Al/TL are almost like SS/FS in football. Al is covering the tight ends and coming up in run support, while TL is playing single high to pick off passes.
Analysis of Celtics Games, '21-'22 Season
- Thread starter Imbricus
- Start date
I think the more notable change is on the other end of the lineup. After Brad coached a run of traditional shorter point guards (Rondo, Thomas, Irving, Walker) with zero positional flexibility, the point guard is now either White or Smart who had historically played alongside a more classical ball handler (Murray or the aforementioned quartet).
Remember this criticism from Kyrie Irving after Kemba Walker torched the Celtics for 36 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists? "It’s one-on-one. Down the stretch, I try to come in and help as much as possible. We should have probably trapped him more like every other team does in the league but we didn’t. He torches us every time we play them so it’s no surprise.”
The Celtics used to struggled against teams lead by a dominant ballhandler, like Walker, Lillard, or Harden. The early results of the Derrick White era, especially against Trae Young and Ja Morant the last two games, have been excellent.
Yep, no more below-average defenders in the main rotation, especially at the point of attack.
It's nice not getting thrown into rotation on D, probably one of the reasons why the opponent's shooting % is lower vs. the Celtics
guess we won't leave the semantics aside
Grant brought the ball up past the halfcourt a few times, is he the ballhandler?
He also guarded Steven Adama a bunch, is he the Center?
It's pretty much positionless basketball, where IME is looking to exploit the other teams' tendencies/weaknesses on both sides of the floor.
Couldn't agree more, which is why your original post was confusing. Glad we're on the same page.
Tweet: "The Efficiency Landscape. What Stands Out?"
View: https://twitter.com/kirkgoldsberry/status/1499775972941438976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1499775972941438976%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fboston.cbslocal.com%2F2022%2F03%2F04%2Fwhy-celtics-are-really-good-defense-jayson-tatum-ime-udoka-robert-williams-nba%2F
View: https://twitter.com/kirkgoldsberry/status/1499775972941438976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1499775972941438976%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fboston.cbslocal.com%2F2022%2F03%2F04%2Fwhy-celtics-are-really-good-defense-jayson-tatum-ime-udoka-robert-williams-nba%2F
What stands out is the cherry picked sample of games. Hehe. I still can't tell if they are actually really good or just good and beating up on shit teams right now.
he does it every so often, always 15 games, it's basically a snapshot of who is playing well and who isn't.
Though also... it's 15 games, you aren't playing all bad teams in 15 games, and the rest of the league isn't playing all good ones... it's almost 20% of the season.
Last edited:
How about this 15-game sample?
View: https://twitter.com/kirkgoldsberry/status/1494728533431701506
Or this one ending 2/11?
Still #1 net on 2/4
And #2 on 1/28
Last edited:
Two losses since 1/30, both #2 of back to backs on tired legs. We are going to be a really tough out.
View: https://mobile.twitter.com/KevinOConnorNBA/status/1500571965660090369
Kevin O’Connor: The Celtics are contenders to make the NBA Finals. Udoka found a rotation that works. Tatum and Brown are blossoming. 22-8 in 2022 with a top 10 offense and by far the #1 defense. Forget about how Boston's season started, this is a different team and should be taken seriously.
Kevin O’Connor: I can't recall a team that went from so unwatchable to so great in a single season. Can you? We've seen older teams coast and younger teams get off to slow starts. But win or loss, the early season Celtics just played straight ugly basketball. Now one of the best teams to watch.
Kevin O’Connor: The Celtics are contenders to make the NBA Finals. Udoka found a rotation that works. Tatum and Brown are blossoming. 22-8 in 2022 with a top 10 offense and by far the #1 defense. Forget about how Boston's season started, this is a different team and should be taken seriously.
Kevin O’Connor: I can't recall a team that went from so unwatchable to so great in a single season. Can you? We've seen older teams coast and younger teams get off to slow starts. But win or loss, the early season Celtics just played straight ugly basketball. Now one of the best teams to watch.
On January 6, Brooklyn was 24-12 while Boston was 18-21. Now, Brooklyn is 32-33 and Boston is 39-27, a 14 game turnaround in two months (over about 28 games). Crazy.
Two games, two statment wins. Tatum outdueled Ja Morant on Thursday and he outdueled Kevin Durant today.
I only caught the second half, but the 4th quarter was the key part of the game and it was mostly all Tatum for the Celtics, though, down the stretch, it was Jaylen Brown who hit an open 3 to expand the Celtic lead from 3 to 6.
