Romeo Langford - Pick #14

lovegtm

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Nice Weiss article in the Athletic on Romeo’s defense:
https://theathletic.com/1494955/2019/12/30/romeo-langford-defense/
“Everybody on this team knows that coach doesn’t really care about how many shots you make and all that,” he said. “He just cares about your motor, your defense and the energy that you bring in when you do get your time to play.”
It’s a lesson players like Tatum have been preaching to him all year long.
“(Tatum) just talked to me on the side and said, ‘We’ve all been through this.’” Langford said. “Him, JB, all them have been that role guy. He just told me to make the best out of it and when you get out there, make stuff happen, do your thing and everything will take care of itself.”
...
“That was one thing I struggled with in Indiana when it came to defense, just being in the right body position all the time for certain things,” Langford said. “But (assistant) coach Joe (Mazzulla) prepares me well for that and takes time to walk through defense for each team that favors a lot of what certain players do. That correlates to the game and helps me be in the right position at the right time.”
...
Langford’s even better getting over screens, where he uses a long stride to step over the screen and turn his hips and get downhill without losing speed. Being able to stay on the ballhandler’s hip, especially a quick point guard like Fred Van Vleet, is crucial to forcing the kick out to the near side or contesting the shot without fouling.
 

DannyDarwinism

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Romeo's scouting report didn't do his defensive talents justice. Really long, well positioned and stays engaged.
Its definitely encouraging. He’s looking comfortable with the tried-and-true Celtics developmental plan of focusing on D and standing in the corner waiting to catch-and-shoot or cut on offense
 

Jed Zeppelin

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Really savvy finisher if he has any daylight. Doesn’t rush himself, uses his body well, avoids the D. That sneaky near side finish with his left was pretty eye-opening. I mean, remember how bad Jaylen was trying to finish off the dribble as a rookie? Need to see how the shot develops of course but I don’t know how you can’t like what you see from him in limited minutes so far.
 

jmcc5400

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He's much more than someone to toss on a pile of salaries to get an "upgrade." It's obviously very early, but I think they've hit on both first round picks
 

Euclis20

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Really savvy finisher if he has any daylight. Doesn’t rush himself, uses his body well, avoids the D. That sneaky near side finish with his left was pretty eye-opening. I mean, remember how bad Jaylen was trying to finish off the dribble as a rookie? Need to see how the shot develops of course but I don’t know how you can’t like what you see from him in limited minutes so far.
His ability to finish at the rim was his greatest strength in college and his most NBA ready skill:

https://www.indianasportscoverage.com/romeo-langford-is-college-basketballs-most-efficient-finisher/
Langford is one of the best finishers at the rim in college basketball. “Among the 388 players in Division 1 to take at least 50 shots at the basket in half-court settings, Romeo Langford ranks No. 1 in finishing efficiency at 78%,” says Synergy.
His rookie year has been pretty quiet so far, but glad to see this skill translate thus far(in a very small sample).
 

ifmanis5

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His first step is good and he's adept at finding angles and pathways to finish. The League will catch up to that and play way off him and eventually it'll be up to him to find a consistent shot or suffer the Simmons tax. He should be practicing the corner three all summer.
 

lovegtm

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His first step is good and he's adept at finding angles and pathways to finish. The League will catch up to that and play way off him and eventually it'll be up to him to find a consistent shot or suffer the Simmons tax. He should be practicing the corner three all summer.
I agree with your point about his needing something other than rim finishes, and obviously the 3 will be a big focus for him the next few years.

But I think that the key shot for athletic guys who can get to the rim is more that 10-15 foot fallaway. Hayward and Brown both have this in their bag, Giannis is working on adding it, and if Simmons had it, no one would talk about the 3 really. It's also a shot that someone like Romeo, who has really good touch, should be able to add.

I've said it before, but I'm very, very high on him and wouldn't want them to trade him unless another team treats him as a decent asset in the deal, and not salary. Not playing big minutes as a rookie doesn't mean much on a team this deep at his exact position (wing creator).
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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He's much more than someone to toss on a pile of salaries to get an "upgrade." It's obviously very early, but I think they've hit on both first round picks
Can't remember if this college breakdown was posted before so I'll throw it here in case anyone is interested: https://cbbtoday.com/nba-draft/analyzing-the-enigmatic-romeo-langfords-nba-potential/.

