I think most wanted TL's rehab timeline to be conservative and not rushed. He looks 100% nowYeah funny how before the season some people were suggesting (I know not totally seriously) that the Cs shouldn't play TL until after the ASB.
TL's currently playing about 20 mpg. We're in Game 40. When they come back from ASB it will be game 60. My guess is that they will insert him into the starting line-up at that point and start ramping him up to go 30 mpg.
I don't think we need to be optimzing for regular season wins. I do think the optimal playoff plan is not there and the team has half a seaosn to figure it out.It's funny how fast we've gone from just wanting Rob healthy for the playoffs to wanting to optimize his minutes for regular season wins.
The Celtics are 28-12 while playing down to bad opponents and playing up to good ones. In terms of both record and approach, those are good/fine things.
I’m not sure this occurs without him being able to play 30-32 mpg which isn’t really necessary during the regular season. I have said all year that when he returns I feel his best role is to play the 2Q and 4Q.I think everyone knows Rob will eventually be starting. I don't see any reason to worry about the timing of that.
I’ve been thinking about this too. Perhaps before and after the ASB. A week of games off plus the ASB is 2 weeks. Can mix and match who gets before and after the ASB to keep most of the top 9 on the floor together. Then the team ramps up for about a month too get into good habits, and then takes their foot slightly off the accelerator (mostly lower minutes for the top 8, plus a game or 2 off each) to allow for another 2 weeks to heal/rest prior to the playoffs.If his knee isn't good enough right now to jump off of either leg to dunk with no hesitation, we should be asking ourselves "which would be the best 2-week stretch to have him get the Hellenic Flu and give him a recovery fortnight?"
Horford and Smart could use one of those too.
I havent noticed any issues with his confidence jumping so far.If his knee isn't good enough right now to jump off of either leg to dunk with no hesitation, we should be asking ourselves "which would be the best 2-week stretch to have him get the Hellenic Flu and give him a recovery fortnight?"
Horford and Smart could use one of those too.
It was noticed in the Spurs gamethread, that TL didn't dunk on that block he returned for a touchdown, because he can only jump off of one foot and his stride took him to the other one, so he laid it up.I havent noticed any issues with his confidence jumping so far.
Here is the play.It was noticed in the Spurs gamethread, that TL didn't dunk on that block he returned for a touchdown, because he can only jump off of one foot and his stride took him to the other one, so he laid it up.
Thanks for posting the link. I was expecting to see Willis Reed lumbering in for a layup…..not TL extending to block a 3-pt shot, outrunning a guard to the ball in the backcourt, gathering it at full speed and elevating on the gather to lay it in at said full speed.Here is the play.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Qc5ZWhEo5_s
His injured knee was the left, he jumped off the right on this one.
It looked to me more like an awkward lead up / underestimating how far he had to go than any physical issue.
I think there's a bit of a disconnect. When talking to reporters, TL said his knee "buckled" a bit so he settled for a layup. To my knowledge, reporters did not ask any follow-up questions, like which knee buckled or whether that knee bothered him the rest of the game. Hopefully no news is good news.It was noticed in the Spurs gamethread, that TL didn't dunk on that block he returned for a touchdown, because he can only jump off of one foot and his stride took him to the other one, so he laid it up.
Durability just doesn't come into consideration in these votes. Since 2018 when Tatum came into the league, he's averaged 73 games per year, astronomical compared with Durant (47) and Embiid (59). Tatum is again on pace for 75+ this year, while Embiid and Durant have already had serious injuries and will struggle to break 60. I get why Tatum won't finish in the top 3 in the frontcourt fan vote (a popularity contest), but:The Athletic article today naming their All-Star teams made me realize that with Giannis, Durant and Embiid, it's possible Tatum isn't named an All Star starter.
I thought I heard Scal say that he expected Smart to play tomorrow. I could be wrong though.So that's 2 games off for Smart. A third tomorrow, in all likelihood. I didn't see what's been reported wrong with him. Do we think he's getting his recovery fortnight, or will it be like the 2 games / one week off he got in November?
If we need to abide by the stupid rules, then Embiid has to be in there because of him being a center. Maybe you could get creative and list Giannis as center, but that seems like a stretch. The better stretch would just be to list Tatum as a G/F and let him and Durant and Giannis and Mitchell occupy those slots.The Athletic article today naming their All-Star teams made me realize that with Giannis, Durant and Embiid, it's possible Tatum isn't named an All Star starter.
. Banged knees the other night. Contusion. I got the sense from comments that it was short term.So that's 2 games off for Smart. A third tomorrow, in all likelihood. I didn't see what's been reported wrong with him. Do we think he's getting his recovery fortnight, or will it be like the 2 games / one week off he got in November?
I think it’s just as simple as one is one of the 3 MVP favorites, and the other likely won’t finish in the top 10 in voting.Tatum was his usual self tonight (31/10/4, 10 of 22 from the field), but Jaylen had an even better game with 41/12 and 15-21 from the field.
