FWIW, while back to backs are bad, teams actually perform better on 1 day's rest than 2+ days (though I have never looked at aggregated rest issues, e.g., the impact of playing every other day for like three weeks or something).
Another thing Smart has that Artest did not is a career shooting percentage of 35.6%.I hope you are right but I think Smart is held in pretty high esteem around the league and it only takes one team.
Whlie it's true in many respects that Smart is a smaller version of Artest, here's one thing that Smart has that Artest didn't: sanity. A sane version of Artest probably would have made a lot more money in the NBA.
Smart's shooting this year (before last night):Another thing Smart has that Artest did not is a career shooting percentage of 35.6%.
Nah, not when there are guys that can shoot, like Robert Covington, out there.He is a role player and should be paid accordingly but will likely get more, likely by a poorly run team that will be in the lottery for the duration of his contract.
IT's health isn't a huge factor in the trade evaluation though, because the Celtics were never resigning him at a price he wanted. I was pretty sure the writing was on the wall after the Wizards series last year where he was completely exposed defensively. If I could see that, Brad and Danny *definitely* could.If it were Irving for a healthy IT + top 3 pick, I think Kyrie's play has convinced me it was still worth it. But part of why it feels crazy now is that the deal looks more like damaged IT + 5-10 pick, which is a HUGE step down in value.
http://realcavsfans.com/community/index.php?threads/kyrie-irving-celts-problem-now.47440/page-657Can start around here on that Kyrie thread for trade reactions: http://realcavsfans.com/community/index.php?threads/kyrie-irving-celts-problem-now.47440/page-657
I don't see anyone underestimating just how bad a shooter he is. He is a terrible shooter. He's also a good player despite that. The fact that he is a terrible shooter and will be a RFA probably means no one is going to offer him a contract in RFA this off-season.Another thing Smart has that Artest did not is a career shooting percentage of 35.6%.
His strengths are real but we continue to underestimate just how bad a shooter Smart is. He's not just bad, he's historically bad, and so far this year he is worse than ever. Ron Artest was a far superior shooter.
He is a role player and should be paid accordingly but will likely get more, likely by a poorly run team that will be in the lottery for the duration of his contract.
You can't compare Noel and Smart. Smart can help a winning team. A well-run team is a team that will be able to see his value beyond the shooting.The Mavs are a well run franchise and, considering that they wouldn't commit to Noel, are unlikely to commit to Smart
I have seen Smart compared to, off the top my head, Ron Artest, Jason Kidd, and Dennis Johnson. All three are bad comparisons because while they were all bad shooters, none were ever close to as bad as Smart.I don't see anyone underestimating just how bad a shooter he is. He is a terrible shooter.
I realize that you are not making the case that Smart is a good shooter, nor is anyone else. But even saying that he is terrible understates it. Given his position and shot frequency, he is the worst in the league at shooting, dead fucking last. Maybe the worst ever. That alone does not make him unworthy of a healthy deal in free agency, but it sure is a pretty big strike against him. And given the history of role plays on high profile teams getting overpaid in FA, and the Celtics having one of the sharper front offices out there, my money is one someone paying him more that Ainge and Zaren think he is worth. We already know that they are not willing to pay him what Smart's agent thinks he is worth.Marcus Smart was not the worst 3-point shooter in the league this season. But he was the worst 3-point shooter who routinely took a lot of threes. Smart took 4.2 3-pointers per game in 2016-17 and made 28.3 percent of them. Only two players in the 3-point era have taken four or more 3-pointers per game and shot a worse percentage than Smart did this season: Mookie Blaylock in 1997-98 and Latrell Sprewell in 1994-95. And it’s not like Smart was launching nothing but bad shots, either — 3.1 of his 3s per game came on spot-ups, which are usually high-quality looks. But Smart shot 31.2 percent on those.
Smart is allowing a mere 0.628 points per play in 78 possessions defended, per Synergy data. Among players with at least 75 possessions defended, Smart ranks fifth out of 171 total defenders (last on that list of 171: Crowder at 1.202 points per play; Bradley is 135th).
From that piece:Anyone see this? ESPN's BPI now predicts Celts will win 60 games this year. Also, Cleveland not expected to get to 50 wins. I'll take the under on Celts winning 60 games, but it would be great if they could do that, sans Hayward.
Even after Gordon Hayward endured that gruesome injury on opening night, BPI sees the Celtics as the overwhelming favorite to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals, giving them a 62.8 percent chance to make it the Finals and a 21.7 percent chance to win it all. The Celtics are currently projected to go 60-22, which is the second-best projected record in the league. The strength of their schedule so far is tied for 15th -- right in the middle -- so it's not as if they've had an easy slate of games. Going forward, they are tied for fourth-easiest strength of schedule remaining.
Ugh. I hope it isn’t anything severe.No Al tonight, concussion protocol according to EEI.
I think Jaylen likely got one too during the OKC game due to the absolutely reckless hit from Westbrook. It seems like the Cs have gotten a disproportionate number of hits to the head in the last few games - I feel like a number of them should have received either ejections or flagrants.I remember him getting hit in the Atlanta game, it was enough that there were game thread comments. Looks like this stems back to that.
