Summer Quandaries: A Lot Of "Can, But Will He?" Questions

http://celticsgreen.blogspot.com/2014/09/sq14-40-lot-of-can-but-will-he-questions.html





It is quite the understatement to say that the current Celtics team has some question marks.  Today I’d like to home in on a particular type of question, and one that will not be answered until the leather hits the hardwood, and even then, not completely until well into the season.  ‘Tis the nature of the beast.

Part of the reason is that the answers lie in the will of individual players.  In some cases it pertains to their ego getting in the way of efficient play.  In others it dwells on bringing the right attitude, willingness, and hard work to the less glitzy parts of the game.  In some cases it requires doing less to do more.  Some answers will depend on learning/developing new or infrequently used skills.  Others require a broadening of scope and sharpening of awareness to achieve the desired end.  Still, I don’t think any of the answers depend on ability so much as on strength of character and willingness to suppress the ME for the good of the TEAM.

Many of the Celtics questions have to do with shot selection.  Evan Turner can improve his shot selection and probably must do so to avoid falling on the wayside of the NBA discard pile.  He would also be well served to reduce the pounding of the ball unless by design leading into a pick and roll.  Marcus Thornton’s tenure with the Celtics will also hinge on improved shot selection and a willingness to act as a conduit of ball movement rather than a final stop.  I have no doubt that each of these players has the ability to make the needed transformations, the question is their willingness.  It is a tough hurdle for NBA players, who are used to being the straw that stirs the drink throughout their scholastic (and I use that term loosely) careers, to make the transition to becoming a cog, even an integral one, in a well-oiled machine.  If willingness to change is predicated on survival, count me as on that favors Turner’s readiness over Thornton’s (Marcus may need to fall farther before being forced to reassess his decision making).

Brad Stevens is on record as saying that he wants the Celtics to develop a Defensive DNA.  Among the Celtics not noted for their devotion to defense are Turner, Thornton, and rookie James Young.  I very much hope that the coaches make playing time dependent upon defensive effort.  Much like an offensive play in football depends upon every player getting his block, just one defensive breakdown can negate 22 seconds of intensive and successful effort.


Good defense starts with hard work--it is no trivial thing to stay in a crouch and maintain good balance, work to keep position, hinder the passing lanes and angles, and challenge each shot without fouling.  Staying aware of opponents other than your defensive assignment requires a focus not always present in the modern athlete.  Anticipating movement and rotations is several steps above just staying in front of your man, and totally escapes many of today’s players.  In addition to the players already mentioned Vitor Faverani and Brandon Bass tend to get a bit lost and out of place and their shortcomings show up in easy buckets for the opposition and fouls on their teammates trying to cover for their lapses.  Add Smart and Zeller to the list of newcomers that will be learning a new system.  Can these guys do all this?  Probably not, but I hope each player’s individual success or failure is a bellweather of their future as a Celtic.

“Ball-pounding” (hopefully the quotation marks will excuse the fact that it is a made-up word) is the antithesis of motion offense, the running game, and efficient shot-clock use.  Quite a bit has been written about the need for Rondo to adjust his game to a younger, more athletic team; and that starts with less dribbling in place waiting for an All-Star shooter to arrive at his sweet spot.  This willingness to give up the ball for movement will be needed from every player; but most especially the point guards.  Our new “ME“-scorers (Turner and Thornton) have the longest road to travel to achieve this conversion, and their willingness (perhaps eagerness is a better choice of words) to do so will be a key to their being incorporated into the offense or sitting on the bench awaiting removal.

Jeff Green will also need to do less, but do it much more efficiently.  Less dancing at the 3-point line, more catch and shoot or catch and go for one-dribble drives.  I actually think this adjustment suits him perfectly.  He does need however to heighten his awareness of the location of other players since his forays to the basket (and three-point threat for that matter) creates defensive adjustments that should provide open opportunities for his teammates.

