Feel-good Celtics Stories and Better Times Brewing

I originally posted most of the following in the recent thread about Humphries helping Celtics Rookies.  Because the subject matter in my post is broader than the subject of Humhpries alone, I'm starting a thread with that post, along with some added material.

The Philly game came close, and the Magic game really freed me from worrying so much about negatives and to focus instead on a number of feel-good stories that have crystallized concerning the Celtics.

Kris Humphries is a genuine feel-good story no matter what happens during the rest of the season. He has emerged from a curiosity to a team leader by example. In contrast to Gerald Wallace, Kris has taken the consistently positive road to motivating his teammates. Considering his body type, he overachieves almost every night. I enjoy watching his face during games. Perhaps it's really a grimace, but he always seems to be grinning out there as though he really gets off on playing this game and the tougher the going the more he likes it.

Another feel-good story in the making is another Chris—Johnson. Watching the poise this kid has, his knack for being in the right place at the right time, his zeal for racing downcourt whenever the Celtics get the ball, and his unhesitating willingness to take big shots, I have no idea why he hasn't caught on with some NBA team on a permanent basis.

The one question I have involves Chris being almost exclusively a lefty. I don't know what kind of handle he has with his off-hand. He seems to shoot equally well from both corners. But, when penetrating, he almost always goes left, and I wonder whether that will catch up with him. I'm hoping to see him diversify his directional penetration game. Gotta love the brass ones he's displaying though.

Another feel-good story involves Jared Sullinger's comeback. This one's a no-brainer. He had to have really put out in order to rehab in time for this season. But, even though he has played well pretty much from the start of the season, just getting better and better with the passage of time, his feel-good story has taken an added direction as well. He seemed to be picking up a technical a game for a while until it seemed as though he might be destined to be suspended for life (an obvious exaggeration). Guess what? No technicals lately! I suspect someone got to him. I know his dad has attended at least some games, and I wouldn't be shocked if he played at least a partial role.

Another feel-good story involves Avery Bradley's almost miraculous turnaround in shooting both mid-range jumpers and long-range bombs. And the best thing about this transformation is the speed and lack of hesitation with which he launches into the shots.

My final feel-good story involves Phil Pressey. Imagine....an undrafted player has been thrown to the wolves in Rondo's absence, and he seems on his way to being a pretty good NBA PG. Being the son of a former NBA player really shows, as Phil has a pretty good command of the fundamentals of the game. Yes, he has shooting problems, which could limit his playmaking upside if people keep playing him for the pass. I'm hoping that the Heat game gave us a glimmer as to what he can accomplish with more repetitions. I wouldn't say he's a full-fledged feel-good story yet, but you can't help but root for the kid.

A feel-good story waiting to happen involves Kelly Olynyk. So far, playing with an imperfect team, Kelly has revealed some imperfections in his own game. But, as exemplified above, he seems to be a tireless worker. And, on the relatively few occasions I've seen him in conversation, he seems to be a really great guy.

I just watched one of Kelly's diary segments in which he was making canollis at Mike's Pastry in Boston's North End. It wasn't just that he was having fun and actually doing a great job. It was the spontaneous comments he made in the process. This guys is such a quick thinker in all ways, and it certainly translates to his on-court presence. I wish Brandon Bass (who I think is having a pretty good year) got surprised out there as little as Kelly Olynyk does. When a stray ball suddenly comes Kelly's way, he grabs it surely, doesn't juggle it, and (if he's near the bucket) quickly finds a way to get it in the hoop—even in traffic. I believe that his intellect (and not just his basketball intellect) could well be the key to overcoming at least some of the physical problems in his game. In that sense (and that sense only), he could become the current equivalent of Bob Cousy, who was not the world's greatest athlete but who invariably invented ways to overcome glitches in his game. (Examples provided upon request, although I've beaten them to death on this board.)

Another feel-good story waiting to happen is obvious. I join all good Celtics fans in rooting for Rondo to get back to full-strength and hopefully to be one of the mainstays of a championship-bound franchise sooner rather than later.

