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Michael Marcangelo
Welcome into missing the point on the 617 podcast presented by crow worthy says Michael Mark Angela along with real BK Bob Kelly. And we are previewing game five of the NBA finals series is tied to two. We're also going to talk a little bit about that disappointing game for but before we get into all of the nitty gritty, Bobby, what's your stress level anxiety level? Right? Like right now?
Rob Kelly
Oh my god, man, I what it makes it so much worse that there's this extra day of rest in between, where like today I woke up and it just felt like today was game day. You know what I mean? It just had that feeling. As soon as I woke up, I was God knows fucking, but I'm not. I was more stressed after the game. And at the end of the game, we'll get into everything. I just I have so much confidence and faith in this statement responding in this next game coming out. But the stress level going forward isn't as bad as it was at the end of that game. But yeah, we'll get it. But I'm alright. I'm okay. My blood pressure's back down. I no longer have hypertension. You know, I took a couple of my metastatic quote unquote, yeah, a couple of Saturdays and, you know, brought it down a little bit and kind of reevaluated everything but man, that was a stressful last game. And I will I just want to get right into it. Man, that was, that was such a stressful game. He just it was the epitome and the journey of the Celtics season, fucking wrapped into one fucking microcosm of a game. And it was just, it was a lot. There's so many different storylines that folded out through that game. And it's just, it's frustrating to see them get in their own way. Because you guys are right. You know, as much as I like to be like, God, Fuck you guys. But they got in their own way, man. And that's the worst way to lose a game. But yeah.
Michael Marcangelo
So a couple of things that I'm going to say. And I want everyone out there to remember that I'm saying this understanding that we're serious is tied to to the NBA Finals, right? So are not down on the team and where they are, where they've gone. I'm upset because it feels like their losses are like what you just said or their fault. Like, Golden State isn't doing anything that you know, outside of this world. They're playing better defense. Sure. But when you go one of eight from the field and one of seven, specifically, between Jaylen Brown Jayson Tatum and Marcus smart and the fun and the final, what, five minutes of the game? Yeah,
Rob Kelly
that's gross. It wasn't good looking.
Michael Marcangelo
Because you weathered the storm. But you weathered that third quarter, you did what you had not done the entire series and actually played a really good third quarter. And then you coughed it up in the final and the final minutes. Seemingly, it looked like they were gassed. And what really upsets me about that is, you know, Jayson Tatum, 10 years younger than every other player on Golden State. So if they have legs in your guest, it's a little upsetting for me. But I do agree with you, in the sense that we can talk about good vibes, you know, that they they're going to bounce back. They're a better road team, quite frankly, these playoffs I mean, then they are at home, which is wild. I wanted to hope I wanted to talk a little bit more about a little bit more about that. But if you just do what you've done, every single game since March, the series is yours. Just win. Just win to your next three. I would prefer them to win and Boston.
Rob Kelly
Yeah, I mean, you gave me six as the mark right now, you know, when you're looking at this area is like, Okay, you have all the faith in them responding, I have all to say, because that's what they've done all year. They haven't lost two in a row since fucking February. I know Ray hates that. But like, Listen, you can eat as much as you want. It's a fucking fact to have. It was two games in a row since February. And I don't think it's gonna start right now. So literally, like just said, if you do something that, you know, if you don't do something that you haven't done, since literally February, your NBA champions, you know what I mean? And also, it's just so to go, I just want before we move on to game five, I do want to talk about that game for just, yeah. The most frustrating part of it, man was you're 100% right, where they played their game, they did exactly what we were supposed to do. We got to that point where like, I was telling my chickens Trump, I'm not gonna lie. I was like, No, one. Let's go like, you know, as long as we have any kind of offensive strategy, in the last five minutes, we win that game. And I've haven't been this frustrated with the Celtics team all playoffs when it comes to how they performed down that stretch because they just abandoned everything that they've worked on in the last, you know, six, seven months, man, the lack of offensive gameplan they didn't run a single goddamn set for that last five minutes. And I was just sitting there screaming like, can you just run it Goddamn offensive play. And they did. And they scored. You know what I mean? That was like the one possession they scored, but they did actually get into his set took their fucking time and play basketball. I feel like what they do is we've seen it in clutch moments. And he's playoffs like, we don't want it to blow, it seems, you know, have a tough time closing it out. But I think it's because they go too fast for their own moment, man, like, they don't just stop. Think about the moment and like, Okay, we got to execute this. They're just trying to get the best shot as quick as possible. It just seems like what they're doing every single time down, or they're taking 22 footers with five seconds off center shot broccoli, and no in between. So
Michael Marcangelo
game four felt like the first time in the entire playoffs that they reverted back to their ISO ball. It's just to your point, like they weren't ready to play. And then it was either Tatum or brown or God, you know, smart, say, just craving Isola, you work so hard to kick that habit, but added they've done such a great job of it, but they crave that those isolation plays. And I mean that they played right into Golden State. Hence, you did not need to take seven, three point shots in the final five minutes. Just drive it get a firewall because when you do that, we've seen a game 123 And when you drive, they will either they can't stop you or they'll follow you and you'll get to the line. And that's how you slow the momentum down. So what I mean, why do you think that they have these lead outs the garden? Because I know why they went on the road. You know, email always says you're going to be roadways. We want to shut that home crowd the road crowd up. But why do you think they can't string two in a row at home?
