Back 'atchya!
That's an interesting way to think about it. It obviously takes you in a different direction than where I was going.
Now we're going way back...
Adrenaline is a helluva a drug. Crazy that he almost got them to pull out a win against Philly.
Denver does the same thing in jumping the swing pass, so it's important to prepare for. As you said, Tatum handled it easily early on, and I think that in the 4th it was just boredom/laziness, which affected the whole team.
Miami would be better off trading Bam for a skilled WING & adding Tillman on the cheap in FA
It's a good flag
Good criticism and good response.
Related to responding to traps....There was one play (I wish I could recall when) where Tatum had the ball in front of the left hashmark, got doubled and was *about* to pass to the middle - right as the defense rotated to that spot to jump the pass. And *just* as the defender moved, he whipped it way across court for an open 3. I remember a couple of those where you could see the wheels turning -- trap---defend anticipated pass--fake that pass to get defenders moving--pass to now open guy way over on weak side.
During the game, I was wondering whether the Celtics should just start doubling Bam as he was the only one who could score (this was early in the game). But, at the same time, they were also still torching the Heat. So, I think it's a bit hard to switch up your defense when, generally, what you are doing is working.
Unless that skilled wing is a top 20 player in the NBA this is nonsense. I know we all love Xavier Tillman and hate anything Heat but come on now.
Tatum did it yesterday, IIRC. Not sure if it was a true truck, but Bam ended up on the ground.
I don't hate Bam, but definitely don't think he is a TOP20-30 NBA player.
If Bam wants to score 20-30 points on tough shots against single coverage, the Celtics won’t even bat an eye.
Agreed. But Miami must be at least thinking about trying to force-feed him in G2 under the rationale that (1) it was their best offensive matchup AND (2) they have the chance to get KP in foul trouble and off the court. That's potentially a huge win-win for them.
I agree, they have to try it. But the Celtics won’t care, and won’t change the way they defend him.
Or JT can throw it up to the 7'3" guy and let him (and the other guys) play 4 on 3 or 3 on 2.
Sure
Not sure how much he had to do with them almost winning.. and not sure when he got hurt.. but he had 9 points in the second half and 2 in the fourth.. His teammates tried to pick up the slack as he looked pretty hobbled.. at times he looked like more of a decoy in the corner.
I mean, I think that normally wouldn't get too much attention, but throw in Wright suddenly turning into a flamethrower in that run, and Negative Man of the Doom Patrol would turn that into some imagined test of mental fortitude (which practically every playoff team would fail by those standards!)
Yeah, unfortunately for that POV Martin was already low and in full motion. The physics doesn't allow for what you say above---he was already headed for Tatum, and hard, and Jrue can't generate enough force to cause that impact otherwise.
He's coming in at speed to make a play, Jrue shoves him in the back which makes it hard for him to jump making him crash low into Tatum (and btw Jrue can generate a whole lot of force)... if he comes in there and jumps it's a nothing play, probably an over the back on the rebound.
I like Bam's game a lot too, but I don't want to live in a world where he's a top 20 player. Salary aside, if he's a top 20 player, the Celtics have like 3 or 4 top 20 players.
People have a lot of confirmation bias re "the dirty Miami Heat", and no amount of evidence will change their minds. Personally, I'm content to just hate them as a fan.
Exactly. I’m not saying that Spo called a code red. But Martin appeared to be borrowing from Draymond’s game 2 playbook to try to rattle the Celtics with increased and unpredictable physicality.
This is getting some play in the media. They played the radio calls of both teams and the Miami call was ridiculous. Something along the line of “Tatum slides down Martin’s back.”
Martin doesn't duck, watch the video, he's standing up straight when he colides with Tatum, he only bends over when Tatum comes down on him.
Have none of you guys ever trying to regain your balance when stumbling forward? The only direction you can go is low.
I would swap KP for Bam. It’s close and it would completely change how the team plays but I think Bam with the other 4 starters would be the best defense in the league. Bam is clearly a top 25’ish player in this league. There is a reason Miami has performed so well these past few years. Yes Spo, and yes Butler, but Bam is who allows them to play all their different defense and is deservedly in the defensive player of the year convo every year.
We've played two intense 7-game series against them the past two seasons, and, when asked for examples of their "lot of dirty things", people are like "Bam sets illegal screens" and "they grab us a lot."
You didn’t see him pushed off balance into Tatum? I mean if you don’t see that I suppose no sense discussing further. Martin’s instinctual reaction was to help Tatum up as well.
I say this in the nicest way..... you are delusional. We have tape... he runs in exactly the way you run in if you are going to jump to contest a rebound... he is then pushed in the back by a large strong man, he then doesn't jump in time and crashes into the player before he can leave his feet. he hits side to side with Tatum, but Tatum got to jump.
Hmmm. I don't think I would right now but maybe in 2-3 years. I like the way KP spaces the floor and gets mismatches on pick and roll on offense and I think his defense is pretty good - he alters a ton of shots in a way that Bam does not. Bam is two years younger and may age better but KP is the better all around player right now.
I think you are misinterpreting him turning his body a couple steps after being pushed with him losing body control after moving forward then being pushed in the back.
I don't see any evidence of him losing body control before the turn...to me his gait and step don't change until he decides to turn (though he was knocled a bit off his original line by the contact). I guess you could argue he saw his choice as "go lower and hope you don't foul him" or "grab Tatum" because he was going to collide with him either way. But how he collides---that to me is the issue, looks to me like he turns to get under Tatum and almost surely knew what he was doing there.
When you try to grab a rebound you typically jump. This whole thing is crazy talk.
I agree with most of this post. Bam is a very good defender. But you have to stop calling him a top 20/25 player. No team built around Bam Adebayo is frightening anyone in the playoffs ever. He's a #2 guy, really a #3 guy on a very good team.
To me Bam is basically Draymond with some extra post offense. His value is he's an incredibly versatile big defender who should be in the DPOY conversation most years... but he's not going to be your offensive #1, and he's probably best served as the #3.