This is absolutely a different Celtic team now. Sine falling to 18-21 and looking like they might miss the payoffs, they have gone 21-6.
I only caught the second half, but the 4th quarter was the key part of the game and it was mostly all Tatum for the Celtics, though, down the stretch, it was Jaylen Brown who hit an open 3 to expand the Celtic lead from 3 to 6.
This is absolutely a different Celtic team now. Sine falling to 18-21 and looking like they might miss the payoffs, they have gone 21-6.
That was the play where I could exhale. Jaylen’s patience on that shot was fantastic. He up faked and got a clean open look and calmly buried it.
Tatum with 18 in the 4th today after a 21 point performance in the 4th against Memphis. He is coming up big when it counts.
Are you kidding? That game was so good that I opened the ESPN app on my AppleTV and watched the game a second time.
To your point, Cs took an 8 point lead with 6:26 left in 4Q. BRK ran off 9 in a row to take a 1 point lead with 3:29. 2021 Cs undoubtedly lose this game 2022 Cs say no problem. JT gets a foul; hits the 2 FTs; and BOS never trailed again and they win another clutch game.
Also want to note that near end of 2Q, JB hit shot to make it a 56-56 game. JT scored or assisted on every point until JB hit a 3 with 6:02 left in 3Q to ma,e it 77-74 Cs - or 21 straight points.
That seemed to me a really critical junction as well. Brooklyn clearly had the momentum, but the C's turned it around and closed it out.
Interesting game in that it seemed the C's were the better team, defending better and getting better shots, but Brooklyn has a couple guys that just kept making shots. C's had one too.
Cs had two - JB made as many big shots as KI did (and played better defense).
I just noticed that BRK shot 50.6/44.4/90. Wonder how many teams lose when they shoot better than 50/40/90?
guilty as charged.
freaking ABC/ESPN missed the first 20 seconds of Q4 in a 1pt game for a stale interview with IME.
If you want some other light entertainment, go back to the beginning of the Tatum thread to brush up on who is better than JT...
Jaylen made some big shots, but only one that I recall was a tough make in the face of good D. C's played great D on Irving and he made some very tough shots. They also kept him to 8-18 shooting, so that defense did end up slowing him down. Durant and Tatum were both amazing. Durant's length really makes him a tough guard, I remember one shot where TL had a great closeout on him and Durant easily shot over him. That just doesn't happen.
Nets, Hawks, Hornets are all the type of teams that can put up great shooting nights and still lose. Gotta play some D at some point.
As good as this game was, it can’t top Big Baby getting kicked out of his seat with the “2008 NBA Champion” chyron.
Can confirm. Just watched the fourth again. Tatum was simply dominant. Its highly rewatchable.
View: https://streamable.com/erwxsj
Apparently that’s KD taunting him while he gets kicked out. “those ain’t your seats big dog??” Incredible.
The Nets with Simmons will be really terrifying, since he fixes some of their biggest issues. Best thing for the Celtics is that it's looking very likely they wouldn't face them in the playoffs until the 2nd or 3rd round, barring the Cs leaping up to 2nd or 3rd and the Nets tearing it up with KD/Simmons to finish the year. Every extra round is a chance for something to go wrong health-wise for Brooklyn, or just to get eliminated.
Outside of Brooklyn, I'm not scared by anyone except Philly. I think the Celtics are just straight up better than Miami, Milwaukee (hot take alert), Chicago and Cleveland.
Outside of Brooklyn, I'm not scared by anyone except Philly. I think the Celtics are just straight up better than Miami, Milwaukee (hot take alert), Chicago and Cleveland.
Right, the problem is that you don't know if you'll get them in the series before all the personality wheels fall off the bus.
Many times you’ll see an ex-player who has been out of the league 7-8 years and say, “He looks like he can step out on the floor and still play today.”
Glen Davis isn’t one of those guys.
Glen Davis isn’t one of those guys.
What a 180 from earlier in the season. After JT had been charged with a foul on a touch in the back off a breakaway, he was pushed from behind by Drummond on a layup and missed it. As the Nets turned upcourt with the ball, JT had his arms out and was wheeling around for a ref to complain to. That would be the meltdown moment of a few months ago. He and the team didn't fold this time. He sucked it up and continued to play hard and focussed. They've grown and the change in culture is remarkable.
The best thing I can say about the team right now is that they are running their normal offense in crunch time, but I forgot to notice that it wasn't desperate iso-ball anymore. Everything feels natural.
I wouldn't go that far but it's interesting to see all the pundits looking past this fact. Nobody has any idea what will happen when BS joins or what will happen when BKN faces some adversity and Kyrie starts throwing people under the bus or starts staying stupid esoteric BS.
