Brown and Booker suck so bad it’s exasperating they still have jobs.
Brown and Booker suck so bad it’s exasperating they still have jobs.
I know... The dude is out of his mind, he does tons of these videos every day. It's hilariousBrown and Booker suck so bad it’s exasperating they still have jobs.
BTW, just wanted to echo thanks for posting that link; good read.The Celtics are running lots of ghost screens -- as many teams are these days in the NBA -- so I googled up a substack post on them and read one that a few of you might find interesting here.
Thank you for posting. Pina is yet another talented NBA writer, paid by Simmons. I thought this nugget was particularly cool regarding Hauser:Great article from The Ringer entitled "If the Celtics Decide to Get Serious About Defense, the League Will Be in Trouble" and yes, they talk about the return of Timelord and the impact that it should have:
https://www.theringer.com/nba/2022/12/9/23501568/boston-celtics-defense-robert-williams-joe-mazzulla
The story of their season so far is a historic offense. The juicy subplot, though, is how balanced they can still be. After spending the first month of this season with a below-average defensive rating, the Celtics currently rank ninth. But their remaining room for defensive improvement is even scarier than the barrage of 3s they rain down every night. They’re fifth over the past 15 games, first against top-10 offenses, and quality in transition.
By rediscovering that same unyielding identity that carried them to a 2-1 Finals lead last June, a 21-5 juggernaut may be on the verge of irreproachable supremacy. Just ask the Suns.
With so many strong links, Sam Hauser is routinely attacked on an island—he’s defended more isolations per 100 possessions than almost anyone else who’s logged at least 30 plays, per Second Spectrum—but has been holding up well.
Great article from The Ringer entitled "If the Celtics Decide to Get Serious About Defense, the League Will Be in Trouble" and yes, they talk about the return of Timelord and the impact that it should have:
https://www.theringer.com/nba/2022/12/9/23501568/boston-celtics-defense-robert-williams-joe-mazzulla
The story of their season so far is a historic offense. The juicy subplot, though, is how balanced they can still be. After spending the first month of this season with a below-average defensive rating, the Celtics currently rank ninth. But their remaining room for defensive improvement is even scarier than the barrage of 3s they rain down every night. They’re fifth over the past 15 games, first against top-10 offenses, and quality in transition.
By rediscovering that same unyielding identity that carried them to a 2-1 Finals lead last June, a 21-5 juggernaut may be on the verge of irreproachable supremacy. Just ask the Suns.
With all their versatility, length, instincts, experience, and physicality, defense is how they separated themselves from the pack. It was also an exhausting way to exist—especially if you’re someone like Marcus Smart, whose body will disintegrate if it exerts as much energy as his brain wants it to on every possession.
Incidentally, Booker was number 2 on this list going into Wednesday’s game, in which he put up a minus 40.
Indeed. 3 of his last 16, as of this minute.Derrick White shooting regression on full display this past week. Some of his wide open looks on this trip haven’t been close.
7-29 overall in his last 4 games.Indeed. 3 of his last 16, as of this minute.
It's actually really close. The Celts just played in GS in the middle of a brutal road trip, without their two bigs. They're a better team than last season, when they took them to 6 games.Despite the 21 wins the Celtics have, the Warriors are still the better team, and it isn't even close. They are 14-13 because they don't care about regular season wins, but they got up for the Celtics and dominated them almost from start to finish.
They should be better, but if they are there were no visible signs of that in this game.It's actually really close. The Celts just played in GS in the middle of a brutal road trip, without their two bigs. They're a better team than last season, when they took them to 6 games.
Actually, Brogdon was very good. If Tatum gets his head out of his ass and the bigs return, there is clearly a path.They should be better, but if they are there were no visible signs of that in this game.
It was a bad showing, but it's one game. Might want to step back from the ledge.They should be better, but if they are there were no visible signs of that in this game.
And yet, the Warriors are the betting favorite to make it out of the West. Other than Curry it's been a crummy start to the year for them for sure, but all they need to do is make the playoffs. They're half a game out of the 6 seed.GS is a game over .500 after they rested their core starters 5 nights to get this 1 win. It was borderline MUST win for the Warriors. They are having an absolutely crummy season. The Warriors have 6 road games over 8 days coming up, where they have been hideous. What are the odds they are below .500 in 10 days? They'll need to make some trades to shore up their rotation.