If I missed anyone, I'm sure someone else will add to this list. The real message here is that, underneath all the turmoil and angst of this season, there's a distinct undercurrent of really good things fermenting and being readied to be unleashed when the team gets more on an even keel. There are also many areas for improvement, but watching that aspect of the game is part of the fun, right?

As I think through this list, I feel able for the first time to gain some insight into the model the Celtics will be following in the future.  Nothing very specific, but a general model centered around a combination of athleticism and toughness.  They're gradually moving in that direction with players like Rondo, Bradley, Green, Sully, Bass and Humphries.  I'm not implying that any or all of these six players will be with the Celtics of the future, but odds are that others with similar characteristics (and other characteristics) will follow.

There are some specific skills they're currently lacking that I believe they'll need to add.  (1) They obviously need the intimidating defensive big we've all been discussing.  They'll both (2) a penetrator and (3) an deadeye gunslinger from outside who will both pose major scoring threats, especially in the clutch.  Unfortunately, I don't believe Jeff Green fills either of these two qualifications.  He's too dependent on having open driving lanes in penetration (he has difficulty when contested) and too streaky from outside.  Perhaps Avery Bradley is becoming the outside gunslinger, which would complete a remarkable metamorphosis on his part, but I think his three-point abilities are concentrated more in the corners than from straightaway.  At present, I don't believe anyone on the team fills any of these three openings.

There is one current possibility for filling both of these shooting needs, and that's Chris Johnson.  He'll need to develop a right-handed handle to become a truly proficient penetrating candidate, and he'll need more consistency to become an outside assassin.  But at least he appears to have potential in both areas.  If not him, then someone else.

At any rate, I don't want to place too much importance on a game or two.  But I hope we're very gradually emerging into a time period when we'll all be able to visualize the future in better focus rather than simply despairing about the present.

Go Celtics!

Sam

Sam, one glaring omission from your list was Jeff Green. There are many here who are disappointed with Green, but have they really looked at what is being expected of him offensively and defensively. I am of the belief that there is so much going on with him that he is taking a lot of heat unfairly.

Just my opinion.

Rosalie

Rosalie, yes, I omitted him and it was intentional. Last season, I thought he was a feel-good story—especially when he played in all 81 games and finished second to only Paul Pierce on the team in terms of minutes played.

At some point, things have to get back to normal. And, although I'll never change my opinion of his heroic comeback of a year ago, I'm afraid it's time to get on with more of a "What have you done for me lately?" theme. I believe he's had some great moments this season—arguably the two greatest having been against the Heat. But, in looking toward the future, I would like to have started to see some consistency—even at a lower level of points—so Jeff would become more of a known quantity in looking toward the future.

Whatever the model for the Celtics turns out to be a couple of years down the road, odds are that they're going to need predictable firepower from the SF position. As I wrote elsewhere, I had hoped he would be their slasher of the future, and now I'm not seeing as many hints of that as I'd like. He has many gorgeous slams to his credit, but mainly stemming from running the open court or taking advantage of open lanes. He seems to struggle when seriously contested, although I admit he has probably hit more than his share of hero shots in those circumstances. But one thing the Celtics need is a far greater number of high-percentage shots, and I'm not necessarily seeing that from Jeff.

There's no question about his athleticism, which has resulted in—among other things—some wondrous blocks. The potential is definitely there. But, to be a catalyst for this team heading forward, it has to be there night in and night out, and his mindset has to be on constant attack mode. As many times as I've had a feel-good sensation about Jeff, I've probably had a feel-bad sensation almost as often.

Sam

Rosalie how is Jeff Green being treated unfairly?

Unfortunately for Jeff, he is being expected to follow in the footsteps of Paul Pierce. This is not going to happen. He is a different player than Pierce. But, he is expected to do the things Pierce did. I am not saying he has had a breakout year at all. I am saying the torch was passed to the wrong person. Whether it is that he does not have the "heart" to do it night in and night out, or the load is too big for him. Whatever, I still want him here as a piece to a puzzle, but I know that realistically it probably won't happen and he will be moved. I wear my heart on my sleeve on this subject..

