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Celtics To Land Their Shot Blocker In Mickey
by bobheckler Fri Jun 26, 2015 1:03 pm
http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/sidebar/062515-cs-lucky-to-land-their-shot-blocker-in-mickey
C's Lucky To Land Their Shot Blocker in Mickey
Posted: Jun 26, 2015
By Marc D'Amico | @Marc_DAmico
Celtics.com
June 26, 2015
NEW YORK – There was something to be read into regarding Jordan Mickey’s multiple pre-Draft workouts with the Boston Celtics.
They wanted him. And they got him.
The Celtics snagged Mickey with the 33rd overall pick during Thursday night’s NBA Draft. This is the second consecutive Draft during which Boston selected a player it worked out on multiple occasions. Last season, the C’s chose Marcus Smart sixth overall after he completed two workouts for the team.
Boston was put on the clock at 11:10 p.m. Thursday night. At that moment, the team’s front office breathed a collective sigh of relief that their guy was still available on the board.
“Mickey, we thought like many thought, would be gone by the time we picked at 33,” Brad Stevens said shortly after the selection. The coach later added, “We were really lucky to get Jordan.”
That luck has immediately bolstered Boston’s rim protection. The C’s have now added the NCAA’s reigning shot-block leader to their frontline.
Mickey swatted away an NCAA-leading 3.6 shots per game last season. His prowess was no fluke; he also blocked an average of 3.1 shots per game during his freshman season at LSU.
“Some guys fear that, ‘Oh, I might get dunked on,’” Mickey told Celtics.com shortly after he was selected. ”You just can’t fear that. It’s the game of basketball. You’re bound to get dunked on eventually. There’s a lot of timing that goes into it.”
Boston hasn’t had a player with that mentality and ability in quite some time, and that’s why it had targeted Mickey since the beginning of the Draft process.
Another possible reason that led to the C’s falling in love with Mickey? He brings a dimension to the game that is becoming more valuable each and every season: versatility.
“The game is changing,” the 6-foot-8 Mickey explained. “[Teams] are going smaller and [playing] small ball, as we saw with the Golden State Warriors. They went small… they didn’t have anybody on the floor above 6-8. So I feel I fit that mold.”
The Celtics clearly agree. Stevens told reporters that he thinks Mickey is “a versatile athlete.” Danny Ainge followed suit by tossing out this impressive compliment: “Jordan is a very good athlete … I think that he’s the best athlete now on our frontcourt.”
Boston was able to add such a talent via a second-round pick. That’s a heck of a win in the eyes of the team’s decision makers.
A win that we all should have expected after the Celtics snuck Mickey in for a second workout.
bob
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C's Lucky To Land Their Shot Blocker in Mickey
Posted: Jun 26, 2015
By Marc D'Amico | @Marc_DAmico
Celtics.com
June 26, 2015
NEW YORK – There was something to be read into regarding Jordan Mickey’s multiple pre-Draft workouts with the Boston Celtics.
They wanted him. And they got him.
The Celtics snagged Mickey with the 33rd overall pick during Thursday night’s NBA Draft. This is the second consecutive Draft during which Boston selected a player it worked out on multiple occasions. Last season, the C’s chose Marcus Smart sixth overall after he completed two workouts for the team.
Boston was put on the clock at 11:10 p.m. Thursday night. At that moment, the team’s front office breathed a collective sigh of relief that their guy was still available on the board.
“Mickey, we thought like many thought, would be gone by the time we picked at 33,” Brad Stevens said shortly after the selection. The coach later added, “We were really lucky to get Jordan.”
That luck has immediately bolstered Boston’s rim protection. The C’s have now added the NCAA’s reigning shot-block leader to their frontline.
Mickey swatted away an NCAA-leading 3.6 shots per game last season. His prowess was no fluke; he also blocked an average of 3.1 shots per game during his freshman season at LSU.
“Some guys fear that, ‘Oh, I might get dunked on,’” Mickey told Celtics.com shortly after he was selected. ”You just can’t fear that. It’s the game of basketball. You’re bound to get dunked on eventually. There’s a lot of timing that goes into it.”
Boston hasn’t had a player with that mentality and ability in quite some time, and that’s why it had targeted Mickey since the beginning of the Draft process.
Another possible reason that led to the C’s falling in love with Mickey? He brings a dimension to the game that is becoming more valuable each and every season: versatility.
“The game is changing,” the 6-foot-8 Mickey explained. “[Teams] are going smaller and [playing] small ball, as we saw with the Golden State Warriors. They went small… they didn’t have anybody on the floor above 6-8. So I feel I fit that mold.”
The Celtics clearly agree. Stevens told reporters that he thinks Mickey is “a versatile athlete.” Danny Ainge followed suit by tossing out this impressive compliment: “Jordan is a very good athlete … I think that he’s the best athlete now on our frontcourt.”
Boston was able to add such a talent via a second-round pick. That’s a heck of a win in the eyes of the team’s decision makers.
