Post Game Thread - Pre Season vs Charlotte, 2nd Game

[bobheckler]

http://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400978753


Our starters looked awesome. Our deep bench almost choked.

Danny needs to forego months of useless dithering and pay Marcus Smart now. I know it's just pre-season but everything he is doing now immediately translates to the regular season. He is hitting his shots, he is being a very effective floor general (especially half court) and he might be an even bigger one-man wrecking ball on defense than he already has been the last few years. Pay the man, Danny, you're going to do it anyway.

The best game by Jaylen Brown so far. Offense, defense, all of it. Lockdown defense.

Yabusele with his worst game so far. He did almost nothing right. Despite limited minutes for Morris and Theis and Baynes being out he got pulled after just 7 minutes of play, got put back in halfway through the 4th and still didn't do a damn thing.

Theis doesn't look like a rookie. Maybe that's because he has been playing professional basketball since he was 15 years old.

Morris looked rusty but still did ok. It looked like he was starting to get his rhythm after a bit.

Larkin has been more and more exposed as a poser with each game. He was given the keys to the car for the entire 4th and the offense he was charged with running scored 24 points but 9 of those were his. He had Zero assists in all 12 minutes of the 4th quarter. He had 2 drives late, off of high Theis picks, for layups but otherwise? Ugh.

Tatum 3-9. His shooting has been the weakest part of his game so far. Weird.


Malik Monk has a shot, play-on-words intended, at ROY with Batum out for 6-8 weeks. He's get the minutes now and it's obvious he has a total green light to shoot at will anytime anywhere. He'll be a starter before the end of the year.

Mom and Dads: if you want your children to learn about dinosaurs and why they are extinct make them watch Dwight Howard. A giant meteor called the stretch 5 has hit Planet NBA and he hasn't figured it out even though he has seen his peers adapt or die.



bob



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[fierce]

Larkin is just a 3rd string PG.

Theis is better than Yabu.
I think Theis will be the 10th man.

Tatum will be fine.

Morris will play a big role for the Celts, at PF, this season.

Team looks good.

Last year's team was more of the 2002 Celtics.

This year's team is closer to the 2008 Celtics.

Looks like we'll be enjoying the Celtics play in May and June for the next 10 years.

[gyso]

"Very talented team."

That's what the guys on ESPN were saying. I think it was Thin Van Gundy that said it.

[fierce]

More talent will come once the 2018 Lakers pick will be resolved.

[k_j_88]

I agree about Larkin. He's running layup drills, not the offense.

KJ

[KyleCleric]

I don't know if Monk will start for them much this year but he'll play at least a critical role off the bench. Interesting having him initiate their offense, essentially playing a backup PG role. Definitely impressed with him at this point. He, Walker, Lamb will need to play well to give that team enough offense to make the playoffs.

[kdp59]

beating my dead horse, but why was Yabusele playing ahead of Theis in the last pre-season game?

I must be missing something big time.

Theis continues to do all the little things and the dirty work, when he is out there. But i'ts hard to tell how he will play against REAL NBA players when he only gets in the game against D-league guys.

I suppose Brad sees Theis as just another D-leaguer at this point , is all I can assume by his pre-season usage.

Yabusele has been pretty useless all pre-season, sorry.

Smart SHOULD be starting over Jaylen and Brown and Tatum should be leading the Bench, with Rozier, Baynes and I guess Yabusele (Yuk).

Monk has a sweet shot for sure. Hard to see him starting with Walker though, as that would be a very small backcourt, with neither player giving much help on defense

[sinus007]

Hi,
A few observations from the game and also, based on the previous 3 games.
The core of the team looks good but they'd need another month perhaps two to get it really going.

I agree about Theis > Yabu. I don't know, maybe Yabu is the next Barkley but so far, I have much more confidence in Theis.

I guess there're 2 thoughts about Smart: starter or 6th man. I think he's better (for the team) as the 6th man. Our bench is way too young/inexperienced and Smart is a good leader/stabilizer.

Last night JVG said more good things about Celtics than he did in the previous 5 years combined. I wonder why. Is he applying for Brad's assistant position?