Rosalie, Jeff's lucky to have you in his corner. I hope it doesn't appear that we're assigning blame to him. As you suggest, perhaps he just doesn't have the goods to provide what the Celtics need at the SF position. He may be trying his darnedest to improve. But the fact remains that they need certain things at the SF position—and no more because it was previously occupied by Paul Pierce than by Larry Bird (unbelievable) or John Havlicek. In the NBA, small forward is as close as it gets to the #1 position in terms of expected offensive explosiveness.

BUT, if Jeff has a chance for some breakthroughs, I believe you can take plenty of credit for willing it to happen.

Sam

I agree with Rosie in terms of the expectations we have for Jeff Green.

I have reached the uncomfortable position that he does not have SF skills handling the ball and as a result no mid range game and too many ill advised straight line drives or three point shots.

He will need to be replaced sooner or later.

Dboss

Dboss, I'm not arguing your point, but what do you mean by "straight line drives?" Do you mean trying to penetrate in a straight line or do you mean line drive shots? Probably the former, but I was just curious.

Thanks,

Sam

Actually both..

Jeff has not stop and go move. He forces shots and tends to drive straight at the basket even when no clear path is there. He cannot alter his direction and really looks out of control too much.

Basically Jeff has a weak handle and he is well past the window for improvement.

It is what it is. No sense in ignoring the obvious. Jeff is simply not a top of the line SF even though he may be top ten, at times, in scoring or rebounding.

We need a highend sf and not a nice guy that cannot make shots.

Dboss

He has straight line speed, but the footwork needed to score consistently in the paint and midrange he does not have, hes the type of SF that can get you to the playoffs possibly as a third scoring option, but can't carry you in the Finals.

I think if we could do it all over again, most here now would rather have kept Perk than have went through with the trade?

Perhaps if they run more his scoring problems would not be so obvious.

Yes I did not like the Perk trade but it was made with good intensions.

There are no do overs.

In the meantime the Celtics should work hard to maximize Green's limited abilities on offense and move on when the right deal is identified.

Dboss

dboss even though our defense was still pretty good after the trade, it was no where near as physical or as shutdown as when Perk and KG tag-teamed that paint....was painful to watch us vs Heat in 11 playoffs without the Beast, with Green doing nothing mostly that series and Heat attacking us alot right in the paint.

Ancient history cow...but I doubt we beat them even with Perk. Was that the year that Rondo got hurt?

Dboss

cowens/oldschool wrote:I think if we could do it all over again, most here now would rather have kept Perk than have went through with the trade?

Perhaps I'm in the minority, but no.

Cow, I know your affinity for Perk runs deep, and there's nothing wrong with appreciating what he did in his time here, but I think you have this 2008 version of Perk in your head when the 2014 version is definitely a lesser version. He plays 20 minutes per game and averages 3.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.5 blocks, and 1.6 turnovers while shooting 43.5% from the field and 55.8% from the line. Scott Brooks likes his toughness and veteran leadership, but it's not a coincidence that they fell behind by 18 to Miami in the first quarter playing Perk and won going away with Perk sitting on the bench. He's too slow, he doesn't leap that well any more, and he can be a liability at both ends of the court. Are you honestly saying that you'd rather have him over Jeff Green, who is Boston's leading scorer and does a lot to help his team at both ends of the court, especially when you consider that they are essentially equal in salary ($8.9 million for Green vs. $8.5 million for Perk)? I understand people are disappointed Green's not playing at an all-star level, but to say you'd rather have Perk over Green defies logic.

The other part to consider is that the trade was not Perk for Green. In the trade:

• Boston traded away Perk and Nate Robinson.

• In return, Boston received Green, Nenad Krstic, cash, and 2012 first round pick that the Celtics used to draft Fab Melo.

Krstic is hardly a great center, but he is a decent one, and "decent center" is something the Celtics don't have and desperately could use. He would've preferred to stay with the Celtics, but it's just bad luck that the lockout happened the next summer and Krstic signed to play overseas when no deal was struck.