Yes, and I think a 50+ point game from Tatum right now is not the same as a 50+ point game earlier in the season. The rest of the team isn't standing around watching him carry them to a win - they are making meaningful contributions to the win by hitting key shots, playing good defense, spreading the floor, etc. Tatum is getting deserved attention for the leap in his game but it bodes well for the playoffs to see guys like Pritchard come into their own, too.
Tatum made some really good plays down the stretch where it was clear he didn't care about his point totals. Great pass to Theis out of the double, rotate the ball to Smart for Brown's icing 3, and some others.
Even though the Celtics won a close game and Tatum scored 54 points; it didn't really feel like Tatum single-handily won them the game. It didn't feel like we had a bunch of scrubs out there and Tatum had to turn into superman to bail us out. Who can you really point to as having a bad game on the Celtics today? Derrick White? Grant? It felt like Brown, Smart, Horford and TL all played well. Tatum got his points within the flow of the offense and didn't necessarily rely on any hero ball outside of a few heat checks (most of which he made).
We had to like how the Celtics emphasized punishing the Nets by hunting Seth Curry & Aldridge on D. That's how halfcourt, playoff basketball works. Both teams made an obscene amount of shots, that won't be sustainable over a long series.
Defensively, the Celtics have no one that can be hunted (other than PP who won't have a major role in the playoffs). It's nice to know for the first time in a long time, that the C's won't be put in rotation every trip down and depend on the other team missing open shots.
Defensively, the Celtics have no one that can be hunted (other than PP who won't have a major role in the playoffs). It's nice to know for the first time in a long time, that the C's won't be put in rotation every trip down and depend on the other team missing open shots.
How many times did Tatum roast no. 11 on the Nets? Three or four? That was quite satisfying.
The other side of the court, too.
View: https://twitter.com/StoolGreenie/status/1500845108865867782?s=20&t=jxLYCvURugMSkNUKstXo7g
This is my take as well. Even with Simmons aboard, the Nets are going to probably have to play Kyrie with one of Dragic/Curry/Mills and that is going to be a difficult situation in the playoffs, especially when you think about how many teams in the East have powerful, scoring wings (Bulls have DeRozan and Lavine, Celtics have the Js, Milwaukee has Giannis and Middleton, Miami has Butler, Philly has Harden/Harris). I thought from the game yesterday, the Celtics got mostly really good shots in the half-court. Brooklyn got good looks for their role players, but the defense on Durant and Kyrie was excellent; Durant just made a ton of tough shots.
Can anyone understand what Tatum says to Hauser before he covers his mouth? I think it's something like "We gotta stop that...". Hauser didn't play at all so it's probably something irrelevant to the game, but it seemed important enough for him to say it right after the game.
View: https://twitter.com/celtics/status/1500571632695484420?s=20&t=dTkamguw_zJeYO4l5mT9uA
View: https://twitter.com/celtics/status/1500571632695484420?s=20&t=dTkamguw_zJeYO4l5mT9uA
And the one recent game where JT reverted to early-season crunch time iso ball, against Detroit, he did it poorly (several turnovers) and they lost.
I have to wonder if Marcus is more important than he seems? Does his presence catalyze the entire team to play with better focus and confidence when the pressure is highest (i.e.; end of game).
An effect that also convinces Tatum not to try to do something he isn't that good at (taking over a game singlehandedly).
Not taking anything away from Tatum's awesome game, but there were plenty of times when Brooklyn just wasn't playing defense. Overall, it was a super win. Was great to see Grant Freaking Williams defending Kyrie and making him give up the ball. Unbelievable.
It was also interesting to see Theis getting some more run, recently, even with Rob and Horford available. The unit out there with Theis and Pritchard gave me some pause, but they seemed to do okay.
It was also interesting to see Theis getting some more run, recently, even with Rob and Horford available. The unit out there with Theis and Pritchard gave me some pause, but they seemed to do okay.
Why are they so much better? Health would be the simple solution.
Were DS and JRich really that bad? is it simply because Tatum and Brown are involving teammates more? Is it Smart's improved shooting? I'd argue for the tightened rotation but that has been a thing all season long. Is it just the easier schedule? I guess we'll find out because there schedule isn't easy going forward.
Curious. C's are up to .347 from 3 for the year too. Still 20th though, as the league average has climbed up to .351. Opponents are only shooting .338 from 3, 3rd best mark in the league. So even if the C's are a somewhat poor shooting team, they are better than their opponents.
