PERHAPS WE ARE FOCUSING ON THE WRONG CELTIC PROBLEM - BOS. HERALD

Selfish trend top item on Celtics agenda

By Steve Bulpett
Wednesday, February 3, 2010 - Added 8h ago
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The Celtics [team stats] certainly have had their share of injuries this season, but some players are saying the problems aren’t all physical.

Cracks apparently are beginning to appear within a team that preaches togetherness before each game.

As the Celtics prepare to get back to work against Miami tonight, the subject of the team’s lapses in focus was raised. Doc Rivers constantly tells his players to avoid getting bored with the process, but it seems that has been the case.


Rajon Rondo [stats] concurred to a degree. Then he spoke of a deeper issue.

“We are getting bored with it some,” he said, “but I think it’s a little bit of different agendas maybe creeping in. It just all depends. You know, I think if we all had the right spirit as far as one goal, one thing in common, I think we’d be a lot better.”

Rondo had hinted at trouble after Friday’s game in Atlanta when asked about the current team encountering adversity it hasn’t faced since the acquisitions of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.

“It’s a different team this year,” Rondo said then. “That’s our problem. A couple of years ago, we didn’t have the same team. We had the same main guys, but it’s still a team effort, from the first guy to the 15th guy.”

He still wasn’t getting into specifics in this latest discussion, but his comments were far stronger.

“I can’t really elaborate on it too much, but I think we’ve just got to be a team with no agendas,” Rondo said. “We’ve got to play unselfish, you know? That’s on defense and offense. You’ve got to want the best for the next man out there regardless if you’re in the game playing well or you’re out of the game not playing well.”

Asked if he and the Celts had tried to clear the air on this, he said, “We haven’t really been talking about it, but you’ve just got to know.

“In the locker room, you can feel it,” Rondo added. “You don’t feel like it’s the same continuity and camaraderie in the locker room as it was the first year. The first year, it was a crazy spirit in the locker room. But now it doesn’t feel the same. It’s not the same right now. We’ve got to find a way to get that back somehow, some way.”

Kendrick Perkins [stats] spoke along similar lines.

“I think each person’s just got to take (himself) out of the equation,” he said. “You know, whatever you’ve got going on the personal side - whatever you’re trying to get done - just take it out and just think all about team.”

Paul Pierce [stats] acknowledged the Celts haven’t been paying attention to detail, and he, too, seemed frustrated by the lack of cohesiveness on the floor. The club is among the best shooting teams, but it has been giving the ball up too often and not working hard enough on the boards.

“We were talking about it,” Pierce said. “Earlier in the year we didn’t turn the ball over much and we won a lot of games. We score when we don’t give up the ball pretty much.

“It’s just the little things, man. That’s what we always talk about. Little things like rebounds and turnovers, stuff like that. If we can take care of those things, we’ll go back to winning games. We’ll be more consistent.”

Pierce then shook his head and added, “It’s like you have the answers to the test and you still fail. It’s just like that. We know the answers.”

The last statement was repeated to Rondo.

“That’s a great quote,” he said. “I can’t really describe it any better. He’s exactly right. We’re just not getting it done.”

112288

Great article. They will figure it out. Going back to sleep now!!

112288,

Some disquieting stuff, coming from the players themselves. Regardless of what the facts are, there's always the question of cause
and effect in my mind. And it's an important question, because it has a large bearing on the possible solution.

For example, the word "bored" doesn't bother me nearly as much as "You've got to want the best for the next man." Being bored smacks of
feelings of futility that could be fueled by injury after injury. That's fairly easily remedied by a few great wins and freedom from injuries.

But allegations of not wanting "the best for the next man" or of being "selfish" suggest something more pervasive, unCeltic-like, and troubling to me.

Rondo points to the spirit in the locker room two years ago. A bit of that left when Posey did, to be sure. But a lot of it remained, and my focus would be more on the additions than on the subtractions in terms of what might have spawned an attitudinal difference. And, given that perspective, the most likely guy of interest would be Sheed.

I don't want to make that big a deal out of it, because what we fans know about what's really going on is the tip of the iceberg. But we have witnessed a certain intractability on Sheed's part when it comes to shot selection. That seems to be changing, which could only be a good sign.

And perhaps those comments reflected the way people are playing more than their inner instincts. Heck, "selfish" could easily describe Paul Pierce's game at times when he's not being credited with "putting the team on his back." (Same coin, different sides.)

If the various comments reflect an executional malaise, rather than an inherently attitudinal one, the all-star break couldn't come at a more opportune time. I've always believed that it's more constructive to blame situations, rather than people, for problems.

Coming back refreshed from the break, with Rondo's all-star MVP trophy hanging from his nail (oops, that was in the old days), it could be relatively easy to dismiss the season-to-date as a miserable situation with which they're just fortunate to be finished. The remainder of the season will present then with a clean slate. Hopefully they'll be at full strength. Even in a state of considerable dysfunction, they came close to beating three contenders within a few days. A tweak here, a run there...togetherness in execution can mushroom quickly and infectiously as long as there's togetherness of purpose.

I believe I know something about the psyches of NBA players, but none of us really knows what may be transpiring behind the scenes on this team. So my part in the process is to root root root for the home team.

Go Celtics!

