SL Game Thread: Celtics vs Spurs – 7PM, Wed. 07-05-17 (Utah)

[Marvel]

These moves from Tatum will stick against NBA competition. Dude is not soft like KO either, mentally or physically.

[return2glory]

KO never looked like Dirk. Dirk had to super high release on his shot. He could get his shot off anytime he wanted to. KO, exact opposite.

I said "in Summer League".

I think you should go rewatch some rookie KO Summer League clips. He was schoolin' dudes. Step back J's, 3's from the arc, scoop shots, guy was looking like Baby Dirk in Summer League. Heck, even the posters on here were getting giddy with excitement.

I remember it. The Olynyk Clynyk nickname was born and shortly died once the real competition showed up.

It was sad to see for sure. He actually ended his rookie season with a bang. I think we had about 5 games of 20 point or more in the last two weeks of the season. But it was in meaningless games with no one playing much defense on him.

[return2glory]

These moves from Tatum will stick against NBA competition. Dude is not soft like KO either, mentally or physically.

Exactly. It's not just summer league. Those moves should translate during the regular season. He can get off his shot. That's what I loved about his game when I watched Duke games this year. High release on his shot, really good foot work, good handles.

[Kalela]

I called this for Jaylen Brown after his first summer league game earlier this week. He's not consistent yet. Has shown some improvement but hasn't turned a corner yet. He came into the league with a lower floor than Tatum, but his ceiling is very high... I think we'll know what we got by year three.

I am not sure he will ever be a good shooter. Reminds me of Marcus Smart in many ways.

[tlee324]

I called this for Jaylen Brown after his first summer league game earlier this week. He's not consistent yet. Has shown some improvement but hasn't turned a corner yet. He came into the league with a lower floor than Tatum, but his ceiling is very high... I think we'll know what we got by year three.

I am not sure he will ever be a good shooter. Reminds me of Marcus Smart in many ways.

He'll move up from Robert Pack to Michael Finley if he ever develops that shot. I see Finley as a comparable player; was a supreme athlete in his prime. Took him about 4 seasons to go from a 25/30% 3pt shooter to a 35\40% one. Once he did, he was a reliable scorer all around for the Mavericks. I pray that Jaylen can turn it into something like what Finley did.

Only catch is Finley was a super 4 year college player for Wisconsin. He was NBA ready and talented enough to score 15ppg right out the gate even before it took him time to develop the NBA 3pt stroke.

[SuperDeluxe]

Shameful loss to an inferior team. Fire Ainge.

Super, every time I see your signature I am reminded that Mark Blount existed. Then I am reminded that, just a few years ago, we used to spend time on this board talking about Mark Blount."Will we be able to re-sign Blount?" was the biggest question of the off-season.

Then I think of the utter hopelessness of the franchise at that time. Grant Long playing serious minutes. Debating whether JR Bremmer could be the next Derek Fisher. Hoping that Brandon Hunter would solve our rebounding problems. Trying to imagine Marcus Banks becoming some kind of useful player. Praying that we weren't completely wasting Paul's career. That's what being a Celtics fan was in the off-season.

Now we are signing star free agents in their prime, drafting basically whoever we feel like, getting ready to make a Finals run while preparing for possibly two more top five picks next year. For the love of God, enjoy this people. Don't take this for granted. Because it wasn't that long ago we were spending our summers wondering if we were going to re-sign Mark Blount.

Aaah, the good ole days! You mention so many names, sub-par athletes that nevertheless became binkies...

But things haven't changed all that much around here. For example, during Marcus Banks' summer league showing, people justified his low assist numbers by blaming his teammates who couldn't shoot. These days we are saying that Zizic is not a lumbering center, he's just tired because of the altitude in Salt Lake City. I love this place!

[djFan71]

Haven't watched the 2nd half yet, but first half it looked like Jaylen was trying to expand his game to run the offense a little. It wasn't successful. But that's what summer league's for. If you can't screw up now, when the heck can you? After game 1, he probably got a little cocky and thought he could do more - both in a deliberate coaches trying to expand his game way, and a "I owned this SL thing" way. I think it's all good for him. See what works, get humbled a little. It's all part of the learning curve.