It's an interesting year. The answer is probably "all of the above." They were starting to play really well even before White was acquired, though. I don't think you can point to one specific thing. It's like everyone got a little better and the sum is greater than the individual gains. For a long time, this team's individual parts were far greater than the sum.
Were DS and JRich really that bad? is it simply because Tatum and Brown are involving teammates more? Is it Smart's improved shooting? I'd argue for the tightened rotation but that has been a thing all season long. Is it just the easier schedule? I guess we'll find out because there schedule isn't easy going forward.
Curious. C's are up to .347 from 3 for the year too. Still 20th though, as the league average has climbed up to .351. Opponents are only shooting .338 from 3, 3rd best mark in the league. So even if the C's are a somewhat poor shooting team, they are better than their opponents.
It's an interesting year. The answer is probably "all of the above." They were starting to play really well even before White was acquired, though. I don't think you can point to one specific thing. It's like everyone got a little better and the sum is greater than the individual gains. For a long time, this team's individual parts were far greater than the sum.
I would assume it's in relation to the Kyrie sucks chant, that Tatum motioned for the crowd to stop. Perhaps Hauser was egging it on on the bench?
Brown's last 26 games: 33.0 mpg, .470/.339/.761 22.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.0 steals, 2.4 TO.
Tatum's last 19 games: 35.0 mpg, .487/.378/.867, 29.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 0.9 steals, 2.6 TO in 35.0 mpg.
After their early season struggles, both currently have career high assist %. Tatum at 20.5% (up from 20.3 last year), Brown at 17.4% (16.5% last year).
Tatum will have improved his assist % every year if current trends continue. Brown will have increased his in all but 1, which was his 3rd year. Their raw numbers are actually worse than last year's but I'm guessing that won't be the case by the end of the season.
There was a lot of talk earlier in the year about how our Batman/Robin combo lacked playmaking ability and maybe weren't the best pairing. In a world where Tatum has a 25.0% assist % and Brown 20.0%, that's not a problem. It may even be a strength, assuming they keep the TO down. In 19/20, Tatum was at 14.9% and Brown 9.7%. That wasn't even 2 full seasons ago. As someone who isn't too worried about the shooting, I'm liking these trends.
I assumed Tatum would develop into at least an average to above average playmaker but Brown would also be somewhat of a blackhole. I was hoping Tatum would develop enough of a passing game to make up for Jaylen. It looks like he did that. To my surprise, it looks like Brown is developing into something more than a blackhole. If he can turn into an average (ish) playmaker himself, the C's are going to be great for awhile.
The team has had an easy schedule and some good luck with teams missing players but they have been playing at another level for awhile now. That's in large part due to Tatum and Brown distributing the ball. For a vast majority of the game, the C's are playing with 5 guys who can pass the ball. Even Grant and PP are ok in the grand scheme of things. It's so much better to watch than the no ball movement mess earlier this season. It all starts at the top, glad Tatum and Brown are buying in.
Tatum's last 19 games: 35.0 mpg, .487/.378/.867, 29.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 0.9 steals, 2.6 TO in 35.0 mpg.
After their early season struggles, both currently have career high assist %. Tatum at 20.5% (up from 20.3 last year), Brown at 17.4% (16.5% last year).
Tatum will have improved his assist % every year if current trends continue. Brown will have increased his in all but 1, which was his 3rd year. Their raw numbers are actually worse than last year's but I'm guessing that won't be the case by the end of the season.
There was a lot of talk earlier in the year about how our Batman/Robin combo lacked playmaking ability and maybe weren't the best pairing. In a world where Tatum has a 25.0% assist % and Brown 20.0%, that's not a problem. It may even be a strength, assuming they keep the TO down. In 19/20, Tatum was at 14.9% and Brown 9.7%. That wasn't even 2 full seasons ago. As someone who isn't too worried about the shooting, I'm liking these trends.
I assumed Tatum would develop into at least an average to above average playmaker but Brown would also be somewhat of a blackhole. I was hoping Tatum would develop enough of a passing game to make up for Jaylen. It looks like he did that. To my surprise, it looks like Brown is developing into something more than a blackhole. If he can turn into an average (ish) playmaker himself, the C's are going to be great for awhile.
The team has had an easy schedule and some good luck with teams missing players but they have been playing at another level for awhile now. That's in large part due to Tatum and Brown distributing the ball. For a vast majority of the game, the C's are playing with 5 guys who can pass the ball. Even Grant and PP are ok in the grand scheme of things. It's so much better to watch than the no ball movement mess earlier this season. It all starts at the top, glad Tatum and Brown are buying in.