TWO DOWN AND...WELL...TWO DOWN

Some notes from 30,000 feet on a less than ideal Celtics start…

Not brain surgery through two games but to paraphrase a former President who grew up in this part of the country…

It’s the defense, stupid.

After four years as the NBA’s best defensive team, the Celtics have started out as anything but in 2011-2012.  All the obvious asterisks aside, short training camp, new bench, tough road schedule and of course, the subtraction of their leading scorer and captain Paul Pierce aside, some pretty jarring numbers.

For example…

·         Last year, the Celtics were 26-0 when scoring 104 points. This year, 0-2. 

·         Last year, the Celtics were 36-4 when shooting 50%. This year, 0-2. 

·         Last year, the Celtics trailed by 17 just five times in 82 games. This year, 2-2..

Here’s the big one….

·         At one point late in the 3^rd quarter, the Heat were shooting 70% from the floor.  The Celtics zone cooled them off, but it was still one of the worst defensive efforts of the 4+ year era.

OPPONENT FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE – NEW BIG 3 ERA

.580 - VS. TORONTO – JANUARY 23, 2008

.574`- VS. DALLAS – JANUARY 18, 2010

.560 - @ MIAMI – DECEMBER 27, 2011

.559 - VS. PHOENIX – MARCH 26, 2008 (W)

.557 - VS. TORONTO – NOVEMBER 27, 2009 (W)

.557 - @ PHILADELPHIA – DECEMBER 5, 2007 (W)

.557 - @ DETROIT – DECEMBER 29, 2010

.551 - @ CLEVELAND – APRIL 12, 2009

.550 - VS. MEMPHIS – MARCH 10, 2010

·         It was the 16^th time C’s have gone down by 20 in the New Big Three era…five of the 16 to a LeBron James team.

20-POINT DEFICITS – NEW BIG 3 ERA (REGULAR SEASON)

36 - @ CLEVELAND – APRIL 12, 2009

29 - VS. MEMPHIS – MARCH 10, 2010

29 - @ HOUSTON – MARCH 18, 2011

28 - VS. WASHINGTON – APRIL 9, 2010

25 - @ INDIANA – NOVEMBER 1, 2008

25 - VS. SAN ANTONIO – MARCH 28, 2010

23 - @ PHOENIX – DECEMBER 30, 2009

23 - VS. L.A. CLIPPERS – MARCH 9, 2011

23 - @ MIAMI – APRIL 10, 2011

22 - @ SAN ANTONIO – MARCH 17, 2008 (W)

22 - VS. ORLANDO – MARCH 8, 2009

20 - @ ORLANDO – NOVEMBER 18, 2007

20 - @ CLEVELAND – JANUARY 9, 2009

20 - @ DENVER – FEBRUARY 21, 2010

20 - VS. CLEVELAND – FEBRUARY 25, 2010

20 - @ MIAMI – DECEMBER 27, 2011

·         Celtics only made 12 3’s once last year, against Sacramento in the blizzard game on Jan, 12.  They haven’t made more than 12 since November of 2009, part of the hot start to the ’09-’10 season,  It was the 20^th time in the New Big Three Era the Celtics had made at least 12 3’s, they had been 17-2 in the previous 19.

3pt FIELD GOALS – NEW BIG 3 ERA

16 - VS. DALLAS – JANUARY 25, 2009

15 - @ MEMPHIS – MARCH 8, 2008

15 - @ MIAMI – JANUARY 21, 2009

14 - VS. PHILADELPHIA – JANUARY 18, 2008

14 - @ PORTLAND – FEBRUARY 24, 2008

14 - @ CHICAGO – APRIL 1, 2008

14 - @ DENVER – FEBRUARY 23, 2009

14 - @ PHILADELPHIA – NOVEMBER 3, 2009

13 - @ WASHINGTON – APRIL 9, 2008 (L)

13 - @ INDIANA – DECEMBER 7, 2008

12 - @ TORONTO – NOVEMBER 4, 2007*

12 - VS. NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 29, 2007

12 - VS. CHICAGO – DECEMBER 21, 2007

12 - vs. Chicago – december 19. 2008

12 - VS. WASHINGTON – JANUARY 2, 2009

12 - VS. NEW JERSEY – JANUARY 14, 2008

12 - VS. CHICAGO – OCTOBER 30, 2009

12 - @ ORLANDO – JANUARY 28, 2010 (L)

12 - VS. SACRAMENTO – JANUARY 12, 2011

12 - @ MIAMI – DECEMBER 27, 2011 (L)

 But let’s also remember that as dominant as the Celtics have been, the Christmas road trip has not been their friend since winning the championship in 2008.  The Celtics go into New Orleans on Wednesday 3-10 in their last 13 games on the Christmas trip.

2008 - 1-3 including the Christmas loss to the Lakers and the controversial “6 men on the court” loss in Portland.

2009 - 1-3, the start of the uninspired 27-27 finish to the regular season.

2010 - 1-2 plus the injury to Kevin Garnett

2011 - 0-2 start 

So yes, by the way, this is what I do at 2:23am, five miles above the gulf. 

Hug your kids close this holiday week, and hope for a better life for them.

The plane is beginning its descent. 

No doubt more than a few right now think the Celtics are as well.  We’ll see.

We’ll talk to you at 7:30 eastern time tonight from New Orleans on NBA.com and WEEI.