Official Celtics 2020-21 Regular Season Thread

[zoyathedestroya]

We were in the game against Kyrie and Harden with our supposed second star shooting .217 and our supposed third star scoring 11 points on 40% shooting. Do we lowkey have the best bench in the league or something?

Our bench was collectively like -60 or something, so no.

Our bench were playing alongside Jaylen who was chucking away and isn't reliable to lead any bench group anyway and Kemba who disappeared after the 1st qtr.

Why can't people admit when our stars are playing like crap? Our bench took less than half the shots Kemba and Brown took. What were we expecting out of them when two of our top 3 guys pooped the bed.

[Gomes3PC]

We were in the game against Kyrie and Harden with our supposed second star shooting .217 and our supposed third star scoring 11 points on 40% shooting. Do we lowkey have the best bench in the league or something?

Our bench was collectively like -60 or something, so no.

Our bench were playing alongside Jaylen who was chucking away and isn't reliable to lead any bench group anyway and Kemba who disappeared after the 1st qtr.

Why can't people admit when our stars are playing like crap? Our bench took less than half the shots Kemba and Brown took. What were we expecting out of them when two of our top 3 guys pooped the bed.

Where did I say the starters weren't to blame? Juice had his worst game of the year, and Kemba disappeared after the first quarter.

[ParticleMan]

honestly not worried about kemba and JB. they had a bad game. it happens. before the break kemba was leading us. JB, i just hope it's not his knee, but otherwise he'll be fine. the problem is the rest of the crew.

i think we need to bail on this season and play the young kids. nesmith, pritchard, romeo, PP, rob, see what we've got there. give them free rein. play lineups without any of JB/JT/kemba just to see who steps up and makes plays. yeah we will lose, we'll probably end up as a .500 team. we aren't winning anything this year anyways.

then in the offseason, trade kemba, use the TPE, get some actual quality starters alongside JB/JT and assemble a solid 8-man starter-level rotation. maybe this includes one of the kids, maybe it doesn't. right now our roster is 3 quality starters and a bunch of bench-level players, and that doesn't cut it. this roster needs a shakeup. this is on ainge, who's frankly looking on shakier ground every day.

[zoyathedestroya]

So many March celebrants.

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[darrendaye]

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Can almost hear Smart say, bro we ain't got all day.

Also, what I love about this play is that making this pass to the opposite side rather than the similarly open Kemba is the defensive rotation creates much better offensive rebounding position if he misses. Just simply not enough of this type of action from the team overall.

[bucknersrevenge]

If you haven't had the opportunity to check out this podcast with Forseberg and guest Ryan Bernardoni it is a must watch. For those not following @dangercart on Twitter, get your life together. The guy is a cap guru. And where sometimes as Celtics fans we have trouble seeing more than 5 feet in front of our face, Ryan breaks down this deadline through the lens of the salary cap and overall financial implications. Even address the social commentary surrounding Wyc. He thinks we need to make some kind of move but addresses the possibility of using the TPE in the offseason.

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[Fierce1]

Kemba wants to shoot more.

Really, Kemba?

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?s=20

[Fencer reregistered]

Kemba wants to shoot more.

Really, Kemba?

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?s=20

That and Brad's associated interview fit with my theory that Kemba and the Jays should be on the floor two at a time.

Centers: Timelord, Theis, Thompson (until he is replaced by somebody cheaper)

Floor generals: Smart, Pritchard, with Kemba to aid them

Scorers: Jayson, Jaylen, Kemba, and a variety of other guys who are better defenders than Kemba is

[Fencer reregistered]

I think it's time for Brad to put some structure on his rotation tinkering. That said, I'm giving minutes here to Smart and Langford that they obviously can't play at the moment.

