Doc's About Face Regarding 3 Pointers

As recently as last year, Doc Rivers was calling prosperity gained via 3 point shooting it "Fools Gold". This year in light of the free launching of the long range bombs, he now is rationalizing them to be, "Good Looks, and we gotta' take 'em" Is he bending to the will of the team? I'd like to know who's in control! I believe he should require more post ups by the Bigs, and more slashing penetration by Rondo, Daniels and Capt. Paul Pierce! What about it folks?

As sharp shooting as Ray, Paul, Eddie and Rasheed are, not to mention a Scal on occassion, Doc is right. He betting 80-90% of the games, some one or two (or more) of this crew is going to be on at 45%+ from the arc. That is enough to scramble the defensive knowing this team is loaded like that. This leaves the lane wide open for Rondo lay-ins unscathed, alley-oops to KG and some modest banging around by Perk and SW in the paint (worth 10-20 points a night).

With the improvement in our in the paint stat, now above par cumulative, getting to the paint is about 40-50% of our scoring, which I think is about league average. I think it's the fear of the three that has teams shading toward the line on d, leaving the lanes and court wide open since Perk is off to the side, Sheed is behind the line and KG is behind the free throw line. Because if teams know the above percentage (80-90% of the games) and the balls are falling for us from deep, the opponent can be out of a game in about 3 minutes. Most team d's are not taught to react that way. They figure most teams are going to go inside first to establish the paint, then go launching. We don't necessarily do that. We can go inside. We have the lumber. And at 40-50% of our points coming from there, that proves we're strong (OK) there. But if you can go for the jugular earlier on and make it an Everest to climb to get back in it, oh and wait, then have the bench come in and outscore you 10-15 points, that is going to take the heart out of 95% of the teams in the NBA night in and night out.

MDCelticsFan wrote:As recently as last year, Doc Rivers was calling prosperity gained via 3 point shooting it "Fools Gold". This year in light of the free launching of the long range bombs, he now is rationalizing them to be, "Good Looks, and we gotta' take 'em" Is he bending to the will of the team? I'd like to know who's in control! I believe he should require more post ups by the Bigs, and more slashing penetration by Rondo, Daniels and Capt. Paul Pierce! What about it folks?

Psssst....they are 8-1....relax.

BTW....they are taking 2.5 more 3 point shots this season vs. last. Not even a 3 shot difference.

Hey at least wiggles walker isn't chucking them up!!

MD, I don't think he's "bending to the will of the team" and I don't think he's going to "require" his players to do anything but give 100% and play D . This isn't college ball, these are seasoned veterans who know how to play the game. Doc has never micro-managed this team in the past and I don't think he's going to start now. As we all know, we have 4 top players over the age of 30. Sheed has already stated that he can't jump anymore. Why would Doc try to force him to play inside knowing that his 35 year old body can't take the banging and doesn't have the lift anymore? Sheed has one of the better +/- in the game because he spots up deep and creates space for others. KG's main shot since he's been with the C's is the 18 footer. It works for him, and it works for me. Sheldon also has a very consistent outside jumper, so I say go for it. If Perk were out in three point land heaving bricks, or even taking an 18 footer, I might be more inclined to agree with you on Doc putting his foot down, so to speak, but he's not.

Personally, I don't want Doc to force the guys to play in positions they aren't comfortable with. Part of the reason Doc has been successful is because he doesn't try to fit a square peg into a round hole. We're 8-1...why try to fix something that's not broken?

Kelly-Kleen

I just think after the nights we are making them we will be happy. The nights we miss not so happy.

As for Sheed "not being able to jump anymore." I think like all wizened older players he has learned to pick his spots.

The boys are shooting a lot of threes. The boys are shootin a lot of layups.

The boys are 8-1. sh#$ I'd be lyin if I said it didn't concern me but Kleen says relax and he and Cow are the straight talkers around here so I am goin to listen to him. 8 wins 1 loss to a very very good team.

Jeb

MD

rather than this team to adapt to him, he has 4 good three point shooters now. Doc may be adapting to his team a bit, so why fault him for that?

We pick our spots to shoot um and again at least we don't have Antoine out there "chucking" away.

Sometimes the best coach steps back a bit from his "beliefs" and let the players do what they do best.


beat

Jeb, this is an excerpt from the Globe regarding Sheed's quote about jumping:

Wallace admitted that he had to adjust to losing some of his physical capabilities.

"I've already accepted that I can't jump no more," he said. "I'm not as fast as I used to be. I accepted that already. That's where you become more smart, make that first step or two before that first player could get there. Or I got make this jump shot; give him a little pump fake because he can jump higher than me. So to me, once you lose that step or two, that's when you pick up a step or two with your head."