I agree with you, throwing Romeo in a trade to get help for the end of the bench is nuts. The Cs are going to need his three years of rookie contract production to keep the luxury tax bill down. Also, while he's a terrific finisher, I still think his greatest NBA potential is as a PnR ball handler (which he obviously is not going to do a lot this year) - in addition to be a high level finisher, both his passing and mid-range shooting showed promise in college. E.g., the article linked to said that he shot 60% in close pull-ups and 50% in longer pull-ups.

I said this in a game thread - Romeo is going to score a lot of points in the NBA. I hope the first four years (minimum) are going to be with BOS.
 

lovegtm

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Can't remember if this college breakdown was posted before so I'll throw it here in case anyone is interested: https://cbbtoday.com/nba-draft/analyzing-the-enigmatic-romeo-langfords-nba-potential/.

I agree with you, throwing Romeo in a trade to get help for the end of the bench is nuts. The Cs are going to need his three years of rookie contract production to keep the luxury tax bill down. Also, while he's a terrific finisher, I still think his greatest NBA potential is as a PnR ball handler (which he obviously is not going to do a lot this year) - in addition to be a high level finisher, both his passing and mid-range shooting showed promise in college. E.g., the article linked to said that he shot 60% in close pull-ups and 50% in longer pull-ups.

I said this in a game thread - Romeo is going to score a lot of points in the NBA. I hope the first four years (minimum) are going to be with BOS.
Not to mention the fact that if he develops, his 2nd contract would coincide exactly with Kemba's coming off the books.

However, as much as I love him, part of me wonders whether his starting and closing the game was a direct order from the FO in order to boost value/maximize options ahead of the deadline.

He's shown enough defensive potential that I'd rather have him than the 17th pick in a weak draft (MEM), so I'd strongly prefer to use that asset for trade upgrades.
 

Imbricus

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However, as much as I love him, part of me wonders whether his starting and closing the game was a direct order from the FO in order to boost value/maximize options ahead of the deadline.

He's shown enough defensive potential that I'd rather have him than the 17th pick in a weak draft (MEM), so I'd strongly prefer to use that asset for trade upgrades.
God, I hope they weren't showcasing him last night. He looked good. I'm sure he piqued some interest around the league. It would be dumb to move him for a bench piece. If that's what it takes to land Bertans, I'd say we can live without. WBCD is spot on, that they'll need good cheap guys for a few years.

Seeing the glass half full, he may have started last night because (1) Brad has just been pulling some weird starting rotations out of his hat sometimes; Javonte was a starter too one game remember (2) The Celts may have wanted to see better what they had in Romeo, to figure out whether he should be on the table -- and to that the answer is hopefully "no."
 

lovegtm

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God, I hope they weren't showcasing him last night. He looked good. I'm sure he piqued some interest around the league. It would be dumb to move him for a bench piece. If that's what it takes to land Bertans, I'd say we can live without. WBCD is spot on, that they'll need good cheap guys for a few years.

Seeing the glass half full, he may have started last night because (1) Brad has just been pulling some weird starting rotations out of his hat sometimes; Javonte was a starter too one game remember (2) The Celts may have wanted to see better what they had in Romeo, to figure out whether he should be on the table -- and to that the answer is hopefully "no."
While I mostly agree with you (I'm a big fan of young wings with infinite wingspan, good ball-handling skills, and mental commitment to defense), I think anyone should be touchable in trades--it's just a matter of whether you're getting value. If Langford is valued as a young, cheap guy with strong 2-way potential, then you're fine including him in the right trade. If he's valued as a lottery ticket throw-in, you don't.

I rather pay draft picks for Bertans (if he's on the table), since I doubt the Bullets value Langford as highly as getting their own shot at a similar-range pick.

Also, it looks like we may get to see a lot of Romeo the next couple games if Smart and Brown will be missing time.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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However, as much as I love him, part of me wonders whether his starting and closing the game was a direct order from the FO in order to boost value/maximize options ahead of the deadline.
Stories said that Brad played him for the sole purpose of guarding Fournier. That plays to his current strengths - on ball defense; using his athleticism - and minimizes the need for him to figure out rotations.

Will be interesting to see if he gets minutes in the next games as ATL uses way more motion and I'm not sure of his matchup against OKC.

