Celtics Preseason

Fishy1

Head Mason
SoSH Member
Nov 10, 2006
5,851
Training camp is upon us. Preseason games are shortly to follow. We've been spared this year talk of Sullinger's weight; instead, we are gifted with James Young's "An Argument From Increased Confidence":

Young has told reporters in the past that his confidence was up, but it never truly felt like he meant it. This time around?

“It’s very real,” Young said.
NBA.com

The preseason roster:
Olynyk and Green are out in the early-going (the former due to shoulder surgery; the latter due to hip flexor tightness).

First game is October 4th against Philadelphia. Figured this might be a nice place to talk about what we see as we get into actual game-play. I'm going to be interested in how Horford and IT play in the pick and roll (just how delicious?) and whether or not any of our goddamn wings will actually be able to shoot this year.
 

ifmanis5

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 29, 2007
63,659
Rotten Apple
I keep forgetting that we picked up Gerald Green.
Other key plotline for me is if Terry Rozier was just a summer league phenom or actually something.
 

Swedgin

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 27, 2013
700
First game is October 4th against Philadelphia. Figured this might be a nice place to talk about what we see as we get into actual game-play. I'm going to be interested in how Horford and IT play in the pick and roll (just how delicious?) and whether or not any of our goddamn wings will actually be able to shoot this year.
It would be a pleasant (and pretty big) surprise if Young or Hunter made a leap, but the roster should have plenty of shooting even if those two don't crack the rotation. Adding Horford to Kelly and Jerebko gives you three rotation bigs who can shoot the three. Assuming Crowder's shooting last year was development and not an aberation, then the Celtics can add to the spacing the bigs provide with him, IT, Bradley and Gerald Green.

My big question is does anyone other than IT provide play making/shot making when the offense does not generate an open look.
 

Sliceboy

New Member
Aug 19, 2016
21
Not good at all...Jae Crowder just called Jaylen Brown lazy and laid back and that he needs to find his motor in an interview with Mike G. and The White Mamba. Ugh. Not words I want to hear about the #3 overall pick. Pre-season of your first year is not the time to mail it in. That Philly draft day trade (#3 for Embiid or Noel + others) is sounding better and better.
 

nighthob

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
12,664
The offer was Noel and late firsts that Boston already had too many of. Not much of an offer.
 

Sliceboy

New Member
Aug 19, 2016
21
Not sure it was a bad offer....Noel was .521 shooter / 11 ppg / 8 rpg / 1.5 blocks (!) last year compared to a lazy, laid back wing with no motor who can't shoot. Reminder this criticism comes from a teammate who plays the same position; not a talking head. The question was supposed to be a softball from Mike Gorman and Jae eviscerated Jaylen on camera.
 

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
SoSH Member
Dec 16, 2010
53,716
Not good at all...Jae Crowder just called Jaylen Brown lazy and laid back and that he needs to find his motor in an interview with Mike G. and The White Mamba. Ugh. Not words I want to hear about the #3 overall pick. Pre-season of your first year is not the time to mail it in. That Philly draft day trade (#3 for Embiid or Noel + others) is sounding better and better.
There's a difference between calling Brown lazy and saying he plays "laid back/lazy". He's saying that the kid needs to go 100% when on the floor and he certainly didn't say he's mailing it in.
 

Fishy1

Head Mason
SoSH Member
Nov 10, 2006
5,851
There's a difference between calling Brown lazy and saying he plays "laid back/lazy". He's saying that the kid needs to go 100% when on the floor and he certainly didn't say he's mailing it in.
Here's the video he was talking about if anyone's interested: http://www.csnne.com/video/crowders-advice-rookie-jaylen-brown-gotta-get-motor?guid=crowder_jaylen

I'm also inclined not to want to read too much into this. (1) Jae Crowder is not the type of person who, when asked what he thinks of a rookie, simply answers he thinks he's great and ready to go (2) It's Jaylen's first practice, and Jae probably thinks he has to light a fire under the rookie. (3) It's good that Jae is there telling Jaylen how he can improve (4) There was plenty of praise from Jae as well.
 

nighthob

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
12,664
Not sure it was a bad offer....Noel was .521 shooter / 11 ppg / 8 rpg / 1.5 blocks (!) last year compared to a lazy, laid back wing with no motor who can't shoot. Reminder this criticism comes from a teammate who plays the same position; not a talking head. The question was supposed to be a softball from Mike Gorman and Jae eviscerated Jaylen on camera.
Noel is a pending free agent that would have limited Boston's flexibility in next summer's free agent market. It was a terrible offer.
 

