Analysis of Celtics Games (2020-2021)

wade boggs chicken dinner

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This team continues to start games lethargically, dig itself a huge hole, and then scramble to try to climb out of it.
If I am reading NBA.com correctly, the Cs are middle of the pack among NBA teams in 1Q =/- at -0.1 overall, 8th in the 2Q, 6th in the 3Q, but 20th in the 4Q with a +/- of -0.5.

The Cs have really sucked in the 4Q. A few fun stats: We know Marcus hasn't shot well in the 4Q; however, interestingly he leads the Cs in 4Q +/-. JT has 28 TOV in the 4Q; JB has 24. Kemba has shot 26.8% from 3P and 34.2 overall in the 4Q. Note that Theis was 2-13 from 3P in 4Q and JB is 24-76 (31.6%). TL is a team low -66 in 4Q.

Lots of blame to go around but at the end of the day, the reason the Cs are near .500 and not near the top of the standings is because they have played a league high 33 Clutch games and they have lost a league high 21 of them, due to the fact that they have the 5th worse ORtg overall in clutch situations.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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Our offense isn’t designed this way as the ball is often in JT or JB’s hands initiating the offense. In Charlotte, the ball was always in Kemba’s hands doing the probing.
1st 3 years KW's USG% was 25.2, 25.6, 25.9. This year it's 26.1 (last year it was 27.2).

Agree that Kemba isn't the focal point of the offense here on the Cs but it does seem that when he has the ball, he's looking to create for himself. I do think he could push his assists higher if he focused on that because the Cs are incredibly good when they pass the ball.
 

RetractableRoof

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Our offense isn’t designed executed this way as the ball is often in JT or JB’s hands initiating the offense. In Charlotte, the ball was always in Kemba’s hands doing the probing.
FTFY.

It is clear that Brad wants motion, and wants some probing with the ball in Kemba's hands (and the team was successful early when PP was doing it).
 

HomeRunBaker

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1st 3 years KW's USG% was 25.2, 25.6, 25.9. This year it's 26.1 (last year it was 27.2).

Agree that Kemba isn't the focal point of the offense here on the Cs but it does seem that when he has the ball, he's looking to create for himself. I do think he could push his assists higher if he focused on that because the Cs are incredibly good when they pass the ball.
Yeah but that just isn’t Kemba’s game nor has it ever been. He’s always been a scorer who probes and probes and probes with the dribble until he creates his shot or one for others. The problem with Brad wanting ball movement is that his personnel isn’t designed that way.
 

Deathofthebambino

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Hopefully, we don't have to see too much of Tatum as point guard in the playoffs, so this will become a moot point, but my God, when he is at the point, why does he need to take the entire 8 seconds (and a couple times last night, which he didn't get called for, longer than 8 seconds) to get the ball past half court with no press or defender around him.

The constant starting of the offense with about 15 seconds left on the shot clock will invariably lead to more ISO and more bad shots as the clock winds down. There are so many possessions where they just never get into an offensive set because they are already fighting the clock.
 

NomarsFool

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The constant starting of the offense with about 15 seconds left on the shot clock will invariably lead to more ISO and more bad shots as the clock winds down. There are so many possessions where they just never get into an offensive set because they are already fighting the clock.
Not sure it really matters if all Tatum is going to do is dribble between his legs and fire off a 3 pointer. You don't need 24 seconds to run the Celtics' offense on most possessions.
 

bakahump

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I have been hard on Tatum. While others have been hard on Stevens.

I wonder if the issue is we should be hard(er) on Danny. (not firable hard....yet....but harder).

What if Stevens IS indeed telling Tatum and Brown to do all the things we want them to do. What if he is telling Smart all the things we dont want him to do.
What if they Know he is right.
But they then go out and play and think "I simply cant pass to Ojeleye....or PP is in the wrong spot....or SOMEONE has to take this 3 <Smart>......or I am the best offensive option on the floor so if I have to dribble for 18 seconds to get off my shot so be it"

They may actually believe what Stevens is telling them. Just cant transfer that "correct action" in the heat of competition due to lack of Faith in their teammates (which many deserve).

