Post Game Thread - vs Kings, Away, 2/3/21

[bobheckler]

I couldn't watch the game, so this post is just a starting point for everyone else.

I said on the Game On! thread, which I followed even though I couldn't see the game itself, that the key to last night was containing their guards, especially Fox and Halliburton. Those two combined for 47 points on 17-33 shooting, 7-14 from 3, 15 assists, 4 turnovers. Teague and Waters combined for 10 points on 2-14, 1-6 from 3, 6 assists and 1 turnover. Our starting point guard only had 1 assist. The rest came from Waters, who couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, going 1-8 from the field. I mean, c'mon, when Theis has 4X as many assists as your point guard you pretty much know your point guard is useless.

Not to panic, we were down Kemba, Smart and Pritchard and any team is going to suffer when they are without their top 3 ballhandlers, but still...That's the best they could do? Awful.

This was our last easy game of this road trip.

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=401267496


Bob


.

[worcester]

Teague is useless.

[cowens/oldschool]

Also 2nd game of b2b, our bigs played strong, almost led us to a win, J’s flashed their talent, but were slightly off somewhat, probably due to fatigue. Halliburton has tons of talent and he and Fox can be a devastating backcourt, Hield and Barnes very good players that had their moments. They have some talent going forward to build on. Biggest problem was Teague. I would have benched him and given more minutes to Nesmith. I like the way we moved the ball, some nice post up from Jaylen and TT, nice seeing J’s get the ball early in shot clock. Another mistake was end of 4th took out RWill and Semi for Theis and Grant. I would have just taken out Semi for Theis and let RWill and Theis play together, as soon as Theis was only big by himself, they immediately attacked the basket with success.

[cowens/oldschool]

Teague is useless.

Now that’s an understatement

[cowens/oldschool]

Glimmer if given the opportunity I think Tatum can pass better than Kemba, can easily see over the defense. Kemba has a lot of problems getting the ball to others in good positions to score. Tatum and Brown can potentially do that better, as both had nice attacks drawing the defense leading to good looks for others.

[worcester]

Astute Cow. Subbing Grant fof Rob killed us. Grant's fouls led to the Sacto fritos which turned the game over. Rwill made one mistake, one, and Brad put Grant in where he was a flubmeister. Grant had one good game this whole year against the GS Midgets. Otherwise he too is a loser, along with Teague. He is only ok against smaller opponents. RWill almost won the game for us. I cant fathom how Brad limits his minutes in favor of Gwill.

[worcester]

Glimmer if given the opportunity I think Tatum can pass better than Kemba, can easily see over the defense. Kemba has a lot of problems getting the ball to others in good positions to score. Tatum and Brown can potentially do that better, as both had nice attacks drawing the defense leading to good looks for others.

Tatum was one rb shy of a triple double.

[dbrown4]

Yep. After last night's performance, I'm no longer a Teague For Starting fan. My bad. I was hoping for a desperation-type DD or 3D-like performance last night. Didn't get anywhere close. Danny has to see this. TPE looking more and more like the bailout we need. Too much wack-o-mole going wrong and each game we lose we can't make up.

Starting to look like last year but worse. If playoffs were now, I'm not sure we would even get out of the 1st round and that would go 7 probably. 2nd Round we would get PHI, BKN or MIL...take you pick. We aren't slipping by/beating any of those Best 4 of 7. That's backing up enough and going to be enough to get Brad the ax. Danny may be able to talk his way out of being fired or duck.

Something needs to change. Shake up. Something.
Anything.

db

[cowens/oldschool]

Astute Cow. Subbing Grant fof Rob killed us. Grant's fouls  led to the Sacto fritos which turned the game over. Rwill made one mistake, one, and Brad put Grant in where he was a flubmeister. Grant had one good game this whole year against the GS Midgets. Otherwise he too is a loser, along with Teague. He is only ok against smaller opponents. RWill almost won the game for us. I cant fathom how Brad limits his minutes in favor of Gwill.

Thanks worse, another winnable game where I have to question not too bright Brad, even though he had a nice offensive board at the end, GWill overall can’t control the defensive board, that is obvious. RWill was finally given an opportunity and was dunking on people giving us energy, being a defensive menace....why is Brad such an idiot?

[worcester]

Bye bye Teague and Tremont. Welcome back PP, Smart and Kemba, who is the most overpaid player in the NBA. We need a big. Then we will be solid. Trade Gwill too.

