2022-2023 General Celtics thread

Auger34

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I don't care if someone scores 31 points and 40 points, if it's requiring 25 and 30 shots to get there.

If Tatum goes 9/25 or 12/30 in playoff games, odds are the C's will lose those games no matter how many rebounds or assists he gets. Unless of course, Jaylen goes off and Al keeps shooting 60% from 3.
This was kind of my original point in grouping those games. His counting stats are pretty much always going to be very good because he has the ball a lot and shoots a good amount. If he’s that inefficient it’s tough to beat the best of the best
 

Imbricus

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The thing that immediately jumped out at me last night, watching the first half only, was: man, they really need some help on interior defense/rebounding (Tatum had 15 boards and Horford had a minuscule 4 last night). I know, I know: Time Lord, Time Lord, Time Lord ... but now that everyone is convinced of his fragility (his most productive seasons may already be behind him, sadly), it's time to figure out who replaces/complements him in that role. It sure as hell isn't "no box out" Muscala. Grant is too stubby and not enough of a leaper. Al is increasingly looking a step slow, which is not what you want on a tough interior defender/rebounder. Kornet is okay, but I'd be looking for something more than okay.

To me, this is No. 1 on Brad's offseason shopping list.
 

Jimbodandy

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To me, this is No. 1 on Brad's offseason shopping list.
It would be nice not to be completely dominated for long stretches on the boards.

It would also be nice if this team could take defense a bit more seriously. The whole first half looked like an AAU game with better shooting. We really could have coasted but didn't pull away.
 

bosockboy

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It would be nice not to be completely dominated for long stretches on the boards.

It would also be nice if this team could take defense a bit more seriously. The whole first half looked like an AAU game with better shooting. We really could have coasted but didn't pull away.
Yeah even the wins lately are close late, which translates to more minutes on Tatum. They need to start dropping the hammer on the dregs.
 

Eddie Jurak

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They need to do their jobs. Atlanta making a comeback run fueled by offensive rebounds is not an indication of a lack of ability on the Celtics, it is a lack of attention to detail and to their responsibilities on the floor.
 

HomeRunBaker

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They need to do their jobs. Atlanta making a comeback run fueled by offensive rebounds is not an indication of a lack of ability on the Celtics, it is a lack of attention to detail and to their responsibilities on the floor.
It wasn’t even a “comeback run”……Atlanta took the game from only a 4-possession to a 2-possession game as they couldn’t get stops. I just watched that 4Q and never felt we were threatened except maybe for that one possession after Tatum missed a 3 inside of one minute when it was a 2-possession game.
 

benhogan

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The thing that immediately jumped out at me last night, watching the first half only, was: man, they really need some help on interior defense/rebounding (Tatum had 15 boards and Horford had a minuscule 4 last night). I know, I know: Time Lord, Time Lord, Time Lord ... but now that everyone is convinced of his fragility (his most productive seasons may already be behind him, sadly), it's time to figure out who replaces/complements him in that role. It sure as hell isn't "no box out" Muscala. Grant is too stubby and not enough of a leaper. Al is increasingly looking a step slow, which is not what you want on a tough interior defender/rebounder. Kornet is okay, but I'd be looking for something more than okay.

To me, this is No. 1 on Brad's offseason shopping list.
WTF is Austin Ainge doing in Boston if he can't get his old man to give us Jarred Vanderbilt for a couple of 2nds.

JV plays solid perimeter D and hoovers up boards. Once he develops a Corner3, he is going to be a very valuable rotation player
 

HomeRunBaker

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WTF is Austin Ainge doing in Boston if he can't get his old man to give us Jarred Vanderbilt for a couple of 2nds.

JV plays solid perimeter D and hoovers up boards. Once he develops a Corner3, he is going to be a very valuable rotation player
Elite ballhandler and passer for his position too. His one glaring hole is the easiest for a hard working player to develop. His ceiling is prime Lamar Odom without the crack pipe.
 

Jimbodandy

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WTF is Austin Ainge doing in Boston if he can't get his old man to give us Jarred Vanderbilt for a couple of 2nds.

JV plays solid perimeter D and hoovers up boards. Once he develops a Corner3, he is going to be a very valuable rotation player
I'm thinking that Danny might be cheering for Austin but not necessarily the Celtics, if you know what I'm saying.
 

lovegtm

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They have been a good defensive rebounding team all year, even without TL, so I don't know how much I'd read into that.

