POST GAME UTAH JAZZ - AWAY

Celtics Notes: Jaylen Brown Impresses In Return Despite Loss To Jazz

Brown scored a team-high 33 points in 37 minutes


WEEI by Sean T. McGuire

Jaylen Brown returned to the court Tuesday for the Boston Celtics, and while a 122-108 defeat wasn’t the end result the team was hoping for, it still was an encouraging individual performance.

Brown, who missed each of the last two games with knee soreness, showed little signs of rust early on en route to a 33-point output. It was another noteworthy performance in a season full of them.

The Celtics wing started off Tuesday’s game by hitting three of his first four shots from the field — all 3-pointers — helping the Celtics take an early 9-2 lead all by himself. He scored 20 first-half points on 70 percent from the field before concluding 12-for-20 from the floor.

Brown’s team-high in points was complemented by his team-best eight rebounds.

“It definitely felt better in the first half than second half, that third quarter there was a stretch where it was bothering me a little bit,” Brown told reporters after the game when asked about his knee. “It’s moving in the right direction. Looking forward to staying on the court and being there for our team because we need some wins right now.”

Brown didn’t play in either a win over the Los Angeles Clippers and loss to the Phoenix Suns. His last appearance was Feb. 3 against the Sacramento Kings.

“Over the course of the season, it’s been bothering me for a couple weeks now, even dating back to like Philadelphia it’s been bothering me,” Brown explained. “… But this trip, the Sacramento game, I was in a lot of pain, I couldn’t move the way I wanted to move.

“I felt a lot better out there today, I moved a lot better and stuff like that. I want to definitely keep moving in the right direction.”

Brown played 37 minutes in the loss.

“There wasn’t much concern with him playing his normal minutes tonight,” head coach Brad Stevens told reporters after the game. “They felt like he was really progressed. He was just sore from the Sacramento game and five, six days later, whatever it is, he felt a lot better today.”

NESN Celtics Podcast


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Jaylen Brown Tears Into Celtics For ‘Embarrassing’ Fourth Quarter

WEEI

The Boston Celtics got outplayed in the second half of their loss to the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night. Plain and simple.

And when it came time for them to dig deep and try to grind out a win, they simply couldn’t.

Jaylen Brown is rightfully furious as a result.

The Celtics got outscored 74-61 in the second half in their 122-108 loss to the top team in the NBA. They were in striking distance for stretches of the final 24 minutes, but never showed the resolve needed to inch towards a win.

“We (expletive) should take it personally. The fourth quarter was embarrassing,” Brown said after the game, via Forbes’ Chris Grenham. “That’s the time when we’re supposed to be our grittiest and it seems like we just fell apart. In a sense, that’s a lack of toughness and that’s a lack of leadership. A lot of that is on me. …

“As a leader of this team, I take responsibility for how we respond and how we come out in that fourth quarter. It just wasn’t there for us.”

For Boston, the good news is that type of mail-in generally is rare. The C’s have proven to be a good late-game team so far this season, and if there’s any team that would keep them from gutting out a victory, it’s the Jazz.

Still though, you can’t blame Brown for being miffed with himself and the team.

112288

Danny has to rethink the current structure of this team!

112288

In a sense, that’s a lack of toughness and that’s a lack of leadership. A lot of that is on me. …



Smarts still out, right?

toughness, leadership.....yep that's Marcus!

Brown not feeling right and playing 37 minutes last night...that doesn't sound great.

Kemba still not himself and how many games has our entire team played together this year anyway? hard to judge how good or bad a team is with one or more starters not playing.

But hang on Ainge is reportedly working those phones hot, so who knows what the hell could happen soon.

I didn't expect us to win this game. The Utah Jazz are the best team in the league, because "you are your record", we were at the end of a 5 game road trip that had us playing 5 games in 7 days and we were playing at altitude (SLC is at 4226'). The only shot we had to win this, in my opinion, is if we came out smoking hot and got up on them by a lot and then held on in the 4th as our legs started to go. Didn't happen that way.