If I were Brad, I'd give him some minutes against HOU's lineup as he might match up well there.
 

lovegtm

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Stories said that Brad played him for the sole purpose of guarding Fournier. That plays to his current strengths - on ball defense; using his athleticism - and minimizes the need for him to figure out rotations.

Will be interesting to see if he gets minutes in the next games as ATL uses way more motion and I'm not sure of his matchup against OKC.

If I were Brad, I'd give him some minutes against HOU's lineup as he might match up well there.
Yeah, Houston likes to just lay out the chessboard in a way that seems like it would be good for Romeo.
 

benhogan

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Stories said that Brad played him for the sole purpose of guarding Fournier. That plays to his current strengths - on ball defense; using his athleticism - and minimizes the need for him to figure out rotations.

Will be interesting to see if he gets minutes in the next games as ATL uses way more motion and I'm not sure of his matchup against OKC.

If I were Brad, I'd give him some minutes against HOU's lineup as he might match up well there.
yea. I'd like to see Brad start Romeo on Huerter (instead of Green). Play Granite more than Semi. I just don't see these rookies hurting the team when they are on the floor. As long as they offensively defer to Tatum/Brown/Hayward/Kemba, play high effort (go over screens/on-ball) defense they'll be fine.

Heck VP was actually playable last night, moved the ball with confidence, set some screens without fouling, dunked the bunny under the hoop, stroked his FT.... in small minutes. He seems capable of being the 4th string 5. At the moment, Brad should live with him more on the floor than playing a gimpy Kanter 26mins. I'd hate for EK's injury to turn into something more, let him heal.

Still would like to see Danny add a 3pt shooter.
 

lovegtm

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yea. I'd like to see Brad start Romeo on Huerter (instead of Green). Play Granite more than Semi. I just don't see these rookies hurting the team when they are on the floor. As long as they offensively defer to Tatum/Brown/Hayward/Kemba, play high effort (go over screens/on-ball) defense they'll be fine.

Heck VP was actually playable last night, moved the ball with confidence, set some screens without fouling, dunked the bunny under the hoop, stroked his FT.... in small minutes. He seems capable of being the 4th string 5. At the moment, Brad should live with him more on the floor than playing a gimpy Kanter 26mins. I'd hate for EK's injury to turn into something more, let him heal.

Still would like to see Danny add a 3pt shooter.
Yeah, I think if Brad has one flaw, it's that he has zero patience for young guys playing through stuff. At the same time, his track record with developing young guys defensively has been strong...so...shrug?

I'd definitely like to see Romeo play more, and even VP looks sort of maybe ok when he's given minutes to work through stuff.
 

benhogan

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Yeah, I think if Brad has one flaw, it's that he has zero patience for young guys playing through stuff. At the same time, his track record with developing young guys defensively has been strong...so...shrug?

I'd definitely like to see Romeo play more, and even VP looks sort of maybe ok when he's given minutes to work through stuff.
agreed, CBS is a bit firmer/tougher than most on young guys, but it has paid off in the end. Even the way he used Jaylen last season, it felt like JB had the shortest of ropes in his 3rd season. So I'd expect Romeo to get similar treatment.

While I'm fine with Semi as deep/cheap bench option, opposing big wings have his schtick figured out. Just back him down to the block, turn around and shoot over him. He provides no shot-blocking resistance at all. Granite should get those minutes, even when Milwaukee/Giannis come to town.
 

Jimbodandy

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For the most part, I don't think that Brad is easy or hard on young guys. They seem to practice/play themselves into or out of minutes, just like the vets.

If you can be trusted on defense to follow the plan and execute at least ok, and if you're a team player on the offensive side, you're good to go generally. Defensive lapses, being overmatched due to the speed of the game, you'll sit. Romeo is playing better than Green, so he should play more. Grant can pass Semi for the same reason.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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SSS but according to this article, "Although his minutes have been minuscule to this point in his rookie campaign, Langford has taken full advantage of his opportunities when they’ve come. He’s played double-digit minutes in six games, four of which have come in at 15 minutes or higher. In those contests, Langford has never had a defensive rating higher than 100, and never had an offensive rating lower than 114.8. His average net rating in those six games is 30.8."
 