Sam

Hi,
I wonder if it's a fight for power: young vs old. And Doc sitting on the fence, undecided which side to take.
If it's true, I only hope they bury the hatchet come playoff time.

AK

Sam wrote:112288,

Some disquieting stuff, coming from the players themselves. Regardless of what the facts are, there's always the question of cause
and effect in my mind. And it's an important question, because it has a large bearing on the possible solution.

For example, the word "bored" doesn't bother me nearly as much as "You've got to want the best for the next man." Being bored smacks of
feelings of futility that could be fueled by injury after injury. That's fairly easily remedied by a few great wins and freedom from injuries.

But allegations of not wanting "the best for the next man" or of being "selfish" suggest something more pervasive, unCeltic-like, and troubling to me.

Rondo points to the spirit in the locker room two years ago. A bit of that left when Posey did, to be sure. But a lot of it remained, and my focus would be more on the additions than on the subtractions in terms of what might have spawned an attitudinal difference. And, given that perspective, the most likely guy of interest would be Sheed.

I don't want to make that big a deal out of it, because what we fans know about what's really going on is the tip of the iceberg. But we have witnessed a certain intractability on Sheed's part when it comes to shot selection. That seems to be changing, which could only be a good sign.

And perhaps those comments reflected the way people are playing more than their inner instincts. Heck, "selfish" could easily describe Paul Pierce's game at times when he's not being credited with "putting the team on his back." (Same coin, different sides.)

If the various comments reflect an executional malaise, rather than an inherently attitudinal one, the all-star break couldn't come at a more opportune time. I've always believed that it's more constructive to blame situations, rather than people, for problems.

Coming back refreshed from the break, with Rondo's all-star MVP trophy hanging from his nail (oops, that was in the old days), it could be relatively easy to dismiss the season-to-date as a miserable situation with which they're just fortunate to be finished. The remainder of the season will present then with a clean slate. Hopefully they'll be at full strength. Even in a state of considerable dysfunction, they came close to beating three contenders within a few days. A tweak here, a run there...togetherness in execution can mushroom quickly and infectiously as long as there's togetherness of purpose.

I believe I know something about the psyches of NBA players, but none of us really knows what may be transpiring behind the scenes on this team. So my part in the process is to root root root for the home team.

Go Celtics!

Sam

Sam,

Out all day in Big Apple on business so did not have a chance to respond until after the game. You mentioned the word bored and that sparked something Red said in his book "On and Off The Court" about coaches. Red went on to say that he was very careful not to over talk to his players or it would tune out his team. Basically pick you spot! I don't know but it sounds very familiar as to Rondo's
quote. Perhaps Doc has to shut up and just sit back and watch the guys from time to time. Maybe they have to figure it out for them selves.

On another note, Tony Allen reminds me a little of Satch Sanders with his defensive play.

112288

1122

Tony had the play of the game stripping wade and played really pesky d on him throughout.

The trapping D was evident and successful throughout.....Tony Allen made a helluva play that rewarded him for a game long great effort.......agreed !

jeb65 wrote:1122

Tony had the play of the game stripping wade and played really pesky d on him throughout.

JEB, A THING OF BEAUTY!

112288

11
moss def

112288,

Tony and Satch. Interesting. I can see similarities.

Intriguing theory about Doc possibly boring players. On the other hand, he has been accused of being too laissez-faire, at least with the veterans. Maybe he just can't win. lol.

Sam

I don't know. Just trying to read the Rondo tea leaves here. With his comments in the Globe this AM, talking about playing unselfishly, etc. All this with Pierce on the bench. He knows with his contract inked he is the heir apparent to the throne. Coincidence with the two wins sans Paul in the fourth or is he sort of gingerly pointing the finger at Paul and maybe Doc in certain end of game situations?

I don't think these guys are bored with the regular season grind. This is what they do for a living. 90%+ of their careers are regular season games. For some players and teams, it's 100%. If they think they can just flip the perverbial switch come playoff time, they'll have a rude awakening and will go out in the first round being swept.

I do think you have a potentially legitimate argument with the New Blood v. Old Blood theory. Not a very big deal but one that should be obvious given the current look of the Celtics. Changes will be coming. That's a part of pro basketball. No team is the same year over year. Danny has laid down big bet No. 1 on Rondo with his contract. After that, nothing else is set in stone.

How quickly or slowly Danny decides to re-tool, and how for that matter, is what lies ahead for us all.

Paul has been the face of the Celtics for over a decade. He's been the goto guy. Every team wants a goto guy. Come the fourth quarter, I want the ball in his (or Ray's) hands or at least have them touch it to set it up. I think Rondo just want to keep going like the energizer bunny, 1st through 4th quarter, every game, every night. And right now, he should be able to given just 3+ years in the league.

They will solve this problem, whatever it is. They all want to win it all. But so does every team in the league. Paul summed it up best. They know the answers to the test, they just have to answer it by putting it on the paper.
After the break, they either do it or they don't and we will know the answers soon enough.

The rest of the league is going to rue the week off for the All Star break. I feel like Ben Crenshaw at the Ryder Cup on that Saturday night..."I've got a feelin' about this team..."

I have a feeling about this team as well, DBrown. I think Doc has "lost" a portion of this team. I think a few players are in for a rude awakening this next week!!