The freshest player on the Celtics was Jaylen Brown, and he played like it. A 20 point half, and a spectacular one at that. 7-10, 3-4 from 3. He did pretty much went wherever he wanted to go and did whatever he wanted to do. Donovan Mitchell kept up, but Jaylen was our firepower in the first half and he was pure nitroglycerin. What a performance by Brown!



As opposed to Tatum and and Walker. A combined 4-16 at the half. Tatum was blowing layups and Walker was, well, Walker. Tatum ended up 7-20, which is still an awful 35%, but at least he had a still weak 4-10 half.

Walker was 1-6 at the half and ended up 2-12. A 1-6 first half and a 1-6 2nd half. On this road trip he played in 4 out of 5 games (because he's made of delicate porcelain) and shot 21-59, 35%. 10-31 from 3, 32%. That means his 2pt fg% wasn't much better than his 3pt fg%. 64 points in 4 games, 16ppg, and he needed 59 fgas to get them. He had one good game out of 4, that was the LAC game where he scored 24 points on 9-19. He had 19 in the GSW game, but he was 6-17, 3-9 from 3. A high volume, low efficiency scorer. Just like we always make fun of Jimmy Butler for being. I'm getting a very bad feeling about Kemba. He's healthy now but is being treated with kid gloves and can't play in b2bs. He, supposedly, has his explosiveness back, but he's getting blocked at the rim regularly. Never a particularly efficient scorer, now he's worse. He overdribbles, constantly and excessively. He's shooting a career-worst 35.7% and his 3pt fg% is only .04% higher than his career worst, which he shot in his rookie year. My bad feeling comes from the fact that he is a 4X All-Star, he is a max contract player, so benching him is unlikely to happen however much you and I and the metrics say he should be. He has 2 years left on his max contract which, because of his poor play and the concerns about his long-term health, makes him the least tradeable player in the league. So, we're stuck in limbo. We have an All-Star who will not be benched and cannot be traded for 2 1/2 more years. This is not good, not good because there's no way out short of a resurrection by Kemba himself.

Shout out to Grant, another solid game. 4-8 from the field, including one bullyball play. He had a beee-Utiful block at the rim, a real Wilsonburger, on 6'9", 265# Derrick Favors. He also had 2 steals. Lest we forget Grant Williams has only played in a grand total of 88 NBA games. He's less than 1 1/2 years in the league. He's still finding his way. Brad threw him into the fire last year, perhaps a bit much.

PP didn't come out and attack like Brad told him to and like Pritchard promised he'd do. 1-4, 3 points in 15 minutes is not what we've come to expect from this young man. He played hardnosed defense on Jordan Clarkson, who is much bigger, but got overpowered a bit down low.

They took 84 fgas. 48 of them were 3s. They shot a, roughly, league average 37.5% on them but damn that's a lot of 3s. This is today's NBA, all dunks and 3s.

We only had 8 turnovers. If there's been a silver lining on this trip (aside from going 2-3 without Smart for the whole trip, without Kemba for 1 game and without Jaylen for 2 of them) it that our turnovers have been very low.

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=401267539


Bob


.

At least Kemba is being consistent.

Daniel is shooting an amazing % from 3.

Brown is out of his mind.

Grant is becoming a steady Eddie.

Chris Grenham @chrisgrenham
about 7 hours ago
Jaylen Brown: "We flip* should take it personally. The fourth quarter was embarrassing. That's the time when we're supposed to be our grittiest and it seems like we just fell apart. In a sense, that's a lack of toughness and that's a lack of leadership. A lot of that is on me."



Marc D'Amico
Marc D'Amico @celtics
about 7 hours ago
Jaylen Brown: "As a leader of this team, I take responsibility for how we respond and how we come out. And in that fourth quarter, it just wasn’t there for us."



Gary Washburn
Gary Washburn @GwashburnGlobe
about 7 hours ago
Jaylen: "The fourth quarter was embarrassing. We flip* should take (Utah's showboating late in the 4Q) personally." #Celtics #Jazz


Bob


.