Rob Kelly
I honestly I don't have an answer for that man. It's It's mind boggling to me because you guys didn't such like electric that place was on fire on Friday night like it was bumping and Stephen Curry shut everyone the fuck up. And so yeah, so so did our last five minutes. But we'll I do want I wanted to talk about how good fucking Steph Curry was too, because that was unreal. Man. I don't even I don't have an answer, bro. I'm trying to think of why now I don't have an answer. For those offensive for those struggles at home, the only thing I can think of is that it's more they just like their backs against the wall. You know what I mean? That's what it's really just seemed to be proven each and every time. It's like when their backs not against the wall. They don't slow it down. They don't, you know, stay within themselves and play the basketball they're capable of if they have an extra game up. They're going to give it up. It's like that closure. The Red Sox had it. I can't think of his name right now. But if it was a two run lead, you better believe there's going to be a home run. And that's gonna be a one run lead. DK camp that might have been BKK.
Michael Marcangelo
Well, I mean, the thing about it. For me, we will go talked about Steph Curry. It's how so when I think about it this way. Yes, you have not lost back to that game since February. The Warriors have not lost back to back games postseason. So something has to give right. And now if both of those trends continue, then you're going to win the championship. That's why the game one victory was so clutch. But I think that what you're going to see in game five is a really really healthy, really rested warriors team minus Steph Curry. I think they're overhyping his injury a little bit. I think it was probably more of like a freak accident. And he got scared just like you're just like Tatum stinger. But the other thing I want to talk about. I'm so sick of seeing it. I'm really sick of it. He's an athlete. I'm not I sit on my couch. He He's a multimillionaire, right, so let's just let's get that out of the way. But every game in the first five minutes, he like does this whole thing with his arms numb. How much of that is hit him being scared of it? Because I mean, I'm sure that yeah, when you hit a stinger, your arm does go numb for about 30 seconds. But then he's doing this for like the next 10 minutes. Right? And he turns it on usually in the third and fourth quarter. That's typically why like later in the first and second. He's silent. So how much of that do you think is mental and that he's just he's concerned about getting it again?
Rob Kelly
I think it's a little bit of both where he is he is protecting that shoulder. He doesn't seem to be going as hard at it. But I think it's also because it's not as it's not. I don't know if it's stinger. I think there's there might be something else actually wrong with that shoulder because I haven't seen Jayson Tatum shoot this many air balls his entire career. He's had like five in the series. So it's just I feel like there actually is something wrong with the shoulder. We're going to find out about it after the playoffs. But listen, I'm not making any excuses. I'm with Ray and when it comes to someone being a superstar if you have a role players injured he plays like shit you said, Listen Jayson Tatum. You're out there man and you're a guy. So regardless of that shoulder you got to stretch it out. Do whatever he got to shoot better than you have been man because the This series rests on his back. We're not going to win this series without Jayson Tatum having at least one. At least one game where you're like, wow, Jayson Tatum. Wow, I love you. It's not gonna happen. You know, I love everyone on this team. I love our role players. But like, you know this, what I love the most about this basketball team is my boy Jayson Tatum, he is just so good. And it just, it's been frustrating to say the least to see his shin was however, I have to say he's proven that he doesn't need to score to make the impact. But we need him to stop.
Michael Marcangelo
Mean, Jayson Tatum is averaging 19 points per game and their wins this series and is averaging 2025 and a half points in their losses. So I don't think it's a real injury. When I say real injury, I don't think that it's going to require surgery only because do you think EA will be playing 43 minutes a game knowing that there's structural damage to his shoulder?
Rob Kelly
That's true. Now you're at strike. Yes. structural damage? Probably not.
Michael Marcangelo
And he gets better. Or usually he gets better stretches that goes on. Yeah. Yeah. So let's talk about the I guess the elephant in the room. The one of the greatest finals performances of the greatest point guard, unreal and NBA history. I mean, it's not close. That's over. He is to for our generation, or I guess he is for this generation with Michael Jordan was for our generation. I think DK said this two years ago, on the show, he transformed the entire game of basketball, and how we think about it. Steph Curry, just to give you just the greatness slide. He was 14 and 26 from the field. Seven of 14 from three, eight of eight of nine from the field from from free throw, which is great. He shot 54% from the field that is on believable Oh, and by the way, he had 10 rebounds. So you're gonna double double what it was witness tests.