Maybe its not a disrespect thing. Nor is it really a JT and JB "being selfish" thing. Its a "We are having a real hard time working with these tools" (figuratively if not literally) Thing.

Fourniers brief appearance certainly lends credence to this theory.

I know this isnt a new idea. Some of you have been banging the "Dannys Roster sucks" drum for awhile. Just kinda crystallized for me.
 

lovegtm

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They've been doing some interesting stuff against KAT and Jokic, starting Grant/Semi/Smart etc as the primary defender on them, and then letting the center roam over once they make their move. It's nice against a lot of those guys, but I don't know that it will work against someone like Embiid who is killing it in the midrange this year.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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Sheesh. The thread title should probably be "Analysis Because Of Celtics Games (2020-2021)" given the response to a decent stretch.

After the past few months, I am not checking this horse's dental work. Tatum continues to improve, Smart seems healthier (both are statistically having a very good start to April to go along with what we see), Langford is finding a role and Fournier should take more pressure off of everyone on offense.

I won't sell anyone on this team - I have no interest in that discussion. But if Tatum is doing this as they get healthy down the stretch, I am here for it.
 

Imbricus

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One thing that impressed me yesterday was that they had a horrid-shooting first half from three, yet were still down by only six points at the break. And then for the game they shot only 21% from three (worse than Denver, though not by much) and almost won by 20.

It goes without saying, you need to find ways to win when the shots aren't falling. Most times this year, winning for the Celtics has depended on hitting a high percentage of threes.

The "hot potato" fast passing definitely looks better, though it often has an awkward feel, like they're trying out something they just learned a few weeks before. And some of the defensive lapses are beyond embarrassing. But, seeing the glass half full, I'm optimistic if they can pull everything together by season end, they can make a good show against the top NBA teams.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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Sheesh. The thread title should probably be "Analysis Because Of Celtics Games (2020-2021)" given the response to a decent stretch.

After the past few months, I am not checking this horse's dental work. Tatum continues to improve, Smart seems healthier (both are statistically having a very good start to April to go along with what we see), Langford is finding a role and Fournier should take more pressure off of everyone on offense.

I won't sell anyone on this team - I have no interest in that discussion. But if Tatum is doing this as they get healthy down the stretch, I am here for it.
I agree with you. Assuming everyone is healthy, and except the Nets because there's a possibility the Nets are just going to rip through the East, I think the Cs can beat any other team in the East in a playoff series.
 

Cesar Crespo

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One of the ugliest 3 game winning streaks I've seen. 3rd longest winning streak of the season too. I'll take it though.

2nd is 4, 1st is 5. A nice 10 game winning streak would be great right now. 7 games ahead of Toronto with 18 left. 4-9 are all lumped together. C's are only 1 game back of Atlanta for HC so that would be ideal, but the 5 or 6 would be ok too.

The danger is 7 and 8, where they only hold a 1 and 2 game lead over NYK and Indiana.
 

benhogan

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Cellar-Door

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So, yesterday I was talking in the game thread about how Smart/Kemba doesn't work, so I decided to check to lineup data...

Kemba 2 man pairings....
His worst raw +/- pairing is with Smart... they are a -1.6 together.
Looking at net rating....
The bottom is mostly low minutes pairings with our worst bench guys (Tacko, Wagner, Arsen, Green) as you'd expect. There are 3 pairings that are negative among guys playing decent minutes:
Kemba/PP -4.7, (108.2 Ortg, 112.9 Drtg)
Kemba/Smart -2.2 (113.5 Ortg115.7 Drtg)
Kemba/Grant -0.1 (105.6 Ortg, 105.7 Drtg)

Every other pairing is positive (even more interesting, most of them are good on defense with all being better than the PP Drtg by a significant margin).

Now, I decided to look at 5 man lineups that don't have Kemba with PP or Smart. They are limited, but almost all of them (without Arsen) are good, and almost all have pretty good or better D.


