to imply that. I am simply saying that all season long I've remained steadfast on my stance that the Miami Heat will fail in the posteason. Of all the top seeded playoff teams in the East and West, Miami is by far the most depthless and has glaring weaknesses at point guard, power forward, and center. This team has incredible offesnive talent; with two of the best slashers to ever play the game (James and Wade) that are surrounded by potent three point shooters. However, asisde from Miami's offensive prowess this team's interior defense is simply not there.

Chris Bosh does not play effective interior defense and as great as LBJ and D-Wade are, they just are not big enough to defend centers and power forwards. The only interior defender to speak of and respect is Udonis Haslem, but he has only played thirteen games this season (due to injury). Zydrunas Ilgauskus, Juwan Howard, Jamaal Magloire, and Erick Dampier has to be the worst and oldest front line in the NBA, and leaves the Heat more than vulnerable inside. To escape the Eastern Conference playoffs you will need to defeat the Celtics or Bulls in a series. You will need size on the defensive end and an elilte point guard to slow down Derrick Rose and or Rajon Rondo.

The Heat lack the qualifactions to eliminate the Bulls or Celtics in the postseaon, because their greatest strength is attacking the basket. Lebron James is the greatest slasher in the game today. A man who uses his strength, power, and speed to penetrate into the paint and "slash" to the basket. James is their best player and driving to the basket is his most prized skill. The reason this does not serve his team well against the Bulls and Celtics is because both of those teams have great size and stalwart defenses.

Boston (when healthy) has the biggest paint clogger in NBA history in Shaquille O'neal, Jermaine O'neal, Kevin Garnett, and not to mention another seven footer in Nenad Kristic. Do the Celtics miss Kendrick Perkins in this area? Of course they do. However, as long as the O'neals can return and team up with KG, Miami would have no chance to dominate the paint. Chicago is similarly poised to stall the Heat's main attack with a stout front line of Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer. Perhaps an even greater challenge for Miami would be trying to hinder Rose or Rondo, and Mike Bibby certainly can't do that.

The Miami Heat will be a great team within the next two to three years if they keep their "Big Three' intact and add defensive minded and capable players. Of all the star players that have won championships in NBA history, they never did it alone. You need a "team" to win in Basketball, whether you are Michael Jordan or Larry Bird you need your role players, team depth, and you need interior defense. When Dwyane Wade won his championship with the Heat he had a true team. A team with Shaq O'neal and Alonzo Mourning anchoring the defense, Gary Payton distrubuting the ball, and of course the brillant play of Wade himself. The 2010/2011 Miami team is the polar opposite of the last South Beach champions.

Maybe the Celtics or Bulls won't even play Miami in the playoffs, but if they do the Heat are in too deep with the wrong Big Three.

Sources

http://www.espn.com/

http://www.basketball-reference.com/

Images
www.google.com
www.si.com



Separation Anxiety

My first reaction to the trade of Kendrick Perkins was outrage and confusion, as it seemed the Celtics gave away their best defensive player for no reason. Some would say Kevin Garnett is the Celtic’s best defense player, but Perkins has youth and has not yet reached his full potential . Garnett is the defensive leader unquestionably and is the more versatile defender, however Perkins is that enforcer down low. Perk is someone who can defend any center or power forward in the league with his brute physicality. Yet  what seemed worse than losing their best interior defender in KP-43, was disrupting team chemistry.

This trade makrs the end of the starting five that had never lost a playoff series, and a tight knit group that played for one another. This trade disrupts such a close relationship between a group of men that won a championship together. Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, and many others in the organization saw Perkins come into the league out of high school at age 18. Perkins would grow into one of the best centers in the NBA and help raise the Celtics' 17^th Championship Banner. Kevin Garnett's comment: "it feels like we lost a family member" tells you just how close these players are. Now it is time to say goodbye to a part of this team, a key cog in the Celtic machine that churned out a championship and  nearly another, falling short in game 7 of the NBA Finals.

You have to feel for Perk who suffered a horrible season ending injury in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, and you've got  respect how hard he battled to rehab and get back out on the court this season. It is time to say goodbye to what so many of us thought was the strength of the 2010-2011 Boston Celtics, the Bigs. The front line of big men Shaquille O’neal, Kendrick Perkins, and Kevin Garnett that was going to nullify the size of the Lakers, Orlando’s Dwight Howard, and any other front line in the NBA. However, after simmering for a few days on this trade, I've come to understand that we are all just suffering from a little bit of Perkins separation anxiety.

