Shooting From the Hip: Things That Have Me Pumped

http://celticsgreen.blogspot.com/2015/10/shooting-from-hip-things-that-have-me.html



Shooting From the Hip: Things That Have Me Pumped

By Lee Lauderdale







This Brad Stevens quote: "He’s playing very unselfish. He’s making the right read, regardless of situation, and he’s not forcing anything. He really played great point guard on offense the whole time."

There could be no more encouraging development for Isaiah Thomas, or the Celtics.

Conjure up a five point guard lineup—PG Thomas, SG Rozier, SF Smart, (and now the big men who played high school point guard) PF Lee, and C Olynyk. Now that's some ball handlers.

Crowder and Johnson as defenders turning away 10 straight 3-on-2 fast break attacks! Makes me (and likely the coaches) giddy.

Chill-bump inducing highlights among the new-comers. Yet another coach's son (Hunter); veteran additions noted for sterling chemistry, team play, and high BB-IQ; athleticism and length (Jones); dead-eye shooting (Hunter again); speed kills (Rozier, or as I prefer to think of him, The Blur); superlative and willing (perhaps even eager) passers (Lee, Johnson, and Hunter); rebounding (Lee and perhaps Mickey); stout defense (Rozier, Mickey, and Johnson); and finally work ethic (pretty much all of the newbies).

I do love me some high BBIQ play. They are not likely to win it all, this year, but I am convinced that I will enjoy watching this space and pace, ball and player movement, unselfish basketball Celtics team, far more than any other. Well O.K., the Spurs should also be a treat for basketball purists. Maybe there will even be a passing assist or backdoor play on the Especially Sad and Pathetic Network highlights.



bob
MY NOTE:  Ah, finally, Proof of Life from Lee Lauderdale.  Where have you been, Lee?  I agree about high BBIQ basketball.  I love coach's kids.  They don't always have the talent to make the team (see Karl, Coby) but they are never disruptive, always set good examples and won't usually kill you with dumbass "WTF were you thinking" empty possessions.

His "ball handler team" doesn't thrill me on defense, but it will move the ball.  Then again, this is a new year.  Kelly just played a lot of ball against seasoned professionals in international play.  Our rebounding got a major upgrade with the replacement of Bass with Amir and Lee.  Besides, you don't need 5 ball handlers, you can replace one of them, say Lee, with Amir or Zeller and you'd still have 4.

LaMarcus Aldridge chose San Antonio even though Duncan, and probably within a few years 33 year old Tony Parker, will be gone.  Why?  Because they have a proven system and excellent team culture.  That's the other part of this rebuild that is in Year 3 too.  We're building "The Stevens Way".  So far, so good.  Did we land Aldridge?  No, but we really had no shot.  We got Amir, and I like him although the price made me gasp a bit, and that signing has gotten some very positive reviews around the league.  Importantly, players like Crowder and Jerebko, who could have drawn interest around the league (especially Crowder) wanted to come back.

Ball handling, youth, 10 returning players and BBIQ.  Let the games begin.

Especially Sad and Pathetic Network indeed.


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thanks as always for the update and your perspective, bob.

i really liked Lee's passing team and the high IQ ratings, the latter even more than the passing (which i do so love !). of course i'm with you on not playing that group together b/c of defensive liabilities, but jeez - What Fun to have so many players not only willing be even Eager to pass the rock ! Yayy !!

you noted, "We got Amir, and I like him although the price made me gasp a bit, and that signing has gotten some very positive reviews around the league."

i'm not completely up to speed but i keep reading that the cap's going up and prices that seem high today will look like Deals in 2 years. Players will command numbers that would make us all gasp now, but i'm reading that's the direction we're moving in, and that signings should be viewed through that lens.

what did we finally sign him for ? (i didn't see it ... but i can ask these Q's here ! <s>). is it still pretty high, even with an eye to the scale we'll be looking at in the near future ?

Michael, Denver

I think Amir went at 2 years, 12M per year with the second year on a team option.

It is a short contract that won't reach out long enough to hit the crazy cap increase(s).

Lots of folks get too wrapped up with the pay per services rendered, but to me, it is all Monopoly money. Some players are overpaid (older players) and some players are underpaid (younger players) and it is Danny's job to fill the roster and add up the total salary.

gyso

thx gyso.
yep, that's short term for sure, and obviously not what i was hoping might be going on ...