Rob Kelly
Not unreal. Unreal. He's he's, he might be a he is the best shooter I've ever seen in my entire life. There's I said this to you out there that game man. The there is a list of people who would make those three to four shots that he had at the end of that game. And that list is one person long. Stephen Curry is a a one of one. He will never be matched. And that's what we ran into man. And it was so frustratingly beautiful to see because I have to say I love watching him play basketball. And it's so frustrating going by. It's so frustrating because you never expected him to Miss Jordan. He's one of those guys where if he misses, you're shocked. You're like, what was what? What just happened? Steph Curry missed it. It makes me feel a little positive. That Steph Curry had one of the best games of his finals career one of the best final performances we've ever seen. The Celtics crumbled at the end of that game, fell in the bad habits did all these things and we still had to crumble for us to lose that game. So I know Steph Curry can do it again. It's very possible he will. But I also think Tatum could do something where he scores 40 points or brown could score. You know what I mean? Like, I feel like there's a lot of things that could happen that we could bounce back and just take the next game even with curry, scoring 3040 points,
Michael Marcangelo
if you alright, so if you look, curry go off for 40. What you can't do is let either Draymond or clay get close to 20 and then one of their bench players score 15 points, because then you're gonna lose. Like, if you're going to let Steph beat you. Then you need to lock everybody else down. And you know, in game four, you had Klay Thompson with at Andrew Wiggins with 17 pull with 14 and all 14 of pulled pulls points were daggers. I mean, they just killed you. So like figure it out, because we talked about this and this isn't me shitting on the Celtics, so just remember that Bobby, but we've been talking about the Celtics defense, you know, rightfully so for the last six months and they're the best and best defensive team the NBA. Do you know what Steph Curry is shooting in the finals? 50% from the field. Bit 50% from three. So clearly, you can't like Marcus is not doing what we thought he was going to do with this series. Up to this point and holding him in. We would hear that yeah, when Marcus smart guards, Steph Curry Steph Curry shoots 29% Now we're learning that's regular season stuff. postseason staff is a little bit different. And the one thing that concerns me not to get the not to jump too far ahead. Clay has been pretty absent this entire postseason. Do you know what clays statline is in close out games in the 2002? NBA? postseason,
Rob Kelly
I'm sure it's observed.
Michael Marcangelo
Every every single close out game Klay Thompson has averaged, he's averaged 32 points. He's shooting 48% from the field, and 43% from threes. So just don't do that. Don't get to that point. You can't let stuff average or make one out of every two shots that he takes, and then let clay go off in a game seven, but I don't want it like I said to get too far ahead. What we're seeing from Steph Curry in this series is 50% for the fucking field, Bobby. Yeah, so
Rob Kelly
I just found one of the most ridiculous stats I've ever seen. So Stefan curry, in game four, shot better, he shot almost 60% on shots where he was contested and shot would go under 40 or close to 40% on shots where he's uncontested. So in shots were where you actually have a hand in the student's face where he smothered this ball still fucking going. Like he was so good in that last game. And that's why like, I know that was so frustrating to see us do that and see everything that happened but like that stretch run, man, you got to give it to Steph Curry. And you fed off that crowd. He wanted to shut 19 20,000 people up you know what I mean? That was his goal coming into this game and he fucking did it with authority with daggers you know what I mean? It was unbelievable man, that one from almost a logo. Where we there was a screen. We actually fought through the screen. It was amazing defense. We had two guys right in his face. And it's almost like in Space Jam. When the big fat guy gets smushed on. You see the ballpark and pop out and you're like, No, but it's funny. I knew it was going in. Yeah. You know what's going on? And that was DACA that was the game so he exactly like you said Man, we just can't We can't let curry do that again. And if we do there better be there better be a response to it. We can't rely on Derrick white now for for to match with Steph Curry is doing you know what I mean? That's why Tatum is so key. Because of this performance that we're seeing. From Steph Curry mayo. You have your curry, we have our Tatum and it's coming into the season debut a one a one b who's the best player in this series, bro is not even fucking close. Close. Not even close. Steph Curry is by far and away the best player in this areas. And that's that was a little scary. I just hope we see Tatum. You know, come close to matching that level in this next game, because we absolutely do.
Michael Marcangelo
I mean, two things that I want to talk about because one that what you just said Steph Curry really just wanted to shut up and silence 90,000 people, we need to pay them to do that. Then game five is to feel that needs to be angry need to play with that urgency that I think he's going to he's he's typically good one game series where he does something where he puts up the you know, 3510 and eight, or 4010 and a one now what's really scary though. Steph Curry was worse shooting in game four that he wasn't game three. He was 55% for the CLD game three and 55% from three pointers in game three. And the only put up was a 30. I say only 31 The man's average and 34 points per game. This finals. I think the Celtics are gonna win the finals but if they don't, He's itching to get that that Finals MVP. The one thing all mainstream media has been talking about, you know, the last three weeks that he doesn't have that. He's He's gunning for it.
Rob Kelly
i He is and I hate the mainstream media and then the pressure and accolades. They require these players to get nowadays to be great to be superstars. It's fucking beyond me, man. I just don't I don't understand how you could ever look at Steph Curry and be like, you know, he could get a fight, bro. It was Andre Iguodala played one of the best finals defensively we've ever seen. That's why he got that first one. And those goddamn k d bro. Like, you know what I mean? Like, people need to chill out. Okay, Steph Curry has for finals. It's 43444 champions three three championships four appearances. Yeah, yep. And he true like you said to transform the game of basketball was yeah, he should get that MVP. If they ended up winning this. I hope they don't I just like felt the shutter go down my spine even saying it. But if even if he didn't get it, and that happened. I don't think he is five four championships in five tribes then like what's the fuck are we talking about here? Stop it. No, you just mean like,
Michael Marcangelo
I don't know what I mean. I know when you directed towards me. Don't worry. Where's Grant Williams? Yeah,
Rob Kelly
I don't know. He vanished in game set. I've been down the stretch, I guess the heat that last three minutes he was or that last quarter really. He was awful in game seven. And he hasn't came back since we definitely miss him. Because those corner threes and those big moments were huge man and ever so timely. His defense has taken a step back. He seems to be out of position more now. It's just, I don't know, I feel like the moments a little bit too big for him the games moving too fast. That's the only idea that I have, because he's taken a step down in the finals since game seven.
