C's Pass Early Chemistry Test

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C's pass early chemistry test



October, 23, 2012
Oct 23
11:00
AM ET



By Greg Payne | ESPNBoston.com








Brian Babineau/NBAE/Getty Images
The Celtics like the chemistry they've formed during the preseason.

BOSTON -- Team chemistry was a hot topic for the Celtics prior to their trip
to Europe at the beginning of training camp. With over half of the
roster being new faces, it was clear to the likes of Rajon Rondo, Paul
Pierce, and Kevin Garnett -- the only remaining players from the 2008
championship team -- that the new gelling process wouldn't be a one-day
experience.


So the team didn't rush things, choosing to let off-the-court
relationships flourish while utilizing the eight-game preseason schedule
to cultivate their connections on the court. And with the exhibition
slate now behind them and the real games about to begin, the Celtics
were pleased to announce after Sunday's preseason finale that the team
chemistry is right where they need it to be, with further growth still
very much an option.



When asked to rate the team's cohesion level, on a 1 to 10 scale, Rondo simply offered, "10."



Garnett added: "Team chemistry is very, very high."



And it was Pierce, factoring in the recent addition of Leandro
Barbosa, who stressed the team will continue to make strides in this
area.



"Yeah, we've seen a lot of good, positive things. We're still
building chemistry," Pierce said. "Chemistry, sometimes, doesn't happen
overnight like it did in '08, so we're still trying to build that. When
you look at the number of new players that we got, we're still trying to
implement them. Adding Barbosa to the mix, we've still got to get him
on the court, practice time, to understand what we're trying to do
around here, so it's coming, though."


Some players, such as Brandon Bass and Courtney
Lee, pointed to specific games to illustrate the strides the team has
taken over the last three weeks. Consider the team's first exhibition
game in Turkey, when the C's were routinely burned on pick-and-roll
coverage and the offense lacked a certain fluidity. Fast forward to
Boston's 115-85 thrashing of the Brooklyn Nets last Thursday, and there
were practically no signs of the issues that plagued the team early on,
as the Celtics were locked in defensively, pushing the ball in
transition, and not hesitating to make the extra pass.


"From the first preseason game up until now, especially the Brooklyn
game, we showed how we can have it clicking on all cylinders and
getting everybody involved as well," Bass said.



"We're a lot better than our first preseason game," said Lee. "I
mean, you can see it in a couple games, especially the last couple wins
that we've got, against Brooklyn and New York, where the chemistry came
into play late in that New York game, where we decided to get stops and
execute. And then Brooklyn, we came out with a focus to execute and
strap up on the defensive end. So, you can see the chemistry definitely
getting better."



Defense was a sticking point for a handful of players, indicating
that further on-court chemistry will be helped along by consistent
improvement on that side of the ball. But the offensive end wasn't
discounted, either. With a host of offensive options, both in the
starting lineup and off the bench, Jeff Green said the team's
willingness to bring forth a balance offensive attack showcased the
faith he and his teammates have in one another.



"We were unselfish on offense," Green said. "I mean, we've got a lot
of guys who can put up a lot of points on the board, and we're very
unselfish. That shows that we have trust in our teammates, that they can
make plays."



"We just got better. We got better every game," said rookie Jared
Sullinger. "I mean, even though we had a couple down games, but we got
better. As a team we showed spurts where [we did] what the coaches want,
and then we showed that we can do it, so I think we're getting better
every day."




bob



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