Post Game Vegas League Playoff vs Spurs

We made it to the 2nd round of the playoffs.  If the regular roster does that this year, I'll be feeling pretty good because that's progress.

Final scores in summer league are largely irrelevant since coaches are intentionally putting players into positions they didn't play in college to see if they can do it, they are unfamiliar with their teammates, etc.  What matters is how they play.  Do they play smart?  Do they hit big shots?  Do they get flustered under pressure and turn the ball over or do something else that robs the team of a chance?

The players you'd be shocked if they don't make the team, had good nights.  Players who are on the bubble had bubble games and the rest were, well, the rest.

1.  Terry Rozier did NOT have a good shooting night.  He was 2-12 for only 6 points.  He had 4 assists and only 2 TOs in 26 minutes.  He also hit his 2nd HUGE clutch 3ptr in as many games.  He's a rookie, he's going to make mistakes, but there are somethings that aren't rookie-stuff like wanting the ball and creating a good shot under heavy emotional and defensive pressure.  If the ball goes in, that's great, but demanding the ball and getting off a shot that has a good chance of going in is a difference maker.  Rozier has shown he's that type of player and you cannot have too many of those type of "big moment" players.

So, after almost 2 weeks of Utah and Vegas league play, what do we have here?  We have a player whose defense is pretty close to NBA ready.  We have a player with a killer crossover dribble and is lightning fast.  We have a player who likes to penetrate and take it to the iron and we have a player who wants the ball in money time.  We also have a player whose jump shot is better than, quite frankly, I expected to see.  This is all good stuff.

2.  Mickey showed he was a big game player.  He had 18 points on 7-12 shooting.  His 5 rebounds knocked him down on the leader board to only 9.7rpg for the Vegas league, but that's still pretty frippin' good.  He had 3 blocked shots, including one on a 6'10" Spur.  6'7"-6'8" Jordan Mickey erased a shot on a drive by a player that's 2-3" taller and on the move.  The kid has great shot blocking instincts.  He might not be tall for an NBA PF but when he telescopes that 7'3" wingspan out it takes players by surprise.  We started out cold and in the hole and it was Mickey and (surprise!  surprise!) James Young who kept us in it.  He had 6 points in the 1st quarter on 3-3.  He was also 0-3 from the line, one of his weaknesses, he only shot 67% for the Vegas league from the line.

So, after almost 2 weeks of Utah and Vegas league play, what do we have here?  We have a player that's 2-3" too short to be my wet dream.  He's an undersized PF.  He's the same size, maybe even shorter, than Brandon Bass except without Bass' money mid-range shot.  He's also 12# lighter than Superman.  Nevertheless, he is who/what he is and Bass is now in purple-and-gold (where's my bottle of Tums?).  I would rather have replaced Bass with a taller Jordan Mickey but, as the song goes, you can't always get what you want.  My thought earlier was "SIGN HIM DANNY!!" and after all these games the little voice in my head is still screaming it.  I know that gives us too many guaranteed contracts, but that's not my problem, that's Danny's and there's no doubt in my mind he already has deals lined up and is just waiting for a better deal to pop up.

3.  I predict RJ Hunter is going to have a long career in the NBA.  His range is absolutely unreal, what's called "in the gym" range.  Anybody who can shoot like that will find a job.  4 points in the first quarter on 1-3, 11 points at the half going 4-7 (so, 3-4 in the 2nd quarter).  He went ice cold, like everybody else, in the 3rd quarter.  It was our iciness in the 3rd that killed us.  In the end, he was game high scorer, either team, with 22 points on 7-14 shooting, 3-8 from 3 (including a few from The Bellagio) and 5 rebounds.  He was only credited with 1 assist, but I swear I saw a lot more.  He has excellent court vision.  He's not the ball handler you need to be to be a point guard, but he is a distributor.

