Yes, when the Lakers drafted Ball rather than coming to their senses and drafting Tatum.Actually, Jackson was scheduled to work out for them, but then blew them off after Brad, Danny and Zarren flew cross country. We dodged a bullet!
Yes, when the Lakers drafted Ball rather than coming to their senses and drafting Tatum.Actually, Jackson was scheduled to work out for them, but then blew them off after Brad, Danny and Zarren flew cross country. We dodged a bullet!
Brodgon missed the Toronto game, and had only one assist in 47 minutes over two games against Miami. Hauser only got three shots in 17 minutes in the BK game, when Brogdon had 8 assists, hitting one. MB had been searching out Hauser frequently with drive and kick passes, but defenders are now hugging up on Hauser.He's 3-12 over his last 4 games, and just as important his +/- over that stretch (when his team was 3-1) was -18 in just over 50 minutes played. It's a very minor cold stretch but it is indeed a cold stretch.
Yeah that’s right. I knew it was something funky and out of the norm about the workout.Actually, Jackson was scheduled to work out for them, but then blew them off after Brad, Danny and Zarren flew cross country. We dodged a bullet!
Brogdon will get 20 per game if no help comes when he drives the lane. Choose your poison with two players who, for all intents and purposes, weren’t on last year’s team. Well done POBOBS.Brodgon missed the Toronto game, and had only one assist in 47 minutes over two games against Miami. Hauser only got three shots in 17 minutes in the BK game, when Brogdon had 8 assists, hitting one. MB had been searching out Hauser frequently with drive and kick passes, but defenders are now hugging up on Hauser.
Lebron and Wade were better but they are the next best thing.JB and JT are the best pair of wings on both ends of the court since Michael and Scottie. And like them, are homegrown. It’s a beautiful thing.
He was a 2 for most of his career, including all four Lebron years. If the league is divided into point guards, wings and bigs, Wade was definitely a wing (Mario Chalmers was a full-time starter for all of Lebron's Miami career).Minor quibble - Wade was not a wing.
From what I recall, Josh Jackson had a promise from then-GM of the Suns, Ryan McDonough, who then proceeded to try and screw Danny Ainge from ever meeting with him.Yeah that’s right. I knew it was something funky and out of the norm about the workout.
“And it seems like if Coach K had just minded his own business, Tatum might be a Sun right now regardless.”
I'm not an expert on this, but what I have noticed is that teams are paying more attention to him and he is working on getting his shot off faster, without the same success as when he has all day. I also notice more examples of him not just standing and waiting for the pass but running to the spot where he gets the pass and shooting immediately. He hit one three I remember where he came around a pick as he received the pass. So, I think defenders are focusing on him more and he is working on being able to be more than just a wide-open catch and shoot guy, but it is a work in progress.I think that Hauser is generally getting slightly worse looks as the offense bogged down lately. I'm not sure if it's his openness or whether it's a flow thing, but I suspect the latter. When the offense is flowing, everyone is getting looks in rhythm. There has been less of that lately. Also book is out that Hauser can shoot, so he's getting picked up within 5 feet of the line. Before he was drifting around with less attention.
Griffin said he has accepted his role in Boston, which is whatever coach Joe Mazzulla asks. There are going to be nights when Griffin contributes to a win and others when he doesn’t leave the bench. He’s at peace with that.
“It’s great to be out there,” he said. “But my role here is to do exactly what is asked. Just be ready. It’s always great to be out there. I always want to be out there. We have the luxury of having so many great players and guys on the bench who could play a lot of minutes for other teams. But sometimes you sacrifice things to be on a team like this.”
Griffin admitted he reported to the Celtics in good physical shape but not in premium basketball shape. He’s worked the past six weeks to improve his endurance and the results have been flashes of athleticism from his past.
“It took me a couple of weeks, maybe a month to get my legs back under me,” he said. “When I came in here, I was working out, but nothing gets you in shape like really ramping up, playing 5-on-5. I hadn’t done anything of that. I’ve felt great for the past month or so.”
Mazzulla said he has no hesitation playing Griffin in key stretches.
“He works every day so I know he’s getting better every day,” Mazzulla said. “He works. He’s in shape. Guys love him. He communicates. He’s physical. I thought he was very good on the defensive end and did a good job maintaining our spacing on the offensive end.”
Mazzulla said he understood Griffin’s resume as a former All-Star but also a player who played sparingly over the past few years with the Brooklyn Nets. Griffin is proving he has more to offer than perhaps he was allowed to show with the Nets.