Kemba has been our biggest problem. So little production offensively and a defensive liability. Teague compounds the problem, and Marcus Smart out for six games out of 23 adds to our PG woes. Peyton has been an unexpected blessing, but not enough to steer the ship for 48 minutes.

What i would like to get a sense from everyone, is your thoughts on this team. I know we like to show a good face on all things Celtics, but hoping that this team begins to function like a FINALS TEAM with what we have and reality is a wide stretch.

My feeling are this: The team structured is a fragmented group of players -some rookies with no NBA experience; some young and inexperienced with limited NBA experience; some that are mid age and experienced that are very good but not great; and some who are young that are elite now bordering on superstar status.

It is in my opinion a very odd grouping of players assembled to try to get to the finals. That is our objective, right! We have been down the road for 7 years rebuilding the team to get to #18 and as it stands now we are only wishfully thinking that will happen this year. So am I, but when reality sinks in, not with this team currently structured.

Here are the systemic undercurrents of problems associated with the team, at far as I see it.

1) There are several dangers with this team. You have a group of starters through player #7 coming off the bench trying to execute the coach's basketball strategy on the court. After the starting five plus 2 off the bench, the talent drops off quickly. You need a deep team and bench going to player #10 that can contribute, and who know what their roles are and are willing to perform that specific role! Sacrifice for the greater good of the team.

2) We need good role players from Player 7 through #10 that know their role and assignments and are beyond "me first & what is best for my career" and have accepted that and have carved out a nice niche for themselves in the NBA that can provide him with a 15 year+ career and a nice bank account at the end. Players that will concentrate on do a few things not only good, but GREAT - a great shooter - a great defender - a great rim protector...........! Tony Allan is a great example, a great lockdown defender, Eddie "Mansion" House who was asked to bring scoring off the bench.

What we presently have that I think is hurting the team, are a lot of really young players with some or limited NBA playing experience that have yet to buy-in to first playing roles as entry into line-ups, but rather trying to do things beyond what is being asked of them in hopes that they can demonstrate their overall talent and show case them for a potential MAX CONTRACT down the road.

2) No true leadership. We are missing a take charge guy or guys who not only talks the talk, but walks the walk. Brown has been the only player resembling leadership - through his play and a team cheerleader. However, we do not have a player/players who would get into someones grill and say you are slacking, you are making rookie mistakes, now clean your game up fast! That cannot be Brown at this point because he is still 23. You need a player that has prior experience going to war in the NBA and is respected by all players in the league.

I am not saying it is easy, but Danny must know who he is assembling, if that person or persons possess leadership skills, and if not who can he go after! Right now there exists a huge void in this area.

112288

112288 wrote:What i would like to get a sense from everyone, is your thoughts on this team.  I know we like to show a good face on all things Celtics, but hoping that this team begins to function like a FINALS TEAM with what we have and reality is a wide stretch.  

My feeling are this:  The team structured is a fragmented group of players -some rookies with no NBA experience;  some young and inexperienced with limited NBA experience; some that are mid age and experienced that are very good but not great; and some who are young that are  elite now bordering on superstar status.  

It is in my opinion a very odd grouping of players assembled to try to get to the finals.  That is our objective, right!  We have been down the road for 7 years rebuilding the team to get to #18 and as it stands now we are only wishfully thinking that will happen this year.   So am I, but when reality sinks in, not with this team currently structured.  

Here are the systemic undercurrents of problems associated with the team, at far as I see it.

1) There are several dangers with this team. You have a group of starters through player #7 coming off the bench trying to execute the coach's basketball strategy on the court. After the starting five plus 2 off the bench, the talent drops off quickly.  You need a deep team and bench going to player #10 that can contribute, and who know what their roles are and are willing to perform that specific role! Sacrifice for the greater good of the team.

2) We need good role players from Player 7 through #10 that know their role and assignments and are beyond "me first & what is best for my career" and have accepted that and have carved out a nice niche for themselves in the NBA that can provide him with a 15 year+ career and a nice bank account at the end.  Players that will concentrate on do a few things not only good, but GREAT - a great shooter - a great defender - a great rim protector...........!  Tony Allan is a great example, a great lockdown defender, Eddie "Mansion" House who was asked to bring scoring off the bench.