A first-round pick isn't such a bad asset either, and it's unfortunate that Melo didn't work out, but that's how it goes. If the Celtics had only their pick at 21 and not both the 21st and 22nd picks, who's to say whether they would've drafted Sullinger or Melo. It may be that having both picks eased misgivings the Celtics had about Sullinger's back issues.

So when you consider the other assets that came Boston's way in the trade, it seems like it was a pretty good deal for Boston.

outside Perk is not about the stats, and I know you know that, he still draws the biggest mofo on the floor in dinosaur ballet, leaving others more space to roam and go about their business. Krstic was a terrible liability on defense, Perk can be exposed in smallball, hes also a huge asset against the Howards, Hibberts, Gasols, etc....those kind of 5's been killing us all year.

dboss wrote:Ancient history cow...but I doubt we beat them even with Perk.  Was that the year that Rondo got hurt?

Dboss

yes that was the year Rondo got cheapshooted by Dwayne Wade, who also fouled out Pierce on a technical foul in game 1 right when he was heating up and taking it to Lebron....with Perk I think its a different series.

The fact that we have a gapping hole still at the 5 and many are so frustrated they wish we could get a legit 5 for Jeff Green tells me that trade didn't work short term or long term.

So Cow, are you saying you don't approve of the Perk trade?

Just making sure I get it straight.

Sam

Sam

At first I hated it and was against it, then when we made that dramatic run in 12, taking Heat to 7 without Green and Avery Bradley, I was at peace with the trade, thinking Danny did good, that if not for those injuries and stealing game 2 with Rondo going for 44 and ref commiting flagrant non call on Rondo's end of game drive to give game to Heat, that key game we could have beaten those guys....so then my reasoning was if not for refs and injuries, we had those punkasses and they know it.

Then last year Rondo got injured and thought Green showed flashes and was recovering from his open heart surgery, thought finally this would be a break out year for Green to validate that trade and then this? hes not quite what we had hoped for.

cow

Okay, i will dive in here. At the time of the trade, I felt it was a big mistake. I think it may have cost them a shot at a title. But, and this is a big but, there is no way Danny would have paid Perk the money he got from OKC. Completely over the top, and they are paying for it now. Look, they couldn't afford Harden, what amdynamic team that would have been to watch.

This has nothing to do with Jeff, other than the fact that DA loved that kid's promise. Who could have thought that this would have been such an issue. Now he has a big contract I am sure he would not mind getting rid of.

I still will root for him and hope that he surprises everyone at some point. He just may not be a member of the Celtics when it happens!!!

I think it has been well documented that at least Doc thought the Perk trade was wrong. It did impact the team's defensive DNA. This notion was expressed by players on other teams.

And the Celtics have yet to find a center with Perk's impact.

But we move on.

Dboss

There are lots of individual "feel good" stories on the Celtics this year and we talk about them both on Game On threads and on Post-Game Threads.  Our problem has been pulling those individual stories together into a team collective.  

It's hard to fault anybody for that.  Danny's making multi-year sausage.  Brad's juggling temporary lineups and is a rookie himself.  Crawford was doing a job he never really did before and Rondo's still knocking the rust off.  Bradley assumed a leadership mantle in Rondo's absence from the court and turned himself into a scoring threat after years of being a player that needed help in the form of a pass underneath to score.  Sully's coming back from surgery and playing out of position.  Hump and Wallace are new and are being put in positions, like coming off the bench, they've never been in before.  Only Jeff Green has had the combination of continued health from last year and talent to be looked at as not carrying his weight, and you cannot look at one player, including Jeff, and say "we suck because of him".

Is our roster less unbalanced than it was earlier this year?  Sure, if you consider seeing 3 guards go and be replaced by one guard and a rarely-used undersized PF/C.  The change to the team is one that doesn't translate into play, we have more expiring contracts, aka "grist for sausage".

What is encouraging is watching players go out and fight like hell, win or lose.  Sure, they're getting paid a ton to do that but they're not automatons, they can lose heart when they get their brains beat in night-after-night or when they're close and they get out-executed in crunch time by more experienced veteran teams.  What's encouraging is watching new players, like Bayless and CJ, come in and pick up Brad's game with hardly a misstep. If Brad can just keep them "bought in" for the rest of this year we will have survived the worst of it, the worst being thinking of the team and the system as "destined to lose".

