Those two things are related.It’s been a layup line against the Celtics defense for much of this season, but TL often being out of position is the problem?
TL isn’t on the court for two thirds of the games. He defends the rim when he’s out there. Calling out TL for being out of position defensively when every game his more experienced teammates make mistake after mistake, or just get beat when in position, is weak.Those two things are related.
Meh, people call out other guys for bad D too, we've had many discussions about Jaylen's fall off, Kemba not keeping guys in front, TT's lack of explosiveness etc.TL isn’t on the court for two thirds of the games. He defends the rim when he’s out there. Calling out TL for being out of position defensively when every game his more experienced teammates make mistake after mistake, or just get beat when in position, is weak.
It helps that he can literally touch the sky.I love seeing young guys figure it out. You can see his confidence growing by the game. Sky’s the limit.
He was great nearly the entire game to earn those minutes and he responded. These are the types of leaps you want to see in young players.He was great in the fourth. Has great chemistry with Brown and PP. F Theis and TT, RW needs to play the last 9 minutes of every game.
I don't know if there's a stat that could capture this, but to my eyes, he clearly wards people off the rim and changes how the other team wants to and can attack at the rim.Meh, people call out other guys for bad D too, we've had many discussions about Jaylen's fall off, Kemba not keeping guys in front, TT's lack of explosiveness etc.
Also, he's not defending the rim when he's out there, we give up a higher FG% at the rim when he's on the court than when he is off. And individually, when he's the defender, his man is shooting 3.5% better at the rim than vs. Thompson, 6.5% better than Theis.
The reason people note his poor positioning is that he has the best tools of any of our post defenders, and SHOULD be a force at the rim, but he gets out of position and chases blocks too much, and accordingly he actually is our worst post defender. He gets steals and he's pretty good on switches, plus blocks, but he's not really defending the rim like a guy with his skillset and physical tools should.
It's possible, one of the hardest things to really track is deterrence. I don't know that I totally agree. I think he's a good space defender and help defender, but a lot of teams are able to use movement by guards to lure him out and get their bigs easy layups.I don't know if there's a stat that could capture this, but to my eyes, he clearly wards people off the rim and changes how the other team wants to and can attack at the rim.
We need to pair him with Pau Gasol in the offseason to work on stretching out that neck. He’ll report back to camp at 7-1.He looks so much taller than 6-8, regardless of arm length. Does he just have an extremely short neck?
Remember the preseason chatter that Tatum had grown to 6-10? When I see Williams and Tatum next to each other, Time Lord appears taller.He looks so much taller than 6-8, regardless of arm length. Does he just have an extremely short neck?
I think we all have a tendency to focus on what good players can't do. (Great players can do most everything). It could be that he'll always be great at several aspects of defense and we'll have to settle for him being adequate in others.To the above point about TL’s post defense he isn’t a very good low post defender due to his lack of size/bulk when a bigger player has the ball in position He is a GREAT weak side defender due to his ability to alter/block shots. These are two very different skills for a big and shouldn’t ever be lumped into one “defender” category.
Just watching the games, I dont think there's any doubt that almost everyone under 6'7" driving to the rim is concerned that he's on the floor.I don't know if there's a stat that could capture this, but to my eyes, he clearly wards people off the rim and changes how the other team wants to and can attack at the rim.
I doubt we see TL at 30 mpg until the playoffs and maybe not even then.He's not just ending lobs with violence -- they're getting him the ball occasionally at the arc or elbows and letting him make decisions. His vision has greatly improved, and he's decisive when he has the ball. If there's a lane to the hoop he's going and godspeed, otherwise he's whipping a pass for an open look. Dude is a difference maker already, but if he can get his conditioning to the point where he can go for 30 a game then he's genuine threat other teams will have to start game planning for, which will open up the floor for everyone else.
I'd like to see Kemba learn how to work with him more: that vertical spacing would probably give him the room he's been lacking for rim finishes. Similar thing with PP, who is generating a lot of space for potential layups just with the threat of that lob. (He probably could have just laid it up on both his highlight lobs yesterday when TL went over Zubac).I doubt we see TL at 30 mpg until the playoffs and maybe not even then.
The vertical spacing TL provides is really important though. Defenders have to account for him so they are closer to the hoop on PnRs, which gives ballhandlers more room to operate. I just hope he stays healthy this entire year (knock on wood) - would be great to see what numbers he could put up.
Agree. It also works the other way because with Kemba a threat to pull up, the Cs have to play a step closer on the drop coverage, leaving TL wide open at the rim.I'd like to see Kemba learn how to work with him more: that vertical spacing would probably give him the room he's been lacking for rim finishes. Similar thing with PP, who is generating a lot of space for potential layups just with the threat of that lob. (He probably could have just laid it up on both his highlight lobs yesterday when TL went over Zubac).
Side note on those--both were fouls imo. Brad needs to hire an theater major as an assistant coach, so our guys learn how to sell calls better.I'd like to see Kemba learn how to work with him more: that vertical spacing would probably give him the room he's been lacking for rim finishes. Similar thing with PP, who is generating a lot of space for potential layups just with the threat of that lob. (He probably could have just laid it up on both his highlight lobs yesterday when TL went over Zubac).
You can't help but notice that wings/ballhandlers veer away from the rim when TL is in the paint. Brad should copy some of Utah/Gobert defensive sets. Once CBS figures that out he could start using Tacko as a 3rd string/10mpg Center (next seasons business)Just watching the games, I dont think there's any doubt that almost everyone under 6'7" driving to the rim is concerned that he's on the floor.