“I just had to learn about him as a player as I had to do with all the guys that I coach every day,” Mazzulla said. “He’s just always ready and I trust him and we’re very grateful to have a deep bench like that. When it’s not your night you understand and when it is, you deliver like that. He was great.”
Griffin said he does not need more clarity on his role. He understands there are younger players in front of him, so his time will be limited.
“I just tell him if he needs me to play, I’ll play at the end of games,” Griffin said. “We discussed my role for sure but I also told him I don’t always need an explanation. He can focus on coaching. He doesn’t have to explain to me why he’s doing this or that. It’s not going to change how I prepare or how I feel about this team or what I give to this team.
This is a great example of why contenders fill their deep bench with older players as opposed to those in their 20’s who are “looking to get theirs” to elevate their status and get that next contract. For a team focused on winning just imagine the comfort of having a couple guys like this at the end of the bench rather than some kids whining about playing time, etc.Can't imagine a better veteran pick-up:
Blake Griffin understands his role with the Celtics, and he’s playing it perfectly - The Boston Globe
If you are going with the Wade played the two because he only played with one other guard thing, then we would have to consider Jordan not a wing either.Minor quibble - Wade was not a wing.
SG, SF, PF (2,3,4) are all WINGsIf you are going with the Wade played the two because he only played with one other guard thing, then we would have to consider Jordan not a wing either.
And if that's the case, what do we do with Jaylen whenever the Celtics played two bigs and Tatum?
I agree. So what is the argument against Wade being a wing?SG, SF, PF (2,3,4) are all WINGs
Wade is definitely a WING along with MJ. Both of those rosters were littered with PGs.I agree. So what is the argument against Wade being a wing?
Multiple championships are required to get into the conversation.MJ/Pippen
Bron/Wade
I guess people could argue which duo is 1 and 2?
eFG% and the power of the 3 may eventually help the JAY argument
What else would you consider him?Minor quibble - Wade was not a wing.
In todays game a 4 can be a wing in many cases but when Wade played that wasn’t considered the case.SG, SF, PF (2,3,4) are all WINGs
Fantastic numbers. Love the Hauser data, but Tatum--that's all-defense stuff right there. For a guy who's true shooting .624 and has a usage of 33, we have to think that the Tatum is knocking on the door of the best player in the world conversation right now even if MVP voters will keep oogling at the PPG guys.
Tatum is a lot closer to being peak Kawhi with passing vision than (non Celtics homers) people want to admit.
They've done this without owing any picks beyond 2023. Given how good Tatum and Brown have become, that puts them in a position where they can always bid on top-notch supporting pieces that become available.Pay POBOBS whatever he wants for as long as he wants to do this job.
That Saturday atmosphere is going to be electric.Impressive road win against the team with the best record in the WC given that the Celtics could have fallen into the trap of looking ahead to Saturday's matchup against the Warriors.
Will that be enough time for Horford’s lower back-to-back injury to heal?That Saturday atmosphere is going to be electric.
He was in health and safety protocols against Phoenix.Will that be enough time for Horford’s lower back-to-back injury to heal?
Oh, right. Wrong code book. Thanks.He was in health and safety protocols against Phoenix.
I am waiting for the Griffin experiment to implode, but you are right, that he looks very playable against most.Kornet and Griffin both seem very playable defensively at the 5, against most opponents.
Agree re Kornet. He's been consistently making tricky finishes as a roller now; very impressive. The list of available centers who would be an upgrade on him is very, very short.I am waiting for the Griffin experiment to implode, but you are right, that he looks very playable against most.
I am starting to think that Kornet is not only playable, but actually a very good player in this league. He has great defensive instincts (that block on CP3's attempted alley-oop last night as a perfect example), is way more nimble around the hoop on the offensive end than we think (grabs some bad passes and throws them down), is a decent screener, and doesn't freak out with the ball if the first read isn't there.
And he is a big goof which is always enjoyable. Was that a unicorn symbol he flashed last night?
And given how little we're paying Kornet, seems like an easy decision to just keep him as 3rd center. He's unselfish, does all the little things, and provides great rim protection for a second or third-string center.Agree re Kornet. He's been consistently making tricky finishes as a roller now; very impressive. The list of available centers who would be an upgrade on him is very, very short.
Does Blake look more athletic now than he did at the start of the season or in Brooklyn? He seems to not be a mismatch on defense and is getting to a lot of rebounds. Being frozen in carbonite and then thawed out to play every 5 games seems to be good for his body.
