Agreed. I'm not sure who our "bench" is, but I am sure most teams would trade the talent they have on their bench for what the Cs have on theirs. Think Doc would like to have half the talent on his bench in LA? Their trade value though isn't that high. And Danny should only accept back players of value.I'm honestly perplexed there is pushback on this point - that the Celtics have an unusually deep roster?
We all agree the league is shifting. The point is that even after accounting of that shift, the Celtics are way towards the back. That's why I'm not relying on "playing 36+ minutes", but rather the Celtics relative rank in the league in MPG by their top starter. It's not just teams with perennial all-stars playing their top guys more: it's everyone.But the league is shifting. Just five years three dozen guys were playing 36+ minutes a night. Now there's ten. Teams are pretty clearly moving to limit starter minutes during the regular season.
Nothing definitive. Ainge is asked about it each Thursday morning on his weekly Toucher & Rich appearance. On Dec. 3rd, he said it would be "a couple more weeks". Last week, I think he said something like, he's rehabbing and doing well, but needs probably at least another week. I think 10 days from now, by Christmas, should be about right.Has there been an update on when Smart might return?
The entire East is inferior angle was so overplayed last season. The West was superior due to so many EC teams losing their star player and go-to guy. Carmelo in NY, Bosh in MIA, and George in IND......then Detroit added Jackson, Charlotte got Batum, the Magic matured a year while signing the perfect short term coach for them in Skiles. There really isn't anything surprising about the shift of power from last season if you look back on what occurred since the end of last season.The currently 10th-seeded Celtics would be fifth and challenging the Clippers for the fourth seed in the Western Conference right now.
Cats are marrying dogs, the whole world is upside down.
It's also December, when 7 teams are separated by 2 games in the standings. A bit early to look at seedings with such precision.The currently 10th-seeded Celtics would be fifth and challenging the Clippers for the fourth seed in the Western Conference right now.
Cats are marrying dogs, the whole world is upside down.
We are better since the Isaiah acquisition however he is a guy who takes advantage of teams lapses which don't typically occur down the stretch of tight games. The result is we have a 5'9 guard looking to get shots off against much longer defenders.Danny admits on radio today that the Celtics need a go-to scorer, especially at the end of games. He's right about that.
LINK: http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2015/12/boston_celtics_rumors_2015_dan_10.html
Isaiah was bitching about not starting last year in Phoenix and there was talk of one of the Suns guards being moved not necessarily Isaiah though. Toronto would be foolish to NOT offer DeRozan the max......it's a matter of where DeMar wants to play. He's going to get paid.HRB, two questions. Was Thomas on anyone's radar, as a target, at this time last year? Also, you had me excited last year about potentially nabbing Draymond Green. Is it likely that Derozan won't be made a Draymond type offer?
The problem with Lil' Zeke in Phoenix is the same one that Boston will have with him in the future. He is much better suited to coming off the bench where his defensive issues can be hidden than starting, but that he demands to start. I think he's always going to be one of those guys that wears out his welcome once teams are good enough to compete and can bring him off the bench (or even if they're not ready to compete and just have a good enough backcourt to use him properly).HRB, two questions. Was Thomas on anyone's radar, as a target, at this time last year? Also, you had me excited last year about potentially nabbing Draymond Green. Is it likely that Derozan won't be made a Draymond type offer?
Isaiah has not bitched about not starting in Boston, and once Smart went down he has shown that he can start. To me he has played well enough as a starter that it is an open question of whether they are better off with Thomas or Bradley starting once Smart comes back. (Smart should start once he is back and able to play starter minutes, in part for his defense and in part because either of the other two would be a better source of second unit offense). One of the really good things they were starting to do when Smart went down was use Isaiah as a catch and shoot guy in some sets, with Smart driving and dishing to him for open threes. That's a weapon we haven't seen much of since he went out.The problem with Lil' Zeke in Phoenix is the same one that Boston will have with him in the future. He is much better suited to coming off the bench where his defensive issues can be hidden than starting, but that he demands to start. I think he's always going to be one of those guys that wears out his welcome once teams are good enough to compete and can bring him off the bench (or even if they're not ready to compete and just have a good enough backcourt to use him properly).
Best Avery has played since that 20 game stretch when Ray Allen was hurt and he looked like a legit upgrade.A year ago I penned a whiny post about there not being any very good players on the Celtics. While that might still be true, there are now some players that are verging on that status, including Jae Crowder, Avery Bradley and Kelly Olynyk. It has been a pleasure to see the improvement in each of them. Avery seems to be the most improved. Last year he was a shooting guard who could not shoot. Now he can. Big, big difference.
It doesn't hurt that he gets a ton of open looks. For the life of me I can't believe how many open looks the Celts get.I'm starting to come around on Bradley. While I've always been high on the Celtics' talent level, Bradley was someone who felt like had a collection of misfit skills that didn't make for a particularly good player (someone who couldn't handle the ball, but didn't have the length to really guard most 2s). His emergence as a good (maybe very good) shooter has really mitigated those concerns.
Bradley's late-onset shooting ability gives me some hope for Sullinger, who is vying for Antoine Walker status (minus the volume) on that end.A year ago I penned a whiny post about there not being any very good players on the Celtics. While that might still be true, there are now some players that are verging on that status, including Jae Crowder, Avery Bradley and Kelly Olynyk. It has been a pleasure to see the improvement in each of them. Avery seems to be the most improved. Last year he was a shooting guard who could not shoot. Now he can. Big, big difference.