Late in the game, as Tatum was shooting FT, the crowd nonetheless started chanting "MVP" for him as they often do.
I know Jaylen has had to deal with this for a long time, but his game has taken a tremendous stride forward this year and he still doesn't get this kind of love from the fans. I wonder if it rankles him a little. Just hoping he doesn't start wondering about what it would feel like to be the #1 somewhere else (Atlanta?) when his contract is up.
I clocked that, in the little time I watched the game. It was.... worrisome.Gorman had a disappointing slip up/reveal during the game. Don’t want to get too V&N, but it’s in this tweet.
View: https://twitter.com/DTram87/status/1613345982678286336?s=20&t=_0doRvy39lVg1fA6m1AWBQ
Maybe the crowd should start chanting “Third Team All NBA”. A bit clunky but appropriateTatum was his usual self tonight (31/10/4, 10 of 22 from the field), but Jaylen had an even better game with 41/12 and 15-21 from the field.
Late in the game, as Tatum was shooting FT, the crowd nonetheless started chanting "MVP" for him as they often do.
I know Jaylen has had to deal with this for a long time, but his game has taken a tremendous stride forward this year and he still doesn't get this kind of love from the fans. I wonder if it rankles him a little. Just hoping he doesn't start wondering about what it would feel like to be the #1 somewhere else (Atlanta?) when his contract is up.
Su-per, Ma-ax, clap clap clap-clap-clapMaybe the crowd should start chanting “Third Team All NBA”. A bit clunky but appropriate
Honestly I was thinking the same thing last night. Jaylen was carrying the team with production and efficiency, and he crowd is chanting for Tatum. It would piss me off if I were him.Tatum was his usual self tonight (31/10/4, 10 of 22 from the field), but Jaylen had an even better game with 41/12 and 15-21 from the field.
Late in the game, as Tatum was shooting FT, the crowd nonetheless started chanting "MVP" for him as they often do.
I know Jaylen has had to deal with this for a long time, but his game has taken a tremendous stride forward this year and he still doesn't get this kind of love from the fans. I wonder if it rankles him a little. Just hoping he doesn't start wondering about what it would feel like to be the #1 somewhere else (Atlanta?) when his contract is up.
This plus he is using his grown-ass-strength to finish through defenders much more effectively. The shot making on display by both he and McCollum last night (and both teams really) was pretty spectacular, even against the backdrop of this years scoring run up.Speaking of Jaylen, his handle seems to have gotten much better this year. He now dribbles into a crowd to get to the basket and loses the ball much less often than he did last year. It has added significantly to his effectiveness.
Not sure the facts bear this out. His TOV% is about the same as it ever was.Speaking of Jaylen, his handle seems to have gotten much better this year. He now dribbles into a crowd to get to the basket and loses the ball much less often than he did last year. It has added significantly to his effectiveness.
If I'm being generous to Gorman, it was just a topical take on the old "Vote early, vote often."Each all star vote was worth 3 the day before yesterday. Gorman said something along the lines of, "Did you know it was 3 for 1 yesterday? Kinda like the last presidential election."
It's hard to hear, but they were talking about the All Star voting and how fans can vote over the next few weeks. Either Gorman or Scal made aa "vote early, vote often" comment or something similar, and then Gorman made a reference to the 2020 Presidential election, which was enough to get the faux outrage machine spun up on Twitter.I missed the Mike Gorman thing and my old ears cant seem to pick it up.
What did he say???
I think he's leaving regardless--owing to the utterly arcane NBA salary cap rules, Celtics can't offer him a max-out extension. They can offer him a max contract as soon as the current contract expires, but he'll be in free agency at that point and we'll be competing with all the other teams.I know Jaylen has had to deal with this for a long time, but his game has taken a tremendous stride forward this year and he still doesn't get this kind of love from the fans. I wonder if it rankles him a little. Just hoping he doesn't start wondering about what it would feel like to be the #1 somewhere else (Atlanta?) when his contract is up.
If he makes All NBA this season, the Celtics, and only the Celtics, would theoretically be able to offer him an extension for the supermax, which no other team could come close to.I think he's leaving regardless--owing to the utterly arcane NBA salary cap rules, Celtics can't offer him a max-out extension. They can offer him a max contract as soon as the current contract expires, but he'll be in free agency at that point and we'll be competing with all the other teams.
Yeah having Jaylen make All-NBA, which I project him to do at his current pace, would all but secure that he remains a Celtic.If he makes All NBA this season, the Celtics, and only the Celtics, would theoretically be able to offer him an extension for the supermax, which no other team could come close to.
1) He's been worse this year than his last few years by most stats models. Is there something specifically you can point to that he's been better at?I know Jaylen has had to deal with this for a long time, but his game has taken a tremendous stride forward this year and he still doesn't get this kind of love from the fans. I wonder if it rankles him a little. Just hoping he doesn't start wondering about what it would feel like to be the #1 somewhere else (Atlanta?) when his contract is up.