Sprowl

mikey lowell of the sandbox
Dope
SoSH Member
Jun 27, 2006
34,435
Haiku
Here's the video he was talking about if anyone's interested: http://www.csnne.com/video/crowders-advice-rookie-jaylen-brown-gotta-get-motor?guid=crowder_jaylen

I'm also inclined not to want to read too much into this. (1) Jae Crowder is not the type of person who, when asked what he thinks of a rookie, simply answers he thinks he's great and ready to go (2) It's Jaylen's first practice, and Jae probably thinks he has to light a fire under the rookie. (3) It's good that Jae is there telling Jaylen how he can improve (4) There was plenty of praise from Jae as well.
And Jaylen Brown is a small forward, a position where Jae Crowder currently starts. Crowder might have a few reasons to put the rookie Brown in his place.

Just a few, just a few.

 

nighthob

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
12,664
And Jaylen Brown is a small forward, a position where Jae Crowder currently starts. Crowder might have a few reasons to put the rookie Brown in his place.

Just a few, just a few.
C'mon man, the season is already three practices old, Brown is clearly a bust!
 

Kliq

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 31, 2013
22,622
A fluke. Hield is not going to be any good, I had him ranked 659th on my draft board.
 

HomeRunBaker

bet squelcher
SoSH Member
Jan 15, 2004
30,028
I keep forgetting that we picked up Gerald Green.
Other key plotline for me is if Terry Rozier was just a summer league phenom or actually something.
Rozier was very real in the second half of last year, even more real in the summer, and I'll go out on a limb and say there is a greater than 0% chance that he is one of our best 3 players by the end of this season. He is ultimately going to make Isaiah trade bait rather than paying him an outrageous deal to avoid him hitting FA. Put this on record.
 

Eddie Jurak

canderson-lite
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2002
44,368
Melrose, MA
Rozier was very real in the second half of last year, even more real in the summer, and I'll go out on a limb and say there is a greater than 0% chance that he is one of our best 3 players by the end of this season. He is ultimately going to make Isaiah trade bait rather than paying him an outrageous deal to avoid him hitting FA. Put this on record.
Attention: Now boarding, HRB's Terry Rozier hype train!

(Note that I'm not saying you are wrong here.)
 

HomeRunBaker

bet squelcher
SoSH Member
Jan 15, 2004
30,028
Attention: Now boarding, HRB's Terry Rozier hype train!

(Note that I'm not saying you are wrong here.)
I've been on this train for awhile as he has the complete skillset to be a star in this leage. Now is his time to breakout ahead of Smart as our second unit leader to begin the year.
 

Koufax

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
5,930
Wow, that would be a terrible blow to Smart. Somebody is not going to be happy.

I got to see Rozier in the D-League where he was a man among boys. Hard to say how that translates, but he's quite an athlete.
 

nighthob

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
12,664
I've been on this train for awhile as he has the complete skillset to be a star in this leage. Now is his time to breakout ahead of Smart as our second unit leader to begin the year.
If Smart's new shooting form translates in games I expect him to join the starting five. I think Bradley is going to end up getting dealt sooner rather than later. Especially as their shiny new draft pick can play the 2-4 spots.
 