AK

[bobheckler]

beating my dead horse, but why was Yabusele playing ahead of Theis in the last pre-season game?

I must be missing something big time.

Theis continues to do all the little things and the dirty work, when he is out there. But i'ts hard to tell how he will play against REAL NBA players when he only gets in the game against D-league guys.

I suppose Brad sees Theis as just another D-leaguer at this point , is all I can assume by his pre-season usage.

Yabusele has been pretty useless all pre-season, sorry.

Smart SHOULD be starting over Jaylen and Brown and Tatum should be leading the Bench, with Rozier, Baynes and I guess Yabusele (Yuk).

Monk has a sweet shot for sure. Hard to see him starting with Walker though, as that would be a very small backcourt, with neither player giving much help on defense

kdp,


Theis wasn't supposed to play at all because of a thigh bruise.  Given that I'm not surprised Yabby got inserted sooner.  Next week is something else though, I expect Theis to be ahead of Yabusele then.  Theis looks like a 10 year veteran out there because, well, that's what you are when you are 25 and started playing professionally when you were only 15.  For $816k this year and $1.4M next year (and then a RESTRICTED free agent after that) this is looking like another coup by Danny and, especially, our international scout who deserves credit for warming Theis up to the prospect of coming here.  Not on the scale of Pierce/KG, of course, but still great value.


bob


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[beat]

Smart needs to come off the bench. Always like a very good player aka Havlicek McHale ect to come in after a tempo has been set or pick up one if the tempo sucks.  He will get starters minutes anyway.   

Gonna be a very interesting year.

And may have some sort exciting news about Marcus ina few days.  


beat

[mulcogiseng]

How come no one seems excited about this year's Celtics team? Just kidding. It's been the most memorable off season in recent memory. This is going to be a fun year with lots of story lines that could get lost in all of the hullabaloo of a winning season.

Kyrie looks like a diamond out there. He skill set just bedazzles. He is clearly playing hard and having no trouble with the mantle of team leadership. His defense hasn't looked bad at all. He is going to have his best season this year. He won't have to play hero ball or be the king in the 4th, I doubt if he will ever mention Brinks trucks. But he will be a legitimate successor to IT and he will lead this team to the ECF and beyond.

Hayward is exactly what this team needs. He is a proven all star and still getting better. He didn't have a great pre season but no doubt he will shine once the games are for real. He's reminding me of how it was difficult for RA to make the transition from the gotoguy to being part of a "big three". He is going to get so many open looks this season.

I don't think that any of the legitimate question marks about Jaylen Brown are going to go away. His shot is still going to be questionable as will some of his decisions. We don't really know what his ceiling is yet. He could end up being just another very good player. Or he could become great. He says all the right things but his game is still lagging behind his intellect. He looks to be earning his starting position. High hopes remain as he takes his next steps.

Tatus is going to be called on to produce early in his career. Because he has such a mature offensive game he is going to play. But if his D comes around like it looks it will, he will become an invaluable player off the bench or in the starting lineup. There is a good chance he becomes the best player from his draft class.

Bear is a step behind or a step ahead of the play. He reminds me of his SL play last year when he looked so out of place in Utah and then came on in Vegas. He looks tentative and seems to nervously over try. He needs to take the open shot when it is there and try to just relax and have fun playing the game. Once his rehab from double foot surgery is complete he will play better. He needs one good game to get him back on track.

Theis looking very solid. He is already carving out solid minutes for himself. Semi not so much but its good to know he is available and improving. Morris might have lost a ton of rust already.

This is a much more talented and deeper team then last year. They should have a better season and playoff run while giving us lots to cheer about.

[bobheckler]

Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
about 3 hours ago
Watch the ball handler’s eyes and he controls you. Watch his hips and you control him. twitter.com/jaredweissnba/…
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Jaylen Brown making so much defensive progress. Note how he watches Kemba's hips/feet to track him, allowing him to stay balanced and locked

https://twitter.com/JaredWeissNBA/status/918775950153867264


bob


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