Celtics Pleased With Development Of Tremont Waters, Tacko Fall

https://www.forbes.com/sites/chrisgrenham/2020/02/06/celtics-pleased-with-development-of-tremont-waters-tacko-fall/#7b7a57914b34




Celtics Pleased With Development Of Tremont Waters, Tacko Fall



Chris Grenham





Boston Celtics' Tremont Waters during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game against the ... [+] ASSOCIATED PRESS




Tremont Waters was the Boston Celtics’ final selection in the 2019 NBA Draft, but he’s shown plenty of promise through the first seven months of his professional career. His two-way contract partner, 7-foot-6 center Tacko Fall, has become a celebrity among NBA fans, and his play on the court has impressed as well.

The 5-foot-10 point guard has been tremendous through 24 G League games, averaging 19.9 points, 7.7 assists and 2.3 steals while helping the Maine Red Claws jump out to an impressive 21-8 record. Waters has been solid in his eight games with Boston, refuting theories that his lack of size would prevent him from being effective at the highest level. This isn’t a surprise to Red Claws assistant coach Alex Barlow, who worked in a player development role with the Celtics last season.

“I saw it in the preseason — I think Tremont’s an NBA player,” Barlow said. “I think his biggest development here is continuing to play within a team defense and being more solid on the defensive end. Pretty much his whole life he’s been asked to do everything on offense. We ask him to do a lot on offense (in Maine), but he’s kind of been able to take plays off on defense and play center field. I think for his development he’s done a good job trying to be more of a team defender. Trying to play hard on that end of the court. It’s not perfect yet. Rome wasn’t built in a day. He’s not going to all of a sudden become some unbelievable team defender. He does do a great job getting steals, playing passing lanes and getting steals in help.”

Waters won SEC Defensive Player of the Year during his second and final season at LSU, so he’s had success on that end of the floor in the past. But making the jump from a college to professional defender is difficult for many young players, and at 5-foot-10, it was seen as one of Waters’ larger obstacles during the pre-draft process.

He’s shown the ability to succeed defensively at the NBA level, especially of late. In two of his first three games with the Celtics, Waters posted defensive ratings of 150 or higher. In the four games since that point, his defensive rating has never gone above 94.4 (we won’t count his 46-second stint Wednesday vs. the Orlando Magic). With Maine, his defensive rating sits at 104.5, which is third-lowest on the Red Claws for players who have appeared in 20 or more games. His 2.3 steals per game are tied for fourth in the G League for players with a 20-game minimum. Waters’ quick, active hands have impressed Brad Stevens on that end of the floor.

“I think that’s one of his great strengths,” Stevens told reporters Wednesday evening. “I think that’s what allows him to defend at his size. And it’s not necessarily reaching out of position. It’s always being in position and then using his active hands. So whether it’s shutting off a drive and then you can use your hands – he’s not reaching when he’s beat. He’s not reaching just out of laziness. He uses his hands well. I was thinking the same thing when we first drafted him. Like, ‘how’s he going to guard?’ And he’s proven to me that he can guard bigger guys because he gets his body in great position. When that ball is low, he takes it.”

Offensively, Waters has always been extremely gifted, and he’s showcased that in his first professional season. The organization loves Waters’ court vision and the way he’s adjusted his game at the pro level, according to a team source. Barlow echoed that thought when speaking about the rookie guard.

“I think offensively he’s become a better finisher,” Barlow said. “I think he was a good finisher in college, but he didn’t quite have the package of finishing that he’s had here. He’s worked really hard here, watching a lot of Kemba (Walker), someone he’s looked up to and now somebody with our organization. He’s watched a lot of ways (Walker’s) been able to finish as a small guard. I think he’s improved his finishing package while he’s been here, and then he’s shooting the ball at a high, high level. I’ve always thought he was a good shooter. He’s done a really good job this year making tough shots off pick-and-rolls and off isolations.”

Fall, on the other hand, entered this season as a bit of a mystery. He signed an Exhibit 10 contract and joined Boston’s summer league team, ultimately landing a two-way deal just before training camp. He’s put together a productive G League campaign, averaging 13.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.8 blocks on 74.5 percent shooting in 18 games, collecting 10 double-doubles over that span.



Boston Celtics' Tacko Fall plays against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half of an NBA ... [+] ASSOCIATED PRESS


Fall has played in six games with the Celtics, averaging 3.2 points and 1.8 rebounds on 75 percent shooting in short those stints. His per-36 numbers are a sight to behold, but we’ll save that for another day. Fall has taken strides in a variety of areas since the summer, which is promising for Boston considering his unique size.