Eddie Jurak

canderson-lite
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2002
44,368
Melrose, MA
If Smart's new shooting form translates in games I expect him to join the starting five. I think Bradley is going to end up getting dealt sooner rather than later. Especially as their shiny new draft pick can play the 2-4 spots.
I've often thought that Bradley would be the guy to go, but look at how the Cs fared in Atlanta without him last year. On a team where he and IT are all that passes for good shooters, I'm not sure Bradley is an easy guy to subtract and make the team better.
 

nighthob

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
12,664
What they missed was the shooting, Boston's postseason disadvantage is severe size shortage in the backcourt. Bradley is best when turned loose on PGs, but that leaves them trying to hide Thomas on defense. If Smart and Rozier are average three point shooters that changes the calculus considerably, and makes Bradley expendable.

Rozier is essentially Bradley with the ability to dribble the ball. And if he can shoot threes at a 36%-38% rate then he's the better player regardless of Bradley's better success with corner treys.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 26, 2005
30,386
Rozier was very real in the second half of last year, even more real in the summer, and I'll go out on a limb and say there is a greater than 0% chance that he is one of our best 3 players by the end of this season. He is ultimately going to make Isaiah trade bait rather than paying him an outrageous deal to avoid him hitting FA. Put this on record.
Three best players = Horford, IT, and Crowder?

And doesn't like 1/2 this team have a greater than 0% chance of being in the top 3 players by the end of the season? I mean everyone other than probably Hunter, Jerakbo, Amir, Green and Zeller?
 

HomeRunBaker

bet squelcher
SoSH Member
Jan 15, 2004
30,028
If Smart's new shooting form translates in games I expect him to join the starting five. I think Bradley is going to end up getting dealt sooner rather than later. Especially as their shiny new draft pick can play the 2-4 spots.
Smart randomly jacked up a 30-footer in the rhythm of a standard offensive set the other night that hit glass first. All of these "Smart improved his shot" reports smell awfully similar to the "Sully lost weight" ones of the past. He's a nice role player we have to accept him for what he is......his awful shot selection has been an issue dating back to college and hasn't changed.
 

HomeRunBaker

bet squelcher
SoSH Member
Jan 15, 2004
30,028
Three best players = Horford, IT, and Crowder?

And doesn't like 1/2 this team have a greater than 0% chance of being in the top 3 players by the end of the season? I mean everyone other than probably Hunter, Jerakbo, Amir, Green and Zeller?
Sure which is why I feel Rozer at #3 isn't being irrational exuberance. Crowder is a role player so I'm 100% fine with him not being one of our top players on the floor......I don't want him asked to do too much or he is exposed. Rozier can reach IT's level fairly soon if he continues his rise as I expect.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 26, 2005
30,386
Smart randomly jacked up a 30-footer in the rhythm of a standard offensive set the other night that hit glass first. All of these "Smart improved his shot" reports smell awfully similar to the "Sully lost weight" ones of the past. He's a nice role player we have to accept him for what he is......his awful shot selection has been an issue dating back to college and hasn't changed.
jared Weiss broke down his new form here: http://www.celticsblog.com/2016/10/2/13135364/marcus-smart-boston-celtics-jump-shot-three-pointer-fixed-broken. Video looks much better (though I can't figure out how to post it so you'll have to go to the website).

Also, Marc D'Amico agrees that his shot is quicker and there is less movement.

 
Last edited:

TheRooster

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 3, 2001
2,483
I can see Rozier being a better all-around player than IT at some point, but I doubt he'll ever match him as a scorer. IT is a very impressive shot creator and maker.
 

nighthob

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
12,664
Smart randomly jacked up a 30-footer in the rhythm of a standard offensive set the other night that hit glass first. All of these "Smart improved his shot" reports smell awfully similar to the "Sully lost weight" ones of the past. He's a nice role player we have to accept him for what he is......his awful shot selection has been an issue dating back to college and hasn't changed.
I'm not going to argue about the shot selection, however in the footage I've seen the form is much, much better than last year. For one thing the release point is more consistent and he no longer looks like the Kendrick Perkins of guards. This is different than Sully, where we'd all read the stories about his new girlish figure and he still showed up wearing a truck tire around his waist.