Imbricus

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I was kind of down on Langford at first, what with the rash of early injuries he suffered and the questions about his shooting, but then I saw his defense, and was surprised. He looked really good. And that chase-down block on Fournier he had against the Magic, there was another game when he had a block exactly like that.

He knows that the way to Brad's heart is through defense, and he's really showing something. He was my biggest question mark among Danny's draft picks, but it looks like the Celts nailed this one too. One small thing: not sure if his shooting numbers in Maine have been that great, so I wonder if he's a guy who does better in the NBA than G League, if that makes any sense?
 

NomarsFool

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My expectation is that his shooting numbers this year won't be great, because the Celtics have been working with him extensively on reworking his shot. I would assume that is something that takes time, and would expect his numbers to go down before coming back up. It's super small sample size, but what he's been mostly doing is taking the ball to the basket almost every time - which is great. The perfect approach.
 

Jimbodandy

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My expectation is that his shooting numbers this year won't be great, because the Celtics have been working with him extensively on reworking his shot. I would assume that is something that takes time, and would expect his numbers to go down before coming back up. It's super small sample size, but what he's been mostly doing is taking the ball to the basket almost every time - which is great. The perfect approach.
Rozier didn't start shooting at an acceptable level until year three, and I expect that it may take Romeo that long. Good news is that his size and finishing starts him at a much higher baseline from which to grow. If we could buy stock in Romeo, I would.
 

benhogan

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Rozier didn't start shooting at an acceptable level until year three, and I expect that it may take Romeo that long. Good news is that his size and finishing starts him at a much higher baseline from which to grow. If we could buy stock in Romeo, I would.
Yep. On offense, he'll stay on the perimeter (primarily the corner), move the ball or drive strong to the hoop which he seems good at.
Then play aggressive on-ball defense, go over picks, stay with his man which he has bought into. He'll be positive when he's on the floor, as he has been thus far.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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Yep. On offense, he'll stay on the perimeter (primarily the corner), move the ball or drive strong to the hoop which he seems good at.
Then play aggressive on-ball defense, go over picks, stay with his man which he has bought into. He'll be positive when he's on the floor, as he has been thus far.
I think the biggest reason he's not getting minutes is because he hasn't mastered the defensive concepts. Brad mentioned the other day during the losing streak that there are dozens of things that have to be done on defense each play, and if they only do 90% of them, there are obvious breakdowns. From what I am seeing, I am guessing that a great deal of the defensive responsibilities are put on the wings in Brad's system so that he can play small, offensive guards.

That's the same reason why JB didn't get a ton of run in year 1 and why JT and Granite do.
 

benhogan

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I think the biggest reason he's not getting minutes is because he hasn't mastered the defensive concepts. Brad mentioned the other day during the losing streak that there are dozens of things that have to be done on defense each play, and if they only do 90% of them, there are obvious breakdowns. From what I am seeing, I am guessing that a great deal of the defensive responsibilities are put on the wings in Brad's system so that he can play small, offensive guards.

That's the same reason why JB didn't get a ton of run in year 1 and why JT and Granite do.
yea, Romeo will hopefully get minutes while the Celtics heal, load manage, play the thickest part of the schedule. He does have some rookie JB tendencies but has a much more developed handle/speed control. As long as Romeo doesn't kill them, defensively, while he's on the floor we should be thrilled. Like JB he has time to develop a 3pt shot if he puts in the work.

I still believe this team is about 2021Championship and beyond and want minutes steered towards Romeo/Grant over Green/Semi (the spread between those two groups is thin and would favor the kids by seasons end w/minutes IMO). You've noted in the past the numerous defensive mistakes Green makes, so you may agree.

There is a lot of future value to be gained by playing them now, Jan/Feb dog-day NBA minutes are gold for rookies.
 

NomarsFool

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I'm not a big Green fan. I acknowledge that he brings something to the table, and of course it's nice to root for someone who has worked hard to make it to the NBA. That said, I don't think he has a future with the club and I'd rather Romeo get the experience, and live with the <10% difference in production you get from Romeo vs. Green (if that). I hardly think that Romeo vs. Green is going to mean much in terms of wins vs. losses in the regular season. I also expect neither of those guys to see the floor in the playoffs. Semi, I'm not as sure about. While they are different, I still see Grant and Semi a bit as competing for some not all of the same minutes.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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yea, Romeo will hopefully get minutes while the Celtics heal, load manage, play the thickest part of the schedule. He does have some rookie JB tendencies but has a much more developed handle/speed control. As long as Romeo doesn't kill them, defensively, while he's on the floor we should be thrilled. Like JB he has time to develop a 3pt shot if he puts in the work.

