Your Morning Dump... The real reasons the Celtics lost

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

Instead of good team defense, switching, jumping out on screens, and using their bodies and not their hands, the Celtics decided to reach their way to victory and it didn’t work. They were so focused late in the game on Durant that twice in 78 seconds they allowed Jeff Green to drain 3-pointers that made the difference...

What should annoy them is how they were outplayed at their own game in the second half. Durant scored 20 points after halftime, Paul Pierce recorded one free throw. The Thunder grabbed 24 rebounds and turned those into 10 second-chance points, the Celtics collected 16 rebounds and just two from the bench after the break.

Globe - Reaching out for answers

Gary Washburn has a sobering column about the Celtics performance last night. Was the officiating awful at times? You bet it was. But any time the Cs allow 109 points and lose, the lack of defense should be the #1 storyline. For an offensive game, the Celtics put a measley 43 points on the board in the 2nd half.

As for the lopsided officiating, the Celtics had 25 fouls to the Thunder's 21.

On Page 2, Doc is fed up with all the negativity in this town.

“You don’t have to be (optimistic) because I am,” he said. “I look at our team, and we played one bad night. We were playing great up until two games ago. Were you optimists three games ago?

“Either you’re on the bandwagon or you’re off,” Rivers continued. “I tell guys that all the time. That’s the way I think, and that’s how our team should think. I’m not going to spend time trying to convince you to dislike us or like us. Our team just has to keep working.

“Should I worry about a team where you guys don’t think we can win anymore?”

Herald - Doc Rivers derides bandwagon

I'm having a hard time deciphering these comments. Is Doc upset with the media? Since it's impossible to read his tone, he might not be upset at all.

While the Celtics play over the past month has me believing this team can make some noise in the playoffs (although I wouldn't bet my Redsarmy stocks on a championship), I can't blame media/fans for being critical at times.

Doc is obviously frustrated. And when coaches are frustrated they lash out at the easiest target - the media.

The rest of the links:

ESPN Boston - First impressions | Crying foul | Green with envy | Globe - Cs can't silence Durant | Celts blow whistle on some calls | Herald - To Green, foul loss crosses line | Celtics caught in downpour | CSNNE - Wallace making his points | WEEI - Doc press conference | Celtics curse Durant | Celtics Hub - What a game | Celtics Blog - Thunder take Celtics by storm |