A win that we all should have expected after the Celtics snuck Mickey in for a second workout.
bob
.
bobheckler- Posts : 62620
Join date : 2009-10-28
Re: Celtics To Land Their Shot Blocker In Mickey
by bobheckler Fri Jun 26, 2015 1:11 pm
Brad Stevens: Boston Celtics 'lucky' to get Jordan Mickey at No. 33 in NBA Draft
BOSTON -- Before opening his draft press conference Thursday night, Brad Stevens waited patiently for the two televisions in the room to catch up to the Boston Celtics' pick. The team had already made its selection, which had been reported but not announced, and Stevens was surprised by how far behind the event in New York lagged.
After the Celtics head coach did begin to speak close to the team's war room in Boston's Seaport Hotel, he expressed surprise that Jordan Mickey, Boston's first second-round pick at No. 33, was still available at that stage of the draft.
"We thought, like many thought, he would probably be gone by the time we picked at 33. ... So we were really lucky to get Jordan," Stevens said. "I think Jordan is a versatile athlete from a defensive standpoint. He can guard 4s. He can switch a little bit. He's a great shot-blocker when you look at his numbers for a smaller guy in height, but then you look at his length and his reach, and he's really, really long, and gets off the floor extremely quickly. He's one of those guys that probably shoots to about 16 or 17 feet right now, but can impact the game in a lot of different ways. Another good worker."
Mickey, a 6-foot-8 power forward out of LSU, averaged 15.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game as a sophomore. Even at his height, a 7-foot-3 wingspan allows him to be functionally taller.
That length and strong lateral mobility allow him to guard multiple positions. Asked about the versatile Warriors, who won the NBA title, Stevens said, "That's where Jordan Mickey comes in a little bit with his defensive versatility."
The coach added he would like to see the Celtics add more "swings" who can guard the 3 and 4.
"Obviously everyone starts with 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s and 5s when they look at a basketball team," Stevens said. "I look at ball-handlers, wings, swings and bigs. I only have four categories. The more guys that can play the more positions, the better. Right now I think if you look at the roster, I think we have three of the four categories with a lot of depth. And I think that swing area where you can go 3-4 and play that way, that's the area we're going to have to adress as we move into the next few weeks and look at our team."
In the first round, the Celtics picked Terry Rozier (No. 16) and R.J. Hunter (No. 28). Stevens said he expects the team to keep its first three selections, but did not comment on No. 45 pick Marcus Thornton, who was drafted after the coach finished his presser.
bob
MY NOTE: "Obviously everyone starts with 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s and 5s when they look at a basketball team," Stevens said. "I look at ball-handlers, wings, swings and bigs. I only have four categories. The more guys that can play the more positions, the better". This, to me, is a very telling point about how Brad views the game and the way Brad views the game is how players are drafted, traded or signed. This reminds me an awful lot about how Don Nelson saw the game too. What this says to me, also, is that we probably shouldn't expect to see a parade of classic 5s in green, since they can only play one position and possibly only one style of play.
.
BOSTON -- Before opening his draft press conference Thursday night, Brad Stevens waited patiently for the two televisions in the room to catch up to the Boston Celtics' pick. The team had already made its selection, which had been reported but not announced, and Stevens was surprised by how far behind the event in New York lagged.
After the Celtics head coach did begin to speak close to the team's war room in Boston's Seaport Hotel, he expressed surprise that Jordan Mickey, Boston's first second-round pick at No. 33, was still available at that stage of the draft.
"We thought, like many thought, he would probably be gone by the time we picked at 33. ... So we were really lucky to get Jordan," Stevens said. "I think Jordan is a versatile athlete from a defensive standpoint. He can guard 4s. He can switch a little bit. He's a great shot-blocker when you look at his numbers for a smaller guy in height, but then you look at his length and his reach, and he's really, really long, and gets off the floor extremely quickly. He's one of those guys that probably shoots to about 16 or 17 feet right now, but can impact the game in a lot of different ways. Another good worker."
Mickey, a 6-foot-8 power forward out of LSU, averaged 15.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game as a sophomore. Even at his height, a 7-foot-3 wingspan allows him to be functionally taller.
That length and strong lateral mobility allow him to guard multiple positions. Asked about the versatile Warriors, who won the NBA title, Stevens said, "That's where Jordan Mickey comes in a little bit with his defensive versatility."
The coach added he would like to see the Celtics add more "swings" who can guard the 3 and 4.
"Obviously everyone starts with 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s and 5s when they look at a basketball team," Stevens said. "I look at ball-handlers, wings, swings and bigs. I only have four categories. The more guys that can play the more positions, the better. Right now I think if you look at the roster, I think we have three of the four categories with a lot of depth. And I think that swing area where you can go 3-4 and play that way, that's the area we're going to have to adress as we move into the next few weeks and look at our team."