The fans of Boston and his teamates loved Kendrick Perkins and it is sad to see him go, but its time to remember to trust Danny Ainge. A risk taker indeed at the General Manager position, but don't forget he is the magaican who transformed a 24 win team into NBA Champions (seemingly overnight). Yes, the vaunted front line is no more, and yes the team chemistry has taken a major blow, and yes the Big 5 will never have a chance to defend their title, but they are better now. Many (including myself) believe that if Perkins does not tear his ACL in Game 6, that the Boston Celtics would have prevailed over the Lakers. In that series the victor of each game won the battle of the boards, and the Celtics were outrebounded  easily without Perkins in Game 7. This was the mission in the off-season: To overload the team with size and rebounders, and never be out muscled by a bigger team again.

Danny Ainge added free agent centers Shaq and Jermaine O'neal, and drafted 7'0 Semih Erden from Turkey. This was done so that never again would his team lose the rebounding battle in a playoff series. This was also in conjunction with the return of a healthy Perkins, but now he and Erden have both been traded away. The reason why this trade seemed so outlandish at first is because it seemed that Ainge had abaonded his plan of amassing rebounders.

Ainge cleared out roster spots for a reason and now the Celtics have added Troy Murphy, who is a proven rebounder and a skilled offense player to boot. The Celtics also replaced Semih Erden with another seven footer in Nenad Kristic, and had inside knowledge on the health of the O'neals. Shaq will be returning soon and Jermaine is on his way to being back on the court by the end of March. In the end these trades made the Celtics a much better offensive team, restored team depth, and finally ended  the two year search for a replacement of James Posey.

In the 2007/2008 Championship winning season the Celtics had a wing player in Posey that could defend the Lebron James' and Kobe Bryants' of the NBA. In addtion they had someone reliable to knock down clutch outside shots. Most importantly they had a player who could spell Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, keeping the veterans fresh for closing out games. Yes, it does remain to be seen if Jeff Green can execute this very role, but he possesses superior atlethic talent (that Posey never had). Also, Green is taller, longer, bigger, and is starter material, as Posey was always a bench player. Taking nothing away from Posey who Iis an elilte sixth man, Green is simply a suped up verison of J.P. who averages more points, rebounds, and has serious untapped potential (in only his fourth year). Green averages 14.2 points per game along with 5.7 rebounds and was the third scoring option behind two superstar players on the Thunder.

The Celtics have improved greatly with these new acqusitions, and as sad as it feels to say goodbye to Kendrick Perkins, this team is better. The Celtics unquestionably got weaker on defense, but at the same time became exponetially better offensively. With big men Kristic and Murphy (who are  forever more skilled than Perk offensively)  the number one defense in the league (91.3 ppg) may have lost some muscle, but the team has gained rebounding, outside shooting, inside scoring, and most importantly healthy bodies.

 It is importnat to remember that Kendrick did decline a contract offer from Boston eariler in the season and he got a far more lucrative from Oklahoma City (36 million over four years). He is also going to a great Western Conference team that was in desperate need of a defensive center like Perkins. Once the Separation anxiety subsides and the wins start rolling in, fans and teammates alike will move on.

Sources:

http://www.espn.com/

http://www.weei.com/

Photos:

http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi

New England Nightmare

A 19 yard reception by Danny Woodhead, an 11 yard rush by Brandon Tate, a pair of solid gains to Rob Gronkowski, a seven yard rush by Woodhead, followed by BenJarvus Green-Ellis's short rush to the Jets 28 yard line. Pause right there. Does this not sound like any Patriot touchdown drive this season? Efficiently moving the ball down the field using a balanced attack of short passing and running with a variety of different weapons? This seemed like any other opening drive where the New England Patriots score first and set the tone for the rest of the game.

To me this was an absolute red flag for concern when the Patriots nonchalantly charged up the field only to turn the ball over. Was Tom Brady over confident in this drive or did he really through that errant of a pass? The pass was in no way close to being completed and once intercepted, changed the entire course of the game.
          