What we presently have that I think is hurting the team, are a lot of really young players with some or limited NBA playing experience that have yet to buy-in to first playing roles as entry into line-ups, but rather trying to do things beyond what is being asked of them in hopes that they can demonstrate their overall talent and show case them for a potential MAX CONTRACT down the road.

2) No true leadership.  We are missing a take charge guy or guys who not only talks the talk, but walks the walk.  Brown has been the only player resembling leadership - through his play and a team cheerleader.  However, we do not have a player/players who would get into someones grill and say you are slacking, you are making rookie mistakes, now clean your game up fast!  That cannot be Brown at this point because he is still 23.  You need a player that has prior experience going to war in the NBA and is respected by all players in the league.

I am not saying it is easy, but Danny must know who he is assembling, if that person or persons possess leadership skills, and if not who can he go after!  Right now there exists a huge void in this area.

112288

Don't you think Smart is a leader? He was not on this trip.

Most of us thought before the season we would be around .500 at this point in the season. But we also didn't expect to onnly have what 4-5 games with all our starters available?

I'm not panicked as most seem right now about this team...they still have a ways to go before playoff time, when the real games start.

BUT if Kemba is still playing like he has so far and we are battling nagging injuries then...we'll be a quick out for sure.

Of course Smart is a leader, and could be a guy in your grill type, but I do not think he is there yet for players to take heed of his warnings to shape up.  He has a few years to go and a few wars to fight before he can say, I did this or that so get your act together.  

We need someone now to fill those shoes!

As to the fact that he was not on this trip, you need to be real, this team is not getting out of the east! We lost 2 to Philly with him in the lineup. We do not have the correct horses to pull this team over the finish line presently.

112288

atcross wrote:

112288 wrote:What i would like to get a sense from everyone, is your thoughts on this team.  I know we like to show a good face on all things Celtics, but hoping that this team begins to function like a FINALS TEAM with what we have and reality is a wide stretch.  

My feeling are this:  The team structured is a fragmented group of players -some rookies with no NBA experience;  some young and inexperienced with limited NBA experience; some that are mid age and experienced that are very good but not great; and some who are young that are  elite now bordering on superstar status.  

It is in my opinion a very odd grouping of players assembled to try to get to the finals.  That is our objective, right!  We have been down the road for 7 years rebuilding the team to get to #18 and as it stands now we are only wishfully thinking that will happen this year.   So am I, but when reality sinks in, not with this team currently structured.  

Here are the systemic undercurrents of problems associated with the team, at far as I see it.

1) There are several dangers with this team. You have a group of starters through player #7 coming off the bench trying to execute the coach's basketball strategy on the court. After the starting five plus 2 off the bench, the talent drops off quickly.  You need a deep team and bench going to player #10 that can contribute, and who know what their roles are and are willing to perform that specific role! Sacrifice for the greater good of the team.

2) We need good role players from Player 7 through #10 that know their role and assignments and are beyond "me first & what is best for my career" and have accepted that and have carved out a nice niche for themselves in the NBA that can provide him with a 15 year+ career and a nice bank account at the end.  Players that will concentrate on do a few things not only good, but GREAT - a great shooter - a great defender - a great rim protector...........!  Tony Allan is a great example, a great lockdown defender, Eddie "Mansion" House who was asked to bring scoring off the bench.

What we presently have that I think is hurting the team, are a lot of really young players with some or limited NBA playing experience that have yet to buy-in to first playing roles as entry into line-ups, but rather trying to do things beyond what is being asked of them in hopes that they can demonstrate their overall talent and show case them for a potential MAX CONTRACT down the road.

2) No true leadership.  We are missing a take charge guy or guys who not only talks the talk, but walks the walk.  Brown has been the only player resembling leadership - through his play and a team cheerleader.  However, we do not have a player/players who would get into someones grill and say you are slacking, you are making rookie mistakes, now clean your game up fast!  That cannot be Brown at this point because he is still 23.  You need a player that has prior experience going to war in the NBA and is respected by all players in the league.