In the first round, the Celtics picked Terry Rozier (No. 16) and R.J. Hunter (No. 28). Stevens said he expects the team to keep its first three selections, but did not comment on No. 45 pick Marcus Thornton, who was drafted after the coach finished his presser.
bob
MY NOTE: "Obviously everyone starts with 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s and 5s when they look at a basketball team," Stevens said. "I look at ball-handlers, wings, swings and bigs. I only have four categories. The more guys that can play the more positions, the better". This, to me, is a very telling point about how Brad views the game and the way Brad views the game is how players are drafted, traded or signed. This reminds me an awful lot about how Don Nelson saw the game too. What this says to me, also, is that we probably shouldn't expect to see a parade of classic 5s in green, since they can only play one position and possibly only one style of play.
.
bobheckler- Posts : 62620
Join date : 2009-10-28
Re: Celtics To Land Their Shot Blocker In Mickey
by bobheckler Fri Jun 26, 2015 1:31 pm
http://www.csnne.com/boston-celtics/blakely-mickey-huge-steal-celtics-no-33
With their first selection of the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft the Boston Celtics selected LSU forward Jordan Mickey.
Celtics Insider A. Sherrod Blakely is a big fan of the selection.
"I think they were a little bit surprised that he was available there at 33," said Blakely. "It's a huge steal… This is a good pick. I like this spot for him. With him going in the second round, I think he's going to come in with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder. If you're the Celtics, that's what you want.
"He led the nation in [blocks]. In his two seasons at LSU he had more than 100 blocks in each season. There's only one other LSU Tiger who did that, his name was Shaquille O'Neal."
bob
MY NOTE: The part I bolded above is pretty flipping impressive. I looked at the boxscores against some of the teams LSU played last season. Some unimpressive teams, but they did lose by only 2 points to Kentucky. Mickey had 4 blocks in that game. 4. Against a team Cowens thought could beat the Celtics, especially based upon the strength of their frontline. He also had 16 points on 6-12 and 7 boards.
.
With their first selection of the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft the Boston Celtics selected LSU forward Jordan Mickey.
Celtics Insider A. Sherrod Blakely is a big fan of the selection.
"I think they were a little bit surprised that he was available there at 33," said Blakely. "It's a huge steal… This is a good pick. I like this spot for him. With him going in the second round, I think he's going to come in with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder. If you're the Celtics, that's what you want.
"He led the nation in [blocks]. In his two seasons at LSU he had more than 100 blocks in each season. There's only one other LSU Tiger who did that, his name was Shaquille O'Neal."
bob
MY NOTE: The part I bolded above is pretty flipping impressive. I looked at the boxscores against some of the teams LSU played last season. Some unimpressive teams, but they did lose by only 2 points to Kentucky. Mickey had 4 blocks in that game. 4. Against a team Cowens thought could beat the Celtics, especially based upon the strength of their frontline. He also had 16 points on 6-12 and 7 boards.
.
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Re: Celtics To Land Their Shot Blocker In Mickey
by Sam Fri Jun 26, 2015 1:36 pm
This could be a classic case of the difference between a shot blocker and a rim protector or lane protector or intimidator or whatever the appropriate term is. Blocked shots are only one part of the story, especially coming from an undersized PF.
Sam
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Re: Celtics To Land Their Shot Blocker In Mickey
by dboss Fri Jun 26, 2015 2:49 pm
Another one of his strengths is his help defense. He exhibits quick lateral rotations.
Rim Protector is a variable term I think.
It could be argued that rim protection begins at the point of the defensive attack. Keeping guys out of the lane is the frot line of rim protection. This of course does not negate the need for a center who can defend the rim as the last line of defense.
Free Agency starts next week.
dboss
Rim Protector is a variable term I think.
It could be argued that rim protection begins at the point of the defensive attack. Keeping guys out of the lane is the frot line of rim protection. This of course does not negate the need for a center who can defend the rim as the last line of defense.
Free Agency starts next week.
dboss
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Re: Celtics To Land Their Shot Blocker In Mickey
by Sam Fri Jun 26, 2015 3:27 pm
Keeping guys out of the lane is an overrated term. There are too many ways to get into the lane. It's what happens when an offensive player is in the lane that's most important. I've heard enough about the Avery Bradleys and Marcus Smarts and their ability to keep guys out of the lane. Overrated! They didn't prevent many layup drills by Celtics opponents last season.
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Re: Celtics To Land Their Shot Blocker In Mickey
by wide clyde Fri Jun 26, 2015 4:50 pm
Mickey may turn out to be a very good NBA player, but he is not a center and never will be. The Cs have had a glaring hole at the center position since Perkins was traded and Mickey is not likely to fill it any more than Bass, Sullinger or Olynyk have.
He may have some ways to help protect the lane, but when your team needs a center like every team does at some point in every season (and, at some point in most every game) I do not see this guy becoming a center. A 6'8 guy is just not likely to be able to change many shots near the hoop much more than our centers last year were able to change many shots.
He may have some ways to help protect the lane, but when your team needs a center like every team does at some point in every season (and, at some point in most every game) I do not see this guy becoming a center. A 6'8 guy is just not likely to be able to change many shots near the hoop much more than our centers last year were able to change many shots.
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Re: Celtics To Land Their Shot Blocker In Mickey
by rambone Fri Jun 26, 2015 8:35 pm
Here is the full video of Jordan Mickey's big game against Kentucky
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