I still believe this team is about 2021Championship and beyond and want minutes steered towards Romeo/Grant over Green/Semi (the spread between those two groups is thin and would favor the kids by seasons end w/minutes IMO). You've noted in the past the numerous defensive mistakes Green makes, so you may agree.

There is a lot of future value to be gained by playing them now, Jan/Feb dog-day NBA minutes are gold for rookies.
I'd like to see Romeo play more even if he makes mistakes for all of the reasons we've discussed but CBS seems to be pretty darn good at developing rookies so there's probably a method to his madness.
 

DannyDarwinism

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Awesome game for him, he was a legitimately good NBA wing tonight. So encouraging. Paying him and Grant a combine 7 mil, on average, for the next four years is gonna be huge.
 

TripleOT

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What an impressive performance by the inexperienced rookie. Besides the defense, shot blocking, and scoring, I love how confidently he shot that corner three in crunch time. After that big bucked, he sealed the win like with two big FTs, looking like a veteran at the line.
 

lovegtm

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He seems like he really bought in both on fixing his shot, and getting on the floor with defense, and it's all starting to compound a bit now.

From a development perspective, it's big for the Celtics to have the example of Tatum and Brown getting minutes and getting paid because of commitment to defense. I could easily see Langford getting discouraged in a different environment.
 

Eddie Jurak

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I think the biggest reason he's not getting minutes is because he hasn't mastered the defensive concepts. Brad mentioned the other day during the losing streak that there are dozens of things that have to be done on defense each play, and if they only do 90% of them, there are obvious breakdowns. From what I am seeing, I am guessing that a great deal of the defensive responsibilities are put on the wings in Brad's system so that he can play small, offensive guards.

That's the same reason why JB didn't get a ton of run in year 1 and why JT and Granite do.
He just needs experience, which he can only get on this team when guys are hurt. The talent and feel for the game are impressive though - he looks like he'll have a long NBA career.
What an impressive performance by the inexperienced rookie. Besides the defense, shot blocking, and scoring, I love how confidently he shot that corner three in crunch time. After that big bucked, he sealed the win like with two big FTs, looking like a veteran at the line.
Yes. Career best game for him.
 

lovegtm

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He just needs experience, which he can only get on this team when guys are hurt. The talent and feel for the game are impressive though - he looks like he'll have a long NBA career.
He can also get that more of that experience by passing Semi in the rotation, which he’s getting closer to doing.
 

lovegtm

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It's a slow Saturday behind the Iron Curtain, so I went back and watched all 2nd half defensive possessions that Langford impacted. It was very impressive--only saw 4 bad possessions (the "XX"s) out of the 20ish here, and a lot of really good moments.

Video:
View: https://youtu.be/DH79t8a7Z-I


3rd quarter
- (4:39) ices correctly, gets back in front of the snaked dribble, and blocks the layup
- (4:22) bother from behind
- (2:49) nice help D rotating into the lane, switches with Tatum on the fly after
- (2:24) communicates really well with Smart on multiple switches
- (1:59) helps on the big in the lane to stop a layup, then Xs out to the correct shooter (slight processing delay)
- (1:31) instantly recognizes ghost cutter and cuts him off in the lane
- (54.0) cuts off the ball handler, then helps at the nail to stop Huerter, and recovers out to contest the 3 with his length/speed
- (10.0) XX navigates switches well, then gets bodied juuussst enough by Teague to give up the 3, but that's a shot the Celtics will live with from Teague