It doesn't hurt that he gets a ton of open looks. For the life of me I can't believe how many open looks the Celts get.
That is the trademark of a Scott Skiles overachieving team. They sacrifice offense for a stifling defense. It isn't usually pretty but it got a Brandon Jennings/John Salmons-led team to 46 wins and 7 games of a playoff series......that needs a minute to simmer and sink in. This was after taking over a 25-win Bulls team, implement his system and approach to a squad whose leading scorers were Kirk Hinrich and Eddy Curry that turned them into a 47-win team that won a few playoff games.They work really hard to get those looks. I went to a Magic game last week and that team is like the anti Celtics on offense. They can't run a pick and roll and Elfrid comes down the court in Rondoish fashion looking around at guys and no one moves.
Orlando plays really hard on D and I like quite a few of their players but their offense is painful to watch.
If only AB could figure out consistency (btw: AB starting might make sense, since he seems to be best in the 1st quarter)!A year ago I penned a whiny post about there not being any very good players on the Celtics. While that might still be true, there are now some players that are verging on that status, including Jae Crowder, Avery Bradley and Kelly Olynyk. It has been a pleasure to see the improvement in each of them. Avery seems to be the most improved. Last year he was a shooting guard who could not shoot. Now he can. Big, big difference.
Eddie Jurak covered this, he's spending more more time at the SF spot this year than last. Last year he spent nearly all his time at the PF spot and very little time at the SF spot (he spent more time as a C than a SF). This year he's been a swing forward rather than a smallball 4/5 and he's just not very good at the SF spot, and the 4/5 is too crowded this year for him to get much time there.He seems much worse this year than last, though. Why?
Jerebko has 405 minutes this year, including 88 minutes in lineups with both Lee and Olynyk. That is at least 22% of his minutes at SF, no?I wouldn't read too much into the position thing - he's only spent 8% of his time at SF this year.
This is a good catch. I was using Basketball-Reference's position estimates (which say 8%), but their estimates are just based on relative height (e.g., the 3rd tallest player is always coded as the SF). That's usually fine, and I thought it wouldn't be an issue on the Celtics for Jerebko, but forgot he's listed at 6'10" to David Lee's 6'9". So when they play together, BBRef thinks Jerebko is playing the 4, and Lee is playing is the 3.Jerebko has 405 minutes this year, including 88 minutes in lineups with both Lee and Olynyk. That is at least 22% of his minutes at SF, no?
That is the trademark of a Scott Skiles overachieving team. They sacrifice offense for a stifling defense. It isn't usually pretty but it got a Brandon Jennings/John Salmons-led team to 46 wins and 7 games of a playoff series......that needs a minute to simmer and sink in. This was after taking over a 25-win Bulls team, implement his system and approach to a squad whose leading scorers were Kirk Hinrich and Eddy Curry that turned them into a 47-win team that won a few playoff games.
It's no surprise he's taken a 25-57 team and has them at 17-13 even with such a young team who has never experienced success. Head Coaches in this league rarely win Championships or make a difference with a legit contender......mega superstars do that. Head Coaches can take underachieving teams or bad teams and make them respectable with a culture change and a focus on the defensive end. Skiles, Stevens, Clifford, etc are some examples of that.
This Orlando roster was, more or less, made for Skiles. It's loaded with young, athletic players that can play defense with proper direction. And they have so many of them that they can, like Boston, just keep coming at you all night long. I don't think either team makes it out of the first round (as presently constituted), but they're both going to die trying.That is the trademark of a Scott Skiles overachieving team. They sacrifice offense for a stifling defense. It isn't usually pretty but it got a Brandon Jennings/John Salmons-led team to 46 wins and 7 games of a playoff series......that needs a minute to simmer and sink in. This was after taking over a 25-win Bulls team, implement his system and approach to a squad whose leading scorers were Kirk Hinrich and Eddy Curry that turned them into a 47-win team that won a few playoff games.
It's no surprise he's taken a 25-57 team and has them at 17-13 even with such a young team who has never experienced success. Head Coaches in this league rarely win Championships or make a difference with a legit contender......mega superstars do that. Head Coaches can take underachieving teams or bad teams and make them respectable with a culture change and a focus on the defensive end. Skiles, Stevens, Clifford, etc are some examples of that.
Yes, I love getting to games when the doors open you get such a good feel for the players work ethic by their approach in the 60-90 minutes before the game and during halftime. That is impressive about Harden considering it was the Rockets 3rd game in 4 nights with travel following each game and their 9th game in 14 days while he is playing heavy minutes each night. In fairness to others we don't know what their workout was during shootaround or pre-game prior to the doors opening but I look for how the players approach the time they have on the floor pregame and halftime even more than who is out there for this reason.I don't know if you wrote it here or elsewhere about liking to watch warm ups but I got to the game early and Harden was the only player I saw really working before the game and coming out at half. I mean an hour before the game he was out there taking a lot of shots. Marcus Thornton was out for a while but Harden was out the longest. I was impressed by this.
Dallas signing him would be a third big benefit.Shams Charania @ShamsCharania 7m7 minutes ago
The Dallas Mavericks are significant frontrunners for free agent David Lee, who was waived by Boston, league sources tell The Vertical.
Bobby Marks @BobbyMarks42 5m5 minutes ago
2 big benefits for Boston with the David Lee buyout, open roster spot and $23m cap hold in July is off the books.
He'll get all of Lee's minutes for sure.Jordan Mickey time!