Interesting side note, sample is way too small (59 total minutes), but the Kemba/Fournier lineups all were great, even if Smart was also in.
 

Jed Zeppelin

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Celtic porn.

Grant's defense has finally appeared this season. This is what we saw last season and the playoffs.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqXRWHQw75E
Tough to square this season with the guy who credibly slowed down Bam in the fall. He may need to figure out a different offseason routine because you don't want to be a role player who has to play his way into shape every year.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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Tough to square this season with the guy who credibly slowed down Bam in the fall. He may need to figure out a different offseason routine because you don't want to be a role player who has to play his way into shape every year.
Perhaps or maybe his (and many other NBA players) conditioning is a function of the shortened offseason, no workouts, no practices etc.
 

Light-Tower-Power

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I agree with you. Assuming everyone is healthy, and except the Nets because there's a possibility the Nets are just going to rip through the East, I think the Cs can beat any other team in the East in a playoff series.
I'd put the Sixers on that list too. Embiid is having an incredible year, they've finally put a decent supporting cast around him, and the Celtics have nobody with even an outside shot of slowing him down. I could see them with a puncher's chance of beating Milwaukee in a 7 game series, though. Miami is probably a coin flip and everyone else is beatable.
 

lovegtm

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I'd put the Sixers on that list too. Embiid is having an incredible year, they've finally put a decent supporting cast around him, and the Celtics have nobody with even an outside shot of slowing him down. I could see them with a puncher's chance of beating Milwaukee in a 7 game series, though. Miami is probably a coin flip and everyone else is beatable.
They can't beat the Nets if the Nets are healthy. Philly would be really tough.

This current Celtics team matches up really well with Milwaukee imo--I think that's much, much closer than people think based on the regular season.

I think the Celtics are a good bit better than Miami if everyone is healthy.
 

teddykgb

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Imo they’re just too flawed defensively to talk about them beating good teams in the playoffs unless you think there’s a switch to be flipped. Too many guys can be hunted on matchups and that stuff kills you when teams are actively game planning
 

lovegtm

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Imo they’re just too flawed defensively to talk about them beating good teams in the playoffs unless you think there’s a switch to be flipped. Too many guys can be hunted on matchups and that stuff kills you when teams are actively game planning
It's the same team that made the ECF, with a slightly healthier Kemba, Fournier added, and improved TL and Romeo.

I've been extremely negative about the Celtics defensive effort this year, to the point of thinking that it might be time to replace Brad, but they have a lot of talent if they can get it all healthy and play with intensity.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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I'd put the Sixers on that list too. Embiid is having an incredible year, they've finally put a decent supporting cast around him, and the Celtics have nobody with even an outside shot of slowing him down. I could see them with a puncher's chance of beating Milwaukee in a 7 game series, though. Miami is probably a coin flip and everyone else is beatable.
I'm still not convinced with PHI. Yes Embiid, Simmons, and Thybulle are great defenders, but they still have Curry, Harris, and Milton in their rotation who are terrible defenders and it will be interesting to see how Howard and Green hold up. Plus, Embiid hasn't shown that he can go an entire 7 game series without running out of gas. I could be completely wrong about this but I like a healthy Cs chances against PHI.
Imo they’re just too flawed defensively to talk about them beating good teams in the playoffs unless you think there’s a switch to be flipped. Too many guys can be hunted on matchups and that stuff kills you when teams are actively game planning
Their top 8 include: TT, TL, JB, JT, Marcus, Fournier, and Smart. And then there's Kemba. Other than Kemba, not one of these are what I would consider huntable" (we'll see about Fournier). Certainly, the Cs can throw a pretty versatile defensive group out there is they want to.
 