Michael Marcangelo
Do you know Do you know what what I mean? There's always things that you say to me, there's that there's that you can't go by the statute. Right, you got to do the eye test? Well, I think in this rare occurrence, the statute actually mimics what you're looking at us when you see oh, he's he's averaging four, four points a game. Four points in 17 and a half minutes as bad. He went from shooting 43% from three to not now he's averaging 36%. So I mean, that there was one thing that you can count on in the first three rounds of the playoffs. It was a corner three from Grant Williams, if he had the ball, he was going to make it. And now I mean, do you think that unis lost confidence in him because it also does feel like he's not getting as many looks as he was before?
Rob Kelly
Yeah, it does kind of feel like that, doesn't it? You don't notice him in those impact minutes, like you did earlier in the playoffs? You know what I mean? Like it's not even like it's a noticeable like, Oh, he's not letting him run this play. He's not. He's just not in there for those big moments anymore. It's either been Derrick white, who's taken that spot as like the you know, that energy bench guy, or it's just been out, Rob, taking those minutes. So yeah, it's definitely noticeable, I think, because he's just not making that impact. He looks at last half the time man. That's what's been driving me nuts is like it's kind of the whole there's a couple of guys since the final started that it definitely seems like the moment is a little too big for him. A Grant Williams is definitely one of them. I think Pritchard hasn't been great. Since these final started. It's been alright, you know, he's had moments but he definitely gets called out of a position a lot. And even the whole team when it comes to this drop screen, which Stephen Curry man, I don't know how many goddamn times I have to scream can someone put a god damn hand in his face? Regrets and apparently makes them shoot better with the hands in his face. That's besides the point, man. I can't take even now it's driving me nuts with this man. I can't take this initial step back to to guard a drive or the fucking floater. When it's Steph Curry, guys. It's Stefan curry. Someone has to put a hand in his face. Because it just a they go below that screen, rotate that initial drop back and then they do react quick. I'll give it to him. There I go shit. And then they get up. But by the time that happens halfway up, bro, that balls already gone. The balls already halfway to the hoop. So they got to figure that out too. I don't know why you may hasn't done it yet. I don't know what's going on, bro. I don't know what's going on with that. That's the biggest mind boggling thing to me is the drop coverages on Stephen Curry. And just being caught out or caught out of position 99% of the time. And it's Grant Williams. Almost every time.
Michael Marcangelo
The guy that locked down KD Yeah. And the big guy that was pretty much responsible for lock you down Yiannis.
Rob Kelly
Sorry for that tangent.
Michael Marcangelo
No, no, we did that. Like I don't really understand what's happened to him. I didn't get the moments too big, then. Sure. But now we're four games into it. So now it's time to figure it out. Right? Like, yeah, just figure it out. Because we do you think that it's realistic that we can that we can win this series without one of those types of performances from from a roleplayer bike. We've had an every single series, this postseason so far.
Rob Kelly
Now if Qaidam gonna be doing what he's doing. You know what I mean? Not if Tatum's not gonna be the 30 to 40 point a night guy or a Jaylen soccer and we drop in 25 Ime so now we need one of them to have one of those games and we kind of had a game one with Horford and white they each had 20 points. Right and they both have 20. Generally at this he was like 23 for Horford. 21 for white and then yeah, that's been kind of absent ever since then. And it's just I don't know. I'm so stressed that game four is the finals bro. And it's gotten into my head to where like, it just I'm very nervous moving forward. I haven't been this nervous at any point throughout the entire playoffs in this in the whole situation. And it's honestly just because of how good Steph Curry is and how bad we're reacting to it. And it's just it's driving me nuts.
Michael Marcangelo
Well also, it just it just doesn't it doesn't seem to matter what we're doing with him. So just let him just let him go off. Who cares? You know, what if you want him to score a job score 60 Great, just locked down everybody else, which he might be able to put up 80. But he's not able to put up 120 Right. So literally, just let them go. Because what we've seen over these last four games is to your point, he's shooting 20% better when he's contested.
Rob Kelly
It's wild, man. It's unbelievable.
Michael Marcangelo
Doesn't make any sense. So before we transition to, to our game five, what needs to happen? Things of that nature. Do you think that Celtics fans that you know half a se fans that are critical? The other half are just happy to be here? Do you think that Celtics fans are given, are giving Jayson Tatum like too much grief for his finals performances so far? Because when you think about it, he's averaging 22 points a game like if it wasn't for game one, which by the way, we won, and he had 13 assists 12 points and 13 assists. If he hasn't one of his regular games, he'd be averaging 25 points a night. So I mean, this is going to shock you. I think that there people are giving their their little tool on top of Tatum right now. Because I think you're the one game where he did not perform statistically Well, points wise. He made up for it with the assists in game three. Good 26 points, nine assists. They lost. Right. So I think he's actually for you know, we talked about Grant Williams in the moment he voted for him. It doesn't look like the moments to victory Tatum or brown, by the way.