“Tacko’s a different player. It’s unique when you’re trying to come up with a player development plan for Tacko. There’s not many guys to compare him to,” Barlow said. “You can look at guys like Boban (Marjanovic), Rudy Gobert to an extent, but even then Tacko is still six, eight inches standing reach longer than them. He’s done a really good job in the pick-and-roll. I think he’s shown that he’s more mobile than people might have thought.”

Stevens recently said Fall, along with Waters, is always ready when he gets recalled, something he appreciates considering the slew of injuries Boston has dealt with this season. Barlow noted his readiness is thanks to some improvements offensively

“Offensively, he can obviously post up, he can get offensive rebounds, but I think the area he’s shown the most improvement in is showing more skill,” Barlow added. “Whether it’s teams double him in the post and he passes out of it, whether it’s handling it some on the perimeter in our five-out actions – he’s not a finished product by any means and he still has a ways to go with that, but for a guy that’s 7-foot-7, to be able to handle the ball some, to be able to make some of the passes he does, I think he’s improved in that area.”

Fall and Waters can spend no more than 45 days with the Celtics, per two-way contract regulations, but Stevens says the team is in “pretty good shape” when it comes to that tally. A Red Claws team source confirmed this with 10 games remaining on Maine’s regular-season schedule. Players on two-way contracts are not eligible for the NBA postseason.



bob



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https://hoopshabit.com/2020/02/28/boston-celtics-tacko-fall-progressions/



Tacko Fall’s positive progressions in the G-League



by Justin Trombino

21 hours ago Follow @Trombino20




At this point in the season, health is the most important element for any team. Could the Boston Celtics start resting some of their players as they inch closer to the playoffs?
The Boston Celtics have a lot to be happy about in regard to the positive progressions that their undrafted rookie, Tacko Fall, has made this season with the Maine Red Claws. Fall is becoming a more polished player with each game he plays.

When the Celtics signed Fall to a two-way contract over the summer, many people were under the assumption he would be splitting his time between Maine and Boston. Although it’s not his decision, Fall has only appeared in six games this season for the Celtics.

But given the raw talent that he is, Fall has been able to progress at a faster rate with the Red Claws than with the Celtics. In fact, he is even averaging a double-double of 12.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game in 26 games this season.

In the Red Claws’ most recent game against the Capital City Go-Gos, Fall’s progressions escalated to a new height. Fall finished the game with an impressive 18 points, 20 rebounds, and 5 blocks while recording his 15th double-double of the season.

One of the biggest flaws in Fall’s game at the beginning of the season was his overall speed and footwork while maneuvering around the court, more so in the paint and mid-range area. Which seems surprising seeing as he is 7’5″ and it only takes him a couple of strides to get around the court.

Height is something that obviously can’t be taught, but skills can be coached. Now with half a season under his belt, Fall is proving to be more mobile, agile, and confident in learning how a guy his size can move around the court both efficiently and effectively.

As previously mentioned, Fall has only played in six games this season for the Celtics. In those games, he has only averaged 3.2 points and 1.8 rebounds per outing. Also noting the last time he played in a game for the Celtics was on February 5th against the Orlando Magic where he logged in one minute.


Maine Red Claws

@maineredclaws
Here’s the @DeltaDental Play of the Game - @tackofall99 with authority! 18-20-5 today! #CrustaceanNation

https://twitter.com/maineredclaws/status/1232478987827335171
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5:34 PM - Feb 25, 2020


With more experience and increased production, Fall could be making a few more appearances for Boston as they truck through the second half of the season towards the playoffs. Every game counts from this point on and Fall could help protect the rim and give the Celtics another competitive advantage as they finish out the regular season strong.

With Fall being on a two-way contract, he is ineligible to play in the playoffs. Technically, he has 39 more games he can play with the Celtics this season.

If the team decides to use their newfound “load management” technique and preserve the health of Daniel Theis or Enes Kanter, Fall could prove to play some meaningful minutes at the end of the season for the Boston Celtics.

All in all, the way Fall has progressed as a player during his rookie season is a promising sign for the Boston Celtics and their big man situation moving forward.


bob


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I don't know how many minutes Fall can get with Williams coming back and Poirier being on the roster for the playoffs.

Just like from the start of the season, Williams' play will far more limit Fall's minutes than anything that Poirier can or will do.

If Poirier did not have a two year guaranteed contract deal, he would have long been replaced on the Cs 15 man roster. This guy is just another wasted roster spot who the Cs had hoped was going to be better than he has turned out to be-kind of like his countryman, Yabusele.

I don't know if either one ever earns a regular NBA spot, but both are good stories about the value of hard work and determination.

They point out that there could be something worth seeing at the end of the draft order, and beyond.