teddykgb

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Both of you are grading them on their reputations. Smart has not been the same defender. Kemba has been poor. Jaylen has been poor. He’s losing his man constantly. Fournier is not a defensive asset. Most games they play they are giving up a ton of easy penetration and asking TL to cover up. Maybe they play more focused in the postseason but to this point I think they’ve been really inconsistent and not able to play even 20 focused minutes of defense most nights. We have seen some flashes of some quarters recently where they generate some stops and get on the fast break but it just hasn’t seemed like they can summon that stuff like they used to
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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Both of you are grading them on their reputations. Smart has not been the same defender. Kemba has been poor. Jaylen has been poor. He’s losing his man constantly. Fournier is not a defensive asset. Most games they play they are giving up a ton of easy penetration and asking TL to cover up. Maybe they play more focused in the postseason but to this point I think they’ve been really inconsistent and not able to play even 20 focused minutes of defense most nights. We have seen some flashes of some quarters recently where they generate some stops and get on the fast break but it just hasn’t seemed like they can summon that stuff like they used to
There's a difference between people playing poor defense and being "huntable." I mean look at what Smart did to Rozier the other day.

Kemba, as Ben Hogan points out, will be hunted by the Cs are used to that. No one is seeking out Marcus Smart play after play after play. Nor JT, nor JB nor TL nor Romeo nor TT. (well except for KD, as we learned early this season).
 

benhogan

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Both of you are grading them on their reputations. Smart has not been the same defender. Kemba has been poor. Jaylen has been poor. He’s losing his man constantly. Fournier is not a defensive asset. Most games they play they are giving up a ton of easy penetration and asking TL to cover up. Maybe they play more focused in the postseason but to this point I think they’ve been really inconsistent and not able to play even 20 focused minutes of defense most nights. We have seen some flashes of some quarters recently where they generate some stops and get on the fast break but it just hasn’t seemed like they can summon that stuff like they used to
even Tatum's defense is down a tick from previous seasons

this season screams 2019 playoffs, all-season this team has been off (like that squad)

sucks that they have the Olympics this Summer, Brown/Tatum could use the time off
 

teddykgb

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There's a difference between people playing poor defense and being "huntable." I mean look at what Smart did to Rozier the other day.

Kemba, as Ben Hogan points out, will be hunted by the Cs are used to that. No one is seeking out Marcus Smart play after play after play. Nor JT, nor JB nor TL nor Romeo nor TT. (well except for KD, as we learned early this season).
Tristan Thompson will be hunted for isolation in multiple playoff matchups. TL will be hunted for mismatches to get him in foul trouble. Jaylen Brown right now will absolutely be huntednot in the sense that they will try to isolate him but instead in that they will know he will ball watch and get beat so they can run plays to beat him. Romeo Langford remains a practical rookie who very well may be hunted in the event he’s playing playoff minutes. You’re also neglecting to leave off Grant Williams who we often go to in our “defensive” lineups who can often be forced into bad situations and fouls.

I do not for a second understand the desire to turn these guys into defensive stalwarts. They have in the past been a pretty functional unit but they have not been hard to play against all year. If you really want to insist on the hunted word, maybe a guy like Smart won’t behunted for matchups but I don’t think he’s striking a high amount of fear anymore either. They just don’t have a lot of guys who can win most matchups they are in anymore. Maybe Jaylen is really hampered by his knee and maybe Smart has been injured himself but their current body of work doesn’t look like a team who can defend as a unit when teams look to attack their multiple weak points
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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Tristan Thompson will be hunted for isolation in multiple playoff matchups. TL will be hunted for mismatches to get him in foul trouble. Jaylen Brown right now will absolutely be huntednot in the sense that they will try to isolate him but instead in that they will know he will ball watch and get beat so they can run plays to beat him. Romeo Langford remains a practical rookie who very well may be hunted in the event he’s playing playoff minutes. You’re also neglecting to leave off Grant Williams who we often go to in our “defensive” lineups who can often be forced into bad situations and fouls.

I do not for a second understand the desire to turn these guys into defensive stalwarts. They have in the past been a pretty functional unit but they have not been hard to play against all year. If you really want to insist on the hunted word, maybe a guy like Smart won’t behunted for matchups but I don’t think he’s striking a high amount of fear anymore either. They just don’t have a lot of guys who can win most matchups they are in anymore. Maybe Jaylen is really hampered by his knee and maybe Smart has been injured himself but their current body of work doesn’t look like a team who can defend as a unit when teams look to attack their multiple weak points
I don't know what to say. It's almost like we're watching different basketball games.