Rob Kelly
Yeah, no, I completely agree. And I'm so happy you brought this up, because I actually had a little tiff with someone on our Twitter today about Jayson Tatum because he's saying he said that the moment or a game five moving in this series moving forward is going to be a legacy defining negative or positive game for Jayson Tatum. That is such a crazy blasphemous statement to me that like no person at the age of 24 years old, and that history of the NBA has ever had a legacy defining moment. Unless it's a positive legacy defining moment. When they're 24 years old. You know how much basketball this guy has left in him. And you're saying this is if he doesn't do this, his legacy is guys. Just cut it out. Step up. I can't do it anymore, man. He did the idea that this run could have any kind of impact besides a positive impact on how we look at Jayson Tatum of who he is as a basketball player is blasphemous. It's blasphemy. He's beaten KD Kyrie Yiannis Jimmy Butler. And now it has Steph Curry to two after Steph Curry. He's going absolutely bonkers in this series. It's just like Guys, can we just pump the brakes and just kind of do what we're telling the Celtics to do? Pump the brakes. Look around at the moment and just realize how special it is. And just do what we've been doing that it's it's crazy. Yes. I so to round that out. Yes. I couldn't agree more that people need to chill. Because at the end of this series win or lose. You got to look back at this run and be like Tatum took another step towards being that superstar player and listen, he's all first team all NBA he has driven this team this far for so long. And that that Celtics nation, man, that dark side of Celtics, Twitter just bailed on him at the first sign of trouble. It's yeah, it's great. Great.
Michael Marcangelo
Now, I'm going to play a little devil's advocate for you before we go to break and then we come back and we prove your game five. Now I don't necessarily fully believe what I'm about to tell you. But I'm just gonna sit anyway. Uh, you listed Katie and Kyrie. That team wasn't engaged. Right? And that other besides them, they didn't have anybody else. You mentioned the honest Milton wasn't there. You mentioned that he injury riddled tube. This is their first you know, and this is some would say that this is their first team that they're facing that is pretty much 100% healthy. So now he needs to show up. Like he did every single one of those series. Now, I told you that this back in April, you can go back show notes. Once they're playing in June, like I'm in it doesn't matter. I truly didn't care if they got swept in the series because they got here and now that is another step forward. But this is the first team that can shoot with them, can play defense with them and can play in the paint with them and hasn't happened throughout this entire postseason. So he needs one of those games. Now I'm not saying it's a legacy defining game, because if he drops 60 If he dropped 60 in game five, they lose the following two games. Oh my god. Like that's not on Jayson Tatum left without his fault has
Rob Kelly
magically dropped 60 and game five. Oh my god.
Michael Marcangelo
There's a stack of happy tissues.
Rob Kelly
Just so many happy tissues. Yeah, no, it's just crazy to me, man. You know what I mean? Like you look at all I get what you're saying. But no, you disagree with that footnote? Yeah, but just wholeheartedly. 100,000,000% No. It doesn't matter what so the way in all those series the Celtics also had injury was Robert Williams still listen 100% market smarts clearly not 100% like listen, though. This is the NBA Finals. The jiayuan has got his championship because cairene harden row last year. And Katy get his goddamn foot on the line. But we don't talk about that we talked about Jana is winning a championship. Okay, so just by I'm not I don't I don't think it should just stop. You know what I mean? Like I'm sick of all the narratives. I'm sick of guys. Jayson Tatum has led us to be a best of three for the goddamn championship for what we watch for what we live for, like, this is the moment and the first sign of trouble. You're looking for that that? Both told you. So are you looking forward to that that might have been a jab at you. But that was a completely jab at me. But but you're looking for like that, that? That was the kick in or? Yeah, the kick in the armor. You know what I mean? You're looking for that opportunity to pounce on this dude, like we've been doing for two years. But like, hasn't he proven that he isn't that dude anymore, that he is showing up for these finals? Like, just actually watch the basketball game and look at the impact that he's having. The presence that he has on the court and the attention that golden SE has to pay to him? You know what I mean? Like it's no shocker that he's having a one of his worst shooting percentage series so far, because they're throwing the goddamn kitchen sink at him. Andrew Wiggins is in his face 99% of the time, and if he's not someone coming off of screen or the sun will come on to help play help defense and double team Tatum. You know what I mean? And it's what extra before I move on, when I don't get so I you know, we both love him a lot. And he is, you know, been a savant to this team. He's brought them so far, man. I don't understand what he's thinking where he doesn't just go to, like, I know, we hate ISO ball and all this shit. But like, Listen, man, sometimes there is a time for ISO ball. And there is a time for you to just play the offense through Jayson Tatum and let this do cook. And that was game four. To me. I think that's one of the reasons why Tatum went cold is because you remember in that first quarter, we got our lead. Because Tatum was cooking man, he hit like two, three threes in that first quarter. He took a couple of drives to the hoop. I think he started off like six or seven from the field. And then we kind of went away from them. And all of a sudden, smart shooting threes and Jaylen is turning the ball over. And you know what I mean? There's just these different things that are happening. And it's like, just let your dude do what he's here to do. And I feel like that's another reason why we're not seeing that level of data performance is it seems like they're shying away trying to get everyone involved. Like sometimes it's like, Guys, let the dude ball let him do what he does. And and I think it's gonna work.
Michael Marcangelo
The man was 50% for threes. Game four. I saw like what let him take more. However, his missus came into the fourth quarter. I get he was cold. I understand that. But I think like you said that. Sometimes people need to play softball. Yes, I agree with that. The what is like, to your other point about about him growing and taking that next step and meet is he's not getting caught in that trap anymore. Like if he's getting what typically what we've seen up until this series is if defenders coming towards him, he makes a move and it gets somebody else open. And he finds the open there, which is something that he was not doing in the previous two years. And I think he's trying really hard not to revert back to that much to his detriment though. Sometimes. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Because some you know, sometimes, especially against a team like Golden State skills gonna win. And you have to have your most talented shooter decide that this is the game. This is the moment I can live with it. The Celtics only scored three points and they weren't one of seven and it was all Tatum. Fine. You want to take those last seven shots, right because that's the guy.
