I think he meant plays the exact same game but has a more normal success rate with his shots.I'm using your words here--but if every game was 8 of 11 and 6 of 7 from three, then of course he's a max player.
I think he meant plays the exact same game but has a more normal success rate with his shots.I'm using your words here--but if every game was 8 of 11 and 6 of 7 from three, then of course he's a max player.
His normal? And then factor in his normal rebounding and passing?I think he meant plays the exact same game but has a more normal success rate with his shots.
That drive against Embiid to draw the foul was perhaps the single most encouraging thing I have seen from him all season.It's one thing to drive into the paint against a regular NBA team. It's another to do it with Embiid there. And I do know he drove right at him once.
Yeah, cuz there's a better than 50% chance you're ending up on your ass.That drive against Embiid to draw the foul was perhaps the single most encouraging thing I have seen from him all season.
If he hits 6-7 every night, he's not only a max player, he's the greatest player who ever lived.I'm using your words here--but if every game was 8 of 11 and 6 of 7 from three, then of course he's a max player.
It seems clear that he is on an upward path, though, which is what matters. It's still going to take time to see where he ends up. For now, it is enough to know that he is notably better than he was a month ago.Fair enough. But that hot shooting comes and goes. What I meant was that if he is nothing more than a 3-point sharpshooter, he's not a max guy. Of course that ignores his overall feel for the game, which seems very good, but to be a max player he needs bursts of the athleticism that he had in Utah and that, God willing, he will regain here.
Agree regarding the lineups. They really need to look at just giving Terry's minutes to Hayward, Smart, and Brown. It totally changes the team.Another encouraging night from Hayward, on a back-back as well. Let’s hope the week off allows him to keep regaining some of his explosiveness he seems to be unleashing more of.
Would love to see him in the starting 5 again. Separately, the lineups where he is playing the point offer a ton of potential.
If Brad just forces Rozier to earn his minutes with some effort on the defensive end, we could live with some forced shots. He can be a positive player even off the bench imo, as long as he takes both ends of the court seriously.Agree regarding the lineups. They really need to look at just giving Terry's minutes to Hayward, Smart, and Brown. It totally changes the team.
The team is at serious risk of imploding if they don't do everything they can to optimize for wins, and force-feeding Rozier minutes goes against that.
I dont know about the "seriously imploding" part, but until very recently, *planning* to give anyone's minutes to Hayward was a dicey proposition, given his inconsistency. The ASB comes at a good time to consider Hayward going forward as at least consistently useful.Agree regarding the lineups. They really need to look at just giving Terry's minutes to Hayward, Smart, and Brown. It totally changes the team.
The team is at serious risk of imploding if they don't do everything they can to optimize for wins, and force-feeding Rozier minutes goes against that.
agreed.Agree regarding the lineups. They really need to look at just giving Terry's minutes to Hayward, Smart, and Brown. It totally changes the team.
The team is at serious risk of imploding if they don't do everything they can to optimize for wins, and force-feeding Rozier minutes goes against that.
Brad has already started to do this. Terry's minutes have been cut since the beginning of the season. Looking at his average minutes is confusing in the sense that he gets random starts here and there.Terry should be relegated ~15mpg (#9 or 10 in the rotation). I'm skeptical Brad will do this, but with 30% of the regular season left he needs to start making some shrewd decisions with minutes/rotations.
yea, you're kind of right. Kyrie injuries have distorted Rozier mpg all season long. My main thesis is whatever minutes handed to Rozier should be going to others in the rotation. If he gets a DNP (as Theis has before), I'm fine with that.But Brad has already done this. Terry's minutes have been cut since the beginning of the season. Looking at his average minutes is confusing in the sense that he gets random starts here and there.
In the last 10 games he did not start (excusing the Clippers game), he's been under 20 minutes in 8 of them. I know you want to go lower, but his minutes have trended downward.
The situation is definitely evolving, that's why I added the Hayward health disclaimer. I think lovegtm made a good point about fine-tuning the rotations. I've been more than outspoken about Brad going small too often and I see Rozier as part of that problem.Worth noting that 2 weeks ago, there was this same discussion, but in addition to Rozier, it was also about cutting Hayward's minutes
Yeah, generally I'm in favor of not over-reacting, but there's also a time for decisiveness. Hayward's improving confidence/health/performance, the availability of AD, and the need to keep Kyrie happy are all new factors that the team needs to optimize heavily around in the next couple months.The situation is definitely evolving, that's why I added the Hayward health disclaimer. I think lovegtm made a good point about fine-tuning the rotations. I've been more than outspoken about Brad going small too often and I see Rozier as part of that problem.
Rozier wasn't missed last night. Wanamaker played a decent 14 minutes and Ojeleye also played well. Smart played only 32 minutes.It sucks for Terry Rozier, because I think he'd be a solid contributor in the right situation, but this team frankly is at too much of a crossroads to worry about that.
I've been pro-Hayward all year long. Others wanted him buried on the bench and I've constantly said you need to play him in order for him to round into form and it's paid off. He's looking as good as he has all year in the last 2-3 weeks especially this week. Just keep piling on the positive games and be consistent in these performances instead of 1-2 good games and 3-4 mediocre ones.I think what we saw in the playoffs was much more match up oriented. "Playoff Brad" if you will...
