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C's 101, 76ers 90: Avoiding a Philly letdown

ESPNBOSTON.COM

Despite repeatedly being warned not to look past a winless Philadelphia 76ers team, the Boston Celtics seemingly sleepwalked through the first 2 ½ quarters of Wednesday's game. Fortunately for Boston, Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green woke the starters up early enough to ensure that Philadelphia didn't get win No. 1 of the season.

In a tied game, Rondo fed Green for a reverse alley-oop in transition midway through the third quarter. Avery Bradley followed with two jumpers, including a 3-pointer as Boston separated a bit en route to a 101-90 triumph at the Wells Fargo Center.

The Celtics trailed by as much as nine in the first half, but their bench initially kept them afloat. Brandon Bass scored 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting and was a team-best plus-21 in plus/minus over 32 minutes of floor time. Marcus Thornton added 13 points -- behind a trio of 3-pointers -- to aid the bench effort.

Jared Sullinger got hot in the second half, scoring 18 of his 22 points after the intermission. He added nine rebounds and four assists. Jeff Green kicked in a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds) as well.

• Rondo Report: Not one of Rondo's crisper efforts (he had a team-high six turnovers), but he did finish with 9 points, 13 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals over 30:26. Rondo appeared to escape injury despite rolling his ankle a bit in the third quarter.

• Loose balls: Boston stuck with a 10-man rotation. Veteran Gerald Wallace and rookies James Young and Dwight Powell were healthy DNPs. ... Massachusetts natives Nerlens Noel (10 points, 8 rebounds) and Michael Carter-Williams (11 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists) played starting roles for Philadelphia. ... Tony Wroten scored a team-high 21 points for the 764ers off the bench. ... Boston had 32 assists on 41 field goals and the Celtics shot 49.4 percent from the floor overall. ... Kelly Olynyk won his first jump ball of the season.

• What it means: The Celtics improve to 4-6, while the 76ers dip to 0-11. Boston visits the West-leading Memphis Grizzlies (10-1 overall, 6-0 home) on Friday night to wrap up a brief two-game road trip.

112288
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5 THINGS WE LEARNED IN THE CELTICS’ WIN OVER THE WINLESS 76ERS

WEEI - By Julian Edlow

Brandon Bass

The Celtics arrived in Philadelphia on a three-game losing streak, but they had to feel confident knowing they would be facing off against a horrid 0-10 76ers team.

In the end, it wasn’€™t pretty, but the Celtics got the job done with a 101-90 victory for their second road win on the season. The Celtics are now 4-6 on the season. Here are five things we learned in the victory:

THE CELTICS PLAYED DOWN TO THE COMPETITION IN THE FIRST HALF

The Celtics came into the game sporting the third-best offense in the NBA, but the scoreboard read just 46-46 at halftime. The C’€™s matched the 76ers with 10 turnovers while getting outrebounded 27-19 by Philly — never good things when facing a winless opponent that ranks last in the league in rebounding.

Had it not been for 12 points from Brandon Bass off the bench, this one could have slipped away early. Bass was really the only player that put forward a noteworthy performance in the first half; he shot 5-for-8 in his 13 minutes.

THE BENCH VETERANS WERE KEY

Brad Stevens would have been in a whole lot of trouble in this one without key contributions from veterans off the bench. Bass’€™ strong first half carried over to the second half, while Marcus Thornton came up big as well.

Bass wound up with a game-high 23 points to go along with six boards and Thornton finished with 13 while also coming up with four steals.

THE CELTICS CLOSED OUT A GAME

After letting three home games in a row slip through their fingertips, the green finally sealed the deal on a win. Sure it was against a brutal opponent, but in was a win on the road in the NBA. Stevens will take it. After a string of frustrating late losses, this victory could offer the Celtics some positive momentum going forward.

Jared Sullinger was key in making sure Boston cam out victorious, putting up 18 of his 22 points in the second half.

THIS GAME WAS SLOPPY

You can look at the turnovers in the box score, but that won’€™t tell you the full story of this game; it was ugly to watch. Despite their record, the Celtics have been an exciting team to watch so far this season. They are fast paced, young and athletic, but it was tough to tell on Wednesday.

Boston missed a lot of easy shots, but struggled even to get off a shot on other possessions. The C’€™s are going to have to tighten up their game when they play in Memphis on Friday. The Grizzlies currently have the NBA’€™s best record.

THE 76ERS ARE HORRIBLE BEYOND BELIEF

Entering Wednesday’€™s game, Philly was already just one of six teams ever to begin a season 0-10. One of those teams was the 1972-73 Philadelphia squad that finished with a record of 9-73, but this team might be worse. They are an average defensive team, but given how much they struggle to score, it’€™s tough to see them winning their first game anytime soon.