We need a center.  I'm not going to name names, I don't know how far Sam is from his drool cup, but we need at least one badly.  Until we get one it is still "sausage-time".  But if there is one person, one, that I would want to have working the phones, it's Danny.  He is one shrewd SOB.  He is a master of NOT selling in a fire sale but buying in one.  Our job is similar to the players', we must not lose heart either.


bob


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bob thats all fine and dandy, I like Danny too, hes made more good calls than misses.....now looking back, especially the way I feel about the KG-Pierce Celtics, we had a legit shot at the title that year and that team was talented enough to be worthy of more than one championship. Danny goofed BIGTIME getting rid of a talented role player who had everyones back for a 3rd scoring option forward with same consistency issues he had at every stop....theres easily 10 okay back ups he could have made a deal for and kept Perk when Quis went down. Tony Allen for his avg or so so stats I would take over Jeff Green anyday now.

dboss wrote:I think it has been well documented that at least Doc thought the Perk trade was wrong.  It did impact the team's defensive DNA.  This notion was expressed by players on other teams.

And the Celtics have yet to find a center with Perk's impact.

But we move on.  

Dboss

all the other players in the league were glad they didn't have to face that fearsome defense, it made their hoop lives much easier. Even friends of mine in NY and some in Hawaii were calling me and saying WTF? why did they do that? they joked you better call Danny, we were still a load that year and Perk is still a valuable role player making everyones life easier on the floor in Oklahoma.

cowens/oldschool wrote:bob thats all fine and dandy, I like Danny too, hes made more good calls than misses.....now looking back, especially the way I feel about the KG-Pierce Celtics, we had a legit shot at the title that year and that team was talented enough to be worthy of more than one championship. Danny goofed BIGTIME getting rid of a talented role player who had everyones back for a 3rd scoring option forward with same consistency issues he had at every stop....theres easily 10 okay back ups he could have made a deal for and kept Perk when Quis went down. Tony Allen for his avg or so so stats I would take over Jeff Green anyday now.

cow,

Is that talented role player you are referring to Perk? Perk didn't show his talent before KG came here. Perk couldn't anchor a defense, KG did and Perk gained from having a one of the best baseline defenders in a generation backing him up. Perk had stone hands, still does. Perk couldn't hit free throws, still can't (he's shooting 56% this year. Howard is shooting 53%). He's shooting 43.5% from the field this year. His rebounding/36mpg is down to where it was when he was 22 years old. You don't own the monopoly on being a fan of Perk's I'm a fan of Perk's too, and I know his contributions can't be boiled down to stats, but you're making him out to be Bill Walton backing up Robert Parish. He wasn't, he isn't, he'll never be.

Krstic was a good NBA center too. Not a bruiser like Perk, but a helluva lot more offensively capable. He shot almost 54% the time he was here. He shot 75% from the line. He had hands, not lobster claws. He averaged more rebounds/36mpg than Perk is this year. He was different, VERY different, but he wasn't a washout. The strike forced him to sign in Russia.

Is Green a 3rd scoring option? Maybe, although we'll see more clearly once Rondo has finished knocking the rest of the rust off, but somebody has to be #3. Perk sure as hell was NEVER going to be 3rd. Never. Was Jeff Green the #3 scoring option on OKC? Of course, look who was in front of him, for Pete's sake, Durant and Westbrook. The number of players that would be higher than 3rd on that team would be one, LBJ, that's it. No shame there. In fact, that put him higher than Krstic, a nice offensive player and Sefelosha and even Harden at the time.

Tony Allen, for the umpteenth time, was offered more money and more years by Danny and he chose to go to Memphis because he wanted to be a starter and he didn't think that would ever happen until Ray Allen retired (and Ray's still playing). Whether you and I would prefer Tony Allen or Mark West or anybody else that has been rumored to come here is irrelevant if they don't want to be here, isn't it? It's apples and oranges. You're comparing someone who wants to be here vs someone who refused to be here.


bob


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