I'll admit the Cs have not played stellar defense for most of this season. It's been talked about ad nauseam around here. Lots of people have spent a lot of time trying to figure out why that is.

But part of the issue is that the team has missed a lot of players and there has been a lack of continuity. If it helps at all, over the last 10 games, the Cs have been a top 5 defense. Over the past 15 games, they've been a top 8 defense. it helps their defense when people play together regularly. It also helps their defense when the Cs can score. (Note in the same time periods, the Cs are a top 8 offense.)

Marcus Smart may not have played at an all-defensive level this year, but he's still a plus defender out there. JB and JT may lose their focus, but they are not Duncan Robinson (or Tyler Herro or Joe Harris or Joe Ingles or Tobias Harris etc.etc.etc.) TL has only been in foul trouble in one game, and that was against a potential MVP of the league. According to this article, for the prior six games (not including DEN), the Cs had a defensive rating of 95.7 in TT's 124 minutes of floor. If you want to read my thoughts on Romeo, they're in his thread.

In the playoffs, other than PHI and BRK, I am positive the Cs defense will be good enough to win. Against PHI, well maybe Embiid will go to the line 150 times during the series and win but the Cs aren't the only team without an answer to Embiid.

If you made it this far (and no worries if you haven't), I guess my point is that I think you are overemphasizing a stretch of bad basketball and forgetting that these guys have a proven track record of being able to play defense. I mean look what basically the same players did against PHI last year in the playoffs. And there's no question that TL and TT are a defensive upgrade over DT, Kanter, and last year's TL.

Give it a few more games. Assuming everyone stays healthy, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the Cs defense down the stretch.
 

reggiecleveland

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I just met a guy that is G league coach and if the summer league in Canada goes will be coaching up here. I asked him about the Celtics. He thought the missing players was the big reason for bad saying Brad more than most coaches likes to run more coverages and change them up more, and that is hard when guys are missing all the time. Said Brad had all the guys together in the bubble and the team D was great. Said Romeo is the X-factor since he has played so little, said he remembers him as prospect and he looked like a future star. Said Nesmith was dice roll since he had not been playing, shooting great for multiple years, but a good pick since if can shoot as wellas he did last year he will be stud, but could be a bust. Said good gamble for Cs. Says book on TL is he is just such a fast twitch guy he may never be able to play 8-9 minutes in a row, compared him to Usain Bolt, said he was one of the great physical prospects of all time, and looks like he can play. Thought with Nesmith and Tl looks like they got one stud, and even if Nesmith is a bust that is pretty good value drafting.

Said he likes Danny's drafting, takes high risk/reward picks, says if Nesmith, Romeo hit they are a title team, but the odds are at least one will be a bust.

Thinks they should plat Tako for month and see if he can be better third big than two guys they picked up, but says he is biased having seen a fair bit of Tako and loves the kid.
 

chilidawg

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I just met a guy that is G league coach and if the summer league in Canada goes will be coaching up here. I asked him about the Celtics. He thought the missing players was the big reason for bad saying Brad more than most coaches likes to run more coverages and change them up more, and that is hard when guys are missing all the time. Said Brad had all the guys together in the bubble and the team D was great. Said Romeo is the X-factor since he has played so little, said he remembers him as prospect and he looked like a future star. Said Nesmith was dice roll since he had not been playing, shooting great for multiple years, but a good pick since if can shoot as wellas he did last year he will be stud, but could be a bust. Said good gamble for Cs. Says book on TL is he is just such a fast twitch guy he may never be able to play 8-9 minutes in a row, compared him to Usain Bolt, said he was one of the great physical prospects of all time, and looks like he can play. Thought with Nesmith and Tl looks like they got one stud, and even if Nesmith is a bust that is pretty good value drafting.