Some Patriot fans have already called for the dismissal of Brady and Bill Belichick (which is truly preposterous) and others have said it was the worst they've ever seen Brady play. All great coaches and players lose, and they don’t win every season. The standard for Belichick and Brady has ascended to such an expectation that when they lose it seems catastrophic. I hope that this calling for  the head of Brady and Belichick is nothing more than shock induced jabber. I am as shocked as anyone that the 14-2 Super Bowl bound Patriots lost at home, especially after all the talk from New York. However, there should be no misconceptions about Brady and Belichick, and also let there be none about why this game was lost. The following three key plays and other aspects are why this nightmare of a loss became a reality. 
          

         1) The Brady Interception: Tom Brady had not thrown an interception in 339 pass attempts, and had not thrown one since October. This was so bizarrely uncharacteristic of Brady because it was such a horrible throw. It seemed almost expected that they would score on the opening drive as a statement; get ahead early and have Mark Sanchez to try and beat you (throwing 30-40 times). Without a running game, a truly stout defense, the best receiving corps in the AFC, and the Patriots beating themselves, the Jets lose this game

2) The Patrick Chung Failure: The Jets led the Patriots 7-3 in the closing minutes of the first half. The Patriots have just suffered another failed third down conversion, and are “forced to punt”. Patrick Chung calls his own audible to run a fake punt on fourth down, and upon doing so fumbles the football. Chung recovered the ball and attempted to run, but was tackled well before the first down.

The failed fake fun play represents a prime example of the uncharacteristic errors that the Patriots committed. In this last loss the Patriots committed 6 penalties for 44 yards, and they turned the ball over on downs twice. This proved to be significant because it was a shift in momentum for the New York Jets.

      Occurring in the closing minutes of the first half, and only using four plays and thirty-three seconds the Jets went up 14-3. A botched play on fourth down was followed by a pair of strong rushes of 6 and 16 yards, finally being capped off with a fifteen yard touchdown reception (accompanied by two missed tackles) that marked a demoralizing end to the first half.

3) The 59 yard Jerricho Cotchery Catch: The second half begins with the Patriots and Jets trading a pair of punts each before the New England offense finally showed signs of life cutting the score to 14-11. An 80 yard scoring drive was ignited by a thirty seven yard strike to Gronkowski and a pair of clutch Deion Branch receptions (especially on 3^rd & 9). To this point in the game the New England defense had only allowed fourteen points and 217 yards. Their counterpart (the offense) could only muster 3 points on 146 yards, placing the defense under a lot of pressure. Also keep in mind that one of the Jet drives began in New England territory (after the failed fake punt). The Patriots defense had given them a great chance to win, but then committed a grave error (shattering the “bend don’t break defense”). The defense bent, and broke on Jerricho Cotchery’s 59-yard reception, that would be followed by a crushing, but an admittedly spectacular touchdown grab by Santonio Holmes. This touchdown placed New England behind the eight ball being down ten with thirteen minutes left in the game. Placing them in a hole they would ultimately never escape.

        
The Brady interception marked the stalling of the Patriot’s offense early in the game. The failed fake punt run gave the Jets momentum going into half time, and the 59-yard pass play allowed the Jets to put the game away. These three key plays were crucial in shifting momentum to the New York Jets, but there are still more telling reasons as to why the Jets won.

1) Lack of Team Cohesion: There was a major lack of overall team cohesion in this loss. By this I mean that the offense and defense never played well at the same times throughout the game. Before the Jet’s drive that began at the very end of the third quarter (that resulted in a touchdown) the Patriot defense had played quite well. Allowing 14 points and 217 yards does not sound like the best performance, but remember that one of the New York possessions began on the New England 37-yard line. Also know that their counterpart offense gave them little to no support scraping together a measly 146 yards and 3 points (before their scoring drive with less than four minutes left in the 3^rd).


This was exactly the problem, once Brady and the offense woke up the defense allowed a 75-yard touchdown march on only five plays. After this crushing momentum shift, the offense stalls again turning the ball over on downs. Of course at that point the defense holds serve, but the offense can only contribute a field goal. The Patriots scored on three out of their last four drives, but managed only a pathetic field goal on their first EIGHT POSSESSIONS. You need to have balance to win in the postseason, and the strongest part of the team all season, the offense was unable to support their defense in time. The blame for this debocle of a defeat rests mostly upon the offensive unit.