I am not saying it is easy, but Danny must know who he is assembling, if that person or persons possess leadership skills, and if not who can he go after!  Right now there exists a huge void in this area.

112288

Don't you think Smart is a leader? He was not on this trip.

I understand, but you must also focus on players #6-#10. We do not have a deep bench! Yes sometimes some players in #6-#10 show up and have a good game, and sometimes not. Too inconsistent.

112288

kdp59 wrote:Most of us thought before the season we would be around .500 at this point in the season. But we also didn't expect to onnly have what 4-5 games with all our starters available?

I'm not panicked as most seem right now about this team...they still have a ways to go before playoff time, when the real games start.

BUT if Kemba is still playing like he has so far and we are battling nagging injuries then...we'll be a quick out for sure.

I understand, but you must also focus on players #6-#10. We do not have a deep bench! Yes sometimes some players in #6-#10 show up and have a good game, and sometimes not. Too inconsistent.

112288

kdp59 wrote:Most of us thought before the season we would be around .500 at this point in the season. But we also didn't expect to onnly have what 4-5 games with all our starters available?

I'm not panicked as most seem right now about this team...they still have a ways to go before playoff time, when the real games start.

BUT if Kemba is still playing like he has so far and we are battling nagging injuries then...we'll be a quick out for sure.

We need a volume scorer off the bench and/or an athletic big. The two Js are on the verge of greatness, but neither is yet the consistent crunch time closer great teams need. If we want to make a run at it this year, we need to add a Harrison Barnes type. I'd like to see Nesmith get some run, too, to see if he can get his shot going. Brad's substitution patterns with the bigs has me shaking my head, but what do I know? Smart's return should help a lot, but I don't think that this team, as presently constituted, is championship caliber.

112288 wrote:Of course Smart is a leader, and could be a guy in your grill type, but I do not think he is there yet for players to take heed of his warnings to shape up.  He has a few years to go and a few wars to fight before he can say, I did this or that so get your act together.  

We need someone now to fill those shoes!

As to the fact that he was not on this trip, you need to be real, this team is not getting out of the east! We lost 2 to Philly with him in the lineup.  We  do not have the correct horses to pull this team over the finish line presently.

112288

My note on Smart was only regarding leadership. I would say that Thompson is showing signs of wanting that role now that he's settling in a bit. He has the experience and a ring. He was giving Brown hell last night for bungling a rebound. I do think that someone needs to bark at Tatum at times. Last night he penetrated twice leaving Theis wide open for a dish out. But he tried to make a difficult, contested shot in the paint instead. Maybe Brad brings it up later going over film. But someone like Rondo would have told him about it right then.

As for making it out of the East, the first question is will Walker show up. That's also the second and third question. It would be nice to have our own superstar big but we don't and there don't seem to be any walking around loose. I suspect Ainge is trying hard to find more good pieces. But you can't always get what you want and you may not get what you need either.

At this point and at the point I would rather have TRo or Rondo. Especially Rondo.

worcester wrote:At this point and at the point I would rather have TRo or Rondo. Especially Rondo.

I would always like to have RR. But given his injuries this year I don't know how much longer he will be playing. But he would be a terrific mentor.

I have said it before the season when it was my fear, after 10 games when I was seeing the same thing 112288 is seeing with our role players deficiencies and the apparent miss from Danny Ainge once again to fill those with Jet And TT.

After game 20 I have already stated my opinion that this team as currently constructed cannot win a championship and cannot get out of the east at all in my opinion. I am also on record stating that this looks now as a lost year in the JB and JT title window. I do not see them as players on the verge of stardom. They ARE there. But they are hampered by a bad supporting cast of role players (or at least insufficient one) and a third "star player" they cannot produce at their level, but is used/designed as such and this just hampers their play off each other (I went back last weekend and watched a bit from the games KW was NOT present. For me the flow of offense was much better. Still terrible defense though).