Straight from the horses mouth, just in case you thought I made it up!

Kelly

No brother I read that too being a fiend and reading all things green every day I just read it with my poker eye a tad more than you did.

Jeb

Jeb, I'm not sure what you mean. I don't think I took it out of context. He's losing his hops so we shouldn't expect him to be a post up player. Yes, he will post up from time to time, but we should expect to continue to see him outside the arc. Is that not accurate?

I think Sheed is woe is me ing the younger guys in the nba. I also think he has to some degree lost his hops. He has to do it with position more now.

He cant go inside as much. I am agreeing with you but with a caveat. I think as Sheed gets his game legs he will do what the GAME he is in at the time calls for.

I don't think you took it out of context. I think Sheed is aging like good wine. I just think he has a little more left in the tank than he is letting on and will pull it out when we need it most. I love him in green.

Jeb

Gotcha, thanks for the clarification. The article was in regards to the AI situation, so I think he was basically saying AI needs to adapt to playing off the bench and not being the number one guy. I agree that Sheed will do what the game calls for. I believe he signed a 3 year contract with us, can anyone verify that? I'd prefer that he not empty the tank until then! If that means not going full throttle every game, I'm ok with that. I too love him in green and think he's going to be a major cog for this championship run!

KellyGreen17 wrote:Gotcha, thanks for the clarification. The article was in regards to the AI situation, so I think he was basically saying AI needs to adapt to playing off the bench and not being the number one guy. I agree that Sheed will do what the game calls for. I believe he signed a 3 year contract with us, can anyone verify that? I'd prefer that he not empty the tank until then! If that means not going full throttle every game, I'm ok with that. I too love him in green and think he's going to be a major cog for this championship run!

KellyGreen17,

3 years

http://hoopshype.com/salaries/boston.htm

Pinch me!!

gyso

PS: Notice it already has Rondo's info added.

Great site GYSO, thanks!

I believe Doc is neither for or against the three. He's simply looking for balance in the use of it. Just as he doesn't like "hero shots," he's not fond of a "chucking mentality," whereby the system is thrown out of whack by an inordinate love affair with the perimeter. I can identify with him in this respect and would regard last night's game as nearly the perfect balance between shots in the paint, mid-range shots, and three-pointers. I'm sure the ratios will deviate from game to game, situation to situation and matchup to matchup. But using the three strategically, rather than as a default, should be the objective.

As far as Sheed goes, I thought he made a real effort last night to vary his offensive presence between the perimeter and the low post. Once again, it's all a matter of balance and not constantly operating predictably ourside or inside.

By the way, I don't know whether anyone else heard Sheed's radio interview today on that new sports talk station in Boston. But he was most personable. He said one of the things the Three Amigos mentioned when they showed up at his house was how Doc is a "veteran's coach" and is committed to not playing his veterans too many minutes. (When I heard that, I wondered whether Paul and Ray were conscious during some of those games last season.)

The talk show hosts also asked him about some picture of him holding an artificial leg. And he told this hilarious story about having a friend who has an artificial leg. When his friend has enough drinks in him, he can be persuaded to take off the leg and they all play with it. I guess, when the picture was taken, they were playing keepaway with the leg, and I guess the friend was laughing even more than they were. Anyway, he seems pretty cool.

Sam

I can understand why some people think that Rondo is arrogant. But he is my favorite player on my favorite team.

Take last night's post game interview.

He was asked about the rest that the team had and whether it helped the team.

Rondo replied that it was good for the 'old guys' In other words the stretch of 8 games in 12 days was not an issue for him BUT the old guys needed some time to revitalize themselves. But not Rondo...He is always ready to run..

He was also asked about William and his back problem. Rondo replied that he also had a bad back. In other words, I'm as good if not better than William with or without a bad back.

Rondo says exactly how he feels about things. and his actions speak louder than words.

Last night on several occasion there is Rondo with the ball ahead of everyone, he slows down and waits for his teammates to catch up before running the offense. On defense there he is flicking those long fingers at the ball as Williams tries to run a play, harassing him, looking for a steal. An opportunist he is. So deliberate he is. Little by little putting his stamp on this team.

He wants to run all the time at breakneck speed but then he remembers that the old guys have old legs and simply cannot keep that quick of a pace. There is a great pass and another alleyopp to KG who flushes it with two hands and falls to the floor to brace his fall. There he is with 3 seconds left in the quarter and he goes coast to coast for a layup. There he is dribbling out and reversing to go in for a layup. There he is again fighting for a rebound down low with the big timber. There he is the stoic Rondo making another statement for immortality on the basketball court. There he is, a guy that defies physical limitations. A player that respects the 3 big concept but knows that he is the one who passes out the candy.

dboss