Rob Kelly
You don't you know, who we don't want to take into Shot mark is smart kid. Okay.
Michael Marcangelo
Bobby, I need you to give me a basketball reason as to why he still thinks that he is a volume shooter.
Rob Kelly
I don't know why I don't want to give him the excuse but I think it's ankle because it wasn't it wasn't like this deferred before the ankle was spraying it wasn't as bad in the first two rounds. Okay, it was still kind of like this but it wasn't as bad in there was more positive to outweigh those volume shots that you know you don't want to take. But he's not even doing those anymore is the problem. I think we're not seeing that counterbalance. You know what I mean? Like before there was so much positive to outweigh it. But now, man, I don't know what's up with him. Driving me nuts. He shut us up in game three. So you know, very happy about that. But I swear on my life fight see him thrown Another bounce pass to goddamn Saskatchewan. I can't. I'm gonna throw my goddamn TV out the window. Those bounce passes. It's all bad. Stop doing
Michael Marcangelo
Oh, and then when he drives to the hoop and no look past behind the back of just literally just goes to the back corner. Like what are you doing? Click, so I get it. But he's really talented. Sometimes he needs I've been told on the show that he needs to shoot to find a shot. Well, I'm going to tell you right now is throughout this entire postseason. Marcus smart was averaging 1212 shots again. Right? 17 in the finals, so you need to start doing that. Yeah. Please, just stop fucking doing that. Just you don't need to do it anymore.
Rob Kelly
No, no, no, no lab. We don't need to just stop.
Michael Marcangelo
Just stop, stop. I'm gonna we're just gonna pause for a quick break here. And then when we come back, we're gonna talk about game five. I'll come back to this to the point on the 617 podcast. Alright, real BK. Bob Kelly, I need you to tell me what you need to see out of the Boston Celtics in the first half of game five to show you that this is what it has always been since February. It's a bounce back game. And this is at least gonna go seven.
Rob Kelly
just eaten. I mean, you know, it's so fast man, the taking care of the ball, the defensive execution on the screens. On the house defense, there's so many different signs that it's a different Celtics team. I think the main thing that you see is the confidence. I think we need to see, you know, when you're running plays that in screens, making that extra pass on offense, do it with authority, and do it with the confidence knowing that it's the right play. And I feel like what happens is they get kind of hesitant they get in their heads and they don't want to they don't want to fuck up. And then they do can't have that in this game. This is your guys moment. Time to fucking take it and run with it. Because this is it. Ma'am. This is a big one. You know, we're sitting here for game four being like, oh my god, this is unbelievable. Like, I'm so stressful. Tomorrow is gonna be a different level man. And it's a big moment. I'm pumped for it. But that's the that's the main thing that has to do is show up and execute immediately out of the gate. You can't let Golden State because that confidence especially at home, and you got it you got to play your brand new basketball. It's what's the stat on the 16 turnovers, if they have over 16 turnovers this postseason. They're like four and five or three and six or something like that. And ones where they're under 16 turnovers. There. I think they have one loss all Posties. Yep. So it's very evident. That's the main thing. And it's been the main thing, the entire playoff games, they lose, they turn the ball over, and they don't rebound the ball. Games, they win. They do. So that's the main thing. If they're not turning the ball over and we're seeing the hustle and the domination, download those offensive rebounds. We're in business.
Michael Marcangelo
So what happens if they have eight turnovers in the first quarter, game five. I'm
Rob Kelly
gonna be very stressed, but they just they got it. They got to stick to it, man. At that point. It's weathering the storm. If you're doing that you got to weather the storm and keep that game close. Because, again, when it comes to nut crunch time, except for game four, that was the outlier so far. This team has responded. You know what I mean? They've outscored the Warriors and every fourth quarter besides game four, they've outscored most teams they play in the games they went in
Michael Marcangelo
today as the show that they had scored there in the fourth game to win they got blown out when they
Rob Kelly
won. And the games they've won, they've won that fourth quarter decisively. And they're outscoring them total in theory so far in the fourth quarter, so I meant to say it wasn't but yeah, it's gonna be so they better not fucking turn the ball over eight times in first quarter YG
Michael Marcangelo
I know it's gonna be held against me but so it gives the one The Celtics are shooting I think 50% from the fields and games, they've lost their shooting 39% from the fields book. So tell me more about why that is and why it, we know that this game will re fully expected they're going to come out shooting and they're going to shoot well, do they? Do you feel that they run different offensive sets and defensive schemes in these games? Or do they just execute? Is it just that they're open
Rob Kelly
to execution? In my opinion? Yeah, it's the crispness of the play. It's, you know, when the Celtics aren't playing well, and they're in that mode have just been kind of discombobulated. You can see it, you know what I mean? It's so evident to the eye and it's, and then when they are the difference and the confidence that I had in the shots that were going up and game three and game four is night and day and that third and fourth quarter you know what I mean? So it's gonna third
Michael Marcangelo
was pretty good man like that. They did okay, in the third quarter again, for for the first time ever the series?
