Celtics coach Ime Udoka identifies areas where he wants C's to improve

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/celtics-coach-ime-udoka-identifies-214400161.html



Celtics coach Ime Udoka identifies areas where he wants C's to improve


Nick Goss
Tue, August 24, 2021, 2:44 PM



The Celtics were a .500 team last season, but there are reasons to believe Boston will enjoy better results during the upcoming 2021-22 campaign.

One of them is the addition of new head coach Ime Udoka. He was arguably the most qualified coaching candidate available this offseason and brings plenty of experience to Boston's staff.

Udoka got a good look at the Celtics last season as an assistant coach for the Brooklyn Nets. The C's played the Nets eight times, including a five-game first-round playoff series won by Brooklyn.


What did Udoka see from the outside that he wants the Celtics to improve on early in his tenure?

"Just in general, using the talent we have to play team basketball," Udoka said Tuesday on WEEI's "Gresh & Keefe" show. "I see a lot of guys that were kind of you're turn, my turn at times and I think the next step in their evolution is being playmakers in general. Marcus (Smart) hasn't always been the starting point guard or a guy who's had the ball in his hands a ton, and he's yearning for that. So we'll entrust in him to have more responsibility on his hands. Jayson and Jaylen, like I've mentioned quite a few times, trying to make those guys better playmakers. They're pretty natural scorers."

Udoka also wants to see the Celtics improve defensively. Boston ranked No. 13 in defensive rating last season. The C's ranked No. 4, No. 6 and No. 2 in defensive rating over the three previous campaigns.


"But in general, some of the additions we made to the roster, I think playing a more team-style of basketball but also getting back to, defensively, where they were two or three years ago," Udoka explained.

"Took a step back in some areas there, so we're digging on that and trying to put our stamp on the team defensively as well. When you look at those little things, there's a lot of ways we can improve and we're not far off."

If the Celtics play better team basketball and show some improvement defensively, they should be able to hit the 50-win mark for the first time since 2017-18.

After a busy offseason, the Celtics are a more talented and deeper team than they were a year ago.


Bob
MY NOTE:  If he wants to be a better defensive team, to get back to where we were 3 years ago say, then it's "bye bye, Jabari".  That would get us down to 15, and it would be cheap.  Doesn't fix our thinness at 4, in fact it exascerbates it, but it gets us to 15.  Nevertheless, I agree with this, "After a busy offseason, the Celtics are a more talented and deeper team than they were a year ago."  

Kanter = Thompson (mirror images of each other.  Whatever one brings in offense they give up on defense and vice versa)
Horford > > Kornet (not even remotely close.  HUGE upgrade at big)
2021 Time Lord > 2020 Time Lord (he grew as a player in the 2nd half of last season, a lot)
Richardson = Fournier (much like Kanter and Thompson, they are mirror images of each other)
Schroder > =  Kemba (Kemba with higher offensive top end, much weaker defensively.  The health issues elevate Schroder)
2021 Pritchard > 2020 Pritchard
2021 Nesmith > 2020 Nesmith
2021 Romeo > = 2020 Romeo (if he stays healthy he should improve.  Will he, though?)
2021 Jaylen > 2020 Jaylen (he's gotten better every year AND now he's an All-Star and will get more respect from the refs)
2021 Jayson > 2020 Jayson (another step up with the confidence that comes from winning Olympic gold)
2021 Grant = 2020 Grant (possible improvement in his offense.  No difference in his defense.  We'll see)
2021 Smart > 2020 Smart (new responsibilities, something to prove, more floor generaling and less shooting)
2021 Kris Dunn > 2020 Carsen Edwards
2021 Box O'Krispy Kremes > 2020 Carsen Edwards
2021 Jabari > = 2020 Jabari (if Jabari doesn't go he should be no worse than he was last year without camp etal)
2021 Parker < 2020 Semi (the only clear downgrade that I see)


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