Said he likes Danny's drafting, takes high risk/reward picks, says if Nesmith, Romeo hit they are a title team, but the odds are at least one will be a bust.

Thinks they should plat Tako for month and see if he can be better third big than two guys they picked up, but says he is biased having seen a fair bit of Tako and loves the kid.
Free Tacko!
 

lovegtm

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I don't know what to say. It's almost like we're watching different basketball games.

I'll admit the Cs have not played stellar defense for most of this season. It's been talked about ad nauseam around here. Lots of people have spent a lot of time trying to figure out why that is.

But part of the issue is that the team has missed a lot of players and there has been a lack of continuity. If it helps at all, over the last 10 games, the Cs have been a top 5 defense. Over the past 15 games, they've been a top 8 defense. it helps their defense when people play together regularly. It also helps their defense when the Cs can score. (Note in the same time periods, the Cs are a top 8 offense.)

Marcus Smart may not have played at an all-defensive level this year, but he's still a plus defender out there. JB and JT may lose their focus, but they are not Duncan Robinson (or Tyler Herro or Joe Harris or Joe Ingles or Tobias Harris etc.etc.etc.) TL has only been in foul trouble in one game, and that was against a potential MVP of the league. According to this article, for the prior six games (not including DEN), the Cs had a defensive rating of 95.7 in TT's 124 minutes of floor. If you want to read my thoughts on Romeo, they're in his thread.

In the playoffs, other than PHI and BRK, I am positive the Cs defense will be good enough to win. Against PHI, well maybe Embiid will go to the line 150 times during the series and win but the Cs aren't the only team without an answer to Embiid.

If you made it this far (and no worries if you haven't), I guess my point is that I think you are overemphasizing a stretch of bad basketball and forgetting that these guys have a proven track record of being able to play defense. I mean look what basically the same players did against PHI last year in the playoffs. And there's no question that TL and TT are a defensive upgrade over DT, Kanter, and last year's TL.

Give it a few more games. Assuming everyone stays healthy, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the Cs defense down the stretch.
Yeah I mean the thing is that outside of PHI and Brooklyn, everybody else has pretty big flaws too.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Celtics began the year with the EC’s 2nd highest Win Total in many books. With a loss tonight in Portland they will make winners out of all the Under 45.5 tickets.
 

benhogan

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I just met a guy that is G league coach and if the summer league in Canada goes will be coaching up here. I asked him about the Celtics. He thought the missing players was the big reason for bad saying Brad more than most coaches likes to run more coverages and change them up more, and that is hard when guys are missing all the time. Said Brad had all the guys together in the bubble and the team D was great. Said Romeo is the X-factor since he has played so little, said he remembers him as prospect and he looked like a future star. Said Nesmith was dice roll since he had not been playing, shooting great for multiple years, but a good pick since if can shoot as wellas he did last year he will be stud, but could be a bust. Said good gamble for Cs. Says book on TL is he is just such a fast twitch guy he may never be able to play 8-9 minutes in a row, compared him to Usain Bolt, said he was one of the great physical prospects of all time, and looks like he can play. Thought with Nesmith and Tl looks like they got one stud, and even if Nesmith is a bust that is pretty good value drafting.

Said he likes Danny's drafting, takes high risk/reward picks, says if Nesmith, Romeo hit they are a title team, but the odds are at least one will be a bust.

Thinks they should plat Tako for month and see if he can be better third big than two guys they picked up, but says he is biased having seen a fair bit of Tako and loves the kid.
good stuff RC

I don't see Tacko getting a real shot around here, Brad won't roll the dice.

I imagine some enterprising organization, with little to lose, will add Tacko as the 15th player on a minimum deal next season. They could use Tacko in a 2-3 zone 8-10mpg. Let Tacko protect the rim and have 4 wide protecting the 3pt line. It would be fun to watch.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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From this CsBlog article, something to watch further:

Currently operating on a limited sample size of 64 possessions, when playing alongside Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown, the big-man duo [of Tristian Thompson and Grant Williams] has created a finely tuned defensive machine. During those 64 possessions, the Celtics limit their opponents to 52% true shooting, a projected 98.5 points per 100 possessions, and forcing the live-ball turnovers 20% of the time.
“When we’re at our best, we’re pushing catches out, pressuring the ball, we’re making things tough for guys,” Grant Williams said, as he highlighted some of Boston’s better traits.
 