Brown was outstanding. Brogdon ran up some stats (good), but didn't really affect the lousy way the rest of the team played offensively. In big games, their offensive system collapses like a house of cards. That's either something they can and will fix, or the season won't end happily. We'll see. Going into last night it looked like a lot of ithad been fixed, but clearly they have a lot more work to do.Actually, Brogdon was very good. If Tatum gets his head out of his ass and the bigs return, there is clearly a path.
And yet, the Warriors are the betting favorite to make it out of the West. Other than Curry it's been a crummy start to the year for them for sure, but all they need to do is make the playoffs. They're half a game out of the 6 seed.
The West is very flawed.
Anytime Bob wants to add to Golden State's TOP6 they'll just rip through the rest of the conference
Makes sense they are the betting favorite. Once they decide to move some of their young assets for usable vets they will have an easy time with a weakened WC. Their starters have been excellent and their bench has been dreadful.nobody should be counting them out. Their TOP6 is arguably the best in the league and they have the assets to find high-quality bench rotation players
Kerr is an excellent in-game coach
On the offensive end, both in this game and in the 2nd home one vs. Miami, Tatum was the issue. He couldn't solve the defensive strategy of late help at the rim, exactly the problem he had in the ECF and Finals. On one hand, you never bet against Tatum figuring something out. On the other, he won't get many more reps against this type of D.Brown was outstanding. Brogdon ran up some stats (good), but didn't really affect the lousy way the rest of the team played offensively. In big games, their offensive system collapses like a house of cards. That's either something they can and will fix, or the season won't end happily. We'll see. Going into last night it looked like a lot of ithad been fixed, but clearly they have a lot more work to do.
Kuminga looks like he may be morphing before our eyes from young asset to highly usable rotation player. He’s been fantastic over the last couple weeks, flashing all his athletic gifts and defensive versatility while also playing within himself on O. Just turned 20, and his .592 career TS% is by far the highest among his fellow 2021 lotto picks (Moody #2 at .576).Makes sense they are the betting favorite. Once they decide to move some of their young assets for usable vets they will have an easy time with a weakened WC. Their starters have been excellent and their bench has been dreadful.
Agreed. Kuminga has been my favorite of the 3 for a while. 20 with that body + Dray/Looney training him. He is the keeper unless something really interesting gets dangled. Donte was solid his first 3 seasons, not sure why MIL moved him so readily. As a Celtic fan, I'd love to see GS play the development game with Kuminga/Wiseman/Moody and not make any moves. With their home/away splits a #1 seed in the WC would give them a red-carpet trip to the Finals while Boston slugs it out with the Bucks & others in the ECKuminga looks like he may be morphing before eyes from from young asset to highly usable rotation player. He’s been fantastic over the last couple weeks, flashing all his athletic gifts and defensive versatility while also playing within himself on O. Just turned 20, and his .592 career TS% is by far the highest among his fellow 2021 lotto picks (Moody #2 at .576).
You’ve been referencing the Warriors Top 6, but at this point it’s really a Top 8, with Donte (former rotation player on a championship team, super easy fit in Kerrball in the GP2 role) and now Kuminga. I think the biggest need right now is a playable bench big who’s an upgrade on JaMychal Green. Last night’s game probably goes a lot differently with Horford and/or Rob there to prevent Looney, Donte et al. from feasting on the glass (53-39 Warriors edge).
Still would like to see Wiseman and maybe a future pick flipped for a win-now big (or big wing) in the Olynyk / Zach Collins / Jarred Vanderbilt mold … although Wiseman has also been looking great his last few games in Santa Cruz, so I’m kinda torn. I don’t think Wiseman will be useful as soon as this season, but I could see him blossoming on a rebuilding team like SA within a year or two.
