Celtics embracing position-less basketball

http://www.csnne.com/boston-celtics/blakely-boston-celtics-embracing-position-less-basketball








Blakely: Celtics embracing position-less basketball




By A. Sherrod Blakely



September 27, 2017 6:08 PM



NEWPORT, R.I. – Celtics coach Brad Stevens was recently asked about rookie Jayson Tatum and how he was adjusting to playing in the frontcourt.

“I didn’t even know he was playing in the frontcourt,” Stevens said. “If we have to put a number on it, he’ll play anywhere from two (shooting guard) to four (power forward).”

Stevens’ response to the question says a lot about how he views his roster which consists of players whose height ranges from 5-foot-11 (Shane Larkin) to 6-10 (Al Horford and Aron Baynes).

But in looking at those three players who are at the opposite ends of the size spectrum, each of them has the ability to play multiple positions as well.

And if there’s one takeaway from what this Boston Celtics team is steadily morphing into before our eyes, it’s that they want to put players on the floor who can not only impact the game in a multitude of ways but also have the flexibility to play different positions.

Figuring out the best combinations to play that brand of basketball is near the top of the to-do list for the Celtics during training camp which has been held thus far at Salve Regina University.

Playing position-less basketball is not only popular among teams these days, but also plays off the strengths of this Celtics roster which has a few more multi-positional players than we saw last season when they finished with the best record in the East (53-29) and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals before losing in five games to Cleveland.

“If you look at our group now,” Stevens said, “obviously we got a little bit taller when you look at (Gordon) Hayward and (Jayson) Tatum, added to that group that are versatile, kind of swings that can play a bunch of different positions and obviously Marcus Morris when he gets here.”

Even though the talent might be different, the approach to playing the game remains the same for Boston.

“It doesn’t change how we play,” Stevens said. “We play pretty similar, regardless.”

But with a team that’s long on youth and versatility, playing more position-free basketball plays more to the strengths of this roster.

“It fits me perfectly,” said Celtics wing Jaylen Brown.

At 6-7, Brown has played primarily small forward but has shown the ability to defend shooting guards at times, as well as some power forwards.

“Growing up, I never considered myself to have a position; I’m a basketball player,” Brown said. “Like my trainer always said, ‘I train basketball players, not positions.’ That’s exactly what Brad is getting at, to play multiple positions, to guard multiple positions, fly around … that’s what makes us a better team.”



bob
MY NOTE: With the exception of the exceptionally short players (e.g. Larkin) every player in the NBA went through at least one significant growth spurt. So whatever position they played before that growth spurt it changed afterwards. You can bring skills with you to your new position, of course, but that also effectively muddies the waters. Are you a shooting guard or a point guard in a shooting guard's body, or even a SF or even PF's body? Look at Ben Simmons and Giannis. It's all different now and it's not easy letting decades of perspective go. I can't help but wonder, though, how this would work out if you had a player who was perfect for a specific position, and really only that one position, going up against a hybrid? How would narrow perfection fare against good diversity? We're going to start finding out in just 4 days...


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I think we just are in a time where it is now necessary to challenge our long-held notions of specific positions being played. The game has changed a lot in 10 years. Remember how we basically used to scoff at small ball and how it'd never work? Now it's the winning standard.


KJ

k_j_88 wrote:I think we just are in a time where it is now necessary to challenge our long-held notions of specific positions being played. The game has changed a lot in 10 years. Remember how we basically used to scoff at small ball and how it'd never work? Now it's the winning standard.


KJ

Mike D'Antoni was continually mocked and blasted on this website for his style of play.
Teams have basically copied what he has designed and taught for many, many years.
D'Antoni was the well deserved Coach of the Year last season.

Just the thought of the once incredibly successful triangle offense is now mocked or dismissed by most people around the NBA.

tjmakz wrote:

k_j_88 wrote:I think we just are in a time where it is now necessary to challenge our long-held notions of specific positions being played. The game has changed a lot in 10 years. Remember how we basically used to scoff at small ball and how it'd never work? Now it's the winning standard.


KJ

Mike D'Antoni was continually mocked and blasted on this website for his style of play.
Teams have basically copied what he has designed and taught for many, many years.
D'Antoni was the well deserved Coach of the Year last season.

Just the thought of the once incredibly successful triangle offense is now mocked or dismissed by most people around the NBA.

D'Antoni's offense is not the problem.

It's his incompetence on defense that always makes his teams fail in the playoffs.

The triangle is outdated because the NBA changed the rules in 2003.

If the NBA is still an exclusive man to man defense league, the triangle would still be relevant.

I`m with Fierce. D`Antoni is a one trick pony. You can win ( games, not championships) with any style if you have superior players. Let`s see D`Antoni win a championship with his matador system. Even an offensive juggernaut like the Dubs have to play D.