I do think that with TL's decline and DWhite's rise, they should figure out how to cleanly play smaller ball the rest of the year and execute it well. Double big isn't what it was in 2022.
 

Euclis20

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They have been a good defensive rebounding team all year, even without TL, so I don't know how much I'd read into that.

I do think that with TL's decline and DWhite's rise, they should figure out how to cleanly play smaller ball the rest of the year and execute it well. Double big isn't what it was in 2022.
I don't know if you're talking about league-wide trends, or the Celtics specifically. Definitely agree on the latter, and whether it's age (Horford) or injury (TL), I don't think it's something that will fix itself in the next 6 weeks when the games start to matter. These guys aren't getting any quicker.
 

slamminsammya

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Does rebounding really matter anymore? This is maybe a dumb question but are there any teams that really emphasize it rather than treating it as a nice side effect of other things they care more about (like rim protection or generating shooter gravity leaving a big guy un boxed)?
 

lovegtm

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I don't know if you're talking about league-wide trends, or the Celtics specifically. Definitely agree on the latter, and whether it's age (Horford) or injury (TL), I don't think it's something that will fix itself in the next 6 weeks when the games start to matter. These guys aren't getting any quicker.
Right, I'm talking about the Celtics.
 

lovegtm

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dumb question but are there any teams that really emphasize it rather than treating it as a nice side effect of other things they care more about (like rim protection or generating shooter gravity leaving a big guy un boxed)?
One thing is that heavy switching and long rebounds due to 3s make it harder to do the traditional moshpit boxing out. Both those things are prevalent across the league.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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Does rebounding really matter anymore? This is maybe a dumb question but are there any teams that really emphasize it rather than treating it as a nice side effect of other things they care more about (like rim protection or generating shooter gravity leaving a big guy un boxed)?
My sense is that most of the NBA is towards the model you describe. Every team will take rebounding as part of a player's package but they aren't paying for it specifically given how relatively little individual rebounding contributes to winning. Like anything, there is probably a broad spectrum across the league though. My guess is that Dallas is on one end and perhaps not by design.
 

nighthob

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Does rebounding really matter anymore? This is maybe a dumb question but are there any teams that really emphasize it rather than treating it as a nice side effect of other things they care more about (like rim protection or generating shooter gravity leaving a big guy un boxed)?
I think that NBA teams value rebounding in their perimeter players more due to the three point barrage creating longer rebounds. I do think that on a team basis they really care about defensive rebounding as that ends opposing possessions.
 

bosockboy

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I know you're joking, but what does an NBA Asst Coach like Damon get paid?

Head Coach @GaTech would be millions with numerous GTD years

ALSO he was a Portland/ IME friend
I’m more concerned if he’d leave immediately a month before the playoffs. Seems less than ideal.
 

benhogan

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I’m more concerned if he’d leave immediately a month before the playoffs. Seems less than ideal.
File it under non-event. It would have very, very little impact. They have a half-dozen asst coaches that can do the job of reminding CJM about player fouls/minutes. Heck they could find a few folks on game threads if needed ;)

I think players/coaches/front office would be generally happy for Damon to get a lucrative D1/power conf HC job.
 

HomeRunBaker

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I know you're joking, but what does an NBA Asst Coach like Damon get paid?

Head Coach @GaTech would be millions with numerous GTD years

ALSO he was a Portland/ IME friend
Someone like Stoudamire, who willing left Pacific when his buddy lured him to Boston, is probably close to the $750k-1m range. Georgia Tech is a payday though.

Normally I’d say losing an Asst coach would have little to no impact on an NBA team but this isn’t a normal scenario. Mazzulla is going through the ropes for the first time, will be coaching in the playoffs for the first time…..and relies pretty heavily from what I see on Stoudamire.
 
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Eddie Jurak

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Media spin/clickbait:

“Why can’t Mazzulla keep a staff together?”
This is funny. But my first thought went in a different direction: not a Mazzulla guy. I would expect that Joe would want to have more input into his coaching staff anyway next year rather than just having Ime holdovers. (Which is not to say he'll want to clean house, either, but I would expect him to want to make some of his own hires).
 

lovegtm

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Don't coaches usually finish out the year in these scenarios?

Recruiting throws a wrench in that though.
 

Deathofthebambino

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My sense is that most of the NBA is towards the model you describe. Every team will take rebounding as part of a player's package but they aren't paying for it specifically given how relatively little individual rebounding contributes to winning. Like anything, there is probably a broad spectrum across the league though. My guess is that Dallas is on one end and perhaps not by design.
Atlanta may be one of those exceptions, with Clint Capela too, which is why I'm not reading too much into what happened the other night.

