POST GAME - PHILLY - HOME - PRESEASON

k_j_88 wrote:112288, tjmakz,

The Celtics should get up a lot of shot attempts with their quicker pace. A team with this level of athleticism only taking 70-75 shots per game is unacceptable (unless they make a very high percentage, which would reduce the need for offensive rebounds). However, the shots need to be good ones, and not too often contested by a defender. If the Celtics were taking 90-100 shots per game, I don't necessarily see it as a bad thing, provided they weren't just random, bad shots.


KJ

KJ,

Only 1 team in the last 15 years has attempted 90 shot attempts per game, and that was just 90.3.
Do you really view Boston as a run and gun team?
Do you really think Boston with Sullinger, Kelly and Rondo's dribbling down the shot clock will become the fastest paced team in the last 20 years?

tjmakz wrote:
KJ,

Only 1 team in the last 15 years has attempted 90 shot attempts per game, and that was just 90.3.
Do you really view Boston as a run and gun team?
Do you really think Boston with Sullinger, Kelly and Rondo's dribbling down the shot clock will become the fastest paced team in the last 20 years?

I gather the sense that you misunderstood what I was saying...

1. I said the Celtics should average more shot attempts per game, not that it was definite. Last year, the offense was very stagnant, with the offense often being initiated too late into the clock, which often resulted in low percentage shot attempts. This year, there seems to be much more of a concerted effort to perpetuate movement on offense.

2. I view Boston as a very athletic team that can go three deep at the first 3 positions. They can get out and run, as well as hassle opposing wings.

3. The lack of interior presence is going to be the biggest hindrance to pace. Too often, Philly had guys that could penetrate the lane. Kelly and Sullinger looked weak with their collective post defense. Zeller didn't show up in anything other than a uniform. Just one game, so perhaps he can improve. I hope he does.



KJ

112288,

I'd be most happy to suggest that Mike and Tommy reconsider their perspective if you want to arrange an introduction. I couldn't care less what the entire world says if I see something and believe I'm right. I saw only spurts of uptempo basketball from the Celtics last night—much more toward the end (by which time Tommy felt the Celts had already fatigued the 76ers with uptempo basketball that really hadn't existed with any consistency.

And, when Tommy made the remark, I don't believe Stevens had yet told him a single thing about the game in retrospect because Brad was in the locker room and Tommy was at the mike. I think Tommy wanted to believe that uptempo ball was achieving much more than it did, and so it seemed factual to him.

Sam

I just saw a lot of inconsistency. Some running, not much and certainly not sustained.

I saw some good rebounding but mostly individual and not putting bodies on people and gang rebounding.

I saw some good ball movement around the horn, in fact one possession they really overpassed it, but that didn't last either.

One consistency I saw was both Turner and Pressey penetrating. Phil dished everytime except once while Turner was more situational.

I'm sure that a day of watching film, and I'm SURE they watched a fair amount today, and they'll see all this. We'll see tomorrow if any of it burned in.


bob


.

What I saw was The Good, The Bad and The Ugly last night.

Let's start with the Ugly.

The Celtics began the game like they were shooting the basketball for the first time in their collective lives.  I was thinking..."Geez.  they're horrible.  

Our interior rotations still need a lot of work.  While I saw some improved activity from KO and Sully.  The remaining glaring weakness is still the lack of a quality big man.  My wife commented that Zeller looked like a Euro player.  He was the biggest disappointment of the night.  He began by giving up a short jumper on the bass line and the first time he ran the court he never looked for the pass and when he rolled to the basket on a pick and role he again was NOT ready for the pass.  He just landed on a milk carton.  

Our prized rookie spent the night aiming the ball.  It could be the first game jitters but I saw nothing that remotely resembles a player with off the ball skills.  

Also that was no motion offense last night.  You could tell that no one seemed to know what cuts to make.

How many foul shots did we miss last night?

In sum it was an ugly win.

The bad thing is that I did not know who they played last night.  They kept talking about Noel but other than that there were no other recognizable faces.  As KJ noted...last year they were the 26ers.  Who will they be this year?

The good thing was that we had a game to watch last night.  And we won despite the fact that there are tons of things to clean up.

There is talk about tempo,  At one point in the late 3rd quarter after a foul you could see that the other team was winded.  From that point on Boston stretched their lead.  If they can take that energy and multiple it by 2 we may actually see up tempo basketball this year.

While smart struggled to score his defense and court savvy was in evidence.  He is gonna be something special on defense.

And let us not forget how well Young played.  No doubt he will not be afraid to shoot the ball.  His defense was also pretty solid.

Sully played very well in the post and in the short game.

KO has a lot of confidence in his game,  He did a little of everything.  He played more in the post on defense so it is clear that Stevens wants him to be able to play at the 4 and 5.  His offensive skills scoring the ball should improve.

Thorton looks like a designated shooter.

Pressey hit a 3 pointer last night if I recall.

Does anyone want to trade Bass?  He really looks like a player that still has some ceiling.  That right handed drive from the left was something I have not seen before plus he still looks consistent from the line the short corner and out top .  He's solid for what he does.

The tempo in the game did fluctuate at times because playing uptempo basketball requires stamina and determination.  I want to see them run all the time.

The player of the game was Evan Turner.  I thought he sparked them offensively and pushed them to a win.  He's a slick one.  He is no point guard but he can handle the rock.  The other thing that gets overlooked is that Turner is a very physical player to defend.  He rebounds the ball well and I also saw some quickness defensively.  

Avery Bradley was too hyped up last night.  He did play good defense as expected.

Sometimes crash crashes  too much but it was amazing how he threw his body around the court coming back from an injury to the knee.

Bring on the Knicks.

dboss