2) Squandered Opportunties: This may seem an overly obvious redundant observation, but the Patriots literally beat themselves in this game. They held the ball for 34:56 as the Jets only had 25:04 time of possession. The Pats were 5-14 on third down converstions and 0-2 on fourth down attempts. New England’s last true chance to win this game was with 13:00 left in the fourth quarter. The Patriots find themselves down 20-11 with the ball early in the 4^th. They are aware of the fact that they absolutely have to score on this drive so making haste is not a concern, just the end result. Many anaylsts and fans complained of a lack luster pace by the Patriots in this game, but this was indeed why. 


The way the game had been going, they knew that a touchdown was needed. Not how fast it could be scored, but that it was needed. However, that score would never come and the game would be marred in defeat.The Patriots used over 7 minutes of clock time on 14 plays only to turn the ball over on downs and essentially seal their own fate. This was the key squandered opportunity that doomed New England. On 2^nd down and eight yards to go Wes Welker receives a nine-yard pass and a first down. Brady and his offense are now at the Jet 31-yard line down by nine points with plenty of time left. At this point you had to think they would come away with at least a field goal if not a touchdown. Yet four plays later the window of opportunity would close, as the Pats would not gain even another yard. A no gain run by Woodhead, a three  yard loss on a sack, and two incomplete passes culminated the wasted 48 yard, clock devouring drive.

3) Jets more Experienced and Talented: Heading into this divisional playoff contest between the Jets and Patriots I fully expected a New England win. I thought the Jets were more talented, but that the Patriots had more team depth. With The Patriots having a better quarterback, but New York having more talented players at the skill positions and on defense. However, this superior team depth did not matter, as the Jets proved to be more talented and more experienced (as a team). Outside of a select few Patriot players


Look at their recieving corps that has size and incredible talent, allowing them to defeat the Patriots. Braylon Edwards at 6'3 abused the Pats secondary as best seen on the touchdown catch where he dragged two defenders with him into the end zone. Seven year veteran Jerricho Cotchery (6'0) burned the Patriot defensive backs with his 59-yard game changing reception. Dustin Keller is an elite pass catching tight end and you can't forget the most talented reciever on the Jets, (former Super Bowl MVP) Santonio Holmes. Who made an incredible corner of the end zone catch that burried the Patriots 21-11. Not only did the New York receiving corps prey upon the Pattrios defensive backs, but the Jet defense flexed its' superior talent and experience in victory.


The talent on the defensive side of the ball for the Jets is overwhelming and it showed against the Patriots in the divisional round. Antonio Cromartie has great size and speed that allows him to cover any deep passes and keep pace with anyone. Darrelle Revis is the top cover corner in the league with uncanny instincts and strength (at the corner position). David Harris (who intercepted Brady), Bart Scott, Jason Taylor and Calvin Pace make up perhaps the best linebacking group in the entire NFL. It is truly astounding that the Patriots were able to decimate this defense with 45 points way back in week 13. As much as I dislike the bombastic Rex Ryan, it had an amazing game plan to use man coverage against the Patriots' smaller receivers running short routes. Not to mention the blitz schemes that rattled Tom Brady and disrupted the league's best offense


 All of this being said it is still hard to believe that the Patriots lost this game after such an amazing season, but the Jets were simply more talented and more experienced (outside of the quarterback comparison). Good news for Patriot fans is that the New England Football team has a brighter future than the Jets. When football resumes the Patriots will have two of their best players on defense returning from injury and the entire team will have another year of experience. The huge portion of young players on the team will continue to grow, especially Rob Gronkowski who will emerge as the best tight end in the AFC. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick will right the ship and find a way to win again at the postseason level. Even Rex Ryan knows that the Patriots are still the pride of the AFC East by saying: "I would say without question that we're behind them still” –Ryan. Despite a bright outlook for next season, there is still nothing we can do to wake up from what was a New England Nightmare.