Boston Celtics
@celtics
Al Horford will miss tonight’s game after entering the NBA’s concussion protocol. Horford’s first symptoms linking him to a possible concussion occurred this morning. Initially struck in the head on a foul called in the second quarter of Boston’s Nov. 6 contest at Atlanta.
12:48 PM · Nov 8, 2017
He missed 9 games last year at beginning of season...wasn't quite a month. Played in first 3 games I think, then missed the 9 straight.Didn't he miss like a month last year with a concussion?
It is amazing how little the consensus was for any contributions from the Celtics bench this year, yet here we are with Baynes, Semi, Rozier, and Theis playing critical minutes with big contributions on this 10 game winning streak.
These quotes from the game thread made me want to compare last year's team to this one.Kyrie has a ton of skill but this team one because they have a bunch of dogs; Rozier, Baynes, Theis, Smart, Brown; just a gritty win based on hustle and toughness.
These quotes from the game thread made me want to compare last year's team to this one.
1 -- IT4 vs Kyrie. Push at worst on the offensive end. Looks to be an improvement on the D end.
2 -- AB vs JB. Slight advantage to 2016.
3 -- Jae vs JT. Push for now? or slight advantage to 2016?
4 -- Al vs Al. Adv to 2017 as Al has taken his game up a level.
5 -- Amir vs Aron. Adv to 2017
Bench:
Marcus B vs Marcus B. Push.
Jerebko vs Marcus M. Adv to 2017
Terry vs Terry. Push or Adv to 2017 as TR looks a bit better this year (or at least has taken up where he left off in playoffs).
Zeller vs Theis. Adv to 2017
GG vs Semi. They both seem to have similar lack of fear for driving out of control to the hoop. GG is better as a shooter, but Semi looks to be much better on D.
Young vs Larkin. Adv to 2017
It's about shot creation and creating value in the possession by not allowing the opponent a FGA. Using motion in these end of quarter possessions does not allow you to properly manage the clock as the set generates the shot when it becomes available within the rhythm of the offense. You can execute it perfectly, score 2 points, and still give the opponent time to create a shot or worse, make a 3-point shot. It is as much about protecting your defense against transition and a quick hitter in these instances. All the Pierce iso-haters should have come to a realization of its value during that year and a half we had nobody to create shots in the halfcourt pre-Isaiah.Has there been any explanation for why the C's run a Smart iso at the end of quarters? Years ago, Pierce did these plays and it could be brutal to watch at times. With Smart, it's a whole other level of terrible. I think he finally hit a 3 the other night as the horn sounded and that was the first time I remembered a positive outcome. I'm surprised Stevens keeps running that play.
Likely the first time I've seen someone called a "dog" in regards to their play and it was a good thing.Kyrie has a ton of skill but this team one because they have a bunch of dogs; Rozier, Baynes, Theis, Smart, Brown; just a gritty win based on hustle and toughness.
Theiss had an upfake/slow drive from the 3 point line that was reminiscent of Olynyk. Although Theiss drove directly to the bucket where Olynyks would have taken a more east-west type of path.I think Olynyk to Theiss would be a better comp as Zeller was the end of Boston's big rotation.
Maybe because Dirt wasn’t the prefix?Likely the first time I've seen someone called a "dog" in regards to their play and it was a good thing.
Fair. I probably should have compared Morris to Olynyk and then compared Theis to Jerebko, but that's not ideal either.I think Olynyk to Theiss would be a better comp as Zeller was the end of Boston's big rotation.
How many teams in NBA history have had 6 rookies on their roster?Celtics are first team in NBA history (outside of initial season) to have 10 game winning streak that have at least 6 rookies play in at least 1 game during that stretch.
I dunno but the NBA draft used to be 8 rounds.How many teams in NBA history have had 6 rookies on their roster?
That's kind of the point, no?How many teams in NBA history have had 6 rookies on their roster?
I wonder if that means he has had no symptoms today and if that continues the next few hours, he's good to go.A. Sherrod Blakely @ASherrodblakely 13m13 minutes ago
The Celtics have UPGRADED Al Horford (concussion) to questionable for tonight's game against the #Hornets.
Concussion responses seem incredibly variable so I'm grateful for progress. They should be conservative both for Al's and the C's sakeI wonder if that means he has had no symptoms today and if that continues the next few hours, he's good to go.
Thanks but I knew this already. I was referring more to why have Smart execute the iso. It's one thing to have Paul Pierce creating - he's a threat to pop a shot or drive. Smart can't shoot from outside and his drives can get out of control quickly. I'd rather have Rozier take the ball.It's about shot creation and creating value in the possession by not allowing the opponent a FGA. Using motion in these end of quarter possessions does not allow you to properly manage the clock as the set generates the shot when it becomes available within the rhythm of the offense. You can execute it perfectly, score 2 points, and still give the opponent time to create a shot or worse, make a 3-point shot. It is as much about protecting your defense against transition and a quick hitter in these instances. All the Pierce iso-haters should have come to a realization of its value during that year and a half we had nobody to create shots in the halfcourt pre-Isaiah.
Rozier's inability to finish or facilitate makes that problematic, though.Thanks but I knew this already. I was referring more to why have Smart execute the iso. It's one thing to have Paul Pierce creating - he's a threat to pop a shot or drive. Smart can't shoot from outside and his drives can get out of control quickly. I'd rather have Rozier take the ball.