4th quarter
- (11:53) navigates weakside switch with Tatum, then correctly realizes it's now the strong side, lets his man cut away to Wanamaker/Semi's area, and steps in to take the charge
- (10:04) recognizes Huerter in transition and has the speed/length to contest the 3 and then block the drive and force a pass. Man.
- (9:42) XX takes a bad angle closing out Huerter's 3; gets bailed out by Huerter turning it over on the drive
- (9:39) has Huerter out of bounds, contests the 3 well while being the 2nd jumper
- (9:12) XX gets confused and looses Huerter on the pindown, leads to a frantic closeout and layup
- (8:40) navigates the same screen as the play before much better, ices correctly, then switches correctly when Huerter rejects the screen. Gets steamrolled/sealed by Collins when the next guy drives
- (8:29) gets over the pick and cuts off Huerter's drive well. Maintains good help position at the nail with ability to recover to Huerter if necessary
- (7:48) executes switch well, routine
- (3:00) executes trap on Huerter well
- (2:02) XX stays in front of Goodwin well in transition, moves feet, gets hips turned which probably costs him the foul call (looked like a bad call on replay, but you don't get that call without being more square to the ballhandler)
- (45.0) not Langford, but example of Tatum blowing the switch on that sideline PnR that Langford handled well every time
- last possession for Atlanta: just great
 
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BigSoxFan

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It would be absolutely huge if Langford reaches his potential. Last year at Indiana he was never really healthy and that may end up being a blessing in disguise for the Celtics.
Yup. No chance he lasts to 14 if he’s healthy all last year.
 

CoffeeNerdness

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What an impressive performance by the inexperienced rookie. Besides the defense, shot blocking, and scoring, I love how confidently he shot that corner three in crunch time. After that big bucked, he sealed the win like with two big FTs, looking like a veteran at the line.
I love this kid. Tommy remarked at least two times last night about how this kid has the mentality that he belongs on a NBA court now-- which, to me, is an impressive compliment. His shot block skill kinda reminds me of Mookie Blaylock, but he's got 4" on MB so maybe not the most apt comparison. Love his abilities around the rim too. He seems to have the uncanny ability to hang in the air for an extra quarter second. If he can consistently hit treys this kid is gonna go places.
 

NomarsFool

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Well, I don't really know how much Tommy is really analyzing his mentality. Tommy loves everyone on the Celtics :)

But, it was a really nice game for Langford - especially on the defensive end. That was a big rebound he grabbed near the end (a little bit before I was afraid that bad pass/turnover to Grant (not from Langford, I forget who threw it) had a chance of blowing the game). It was nice that Langford made that big 3 in the clutch. I'd really like to see him get some regular minutes. There will be matchups that favor Semi, I imagine (and he has been playing fairly well), but Langford has so much more versatility on the offensive end (and a brighter future).
 

benhogan

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Hopefully, CBS continues to ride Romeo/Grant over Green/Semi and lives with whatever speedbumps hit them.

Romeo/Grant ceilings are too high to ignore and frankly, their floors will be above Green/Semi by seasons end with minutes.IMO
 

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Looks real good. Great energy, defense, and poise for someone who is...20? Focus on buyouts/pickups should be on a big guy and a shooter for the bench.
 

Jimbodandy

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It's a slow Saturday behind the Iron Curtain, so I went back and watched all 2nd half defensive possessions that Langford impacted. It was very impressive--only saw 4 bad possessions (the "XX"s) out of the 20ish here, and a lot of really good moments. I'm putting the notes below along with (game clock in parens), and time in the streaming feed I used after that. Video links above the notes, or you can use League Pass if ya got it.

3rd quarter
- (4:39) 13:22 ices correctly, gets back in front of the snaked dribble, and blocks the layup
- (4:22) 14:24 bother from behind
- (2:49) 17:25 nice help D rotating into the lane, switches with Tatum on the fly after
- (2:24) 22:06 communicates really well with Smart on multiple switches
- (1:59) 22:30 helps on the big in the lane to stop a layup, then Xs out to the correct shooter (slight processing delay)
- (1:31) 23:11 instantly recognizes ghost cutter and cuts him off in the lane
- (54.0) 24:58 cuts off the ball handler, then helps at the nail to stop Huerter, and recovers out to contest the 3 with his length/speed
- (10.0) 25:45 XX navigates switches well, then gets bodied juuussst enough by Teague to give up the 3, but that's a shot the Celtics will live with from Teague