Sources:

www.espn.com

http://www.weei.com/

Photos:
www.si.com

Resounding Yes

        With two games remaining in the 2010/2011 reuglar season the New England Patriots have risen to more than expected. From my preseason forecast of 12-4, to the declaration of the Patriots as "Best in the NFL" (only to get blown out by Cleveland), and all the way to 12-2 atop the AFC. I saw the true balance that this team had early on and determined they would win by overwhelming you with team play and extreme versatiality.

The mastery  of coaching by Belichick, the surgical passing of Brady, and the return to a true team with young  players emerging on both sides of the ball, this team is Super Bowl bound. On offense: An already great Quarterback is closing in on his second League MVP award and has his team primed to capture the number on seed in the AFC. After trading Randy Moss and losing Kevin Faulk to injury for the year, Brady has been torching the NFL's best defenses. The weapons at his disposal are two rookie tight ends, two undrafted running backs, and a magically revitalized Deion Branch. Brady and the offense are so strong in the passing game, that it reminds you of the Patriot's aerial assault launched in 2007.

    
The way the Patriots have played this season reminds me of the 01', 03', and 04' Super Bowl Champion teams mostly because of their defense and running game. Bill Belichick's "bend don't break" style defense was as present during the dynasty years as it is now.  On Defense: The defense is so good at that, they have been creating turnovers in key situations and making the big stops at the end of games. This was signature of the older Belichick defenses and has been holding up well this season so far.   The balance on offense has proven too much for every good defense they've faced, and the clutch play of their defense has closed the door on every good offense. This team is a hybrid of the Super Bowl winning years and the high octane offensive team of 2007.

   Desspite the fact that this Patriots team is dominant in the passing game (like 07') and playing textbook "bend, but don't break" defense of the Dynasty years, the core reason for so much success this year is preparation. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are the second winningest Quarterback and Head Coach combination of all time. With 108 wins, nine wins shy of setting the all time record, Belichick and Brady are clearly a masterful duo that continues to win with any talent and personnel around them. The answer to is this team the Best in the NFL, the answer is a resounding yes.

Sources:

http://www.espn.com/

http://www.weei.com/

Photos:

http://www.si.com/

Heat Have Wrong Big Three

In 2007 when the Boston Celtics assembled the new look Big Three of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen they knew it was the right mix. Each member of the trio has a specific skill set that complements the other and this is why it worked so well. Think of the Big Three as a land, air, and sea approach to assaulting other teams. Paul Pierce is the ground attack as he muscles his way into the paint drawing fouls, and slashing to the basket for easy scores. Ray Allen is the air attack spreading the floor with his three point barrages and excellent mid range shooting. Kevin Garnett is the sea with his all engulfing/anchoring presence on defense, swallowing up anything that comes near the basket. All that made (and makes) the Celtic Big Three balanced and great is the opposite of the South Beach Trio.

By far the biggest story of the NBA offseason was "The Decision" by LeBron James and the acquisitions made by the Miami Heat. In what seems as an attempt to recreate the magic of the 07' Celtics, the Heat put together a star studded trio of their own (hoping for the same championship results). Dwayne Wade has been joined by two time league MVP LeBron James, and five time All Star Chris Bosh. With the arrival of James and Bosh the Heat are unquestionably a better team than a year ago, but they are not a championship caliber team. 

The members of the Miami Big Three do not complement each other very well and they have no real interior defense to match up with the Lakers or the Celtics. LeBron and Dwayne are virtually the same player with their ability to put up huge numbers in points, rebounds, assists, steals and can occasionally block shots. A stronger case for their silimairties is the fact that they both need the ball  to control the game and be most effective. By having both of these players on your team you inherently make them less effective because of their identical styles on the court. LeBron is more physically imposing than Wade, but outside of that they are the same type of player.  

The Heat are an upper eschelon team in the Eastern Conference because of the sheer talent of James, Wade, and Bosh, along with the fact that these players are surrounded by good shooters. James Jones, Eddie House, and (when he returns) Mike Miller are all great three point shooters. LeBron and Wade are very similar players, but when you surround them with shooters to spread the floor they become more dangerous. When the defense is spread out to cover perimeter shooting there is more open room on the court for LBJ and D-Wade to drive to the basket. They are a dangerous team because they can win any one contest. They are able to do this based on the fact that James or Wade can take over a game on any given night.