Rob Kelly
A I don't know. I'm so I'm so
Michael Marcangelo
nervous. When you started the show. You were like, Yeah, I'm not actually I'm doing
Rob Kelly
okay. Like, the more I do have, the more I talk about it, the more like does bring conflict, what if they do, but they will show up. That's where I'm at, though, you know what I mean, the the defense? And is the number one thing to me that we're going to see show up in this game. I don't think that we're going to see Steph Curry score 40 points. I think this is the game where you do see the Celtics defense, start swarming again, and start to look like that defense that we saw for the first three rounds. And that's got to be the reason that it goes down. Games, take some balls,
Michael Marcangelo
what am I would you double him? Because I would No, no, I don't I had almost not even put anyone near him and just let them figure it out. And go ahead. Yeah. But I would, because what I fear most, and I don't think that it's going to happen, but it feels like it's boiling up to this point. I don't know if he has it left in them. If Trayvon has a game, where he puts up like 25 and 12. And Steph doesn't put up 40, but he puts up 35 of these averaging 34 points again, and clay puts up a team. You are now requiring Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown to put up 50 points, but that other 60 points and then the rest of them have to shoot pretty well. Yeah.
Rob Kelly
So that's not gonna happen. No dream is to 25 points. I can guarantee you that knock that down immediately. Yeah. 100%. I would bet on that all day, every day. Draymond Green is not scoring 25 points in this game. And so when we talked about curry, I think something they could try. It could backfire on them, but would dream on? Playing like he is right, he got benched at the end of game four. And that's when they took off when Draymond wasn't on the court. So like, if Draymond is on the court? Why don't we trap him? You know what I mean? Either take Rob or take out and instead of waiting for that screen to come, bro, just have Robert L stayed over the top of them. And that has Derek white or someone jabbing at that bog might get him to give the ball I mean, that's the only idea I have an even number one to do something with him. And I think that's a viable possibility. You know, just because like I said Dr. Monson, such a nonfactor that it's like, listen, I think either Rob or OWL can handle down low by themselves and you can let the other one roam around and just kind of be ready to trap carried all times when he's got to get ready to shoot because you always know what the curry shoots at, you know, 100% of the time, get up there and just get in his face. Don't let them set that screen and try and fight through it. Because obviously by the time you fight through the bedtime, you go under the balls, are you in the goddamn basket. So also
Michael Marcangelo
stay out of foul trouble in the first half as much as possible because what they have not been able to do because you know, Jaylen Marquez in Chase has been pretty good with the fouls. But when they go on that third quarter run, it's because we can't play that type of Defense which is Jaylen already has three or four Marcus RTOS for so keep those guys out of foul trouble. And you know, what make Steph pay for, I don't want him to get hurt, but make him earn it. So getting his face thrown around a little bit, don't get a flagrant and be really cautious about this be in Golden State and the refs but it he feels like him as he should, that he can do whatever he wants to. So let him know that's gonna that's gonna come at a price. Right and rough him up a little bit. Make and make clay fight for the ball too. Because if you give them open shots, sooner or later, he's gonna start hitting them but when he asked to run through screens, and try and get that ball, you see it he's gassed, he's absolutely gassed. So this is the time to be a little bit more physical. They have been The first four years and I have been yet
Rob Kelly
100% agree we've been saying that since game one. Remember there's a foul on cardio and game one we're like that's what they should be doing every time this dude goes to the hole if he's going to be driving on you, you got to make them think about it every single time be like do I really want to take that contact go into the room? I couldn't agree with that more when it comes to the fallow troubles. That's so key for everything that we do man because listen, we've been talking about players playing their roles and how perfect their depth rotation is and all this stuff for for this entire run. That's why we think that we're doing as well because everyone's in the right place. You're playing the right amount of minutes you're having the right role. When you get in foul trouble all of a sudden we have Grant Williams playing extended minutes in the second or we have you know Derrick white being on the court instead of Marcus smart for a extended minute. So listen, dark White is great, but it's he's got to be in those short spurts so that's so key man in this game. I completely agree with that. If the Celtics are in foul trouble early, it's got to be a game where we're having an offensive game. You know what I mean? Because because it does take away our defensive intensity a little bit. I just feel like the biggest key to this right? Is our boy Rob Williams. And games where he shows up man in he is the presence down low that we saw him be later in the season and for a little bit in the playoffs has been kind of hit and miss three, game three he was on. He was the difference maker. You know, if I hadn't voted for finals MVP, which, you know, hopefully someday we will he gets mine. You know what I mean? After game three, you know, everyone's talking about Jaylen, Jaylen, Jaylen. Jaylen was awesome. Rob was the difference maker, man. He made everyone think about every shot they were going to take. It didn't matter where they were on the court, three point line, you know, drive into the hall didn't matter. They were thinking about where's Rob Williams at? And that's something that needs to be there. And game five? Well,
Michael Marcangelo
I mean, he's gonna have a lot of rest. So he should be this should be one of those games where he shows up. It should also be a game. We're due for one more Horford special like he's got one more or less than the tank. And I think it's going to be game five. I think just a little bit of a prediction. I think Horford statline at the end of game five will read 2310 and six. If that happens, and you stay out of foul trouble and those 20 You know, those 23 aren't aren't garbage points. I think you win that game. I also prediction Tabia because I want you to close us out and bring us home with with all the Celtics pride that you have. I have the Celtics 113 105 in game five. And I do think that alpha is going to drop 23 I think Jaylen Brown gonna drop 35