Agree with Smith 100%. Hard to know exactly if Griffin is doing what is designed or he was just tired but he was sagging REALLY far off on all those screens even when guarding a non threat like Looney. I don't doubt he is generally being coached not to trap/switch, but it seemed extra lazy last night to me.Keith Smith's 10 takeaways. #1 is drop coverage just doesn't work. C's were stuck with it because Kornet and Griffin can only play that way. Curry and Thompson torched them on it.
https://www.celticsblog.com/2022/12/11/23503913/still-struggling-with-the-champs-10-takeaways-from-boston-celtics-golden-state-warriors
The "missing big" argument applies better to what happened defensively than offensively. Giving up 123 to the Warriors, their second highest points allowed all season and most in a regulation game, is par for the course with Al and Rob out. It was a little disappointing to see how long Mazzulla tried to go with Blake and Kornet, even after going away from them and finding success in the second quarter.It was called out in the game thread already - the Celtics got killed on the glass. The Warriors has a 53-39 advantage in rebounds. That probably doesn’t happen if Al and TL are playing.
The Celtics did a generally good job protecting the ball and had just 10 turnovers but those translated to 20 Golden State points. I caught the game in bits and pieces and it seemed to me that Boston was not playing with a lot of pace. Golden State had 19 fast break points to just 11 for Boston.
Boston also lost the inside game as Golden State had 46 points in the paint to 38 for Boston.
My takeaway is this game would have been quite different if the Celtics had their two best bigs.
Tough timing for Tatum to lay on egg on the offensive side but I think the January 19 rematch will be a better game for the Celtics.
I think most of those are random with the exception of B2B. My most effective angle I have is playing on/off teams over the course of extended road trips which is where I spend most of my focus. Many times teams play to the script perfectly…..win G1, maybe G2, then the road toughens with a close loss, the inevitable no-show blowout then sneak in a rebound win at the end. When they do it’s a beautiful thing. I don’t place much weight on a teams performance with 2-3 days off though. As everything however, some teams do play to funky trends sometimes (Celtics with their B2B record a few years ago for ex).Probably means nothing (my specialty), but they seem to lose their rhythm on multiple days off
1-4 on 2-days of rest or more
20-2 on next/1-night off games
@HomeRunBaker probably has some wagering angle with "days off"
No idea if why that might be "real" but it's a fascinating data pull---tahnks for sharingProbably means nothing (my specialty), but they seem to lose their rhythm on multiple days off
1-4 on 2-days of rest or more
20-2 on next/1-night off games
@HomeRunBaker probably has some wagering angle with "days off"
further Tatum has six games where he had a negative +/- this season, 5 in those multiple days off games
He was. That's why he was previously listed as out because of Health and Safety Protocols. Now it says Personal Reasons. That means missing this game is not related to his healthI read elsewhere that he in in Covid protocol.
Sorry if this sounds tinfoil hatty: Do players have the right to prevent the team from identifying the injury? So, the actual reason for his absence remains unchanged, but it's just called "personal"?He was. That's why he was previously listed as out because of Health and Safety Protocols. Now it says Personal Reasons. That means missing this game is not related to his health
I think he and his wife are having a baby. Can't find much current, but this article from June says they're expecting their 5th child, due in December:Sorry if this sounds tinfoil hatty: Do players have the right to prevent the team from identifying the injury? So, the actual reason for his absence remains unchanged, but it's just called "personal"?
Oh man, that would be brutal if he couldn’t be there for the birth of a child because of a positive Covid test. I hope he’s able to be there if this is the personal reason.I think he and his wife are having a baby. Can't find much current, but this article from June says they're expecting their 5th child, due in December:
https://mamaslatinas.com/news-entertainment/amelia-vega-al-horford-expecting-fifth-child
Probably geared more toward the gambling thread but the Celtics playing to the road trip script perfectly by going through the motions tonight. Now suck it up and beat the Lakers on the way back east….:gonna be tough on a B2B.I think most of those are random with the exception of B2B. My most effective angle I have is playing on/off teams over the course of extended road trips which is where I spend most of my focus. Many times teams play to the script perfectly…..win G1, maybe G2, then the road toughens with a close loss, the inevitable no-show blowout then sneak in a rebound win at the end. When they do it’s a beautiful thing. I don’t place much weight on a teams performance with 2-3 days off though. As everything however, some teams do play to funky trends sometimes (Celtics with their B2B record a few years ago for ex).