-- Script the first 42 minutes; do what feels right the last 6 depending on how the game has gone to that point.
-- Divide those 42 into 3 neat packages of 14 or so minutes each.
-- Group 1 (starters): Tatum, Brown, Smart, Theis, Langford/flex
-- Group 2: Kemba, Brown, Smart, Timelord, Nesmith/flex
-- Group 3: Kemba, Pritchard, Tatum, Thompson, Theis/Timelord/flex

Backups:
-- Smart: (More) Pritchard, Teague, etc.
-- Centers: Each other, Grant/Semi/Tacko/whoever
-- Tatum/Brown: That's a problem as the roster stands, hopefully to be addressed by trade

If we get Barnes, attach him to Tatum just as Brown is attached to Smart. But he also becomes Brown's backup.

[Fencer reregistered]

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[darrendaye]

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It might be just me, but, I don't see Smart running much PnR so far. Of course this would work best if the double big lineup you were using was Timelord and Theis.

[Fencer reregistered]

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It might be just me, but, I don't see Smart running much PnR so far. Of course this would work best if the double big lineup you were using was Timelord and Theis.

It makes so much sense that the best double-big lineup would be Theis/Williams. Those two have a lot more skill and mobility at either end of the floor than Thompson does. Thompson's supposed power advantage in rebounding or post defense (realer vs. Theis than vs. Williams, who makes up for any deficiency with bounce) is of little value when playing with another big.

[Fencer reregistered]

The first clip in section 5 of https://www.celticsblog.com/2021/3/15/22331612/bostons-bench-sparks-blowout-win-10-takeaways-from-boston-celtics-houston-rockets features a RobWill/Tatum/Brown/Smart/Pritchard offense. The defense had no chance other than to leave Williams entirely alone at the 3-pt line, which they mistakenly chose not to do. As soon as he has the shooting or moves to punish that option too, and he's getting there, that lineup will be pretty unstoppable on offense while also being a bunch of defensive pests.

A 5-out offense with a guy who's an elite finisher, good passer and good-enough shooter could be ridiculously good. And Theis would be an OK backup for Williams in that role. Kemba and Nesmith obviously have the talent to fit that system as well.

[Fencer reregistered]

Indiana hoops Twitter, it seems, has folks who'd fit in well right here.

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[Bleeding Green]

Is it realistic for Stevens to leave Boston and go for the Indiana job?

[djFan71]

Is it realistic for Stevens to leave Boston and go for the Indiana job?

Danny will ask for too much compensation to let him out of his contract and Brad'll end up at UNC-Charlotte instead.

[Bleeding Green]

At least they'll get a nice coaching exception out of it.

[wco81]

Watching the end of the Kings-Hornets game.

Wonder if the Celtics wish they kept Hayward, even at the price he got.

Or does Browns improvements this season make it a non-issue? Or could they use another reliable scorer, with Kemba's health uncertain?

Gordon is averaging 21 points, just under 35 MPG, on 48.2/40.2/86.5 shooting, 5.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists on 15.9 FGA and 4.9 3PA.


Actually any team could use that kind of performance, though he might have to share some of the touches.

[Fierce1]

Watching the end of the Kings-Hornets game.

Wonder if the Celtics wish they kept Hayward, even at the price he got.

Or does Browns improvements this season make it a non-issue? Or could they use another reliable scorer, with Kemba's health uncertain?

Gordon is averaging 21 points, just under 35 MPG, on 48.2/40.2/86.5 shooting, 5.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists on 15.9 FGA and 4.9 3PA.


Actually any team could use that kind of performance, though he might have to share some of the touches.

Hayward at 30m per year is just too expensive.

[wco81]

Watching the end of the Kings-Hornets game.

Wonder if the Celtics wish they kept Hayward, even at the price he got.

Or does Browns improvements this season make it a non-issue? Or could they use another reliable scorer, with Kemba's health uncertain?

Gordon is averaging 21 points, just under 35 MPG, on 48.2/40.2/86.5 shooting, 5.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists on 15.9 FGA and 4.9 3PA.


Actually any team could use that kind of performance, though he might have to share some of the touches.

Hayward at 30m per year is just too expensive.

Probably, since he'd play fewer minutes, have fewer shot attempts with the Celtics.

But if the Celtics can't get past 76ers or Nets this year, he might have been the missing piece.