I'm confident he'll put the best team forward as we get closer to the playoffs. If we reacted like this board wanted constantly, we'd never have Hayward where he is today.
I'm very interested to see how Brad handles Mil. Does Semi get more minutes, like he did in the playoffs?
I've been very much in the camp of patience, and totally understand the reasons for giving Rozier his minutes this year. The availability of AD and the current chemistry issues add some urgency, however.I think what we saw in the playoffs was much more match up oriented. "Playoff Brad" if you will...
I'm confident he'll put the best team forward as we get closer to the playoffs. If we reacted like this board wanted constantly, we'd never have Hayward where he is today.
I'm very interested to see how Brad handles Mil. Does Semi get more minutes, like he did in the playoffs?
I'm not sure anyone around here wanted Gordon Hayward "buried" on the bench?I've been pro-Hayward all year long. Others wanted him buried on the bench and I've constantly said you need to play him in order for him to round into form and it's paid off. He's looking as good as he has all year in the last 2-3 weeks especially this week. Just keep piling on the positive games and be consistent in these performances instead of 1-2 good games and 3-4 mediocre ones.
Some wanted his minutes drastically reduced. I don't know how to take that other than to bury him on the bench. If he continues to play like he did this week, yes he deserves to start. You can leave Smart at the 2 for the reason you laid out, but I believe that if Morris continues his cold shooting then Hayward should start.I'm not sure anyone around here wanted Gordon Hayward "buried" on the bench?
I wanted his court time to build up slowly throughout the season with the hope that he'd be healthy by All-Star break. And I'm not sure starting him day 1, playing him on back-to-backs or forcing big minutes before Jan.1 did him or the team any favors. BUT here we are. Looks like he's not fully "Utah Gordon" but he has carved out an important niche on this team. Rotating him in between the 2nd unit and closing group, in lieu of Rozier, will make the team better. Those calling for Hayward or Brown to start are being foolish IMHO since MaMo and Smart add some physicality to an already undersized group.
I don't recall who it was nor do I think they were entirely serious. However some poster(s) suggested that Hayward be sent to the G League. And there were others who were definitely in the bench or shut-him-down camp.Some wanted his minutes drastically reduced. I don't know how to take that other than to bury him on the bench. If he continues to play like he did this week, yes he deserves to start. You can leave Smart at the 2 for the reason you left, but I believe that if Morris continues his cold shooting then Hayward should start.
Won't out the poster but I can say that the post started with, "Serious question . . . ."I don't recall who it was nor do I think they were entirely serious. However some poster(s) suggested that Hayward be sent to the G League.
MM was always unlikely to shoot 45% from 3 for even a majority of the season. As is nearly every NBA player.Since January 1 Morris is averaging 13 points on 43.5% (35.4% 3pt) with 6 rebounds and 1.35 assists in 28 minutes per game. Hayward is averaging 12.5 points on 50% (38% 3pt) with 4.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 25.2 minutes per game. Morris was +6.4 per 200 possessions in January and +0.7 per 200 in February. Gordon was -2.2 per 200 in January and +17.4 per 200 in February. I agree that Smart should stay start because he's so important in so many hard to quantify ways, but I think they have to consider moving Hayward into the starting five over Morris if he continues improving and Morris doesn't regain his 45% 3pt that he had for the first three months of the season.
BigJohn wanted to replace all his minutes with Semi.I'm not sure anyone around here wanted Gordon Hayward "buried" on the bench?
Wonder if he could handle Giannis (cuts into my theory that Semi is going to be a big focus of any Bucks series). This Bucks game next week is going to be fascinating to see how they play it.Decent (but not great) breakdown of GH's game vs PHI here: https://www.celticsblog.com/2019/2/13/18222938/gordon-hayward-takes-another-step-forward-vs-sixers-boston-celtics-nba-Philadelphia
One nugget from the article: "On 59 possessions against Philadelphia, Hayward held his match ups to just 9 total points."
Some people may have forgotten that GH did a credible job against KD in the playoffs when he was with the Jazz. Getting 85% of that back would be huge. 95% would be unbelievable.
Yes! Remember, this is what the playoffs looked like last year. (Terry getting Kyrie's minutes, of course, but Smart and Brown getting most of the minutes that would have gone to Terry.)Agree regarding the lineups. They really need to look at just giving Terry's minutes to Hayward, Smart, and Brown. It totally changes the team.
Yeah, these Celtics are at their best when their identity is being long, physical, playing their defense, and exploiting size matchups on offense.Yes! Remember, this is what the playoffs looked like last year. (Terry getting Kyrie's minutes, of course, but Smart and Brown getting most of the minutes that would have gone to Terry.)
BigJohn is the ultimate outlier....even Dershowitz would struggle to defend most of his suggestionsBigJohn wanted to replace all his minutes with Semi.
It would definitely impact Kyrie's, which has a chain effect.I wonder if a close to 100% Hayward would impact Davis's decision.