His conditioning is fine (hip/injuries are different). But to get to 26-30mpg he'd need to start.. Dude is a difference maker already, but if he can get his conditioning to the point where he can go for 30 a game then he's genuine threat other teams will have to start game planning for, which will open up the floor for everyone else.
Seems like he's starting to realize the impact he can have as a rebounder as well as a shot-blocker. He's been grabbing some contested rebounds that, as you note, the C's other bigs wouldn't get.Most importantly to me is that he grabs rebounds that Theis or Thompson just wouldn't get. When he gets switched out onto the perimeter, he is still the biggest threat to come crashing back in and grabbing the rebound off a miss, even if he gives up a semi open look from the guy he got switched onto.
I think Theis fills that role capably, but it would be ideal to have a stretch-4 who was a deadeye shooter.Isn't that a description of Theis? He and Kemba pulled off that play three times in a row in the closing minutes of the Wizards game.
There was a play last night, I think in the first half, where Tatum practically waltzed to the rim without a challenge simply because the defender was hedging too far against a TL lob. His gravity can have a real impact on getting easy buckets, whether for himself or for his teammates, which is something the team has struggled with when the offense stagnates. His mobility, passing, and general aggression on O sort of naturally push the team away from stagnation. Things happen when he is on the floor, and more and more those things are more often good than they are bad.I'd like to see Kemba learn how to work with him more: that vertical spacing would probably give him the room he's been lacking for rim finishes. Similar thing with PP, who is generating a lot of space for potential layups just with the threat of that lob. (He probably could have just laid it up on both his highlight lobs yesterday when TL went over Zubac).
Win shares isn't perfect stat but found it interesting to look at the current bigs:There was a play last night, I think in the first half, where Tatum practically waltzed to the rim without a challenge simply because the defender was hedging too far against a TL lob. His gravity can have a real impact on getting easy buckets, whether for himself or for his teammates, which is something the team has struggled with when the offense stagnates. His mobility, passing, and general aggression on O sort of naturally push the team away from stagnation. Things happen when he is on the floor, and more and more those things are more often good than they are bad.
When you look at the trajectory of his comps, year 3 is where it happens. The raw stats don't bear it out because he isn't getting huge minutes, but the pieces are coming together for him to hit the possibilities we have been hoping for.
Jayson Tatum?I think Theis fills that role capably, but it would be ideal to have a stretch-4 who was a deadeye shooter.
Minor quibble - I think most people would agree that Javonte is the best defender off the bench right now. Saying he can't stay in front of a chair is, well, probably overemphasizing the fact that (i) he gets the toughest defensive assignment, (ii) he's also tasked with defending quick guards and wings, which maybe isn't his absolute strength, (iii) his athleticism is more explosive than quickness so try as hard as Brad may, JG isn't going to turn into Tony Allen, and (iv) the team defense behind him hasn't been great.but switch Ojeleye for Grant, who hasn't been able to stay in front of a chair all year.
He had some big rebounds last night that I thought were really key to winning the game.Most importantly to me is that he grabs rebounds that Theis or Thompson just wouldn't get.
He said Grant, short for Granite Williams.Minor quibble - I think most people would agree that Javonte is the best defender off the bench right now. Saying he can't stay in front of a chair is, well, probably overemphasizing the fact that (i) he gets the toughest defensive assignment, (ii) he's also tasked with defending quick guards and wings, which maybe isn't his absolute strength, (iii) his athleticism is more explosive than quickness so try as hard as Brad may, JG isn't going to turn into Tony Allen, and (iv) the team defense behind him hasn't been great.
A lot one can criticize JG about but defense - particularly effort - isn't really one of them.
You're right. If Hayward, for example, were still on the roster, and everybody was healthy, the C's could have Kemba at the 1, Jaylen at the 2, Hayward at the 3, Tatum at the 4, and Time Lord at the 5, with Smart leading the reserves.Jayson Tatum?
Tatum at the 4 is 100% what the Celtics would be doing if they had more wing depth; he's easily big/strong enough to be a modern 4.
Yeah, I said Grant Williams, but I wouldn't disagree with any of this! Javonte has been pretty good one-on-one. If he would hit corner threes as well as Semi does, he'd have taken all his minutes.Minor quibble - I think most people would agree that Javonte is the best defender off the bench right now. Saying he can't stay in front of a chair is, well, probably overemphasizing the fact that (i) he gets the toughest defensive assignment, (ii) he's also tasked with defending quick guards and wings, which maybe isn't his absolute strength, (iii) his athleticism is more explosive than quickness so try as hard as Brad may, JG isn't going to turn into Tony Allen, and (iv) the team defense behind him hasn't been great.
A lot one can criticize JG about but defense - particularly effort - isn't really one of them.
Oops. Need to get my eyes - or brain (or both) - checked.He said Grant, short for Granite Williams.
Last night, I’d swear Kemba took at least three shots that were relatively low percentage just because he saw TL well positioned and knew he’d get the miss. Which he did.Most importantly to me is that he grabs rebounds that Theis or Thompson just wouldn't get. When he gets switched out onto the perimeter, he is still the biggest threat to come crashing back in and grabbing the rebound off a miss, even if he gives up a semi open look from the guy he got switched onto.