[Duke4life831]

Fultz is out there sleepwalking through half the game on offense & the entire game on defense. He's lost on literally every defensive possession.

His effort on defense has always been horrible. This is why I didnt care about his 6'10 wingspan because he doesnt ever use it. He puts 0 effort in defensively and he has horrible fundamentals defensively as well. When you watch him, he always gets caught standing too tall and never in a good defensive position. Add the bad fundamentals and 0 effort, I have a very hard time ever seeing him becoming anything close to a positive on that side of the ball.

[Bostondave]

Holy cow you can't say ret*rded without it being blocked? Wow.

Yeah same thing happened to me the exact same way. I guess the boy or whatever cannot glean tense amf so thinks every invoking of.the word is an epithet and not the other meaning for it.

[Bostondave]

Well I liked the game. These are gsmes for development more than winning. Jalen had a bad shooting nite, and a few turnovers. Zizic was way too slow and.plodding. Tatum played great again. Couldn't.seem to find the other guy I'm interested in Semi. I.enjoyed it though. This thread too. Finally finished it. Go celtics!

[ParticleMan]

didn't see the whole game, but folks ragging on JB are missing the point of SL, particularly for guys who are not rookies -- they are not there to show off their game, they are there to work on their game.

JB looked like he was handling and creating a lot. this is different for him. i guarantee that's not going to be his role on the celtics. but it's a chance for him to work on that. yeah, he's not gonna look good, it's playing to his weakness. but that's how you get better.

[radcot]

The team was totally disorganized and -- except for Tatum -- playing selfish, dumb basketball. I've been a big Tatum booster all along, but one thing no one ever said about him was that he was a great playmaker -- yet he was the best one we had against the Spurs. Nice to see from him as a cherry on top, but a sad commentary on our point guard crew. They're making Terry Rozier seem like Chris Paul.

[galipeautim]

Not saying he will be like the guy or even be a good NBA player, but Tatum's game style might be the most similar to Pierce I have ever seen.

[DK-All Day]

You can tell Tatum will be a cold blooded closer. Nice pick Ainge.

[Bostondave]

Wanna see Tatum in real game situations. I think we might have the real deal here. Allstar if not better.

[Jingles]

You can tell Tatum will be a cold blooded closer. Nice pick Ainge.

Already so smooth it's going to be ridiculous when he gets on an NBA training/eating regimen and becomes a man. This dude at 25? Yes please.

[Stadium5]

Well this is something I'm definitely not used to with our draft picks...Tatum already looking like one of those natural scorers with a very high ceiling

November here yet?

[24istheLAW]

I'm surprised that people are down on Zizic after that game, of all people. He looked decent to me. Set some brutal picks, was active under the basket, even if some of the tips didn't get corralled by our guys. Wasn't running into his own teammates on offense, which is more than you can say about most SL participants.

Jaylen struggled badly doing the playmaker thing. Nader played ugly D-league ball. Tatum looked nice in a role he wouldn't have in a real game. At least Zizic showed some translatable skills.

[CavemanDoctor]

I'm surprised that people are down on Zizic after that game, of all people. He looked decent to me. Set some brutal picks, was active under the basket, even if some of the tips didn't get corralled by our guys. Wasn't running into his own teammates on offense, which is more than you can say about most SL participants.

Jaylen struggled badly doing the playmaker thing. Nader played ugly D-league ball. Tatum looked nice in a role he wouldn't have in a real game. At least Zizic showed some translatable skills.

A lot of the criticisms of Zizic hinge on his conditioning. He improves that, several of his issues go away. I hope Bryan Doo puts him on a brutal regimen.

[truth18]

Holy cow you can't say ret*rded without it being blocked? Wow.

Yeah same thing happened to me the exact same way. I guess the boy or whatever cannot glean tense amf so thinks every invoking of.the word is an epithet and not the other meaning for it.

We have mods and posters here with mentally handicap kids. Just use a **** different word. That word makes you sound like you are ten years old and induces much cringe so they are doing you a favor.