This speaks to how poorly the Celtics played to make this game a contest until the end. However, when a below average Celtics team can come in and pick up a road win on what was clearly an off night, that’€™s never a good sign for the home squad.

If I was Steven's, I would be pissed. If the 76's were not a legit D Level Team, they will this game.  Celtics were very sloppy and only out paced the 76's and their pathetic offense in the last quarter.

Would like to see Young and Powell in for some short stents  to give they some NBA experience.   Why the hold back, they could do no worse then some of the starters.

112288

112288

According to the box score the Celtics won every QTR except for the 1st.  As a matter of fact the Celtics scored 22, 24, 27 and 28 points which reflects an improvement each QTR.

There were too many turnovers (rondo had 6) but overall the ball was moving  (32 assists) and we saw some really great plays out there.

Through the first 10 games we have seen several losses that could have been wins so Boston is getting real close.

The most dramatic change compared to last year is the average score per game.  Last year Boston averaged 96.2 PPG this year that has increased by over 10 points to 106.8

I think that is a very significant increase and it reflects the change in style.  The Celtics are playing faster.  Yet they are just beginning to play this way.  This team could easily average 115 PPG once they clean up things a bit.

The big challenge is for them is to improve on the defensive side of the ball and particularly in defending the P and role and P and pop.  Team defense is the key but the team is not there yet.  Once they work better as a unit by making those 2nd and 3rd defensive rotations, they will start to shut teams down.  Right now we may get that 1st rotation but the 2nd one is late.  

Young and Powell are not going to see a lot of opportunities until the Celtics start blowing teams off the court.  Last night they used a 10 man rotation and Smart did not play.  The other thing is that it will take time to fully integrate that many players.  Once the core guys and rotation players can play with and without one another there will be a seamless team on the court.


dboss

dBoss,

For a team that was focusing on defensive lapses and playing a D League Level team who by the way is the youngest in the NBA, the Celtics should have produced a GENO type of result.  They played sloppy ball all night on both ends of the floor.  Don't take it from me ....read the Boston scribes articles above where they stated the same thing.

112288

Hi,
Despite the obvious "win is a win is a win" the game was... well, the ESPNBoston summarized it right: Celtics were sleepwalking. I hope they don't do it anymore.

AK

I am going to enjoy this win, ugly as it was.....

the next three games are going to be hard to watch.

112288 wrote:dBoss,

For a team that was focusing on defensive lapses and playing a D League Level team who by the way is the youngest in the NBA, the Celtics should have produced a GENO type of result.  They played sloppy ball all night on both ends of the floor.  Don't take it from me ....read the Boston scribes articles above where they stated the same thing.

112288

Screw the scribes. I do not need them to tell me what I saw.

Yes there were too many turnovers and lapses on defense which I already stated so what are you talking about? What's your point?

dboss

The point being that this team is a good club and will be in most if not all games against good/great teams, and outstanding against  mediocre teams if they focus, scrap, play defense and run for 48 minutes. There is no margin of error like the old days with KG and Pierce.

As a young team,  they are also very fragile and can lose focus very easily as we saw in a blowout in Houston, and near blowout in Dallas before refocusing in the 3rd and 4th quarters.  

I was not expecting a win in Houston but Dallas could have been a win if they were focused from the opening tip, but they lost focus and were sloppy and disorganized against Dallas until late in the 3rd quarter - 4th quarter. 

They played like champs against Cleveland, Chicago etc. because they played with focus and intensity. I did not see the effort last night, especially when Stevens focused during practice on playing defense and stops.

The Celtics have to be razor sharp in their focus  for 48 minutes, or they will get picked off by teams like Philly, and blown out like teams such as Houston.

SO MY POINT IS - NON FOCUS CAN BE DEVASTATING TO A YOUNG TEAM AND A PLACE WHERE STEVENS CAN LOSE A TEAM AND ITS PLAYERS QUICKLY AND THE TEAM CAN REGRESS IN ITS GROWTH.

112288

112288

I was not really happy with the Celtics play last night either, but with an 82 game, 6 month schedule there are going to be some clunkers. At least last night, the opponent was not good enough to take advantage of a relatively poor outing by the Celtics.

112288 is completely right in that this team needs 100% focus to win against the better teams, and this has to be a major focus for the coaching staff. Playing better for a full 48 each night will garner some additional victories as this year's team is more talented than last year's total group.

A few minutes a game for an inexperienced kid can do more harm than good.  It's just long enough for big leaguers to capitalize on rookie experience and not long enough for the kids to become an integral part of the action on the floor.  It's sort of like the difference between a one-time peck on the cheek and a 50 year marriage.  Marcus Smart is different because he's getting extended time—obviously due to the potential that Brad sees within him.