While the Heat may be good enough to win any one game, they are not good enough to win a playoff series against the Celtics, Magic, Bulls, Mavericks, Spurs, or Lakers. They have no interior defense in and around the basket because they simply don't have the players to do so. Zydrunas Ilgauskas is somewhat of a presence inside at 7'3 260, but he only plays limited minutes at age 35 with twelve seasons under his belt. Bosh made it known that he does not want to guard the center position anymore, serving now only as a power forward. Bosh is an excellent offensive player, but on defense he doesn't bring the defensive intensity of a Kevin Garnett or even a Glen Davis. There are some other aged veterans on the team and an untested rookie in Dexter Pittman, but not much interior defense to speak of.

The Celtics and Lakers are brimming with depth and defensive talent at the power forward and center positions, allowing them to rebound and defend at a high level. Last year the Celtics simply didn't have the defensive presence and size (with Perkins out) to defeat the Lakers, as they were out rebounded down the stretch of Game 7. Boston spent the offseason retooling their front line by adding Shaquille and Jermaine O'neal. This was done in hopes to bolster their defense and give them the size they would need in a rematch with L.A. Miami on the other hand spent their offseason crunching salary numbers to find a way to amass three maximum contract players; in what is now the Heat's Big Three. Instead of building a well balanced team that can defend and rebound across the roster, they are stuck with a team of three All Stars, a few shooters, and a group of old big men.

As good as LeBron James and Dwayne Wade are at the end of the day they play Small Forward and Shooting guard. The same applies to the Boston Celtics of 2007 and today, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce could not win without Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Garnett defending. The Heat are a top three or four team in the Eastern Conference, but should not be thought of as a viable contender for the NBA Title. The Bulls, Magic, and Celtics are all more well built for the postseason than the Heat. Miami would have to surpass at least one of these teams on their way to an Eastern Conference Title. Perhaps LeBron's first ring will be attained with the Heat, but they have the wrong Big Three and it won't be this season.

Sources Used:


www.espn.com
www.basketball-reference.com
www.si.com

One Man Army

Peyton Hilis began his NFL career with the Denver Broncos as a fullback weighing in at 240 pounds. He was productive in Denver, but missed the majority of the 2008 season injured and was used on a limited basis in 2009. Somehow the Broncos miscalculated severely by trading away Hillis for quarterback Brady Quinn (on a team that already has Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow). Now the Browns are using him as their primary running back (now emerging as their best player). Last Sunday, ith a spectacularly dominating performance, Petyon Hillis defeated the Patriots single handedly.

Hillis's 184 yards and two touchdowns on 29 rush attempts (6.3 yards per carry) was the best performance by a running back against the Patriots this season. The Pats held Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, Cedric Benson, and the Dolphins dangerous tandem of RB's to under 100 yards rushing. Enter Peyton Hillis and the (at the time) 2-5 Cleveland Browns. This one man army took on the entire Patriots defense by himself and carried his team to an upset victory. It was disheartening to watch a Bill Belichick defense that was simply pounded into submission. The Browns completed 14 passes for 174 yards and zero touchdowns, with their leading receiver posting 58 yards. Cleveland would have never won this game without the clock devouring, defense exhausting, and flat out dominant running of Peyton Hillis.

The Browns held the football for just over 38 minutes (63 % of the game) as Tom Brady watched most of the game from the sideline. Cleveland out gained the Patriots on the ground 230 yards to 68 and when the Patriots did have the ball, no reciever could hold on to the football. Yes, it was not Brady's sharpest performance, but he threw no interceptions and made some good throws at key times. Brady could do nothing as he watched his receivers drop pass after pass, and the offense never really got into a rhythm.

The entire outcome of the game could have been different if the Patriots had scored before half time. Being down 17-7 in the waning moments of the second quarter, the Pats drove the ball to the Cleveland goal line. Then tight end Rob Gronkowski fumbled the football on the three yard line and instead of being down by a field goal, the lead stood at 17-7. New England never found their rhythm on offense and when they did it was fumbled away or dropped. The best way to defeat Tom Brady is to keep him off the field (by dominating time of possession) and that is exactly what Peyton Hillis did; by himself.

Sources Used


www.espn.com
www.si.com
www.http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/basketball/nba/
www.weei.com