Not a lot of teams spending 18mil on a guy that's giving them 11.1rpg and 12.0ppg with zero ability to shoot and averaging less than 60% from the line (well, aside from Minnesota and the ridiculous Gobert contract). Capela is there to eat up offensive rebounds and play good defense (but even that is not very good anymore). If he wasn't doing that, he may not have much of a role in today's game, IMO.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Don't coaches usually finish out the year in these scenarios?

Recruiting throws a wrench in that though.
No, not when a coach goes from pro to college. The most crucial part of his new job begins today with the transfer protocol opening. You’re going to hear a lot of new hires this week as there is urgency to not get behind this retention/recruiting process.
 

Cellar-Door

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They have been a good defensive rebounding team all year, even without TL, so I don't know how much I'd read into that.

I do think that with TL's decline and DWhite's rise, they should figure out how to cleanly play smaller ball the rest of the year and execute it well. Double big isn't what it was in 2022.
One problem going small brings up..... Marcus Smart is an ATTROCIOUS rebounder, of the 191 qualifying players he's the 19th worst rebounder in the league. He's much worse than you would expect a 6'4" PG with a good vertical to be.
 

brendan f

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I do think that with TL's decline and DWhite's rise, they should figure out how to cleanly play smaller ball the rest of the year and execute it well. Double big isn't what it was in 2022.
If you sub out Smart for White and keep everyone in the "double big" line-up intact, that unit has been fire this year (+44) and a defensive juggernaut (relatively small sample of 138 possessions). So maybe the "bigs" aren't the problem.
 

benhogan

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No, not when a coach goes from pro to college. The most crucial part of his new job begins today with the transfer protocol opening. You’re going to hear a lot of new hires this week as there is urgency to not get behind this retention/recruiting process.
Pretty wild how many moves there have been in the coaching ranks of a Finals contender in under 2years.
The Celtics' will march on...

Great move for Damon $$$/years - a complete no brainer

Georgia Tech is a plum CBB opening. Power Conference. Warm weather. Good school.
Plus Atlanta is a popular destination for young, upwardly mobile African-Americans
 

nighthob

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No, Boston has it conditionally, Houston had it protected for #s 31 & 32, so if the pick finishes there they get nothing. But anything after that is theirs.
 

Jimbodandy

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Hard game to watch. Crew was just awful, mostly in the second half. Completely lost control of the game. Just atrocious.

Another nice one by JB. Smart added just enough toughness at the end. Take the W.
 

kfoss99

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Karalis noted on Twitter that Tatum is now a below league average three-point shooter two years in a row. He argued, not that he's a bad three point shooter, but that he needs to get back to being more selective. This team's going to continue to be in trouble with him and Smart clanging threes.
 

Reverend

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Karalis noted on Twitter that Tatum is now a below league average three-point shooter two years in a row. He argued, not that he's a bad three point shooter, but that he needs to get back to being more selective. This team's going to continue to be in trouble with him and Smart clanging threes.
There are several “Did he really just try that?” per game at this point. That said, that should be fixable if they get their offense back to spacing and open threes, so there’s a lot of upside there.
 

128

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Karalis noted on Twitter that Tatum is now a below league average three-point shooter two years in a row. He argued, not that he's a bad three point shooter, but that he needs to get back to being more selective. This team's going to continue to be in trouble with him and Smart clanging threes.
I realize the NBA wants stars in the 3-point contest on All-Star weekend, but it still amuses me that Tatum was picked. To be fair, Jayson did not embarrass himself, but Hauser or Pritchard would have been a better selection if the sole factor were elite outside-shooting ability.
 

Fishy1

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Karalis noted on Twitter that Tatum is now a below league average three-point shooter two years in a row. He argued, not that he's a bad three point shooter, but that he needs to get back to being more selective. This team's going to continue to be in trouble with him and Smart clanging threes.
I noted this in the game thread, but it's not just Tatum and Smart. Brown has been electric the last couple of games but his long-distance shooting has been below-average all year. The three of them are leading the team to 22 three pointers a game and are putting together about a 34% average. The next four guys -- Horford, White, Williams and Brogdon -- are averaging just 17.6 shot per game. Luckily they're lighting it up, but yeah... on the whole... not great. They've still got a top five offense -- don't get me wrong. But the outside shooting of those three is one of the few things keeping them from being the top offense in the NBA.
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