This summer Jared Sullinger should have converted 15 pounds of fat into five pounds of muscle, and built up his wind and stamina.  Once again, not a question of can, but of will he?  Olynyk should come back stronger so some of those leaners become power moves, and some of those posting opponent brutes just bounce off.  Can, will!  

Faverani said he hopes to come to camp at 90%.  From what I’ve read, his surgery should have kept him off his feet for two weeks, with a return to “normal” activities in 4-6 weeks.  Now professional basketball is hardly “normal activities” but given six and a half months, shouldn’t his self-expectations be a bit higher than 90%?  Come to think of it, I rather doubt his DWI accident happened coming back from the gym or training facility.  Supposedly communication was not a strong point in Vitor’s first season in the NBA, yet he chose to rehab in Spain rather than in Boston with their trainers (and coaches within easy visiting distance and English speakers all around.)  Can, will?

Thornton has been a Celtic for almost 2 months and was sighted in Boston for the first time this week.  These guys have, or at least should have, a professional responsibility to their craft.  If they aren’t doing everything within their power to “do it right,” aren’t they making a pretty strong statement on the can/will question?

Only 24 more days before camp.




bob
MY NOTE:  Man oh man, does Lauderdale hold some feet to the fire on this one.  He really dropped the hammer on Vitor and Thornton for "being elsewhere".  I really wasn't happy with Vitor rehabbing in Spain.  Don't get me wrong, Spain is beautiful, but he works in an English-speaking country and being quicker with his auditory and verbal translations is connected to his being quicker with his offensive and defensive reads.  I'm trying not to hate Marcus Thornton already.  Aside from reading his dumbass tweets on a regular basis I'm not liking his apparent nonchalance attitude to his current work assignment (and him being in a final contract year, when he needs to impress the hell out of everybody, no less).  Gerald Wallace pulled the same shit last summer, and it irked me, but he won me over with his play during the year. Maybe Thornton will too. Hope Springs Eternal. Speaking of Wallace, with Crash being at a fraction of his old (double-entendre alert!) self due to his surgery the only SF we have in whom I can say I have any confidence in their defense is Jeff Green.  I'm not worried about our back court's defense (ok, maybe Marcus Thornton's, but who knows how many minutes he's actually going to play?) but SF is the premier position in today's NBA and we have one good defender at that position?  If Jeff Green expends his energy on defense, and I have no problem with that, then who is going to score? And yeah, can/will Rondo let the ball out of his hands so it can force the defense to rotate so that when he gets it back he has an advantage?

Yep, lots and lots of questions.  One thing I can say with a fairly high degree of confidence, though, is that the roster is better balanced than last year, which makes the "can" part of the equation easier.  As far as "will" goes, all they need to do is look over at the bleachers during practice or in the VIP seats during games and seeing Trader Danny with that "lean and hungry look about him". If that doesn't ignite the pilot light in their asses, nothing will.



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I'll look forward to Lee's inputs during the season. I'm not always thrilled with his choice of topics, but I'm not the one who has had to conjure up a new topic every single day during the off-season. When the focus shifts to actual games, he should have much more consistent material with which to work.

I've never crystallized the reason why I've never really warmed to Favorani. But Lee points out that Vitor's prediction of arriving at camp at about 90% helps me pinpoint the cause. It seems to me that, despite a fearsome nickname, everything about Vitor tends toward the casual.

• Too much willingness to bomb from outside while weakening the Celtics' inside underbelly

• An affinity for brush picks (or non picks) rather than solid picks

• And now predicting (oh how I love that word) that he should come to camp at 90%. (We're all habituated to seeing players use percentages to describe their then-current health, but a prediction?) I guess one could praise him for being truthful. But does anyone else detect the possibility of a preemptive disclaimer preparing us for more casual mediocrity? Whether or not I'm reading too much into it, I'm definitely not used to Celtics players' approaching the season with comments reflecting something less than enthusiasm for meeting challenges.

Sam

Judging by this article, Thornton would appear to be the opposite of what the Celtics need in a player. I'm willing to reserve judgment for a little while longer, though...



KJ