Cellar-Door

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From this CsBlog article, something to watch further:

Currently operating on a limited sample size of 64 possessions, when playing alongside Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown, the big-man duo [of Tristian Thompson and Grant Williams] has created a finely tuned defensive machine. During those 64 possessions, the Celtics limit their opponents to 52% true shooting, a projected 98.5 points per 100 possessions, and forcing the live-ball turnovers 20% of the time.
“When we’re at our best, we’re pushing catches out, pressuring the ball, we’re making things tough for guys,” Grant Williams said, as he highlighted some of Boston’s better traits.
We'll see how that turns out, it's been the best of the high minute lineups with current roster by a good amount (over 20 minutes).
The other interesting lineup is the 2nd best one..... Thompson/Kemba/Brown/Tatum/Semi.. allowing 100 points per 100, lowest EFG% allowed of any lineup (w/ current roster players).
 

sezwho

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Isle of Plum
good stuff RC

I don't see Tacko getting a real shot around here, Brad won't roll the dice.

I imagine some enterprising organization, with little to lose, will add Tacko as the 15th player on a minimum deal next season. They could use Tacko in a 2-3 zone 8-10mpg. Let Tacko protect the rim and have 4 wide protecting the 3pt line. It would be fun to watch.
Agree that was great info thanks RC

I hope that enterprising organization is the Celtics. Normally, I would say its obvious CBS would know best about whether he should get on the court, but he has a blind spot (from perspective of my nacho chip dusted couch at least) for playing the more experienced players. I'm pro-CBS by and large, figure he's in the top 5-10 coaches range, but I'm pretty sure I'd be watching a @#$-ton of Theis and Teague instead of TL and PP.

Free Tacko!
 

ZMart100

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Aug 15, 2008
3,188
I like watching guards try to figure out what to do against Tacko in garbage time, but when his 2-way time is up I expect he will be moving to the Turkish league or equivalent.
 

lovegtm

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Apr 30, 2013
11,997
We'll see how that turns out, it's been the best of the high minute lineups with current roster by a good amount (over 20 minutes).
The other interesting lineup is the 2nd best one..... Thompson/Kemba/Brown/Tatum/Semi.. allowing 100 points per 100, lowest EFG% allowed of any lineup (w/ current roster players).
I'm hugely bullish on TL's future, but TT has really been playing well and just does his job, not surprising that that reflects in lineup data.
 

HomeRunBaker

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Jan 15, 2004
30,096
If Tacko turns out to be even a part-time role player in this league I’d be very surprised. He’s a novelty who doesn’t appear that he can compete at this level with the exception of maybe 1-2 certain matchups in limited time. I don’t expect him to be in Boston taking up a roster spot next year. If I had to guess someone may bring him in but I doubt he’s long for this league.
 

slamminsammya

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Jul 31, 2006
9,154
San Francisco
If Tacko turns out to be even a part-time role player in this league I’d be very surprised. He’s a novelty who doesn’t appear that he can compete at this level with the exception of maybe 1-2 certain matchups in limited time. I don’t expect him to be in Boston taking up a roster spot next year. If I had to guess someone may bring him in but I doubt he’s long for this league.
If Boban, who is a legit skilled offensive player, cannot get regular minutes in this league then there is no hope for Tacko.
 

PedroKsBambino

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Apr 17, 2003
31,191
I wouldn't bet on Tacko ever being a rotation guy, but I think it is more likely than a couple of you. He has a real defensive impact when he's in there, and while he will be hunted and switched you can use him to really change the game in the paint. His offense isn't really a thing, and strong big guys will push him around, but there's a rotation role especially on a second-team unit protecting the rim and providing cover. At least, potentially.