4th quarter
- (11:53) 0:10 navigates weakside switch with Tatum, then correctly realizes it's now the strong side, lets his man cut away to Wanamaker/Semi's area, and steps in to take the charge
- (10:04) 3:18 recognizes Huerter in transition and has the speed/length to contest the 3 and then block the drive and force a pass. Man.
- (9:42) 3:40 XX takes a bad angle closing out Huerter's 3; gets bailed out by Huerter turning it over on the drive
- (9:39) 4:17 has Huerter out of bounds, contests the 3 well while being the 2nd jumper
- (9:12) 4:58 XX gets confused and looses Huerter on the pindown, leads to a frantic closeout and layup
- (8:40) 5:30 navigates the same screen as the play before much better, ices correctly, then switches correctly when Huerter rejects the screen. Gets steamrolled/sealed by Collins when the next guy drives
- (8:29) 6:03 gets over the pick and cuts off Huerter's drive well. Maintains good help position at the nail with ability to recover to Huerter if necessary
- (7:48) 6:45 executes switch well, routine
- (3:00) 21:17 executes trap on Huerter well
- (2:02) 22:26 XX stays in front of Goodwin well in transition, moves feet, gets hips turned which probably costs him the foul call (looked like a bad call on replay, but you don't get that call without being more square to the ballhandler)
- (45.0) 27:38 not Langford, but example of Tatum blowing the switch on that sideline PnR that Langford handled well every time
- last possession for Atlanta: just great
Amazing rundown, thanks.

Before last night, he was already looking better on defense than I expected. Last night, he looked like a second or third year player. He knew what to do and usually executed well. Was outsmarted and out physicaled a couple of times, which would be expected of a year 2/3 guy, but never looked clueless. He's way ahead imo.
 

lovegtm

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Apr 30, 2013
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True enough lol. He was spot on when he predicted that Grant's 3pt shooting would come around, so his thinking has to be rooted in some rationality.
I mean, Grant shot 82% on 7 FTs/game his final year in college, at age 20. He was one of the better shooting prospects in the draft--it takes guys like that a bit of time to adjust out to the line, but his form and touch are strong.
 

ifmanis5

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Sep 29, 2007
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Rotten Apple
It would be absolutely huge if Langford reaches his potential. Last year at Indiana he was never really healthy and that may end up being a blessing in disguise for the Celtics.
It's a good point. Healthy Romeo goes at least 5 slots higher.
Brad needs to get him time which is at a premium with this team at his position. Although sadly, if the injury bug continues sporadic time will be there.
If Tatum and Brown are truly franchised in, then Romeo will have to wait until Hayward leaves or agrees to a reduced workload but that is years of development from now. For the time being, I like his on floor approach- he isn't forcing anything and is deferential to the starters but isn't afraid to step up when asked. His commitment to defense is obvious so he's taking to the coaching. It looks very positive from here.
 

lovegtm

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Apr 30, 2013
11,997
Amazing rundown, thanks.

Before last night, he was already looking better on defense than I expected. Last night, he looked like a second or third year player. He knew what to do and usually executed well. Was outsmarted and out physicaled a couple of times, which would be expected of a year 2/3 guy, but never looked clueless. He's way ahead imo.
Thanks, I made a quick and dirty Youtube video of his 2nd half here:

View: https://youtu.be/DH79t8a7Z-I
 

DannyDarwinism

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Jul 7, 2007
4,883
Jaylen got more run in his first year than GW is getting this season. I get your overall point, but what am I missing in regards to "ton of run"?

Can’t speak for WBCD, but Jaylen was the third overall pick and he averaged 17.2 mpg, Grant was 22nd and he's averaging 15.7 for similarly competitive teams. I think it's a fair point considering their relative draft stock, and I think he's right that it was due to defense. For reference, Tatum (also a 3rd pick) averaged over 30 minutes per game as a rookie.

Derozan was a pretty popular upside comp for Romeo in terms of size, movement (great body control and gliding feet), and scoring touch, but also in the questions about his shot and engagement levels on defense. His shot is still a concern, but he's been really engaged on D, always getting low in his stance, with great timing and decent recognition, plus the ability to get skinny through screens. He's got a good frame and as he fills out he'll be able to guard three positions.

Hayward and the Jays are perfect guys for him to watch and learn from. If his development approaches Jaylen's, watch out, especially if he can rework his shot A Derozan with plus defense and three point range is a pretty deadly weapon to have next to a rich-man's Paul George, a smart-man's J-Rich, a Renaissance man's Draymond, and O Captain My Captain himself, the sui generis General of all things hustle and winning.