So, after almost 2 weeks of Utah and Vegas league play, what do we have here?  We have a player that, once he sees the ball go through the twine, can be an unconscious lights-out shooter from anywhere.  If he can see it, he can hit it.  Will his anorexic "for your own good, eat the damn cupcake!" body be able to handle the contact in the non-contact sport which is the NBA?  I don't know, but I do know that the defense cannot leave him to put a body on someone else.  That would be a serious, serious mistake.  His defense isn't bad either.  Once again, we'll see what happens when a 230# NBA SG drives on him and puts his shoulder into the middle of his chest.  Regardless, unless Danny gets another dead-eye shooter, he's a keeper.

4.  James Young had the best game he has had, in both leagues.  He came out hot and aggressive, not just taking 3s but driving to the hoop and creating contact.  It's what I've been looking from him.  His defense was better, but spotty.  He was really active during some possessions and then not so in others.  He still hasn't seemed to wrap his mind around the concept that effective man-to-man defense requires you to move your feet more than moving your hands.  I am honestly starting to wonder about his BBIQ.  He makes some real brain-dead decisions.

So, after almost 2 weeks of Utah and Vegas league play, what do we have here?  



Same James Young, different year.  He has struggled to separate himself from other players and this is against summer league level talent.  His calling card, his shooting, has been underwhelming at 32%.  His defense is marginally better but that's not saying much, is it?  If Hunter hadn't done such a good job I'd take a deep gulp and just hope Turner and Crowder can play big minutes next year so that Young can maybe get a few reps in at SG, but he did and so there are no minutes for Young at SG.  That means Bambi is going to be expected to play SF and that does not make me happy.  Package him, Danny.

5.  Marcus Thornton had another productive game, albeit only playing 10 minutes.  He's hitting his shots, he's very energetic on defense (or maybe that's just his dreadlocks bouncing) and, in general, has looked pretty good the last few games.  He has a nice stutter step/change of pace move that he has used the past few games with great effectiveness.  He has some chops and he's 6'4".

So, after almost 2 weeks of Utah and Vegas league play, what do we have here?  Well, that depends upon what's rattling around in Danny's head.  I think it's a done deal that Thornton will not be in Boston when the regular season starts in November, Danny has come right out and said he'll be playing in Europe or the D-league.  The question is, which?  If Danny sees him as more of a project, or if he doesn't have any deals on the back burner that will greatly thin out the depth chart in the back court, he'll Euro-stash him.  Good competition, the kid gets to make a few more bucks and, as we've seen with Colton Iverson, unavailable for playing with the team in Boston during the Euro season.  If Danny the Reaper does see blood-and-gore in the back court then maybe he'll convince him to play in Portland, where he's only a phone call and a 2 hour drive away from suiting up.  After a truly crappy Utah league he finally settled down and showed up in Vegas.  My thought, immediately post-draft, was "who cares about a #45 pick?  If Danny blows it, no big loss, it's a #45.  Only drama queens stress over a #45."  Turns out, the kid might have a shot.  Not a good one, the league is already back-court heavy, but not a fantasy neither.

6.  Jonathon Holmes didn't have one of his better games.  He played so well throughout, I hoped he go out stronger.  Oh well.  He really didn't have much of a chance anyway, did he?

7.  CJ Fair and Thornton did not play heavy minutes and didn't do too much with the ones they had.  I find this somewhat interesting.  Was Micah Shrewsberry's plan to play the Millers, Waldens and O'Neales so they could have a last chance to showcase themselves, and Fair and Thornton have already done that, and winning this summer league game isn't that important?  All three of those players played more minutes than Fair and Thornton.

So, after almost 2 weeks of Utah and Vegas league play, what do we have here?  What we expected.  Barring Danny making the earth move none of these players will be on the team.  Fair and Thornton both look good, O'Neale does too, but there just is no room on the roster for them.  I cannot think of anybody on the roster that I could say "let's get rid of so-and-so and replace them with Fair or Thornton or O'Neale".  I can say that about Young (Hunter), I could have said that about Rozier (if Pressey was still on the roster) and I could have said that about Mickey (if Bass was still on the roster or available, although I would have leaned towards my guy, Steady Eddie).  With the arrival of Lee and Johnson and the performances of Rozier and Hunter I cannot think of who Fair or Thornton or Holmes would replace.  The other guys are "thanks for stopping by, hope it was a great experience for you.  Have the receptionist validate your parking before you leave".