This is why I was ticked off at the Harden trade where Cleveland got J. Allen and T. Prince for virtually nothing. Both very good players for the 6-10 spots. Not veterans, but still. What do you guys think we need? I agree completely we need better role players - 6-10 is where we are weakest (and at center,PF ).
If KW stops taking so many possessions away from the Js I would consider it a bonus. I mean he can dribble, shoot(ok he could we hope it will come back). He does NOT need to run the offense anymore though, not really. This is doubly true in the playoffs. Do a box and one on JT or JB please see how that goes. Then KW will be wide open and can benefit from the "veteran" on team treatment and get all the open looks.

I still believe however that Danny will NOT make a move not because he cannot but because he does not want to. I mean is there a better trade out there than the one I just mentioned above? It is still Danny Ainge so you never know, but I have been saying this for 3 years now and I am starting to see a pattern. Sometimes, especially when you have extra assets it is OK perhaps to overpay... But hey I am just playing at GM from home and I certainly am not being paid or trusted to make those decisions

My new realistic expectation for the season if things stay the same with our roster and role design is to have JB and JT in the All Star lineups and watch them grow into the superstar players they can(and will need to for Celtics to win) become. After that, whether it's Philly or the Bucks or Miami or even the Nets I expect someone to knock us out of the playoff as we won't be in the top 3 anyway.

atcross wrote:

112288 wrote:Of course Smart is a leader, and could be a guy in your grill type, but I do not think he is there yet for players to take heed of his warnings to shape up.  He has a few years to go and a few wars to fight before he can say, I did this or that so get your act together.  

We need someone now to fill those shoes!

As to the fact that he was not on this trip, you need to be real, this team is not getting out of the east! We lost 2 to Philly with him in the lineup.  We  do not have the correct horses to pull this team over the finish line presently.

112288

My note on Smart was only regarding leadership. I would say that Thompson is showing signs of wanting that role now that he's settling in a bit. He has the experience and a ring. He was giving Brown hell last night for bungling a rebound. I do think that someone needs to bark at Tatum at times. Last night he penetrated twice leaving Theis wide open for a dish out. But he tried to make a difficult, contested shot in the paint instead. Maybe Brad brings it up later going over film. But someone like Rondo would have told him about it right then.

As for making it out of the East, the first question is will Walker show up. That's also the second and third question. It would be nice to have our own superstar big but we don't and there don't seem to be any walking around loose. I suspect Ainge is trying hard to find more good pieces. But you can't always get what you want and you may not get what you need either.

Definitely need that Alpha dog KG type on this team but it ain’t Tristan who had no business giving Jalen hell over that rebound. last night.

Tatum has to become that so called "alpha dog".

has to be the best player on the team and unless you feel Brown is/will be better than Tatum it's on his young shoulders.

I am somewhat confused at reading posts here about "wasting" another year of Tatum and Brown?

last I checked they are 22 and 24YO. no where near the typical prime of NBA players (even today). So I wonder what people think is being "wasted", except for their own personal "dream" of a title right now.

Guess I didn't have such high hopes for a young team this year yet myself, which perhaps explains why i am not in so worried about the early part of this year.

Well right now there are some other terrific young twosomes

Zion- Ingram

Luka- Porzingus

Lebron- Davis (not so young)

Giannis- Middleton

All these teams are having problems putting the right pieces around their franchise players, our biggest problem being Kemba both ways. Lakers probably have best depth among those teams. Our bench is still obviously young and can get better. When I see Nesmith on the floor, he doesn’t look that bad to my eye test. Brad won’t let him play thru his mistakes like he does Kemba’s inept play and decision making every night. We need a sniper off the bench, may have 2 in the rooks if Brad can trust them and get their games together. I don’t understand how you give Kemba so many minutes and not trust anyone else as we’re gonna need the other young players as season goes on for productive depth, etc. Kemba easily cost us 3 games on this road trip by frighteningly bad play. He can’t handle a big load/responsibility right now Brad, you are always a step behind the 8 ball....

A lot of other teams are also having their problems too, at least we still have 2 J’s.

To think Danny actually thought Kemba would make us a better team.