Summer Post Game - Game 3 vs Indy

We blew a big lead, but hung on to win.

http://www.nba.com/games/20130709/INDBOS/gameinfo.html

KO with 21 points on 9-19.  He can do it all offensively.  Outside, McHale's up-and-under, Dirk's wrong-foot-fallaway, underneath.  9 rebounds.  4 assists and 0 TOs.  Would have had another assist off a beautiful touch pass from an O board if Melo had been awake.  Kendall Gill said that KO was the best player in summer league so far, every team.

Melo is NOT ready.  Slow on pick-and-rolls, which is meat-and-potatoes in the NBA, raw offensively.  1 rebound in 16 minutes.  Yuck.

Iverson looked better today.  Missed a wide open jumper from the foul line, which would have been nice to see drop, but he really lays the lumber to people coming into his kitchen.  He dropped one Pacer who thought he had a path to the basket.  One second he was going forward, next second he was on his back and Iverson didn't move an inch backwards.  The player just looked up to get the number of the truck he ran into.  Switches on pick-and-rolls better than Melo.  1-2 from ft.  He has a nice motion, they should drop in.  He did well against Plumlee, who is having an excellent summer league so far.

Granger struggled at point.

Bad shooting game by Pressey, 3-9 including a "huh?", but he played point much better today.  5 assists and only 2 TOs.  VERY sticky man-to-man defense, usually full court.  We've been seeing that from him 3 games straight so far.  3 steals. He'll get an invite to veteran's camp.  

Tony Mitchell is this year's Kris Joseph.  The player that makes your eyes pop a bit, but then gets caught in the number's game.  15 point on 5-11.  Runs very well, extremely athletic, has been playing pretty good defense and is aggressive on offense.  He probably will get, and deserves, an invite too.  If Danny doesn't start unloading a lot of players he won't make the team, though.  We need centers, SG/SFs are a luxury.  It's his tough luck we're not likely to be heading into veteran's camp with only 12-13 players under contract.  He deserves to catch on somewhere though.  He is auditioning quite well so far in summer league.


bob


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Posting some tweets from today's games.

ESPNForsberg Chris Forsberg
Jeff Green + Courtney Lee here to watch summer league this morning. They said Avery Bradley could join up soon. Young core bonding.

ESPNForsberg Chris Forsberg
Colton Iverson has blood on his jersey, checked to make sure he had all his teeth a few moments ago, then took a knee to the ribs.


ESPNForsberg Chris Forsberg
Jeff Green on Stevens: "I think he’s going to do what he did at Butler: Take that rebuilding word out + we’re just going to be the Celtics."


ESPNForsberg Chris Forsberg
Courtney Lee is just as giddy as you watching Kelly Olynyk: " Oh man, big boy can stroke it."


David Baumann: Danny Ainge just yelled at ref: "That was perfect defense." Larry Bird responds: "What do you know about defense Ainge?" Hilarious. #Celtics Twitter @DavidBaumann33


bob


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I'm not sure about anyone else, but I'm starting to get pretty excited about KO.

When was the last time we had a draft pick that started so strong? ( I know its the summer league, but....)


Pete

I'm feeling the way you do, Pete. KO's most glaring weakness could be on defense, and yet I like his defensive instincts. He really has to work on his lateral footwork; but otherwise, I believe what his defense most lacks is refined techniques—something that teaching and repetitions can address..

Otherwise, while I'm seeing flashes of good play from several guys, it's really not consistent enough to warrant getting excited about. Maybe Iverson has some interesting and useful tools, but I think I'd rather have Steamer's complete arsenal.

Suffice it to say that no one consistently impresses me as much as Dionte Christmas did last year, and where did he wind up?

Sam

Sam

Sam,

Good point, I also remember a bit of excitement over Sully, but not quite as much.

I think part of what has me hopped up is what he can do for as a 7 footer. In addition, the moves DA made to set us up for the future is part of the mix.

My hat is off to him, and I know I mentioned this in another thread, but he made some tough decisions by moving 2 popular players in KG and PP. We did not do it in with Bird's team, but the Lakers did with Magic's team, and its easy to see the difference it made. And BTW, I don't disagree with out loyalty with the orig. big three, just think that these were the right moves this time.

Anyway, add it all up, they have my attention!!

Pete

Pete,

I don't believe the current roster is close to what we'll see in October. We'll see. Five power forwards: Bass, Green (yes, I know he's also a "3"), Sully, Humphries, Olynyk. I know everyone will disagree with me, but I won't be shocked to see Olynyk get some minutes as a "5."

Sam

I've done the DVR thing with the first games and caught some of Olynyk.  Although I think it's way, way, way too soon to say if he can play, I think he has the potential to prove me wrong (I had viewed selecting him as a huge mistake of Melo-istic proportions).  I don't think he's ever going to be able to do much more than get shoved around on the defensive end, but he might be able to score.  He could end up with an NBA career being a sixth man type who brings scoring in from the bench.

In light of this, and hopefully being wrong about his playing for us this year, I've got to say I hope they don't pressure him to cut the hair or shave the scraggly beard.  There is some serious early Bill Walton kharma going on out there, at least appearance-wise.  Can't be a bad thing.  

Maybe it's time to replace Gino with something from The Grateful Dead.

The more I see KO the more I like him but mainly at the offensive end.

dboss

Sam,

Dionte Xmas is playing for Utah in Orlando.


bob


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NYC, perhaps a clip of Gino dancing to a Grateful Dead song......