I doubt Smart ever becomes a good three point shooter, but if he can become an average one he's an all star. He can also guard the 2/3 whereas Bradley struggles against bigger 2s. So I sort of expect Smart to take over the starting SG spot this year. Rozier replicates most of Bradley's game, with the addition of ballhandling, even if it's at the expense of the corner three shooting, and his emergence would help make Bradley expendable.
 

luckiestman

Son of the Harpy
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
32,598
If Rozier makes a mini leap, I will be very excited to see the team go small and have

Rozier (handle ball, defend the 2)

Bradley(play 2 on offense, defend on the ball)

Smart 3, Crowder 4, Horford 5
 

bowiac

Caveat: I know nothing about what I speak
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 18, 2003
12,945
New York, NY
I doubt Smart ever becomes a good three point shooter, but if he can become an average one he's an all star. He can also guard the 2/3 whereas Bradley struggles against bigger 2s. So I sort of expect Smart to take over the starting SG spot this year. Rozier replicates most of Bradley's game, with the addition of ballhandling, even if it's at the expense of the corner three shooting, and his emergence would help make Bradley expendable.
I agree with all of this. If Rozier really is having some kind of breakout, then I expect it will be mostly at Bradley's expense, not Smart's. Smart is going to spend a decent chunk of time guarding 3s this season when Crowder is out, or playing the 4. I think his playing time should be pretty safe.

Hard to really think of a return for Bradley of course that they wouldn't have taken anyway.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 26, 2005
30,386
Not good at all...Jae Crowder just called Jaylen Brown lazy and laid back and that he needs to find his motor in an interview with Mike G. and The White Mamba. Ugh. Not words I want to hear about the #3 overall pick. Pre-season of your first year is not the time to mail it in. That Philly draft day trade (#3 for Embiid or Noel + others) is sounding better and better.
Jae Crowder was not calling Jaylen Brown out. He just was saying what Jaylen needed to work on. Apparently, the two of them get along really well and Jae Crowder has become a mentor to Jaylen. One quote:

"Us just talking to him and taking him in, it’s big for him. I think he knows that," said Crowder. "He’s aware of it. I was telling him, 'You hanging around with Jimmy is the right thing. When I saw you do that, I knew you were on the right path, because Jimmy is a great worker.' If he’s going to work, then all the rest of that stuff kinda plays itself. I think us being in his corner is going to help him out a lot."
 

JohnnyTheBone

Member
SoSH Member
May 28, 2007
36,275
Nobody Cares
JAYLEN BROWN, with no regard for human life! He just threw down with authority against the Sixers at Mullins Center. He's uber-athletic and strong, but still just 19 years old. He's intellectually curious, a hard worker, and seems to do many things well. It's hard not to be excited about his future.
 

luckiestman

Son of the Harpy
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
32,598
Anyone know where I can torrent this game? I have league pass but apparently this is blacked out or something so I don't think they'll archive it
 
Last edited:

riboflav

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 20, 2006
9,546
NOVA
JAYLEN BROWN, with no regard for human life! He just threw down with authority against the Sixers at Mullins Center. He's uber-athletic and strong, but still just 19 years old. He's intellectually curious, a hard worker, and seems to do many things well. It's hard not to be excited about his future.
Lol on Holmes's attempt at helping on that
 

TheRooster

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 3, 2001
2,483
Decent but not markedly different. I guess Rozier's jumper looked smoother. I wish he had been able to control Philly 's point guards a bit better. Young looked much better than Hunter.
 

ifmanis5

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 29, 2007
63,659
Rotten Apple
Rozier looked good offensively, bad on defense. Jaylen had some had some nice passes and two highlight reel drives. Smart's missed three at the end was disappointing...
And it was another good night for Buddy, 18 pts, 5 reb, 2 ast, 7-14 fg in 28 minutes.
 

BigSoxFan

Member
SoSH Member
May 31, 2007
47,038
Rozier looked good offensively, bad on defense. Jaylen had some had some nice passes and two highlight reel drives. Smart's missed three at the end was disappointing...
And it was another good night for Buddy, 18 pts, 5 reb, 2 ast, 7-14 fg in 28 minutes.
Are we going to get daily Buddy updates this season?

:)