[worcester]

I would have replaced Brad long ago, but we have to ride this donkey until May. He is good. Not great. We need great.

[cowens/oldschool]

Yep.  After last night's performance, I'm no longer a Teague For Starting fan.  My bad.  I was hoping for a desperation-type DD or 3D-like performance last night.  Didn't get anywhere close.  Danny has to see this.  TPE looking more and more like the bailout we need.  Too much wack-o-mole going wrong and each game we lose we can't make up.

Starting to look like last year but worse.  If playoffs were now, I'm not sure we would even get out of the 1st round and that would go 7 probably.  2nd Round we would get PHI, BKN or MIL...take you pick.  We aren't slipping by/beating any of those Best 4 of 7.  That's backing up enough and going to be enough to get Brad the ax.  Danny may be able to talk his way out of being fired or duck.  

Something needs to change.  Shake up.  Something.
Anything.    

db

We still have 2 J’s and Smart, I like PP, Theis and RWill, if you don’t put them in bad situations Semi and Grant can help us. Kemba has to take on a lesser role, Teague is Danny’s worst signing and Brad has been terrible, blowing a lot of winnable games....

[worcester]

BILL Russell, KC Jones, Tommy Heinsohn, and Doc Rivers - what do they all have in common? They were all fine NBA players who coached the Celtics to NBA titles. Of course Red did too. I don't think Sweet Brad is cut from the same cloth as these men.

[dbrown4]

Looking that way, worcester. I believe the writing is on the wall. Last night adds another game to our list that we should have won. It's starting to get very long.
We're almost at .500. You guys and gal were right about the 20-game record, within the +/- 1 game margin of error. Smartest people in the room once again!

db

[worcester]

There have been 74 NBA Championships with 34 Champion head coaches. Of those 21 were former NBA/ABA players. Forty-four NBA trophies were won by 21 former players who became head coaches.
30 trophies were won by coaches who were not former players. Red had 9 wins, Pop had 5 titles. That leaves 16 championships won by among those 11 other non-player NBA head coaches. Only 16 NBA titles won. From where do you think the ranks of the best NBA coaches come?

[Vankisa]

Glimmer if given the opportunity I think Tatum can pass better than Kemba, can easily see over the defense. Kemba has a lot of problems getting the ball to others in good positions to score. Tatum and Brown can potentially do that better, as both had nice attacks drawing the defense leading to good looks for others.

I have not watched the game, just an extended look of a couple mins here and there. I wanted to expand on this though a bit - I am once again disappointed in Brad Stevens for his personnel handling skills. Have anyone else (apart from cowens ) noticed how much worse our ofensive flow seems to be since Kemba is "back"?

This team has evolved to be JB & JTs team. Not Kemba's. Not Kemba & JT's. It could be a coincidence ( we have been in such a position before with JB and BRad however), but I doubt it that JB's efficiency the last several games is NOT the same as before Kemba started to be "re-integrated" into the team plays. I am not saying Kemba Walker is not a good player, he is. But it is time for him (although he has said it, talk is cheap Kemba) and most importantly BRAD STEVENS to recognize he is the 3d option on this team.

I watched the Warriors game last night and one thing made an impression on me. Jaylen does not seem to go into the corner out of passivity, it seems to be BY DESIGN that HE Should go there. Why is this not a set play for Kemba or Tatum Brad? Why am I not seeing them in the corner on some plays? I just do not understand Stevens recently ... I just don't.

I have said it before the start of the season, at the 10-12 game mark and a couple of games ago. We are a 50% team. You are your record Stevens, Ainge. Find better supporting cast for JB and JT! Yes, that includes Kemba Walker, if he diminishes the potential of either of them!
We are officially within the tittle window for JB,JT era and I still see only a very slim chance to achieve that this year. (still better than no chance eh )

[NYCelt]

In terms of Brad Stevens' background, I'm not sure having an NBA playing pedigree is as much a factor as having a well-constructed roster.

Stevens played in every game during his 4 years at DePauw. He chose the DIII school as much for academics as hoops because he knew an NBA career wasn't in the cards. That's still a high enough level of play to understand everything you need to coach in the NBA. Being smart and a realist doesn't subtract from coaching credentials. His coaching record at Butler was an excellent indicator he was prepared for the NBA challenge.