Rob Kelly
as well that just gave me Skepta has got to goosies bro. Yeah, so I just want to sell all this nervous energy that I've had this entire this entire pod that we both had, where we're talking about what about this? And what about this? And what about the two E's everyone's mind a little bit the Celtics up until this point not only have done nothing but show us that they respond in these moments have done nothing but show us they don't lose consecutive games. When their backs against the wall. They show up. But they're also on the road. And so far in the NBA Playoffs the Celtics are if they win this next game tied for the most road wins in the history of the NBA playoffs in a run. So not only are their backs against the wall not only all these things that you we know they thrive off of we know they love, but they're also on the road and they're historically one of the best road playoff teams ever Jayson Tatum is a bonafide all star. Jaylen Brown bonafide all star and exactly like you said Al Horford is due for another one. I think you're right. Game five is another one of those big games throughout. But another big name I want everyone to watch out for is a guy that I showed on earlier in the playoffs and a guy that I was ready to have off the team Bruff and that's our boy Derrick white. If Derek White plays like he did in game three, the Celtics are in business because he gets he is the only one I've seen that actually has productive defensive minutes, where he makes Steph Curry have to think about what he's doing. He can't do it for extended periods. But it's very evident that when Derek whites on Stephen Curry, it's an actual matchup that's going on. He has to figure something out to get over. So I want to see a lot of that in game five. My prediction man, I'm gonna go with exactly what I've been going with after every loss since the beginning of these playoffs. And I think we went about 15 If we do everything we're supposed to do And we play our basketball, which I have all the confidence that we're going to do. You know, like we talked this entire time we go, you know, it could not, we're going to show up in this game. Owl is going to be awesome. White is going to be awesome. Tatum brown are going to be awesome. And this is going to be the game where we see everyone put it together, just like it was in game six, in Milwaukee, like it was in game seven in Miami.
Michael Marcangelo
Don't use that as reference. Don't use that as reference, please. Because we're one Jimmy Butler break away from not being in the finals. Like, don't they cough that game up? That's fact, kind of not true. Fact. But
Rob Kelly
I'm just they still went on the road and won game seven. So they still went on the road won that game seven. And don't start me out on a tangent on the Jimmy Butler three, because I have a lot to say about that. Ya know, I just think when you look back at all these moments, and you look back at who this team is, and what they've done, this is the moment that they live for it. This is what they do. They show up in moments where people doubt them, they show up when their backs on the road on the backs up against the wall, and they show up when they're out on the road. So everything just seems like this is another game that we're all going to be nervous about. Because they just lost the last game just like we've done every series so far. And they're gonna come out and be like, Guys, we're really fucking good. And here it is. And then game six, we can talk about that every day because we were getting five will be so nervous for Game Six. But But game five man, I'm telling you, we went by 15 I'm gonna say one 125 to one that will make
Michael Marcangelo
you can I just ask right now? How confident you are that they're gonna win game size? How confident are you that if they win games either it would give six
Rob Kelly
wouldn't put money on it. I actually said this. After it's so good. After the going into game for I went to see I went up to see my dad. And we were talking about it. And it was we were talking about Yeah, we were getting work done on the car. It was we there's a whole scenario, but I told him game for him. Like we're winning game four. We're winning game four. There's no doubt in my mind. Our game three. Sorry, again, three. We're winning game three. There's no doubt in my mind. He won Game three and checks. No, you called it? And I was like, yeah. Well, we'll see about game four. Anyway, guys, I met with Trey all that conference. But I was not confident going into game four. Because this is their script, man. This is what they do. It's what they've done all playoffs. And they go out, respond to adversity, sit back a little bit, kind of choke, do whatever they do in their Celtics fashion. And oh my god, yeah. And then they do it again. And then next year, they went by 15 or 20 points again. And they do the same exact thing and games. It's just, it's what they do. And I just don't think that we should be getting mad or getting nervous about the team that they are because it's proven that this is literally who they are. And it's who they happen. So that's why I have so much confidence in game five, like I said, at least a 10 point victory in my head.
Michael Marcangelo
What does it look like? Okay, so who's going to be your star player for the Celtics in game five? Came
Rob Kelly
to man, especially if that tweet gets over 100 likes everyone get out there. Like that tweet. We got it from 40 bragger. Universities Jayson Tatum, you know, I mean that this is his game. This is the game all playoffs that we've seen him respond that we've seen him had these big games. He had that game five, and or Game Six in Milwaukee, where he scored 40 points. I guess you just fund it all Brooklyn. But this is the moment for Jayson Tatum to take a situation where everyone's doubting him. Again, we're having the same goddamn conversation, where everyone's doubting him. And he's just gonna show up and be like, Listen, guys, there's a reason I made first team all NBA. And that's because I'm a baller. I'm going to score 3540 points. So he's the guy. I know it's the easy answer, but it's the right answer. Jayson Tatum needs to have a big game in this game. 100% He has to. I have nothing
Michael Marcangelo
to follow that. So we will there were predictions we bolted solid zero to win game five. It's going to be tough. And we'll be talking about how tough of a game six is going to be having how agents are going to be and how Bob is going to need sedatives. But until then, for the real BK Bob Kelly. This is Michael Mark Angelo saying thanks so much for listening to missing the point on 617 podcast. We'll talk to you guys later.