Now, back to Boston, where BDoo will create a training regimen for the guys who are/will be under contract and they will be spending the next 2 months improving before they get a chance to climb up on top of the next bubble.  I have to say, I enjoyed watching this.  Rozier, Hunter and Mickey all showed me they are legit and Thornton, Fair and Holmes made me go "hmmm, maybe?".  Brad and his staff now have to separate the men from the boys and then, starting in early October, separate the men from the studs.


bob


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Bob,

Nice post game write up, as usual. Nothing to add except one comment:

Thornton cannot play for the Maine DLeague team and get called up to the major league team unless he makes the Celtic 15 player roster. He may as well go to Europe and make more money.

Unless there is some trades soon that free up a roster spot or two, there is no room at the inn for Thornton. Brad said that we were too young last season, imagine what he thinks of adding four rookies to the mix.

gyso

gyso wrote:Bob,

Nice post game write up, as usual.  Nothing to add except one comment:

Thornton cannot play for the Maine DLeague team and get called up to the major league team unless he makes the Celtic 15 player roster.  He may as well go to Europe and make more money.

Unless there is some trades soon that free up a roster spot or two, there is no room at the inn for Thornton.  Brad said that we were too young last season, imagine what he thinks of adding four rookies to the mix.

gyso

Gyso,

Excellent point and reminder. Thanks.

bob

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dboss wrote:This summer league roster is the best that I have seen top to bottom.  If we had more depth at the center spot I think that the team could have won the so-called championship.

Last night's game was pretty exciting.  The Celts came back from a 3rd QTR deficit and came within 2.6 seconds of sending this game into over time.

Our # 1 pick Rozier has a little ice water in his veins.  Overall he shot very well from behind the arc during the games played but his overall shooting percentage was poor.  many of the positives attributes from his scouting reports were on display.  We saw the speed and the aggressive defense but we also saw the out of control and decision making deficiencies.  Where he fits into the Celtics rotation is very much undetermined.  

Hunter as noted by Bob has some stupid range.  His first two games were busts but once he gained some confidence he shot over 38% from behind the arc (excluding games 1 and 2)  I also like his floor presence.  He is a smart player and handles the ball well and should get better at both ends once he adds some muscle.  Overall I thought he played well and I could see him become an excellent rotation player at the SG position.

What can you say about Mickey.  He runs the floor very well and was probably the most consistent performer on the team.,  His offensive production, 12.2 PPG on 52% shooting and his 7.9 rebounds and 2.4 block shots, projects him into a rotation role on the Celtics during the regular seasons.

Both Thornton and Holmes played well at times and in most years both of them would have a real opportunity to make the roster.  But redundancy at their respective positions all but guarantees that they will not be in Uniform come opening day.

The Celtics have improved the roster since the end of last year.  

Anyone could be on the trading block at this point as DA works to bring more positional balance to a club.

dboss

Dboss,

Without researching it again, I believe Mickey averaged 9.7 rebounds/game not 7.9.

Even better.

dboss wrote:the final stats indicate 7.9 RPG for Mickey.

That is a solid stat considering that he was matched up against taller/bigger players.

I really like the way he plays.  He will need to work on his free throw shooting and he needs to add more muscle  but that is the case for almost every young prospect drafted this year.

Mickey has a high basketball IQ and he will be a really good fit in the motion offense and an aggressive defense that should be better defending the P and R.
A trade or a cut must take place for him to get a roster spot.  

I could not help but wonder if DA may have been too premature when he inked both Crowder and Jerebko.  The Crowder signing makes sense because we needed depth at SF but Jerebko is another redundant piece that we probably should not have signed.  The rush to sign ancillary rotation players may have increased the difficulty to find a roster spot for Mickey.  

dboss

dboss,

Vegas stats are 9.6 for Mickey.

http://www.nba.com/summerleague/2015/statistics/las_vegas/

Maybe if you include Utah they drop.


bob


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