I bet they've decided that, even if Kornet were shooting like his first 2 years in the league (36% on high volume), it makes more sense for him to roll or pass almost all the time.And given how little we're paying Kornet, seems like an easy decision to just keep him as 3rd center. He's unselfish, does all the little things, and provides great rim protection for a second or third-string center.
I'd add that if he can rediscover his three-point stroke, it gives the bench another look. For now, though, he should just keep rolling rolling rolling...
Yeah, I definitely hear you and I think you're right. I mean he's finishing 2's at 75% this year, so he would have to shoot an insane percentage on threes to make the pick and pop really worth it. I think one or two of those a game would really frustrate second units; on the other hand, he was shooting miserably even in the G league last year and he's become a rim roll monster... so why bother?I bet they've decided that, even if Kornet were shooting like his first 2 years in the league (36% on high volume), it makes more sense for him to roll or pass almost all the time.
Guys are laying off deadly floater threats like Brogdon and Jaylen to stop Kornet lobs, and when you combine their shooting % with Kornet's offensive rebound equity, it's probably hard to justify Kornet shooting.
This is one area where he's a big upgrade on Theis: Theis just wasn't big enough to finish tons inside, so he needed to shoot that mediocre 3 against some teams to make the offense work.
UniKorn symbol. It sure looked like it.Was that a unicorn symbol he flashed last night?
This and his positioning are what stand out most. Kornet rarely seems lost out there and its huge.I am starting to think that Kornet is not only playable, but actually a very good player in this league. He has great defensive instincts (that block on CP3's attempted alley-oop last night as a perfect example), is way more nimble around the hoop on the offensive end than we think (grabs some bad passes and throws them down), is a decent screener, and doesn't freak out with the ball if the first read isn't there.
And he is a big goof which is always enjoyable. Was that a unicorn symbol he flashed last night?
Before the season, Jaylen said that Mazzulla "doesn't see any limits to my game." Rather than hiding Jaylen from ball-handling to limit turnovers, they've been giving him more on-ball responsibility as the season has gone on, giving him a chance to level up what he can do further, even if it's ugly sometimes.Brown is averaging 27 ppg. I repeat, Jaylen Brown, who couldn't dribble and had a broken jumper and averaged 6 ppg his rookie year, is now averaging 27 ppg. And he's shooting almost 50% from the field, despite having a below-average three point percentage, which he is due for some positive regression on. His handle and his shot have continued to improve, and now he is a legitimate #1 option in the NBA, and has proven it during times when Tatum has either sat, or when Tatum has just been bad. He still turns the ball over too much, but other than that he has improved again after making a big leap last year, and the year before that. He has this confidence and swagger that is infectious; he was the main man responsible for burying the Suns last night, not just with his skill and athleticism, but his will to win. This is in the middle of a long road trip, playing a top team in the West, and Brown was bullying them off the floor in the second quarter, out muscling guys at the basket and abusing Devin Booker, giving him four fouls before halftime and closing the book on Phoenix before the game was even half over.
Jaylen is really streaky, which has been a good thing because he can anchor stretches where Tatum is sitting, or Tatum is just off. A big thing is that his jumper starts falling and he can just rain them down on opponents when he gets going. He is shooting 64% from 10-16 feet and 50% from 16 feet to the three point line. His three point shooting (34%) is slightly poor, but he has more than made up for that with his efficiency from mid-range.Before the season, Jaylen said that Mazzulla "doesn't see any limits to my game." Rather than hiding Jaylen from ball-handling to limit turnovers, they've been giving him more on-ball responsibility as the season has gone on, giving him a chance to level up what he can do further, even if it's ugly sometimes.
Really exciting stuff, and good use of the regular season.
Blake should continue to look better the more he plays. Injured veteran bigs spend the offseason resting and not grinding so it generally takes them time to play into shape. We saw this with Embiid to start the year and there are many other examples….even Horford to a degree. So I’m looking for some improvement rather than an implosion.Agree re Kornet. He's been consistently making tricky finishes as a roller now; very impressive. The list of available centers who would be an upgrade on him is very, very short.
Does Blake look more athletic now than he did at the start of the season or in Brooklyn? He seems to not be a mismatch on defense and is getting to a lot of rebounds. Being frozen in carbonite and then thawed out to play every 5 games seems to be good for his body.
It sounds trite or "no kidding Captain Obvious" or something, but solid instincts and even some mild athleticism goes a long way when you're a legit 7'2". We generally say its significant when a 6'3" - 6'5" guard matches up with one who is 6'1". Kornet has that height advantage over almost everyone he plays against.Kornet…..man. We’ve got that team option robbery for next year but if he remains healthy and continues to improve this man is going to get paid by someone in two summers.