My opinion is that Stevens looks a lot more like a master mechanic with a mismatched socket wrench set. If you don't have the right players at each position and the depth needed to contend, you don't have the right tools to do the best job.

[bobheckler]

https://www.nba.com/celtics/gamerecap/keys-20210203-bossac



Keys to the Game



By Marc D'Amico |  @Marc_DAmico
Celtics.com
February 4, 2021


Key Moment

It’s not often that a purposely-missed free throw operates to perfection in the game of basketball. It did Wednesday night for the Boston Celtics.

The problem for them is that the ensuing shot did not.

With the Celtics trailing by three with 7.4 seconds left in the game, Grant Williams purposely missed his second free throw shot in an attempt to give his team one last chance at a tie. He made that happen, literally all by himself.

It was as if Williams had done it a million times before. He threw a chest pass off the backboard at the perfect angle that led to it bouncing off the glass, then off the rim, and then straight back toward him as he crashed in from the free-throw line. He leaped into the air and in one motion grabbed the offensive rebound and kicked the ball out to the right wing to Jayson Tatum.

Tatum took one step to his right while drifting back beyond the 3-point line and into the corner. He then threw a quick shot fake at his defender before rising up for the potential game-tying shot.

This miracle shot attempt was not meant to be, however, as it bounced off the front of the rim and into the hands of Sacramento’s Buddy Hield, who was then fouled and sent to the free-throw line.

Hield canned both of his free throws with 0.6 seconds left to complete a 116-111 win by Sacramento.


Bob


,

[NYCelt]

Hield always finds a way to do a number on the Celtics. This time the way to do it found him.

[Ktron]

Even though I bitch a lot, I am not ready to give up on Brad yet. He is a good coach but like all of them, with questionable decision making. He’s short handed right now as well.
With that being said, and correct me if you saw something that I didn’t but if I am coaching that last possession and I know that there is a possibility that they may commit an intentional foul, I’m either putting may best free shooters out there (if possible) or make sure I run something that’s gets the ball in my best free throw shooters hands. We didn’t do that and low and behold G Will ends up at the line. Duh. Game over.
BTW, I do see the value in having a G Will on this team. Others on this board don’t and I respect that but last night that ball should have never been in his hands during that last possession....coach.

[worcester]

Ktron, I greatly respect your BBall IQ, so when Wyc comes over with his wife for cocktsils tomorrow, I am going to tell him.to keep Brad.

[Ktron]

Ktron, I greatly respect your BBall IQ, so when Wyc comes over with his wife for cocktsils tomorrow, I am going  to tell him.to keep Brad.

Okay, but on a short leash. Thank you sir :>)

[dboss]

Late in the 3rd.  I told my wife that Jaylen would be heading to the bench.  With 1:32 left, he went to the bench.  Brad left him there until 8 minutes left in the game.  That is a 7.5 minute rest including the timeout for change of QTR.  

That is not how you manage minutes for your star players. This is one of the reason we fold in the 4th.    I really do not believe that Brad can take us all the way.  I think he is a good coach and does a lot of positive things.  I however do not believe that he has championship level coaching DNA.

Last night's game pretty  much confirmed that Teague is finished and that CE and TW are not NBA quality players.

Things should stabilize when Smart and Pritchard return.  As far as KW is concerned I would move him.

[worcester]

dboss, I agree on every single point you made.

Brad does not know how to manage Jaylen's minutes nor plays for him.
Brad id a good coach. Not an NBA championship coach.
Teague is done.
CE and TW better find jobs overseas.
Smart and PP will help.
We should move KW. Among other reasons, he adversely effects Jaylen's game.

[cowens/oldschool]

We blow so/too many winnable games in the 4th. Brad totally got outcoached in the playoffs in every series, despite us winning the Raptor series. Kemba has never been a pass first point, it’s a struggle for him to create opportunities for others and know when to score. GH actually added a lot of ball movement and was good initiating the offense, now seeing Kemba doing it, the ball sticks to him too long. Asking him to initiate possession after posession is way too predictable, Brad has got to mix it up a lot more. Even when J’s were doing it pre Kemba, they could get movement, attack, everything going faster. Smart also can take too many shots sometimes, but I like the way he ran the offense with J’s better too. A lot of this is on Brad, the offense is slower with more difficult shots for 2 J’s with Kemba, he can’t figure out something better...???

Well Kemba got 2 days off, maybe his shooting touch will come back....

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