For the most part, the Celtics do one thing well (offense) and one thing poorly (defense).  I saw nothing last night that deviated from that norm.

Offense:

• They took 83 field goal attempts;

• shot 49% from the floor;

• had 32 assists on 41 made field goals (an excellent rate of 78% and 5 players with at least 3 assists apiece, which means the ball movement was very good);

• got 78% of their points via the fast break (24) and points in the paint (54),which means they weren't settling for jumpers);

• tied the taller 76ers in rebounds (44);

• and had only a reasonable number of turnovers (15), of which only 5 came in the second half, suggesting that their ball control improved as the game progressed;

• they won the game by 11 points, displaying improvement in the ability to close out at least this game.  They did NOT ease up toward the end, winning the fourth quarter 28-22.

Nothing fantastic (although I'll take the total of 32 assists any time), but a good offensive showing, which has become standard this season.

Defense:

• Despite holding the 6ers to 40% shooting, the Celtics' defense was porous as usual, especially in the interior.

• They allowed 86 shots by the 6ers.

• They surrendered 18 fast break points and 46 points in the paint.

• They gave up 24 points on their 15 turnovers.

They were also playing a team that was at home and was desperately looking for a win.  A team that is mainly expected to develop little by little from game to game—facing a desperate NBA team—is usually at a psychological disadvantage.  So I refuse to buy any theory that the Celtics weren't trying or weren't concentrating in this one.

They did what they had to do against the team they were assigned to play last night.  They played pretty good, ball-sharing,up-tempo offense and didn't fade at the end.  And they continued to display defensive ineptitude.  Business as usual, as far as I'm concerned.

As for individuals: game balls to Steady Eddie Bass (consistent effort and production throughout the game), Sully (a massive game down the stretch), and Rondo for maintaining the pace (I really appreciated that, especially in the 4th quarter), and handing out 13 dimes in 30 minutes.

Special mention must be made of Jeff Green, who scored only 11 points but also chipped in with 10 rebounds, a black and a steal.  My candidate for 6th man, Marcus Thornton, scored 13 points and continues to inspire confidence in me whenever he shoots the ball.

Kelly had another so so night; and, in my view, he's showing signs of being mystified as to what his real job is out there.  I wish they weren't trying to force the center position on him at a point in his growth where he needs to gain reassurance, not lose it.  Zeller only got 8 minutes, which must have been a match-up decision by Brad, although Tyler did miss his fifth field goal attempt of the season.  (Let's take him out and shoot him.)

Pressey and Turner helped maintain the pace when Rondo was out, and I was gratified that both stayed completely away from three-point attempts.

At least, when I showed up in the bedroom at 9:30 and my wife asked the usual, "Who won,?" I could answer "The Celtics" for a change.

Sam

32/41=78%! That's a pretty steep assist to baskets made ratio!

Right about the defense needing to pick it up. The last thing we need is comparisons to past PHX/DEN teams or others who forget defense and dare you to outscore them. Those teams make it about as far as the Princeton Offense does in the NCAA Tournament, maybe the Sweet 16.

May have to talk to wife about League Pass for Christmas if C's keep improving!

db

There is something to be said for winning a game you didn't play well in. I think it's at least somewhat of a nod towards more mental toughness. You won't play your A game every night, and being able to win games when you didn't play your best is important; all of the really good teams accomplish this when necessary.


KJ

wide clyde wrote:I was not really happy with the Celtics play last night either, but with an 82 game, 6 month schedule there are going to be some clunkers.  At least last night, the opponent was not good enough to take advantage of a relatively poor outing by the Celtics.

112288 is completely right in that this team needs 100% focus to win against the better teams, and this has to be a major focus for the coaching staff.  Playing better for a full 48 each night will garner some additional victories as this year's team is more talented than last year's total group.

Clyde and 112288,

Stevens has been quite vocal and public about how we need to focus for 48 minutes because we don't have the talent or coherence to afford mistakes. If it's still not happening is it the coaching or the players? From a world away it looks like Turner is part of the problem. It feels like he needs to play "his game" and when he is asked to play differently, he struggles and without Turner then we're down to Pressey as the back up. I would have no problem with that but Brad is trying to "burn in" a 10 man rotation and that is leaving Pressey out and giving Turner his chance. What would you all say about that?

Btw, I'm leaving in less than 1 hour for a 15 km trek up and down muddy, terraced hillshillsides and I have been told there will be no WiFi at my destination and then it is 2 buses and the sleeper train back to Hanoi so I won't be reading your responses for probably 2 days. Don't expect an immediate response.


bob




.

BobH,

I agree about Turner. His self-resurrection looks to be more about signing on with another team than helping to elevate the Celtics.

Unfortunately, Pressey is getting shafted in this case, which sucks because he's probably the best suited to run the style of play that Brad wants.


KJ