aussie_pride wrote:I'm not disputing that the number of assists have gone down. I'm just saying it is extremely short-sighted and incidental to blame it on Kemba. If anything, it probably went down when we had Kyrie Irving given that he does utilise a lot of iso moves and has done his entire career. In any case, you need to delve deeper! For instance, start looking at the amount of isolation plays we've been running over the years:
2015-16: 5.8 per game (Isaiah Thomas PG)
2016-17: 5.9 per game (Isaiah Thomas PG)
2017-18: 8.9 per game (Kyrie Irving PG)
2018-19: 7.8 per game (Kyrie Irving PG)
2019-20: 7.7 per game (Kemba Walker PG but Tatum attempting the most isolation plays with 3.6 per game; Kemba averages 1.3)
2020-21: 8.9 per game (Kemba Walker PG but Jayson Tatum is easily attempts the most isolation plays with 4.7 per game; Kemba averages 1 per game with Smart, Teague and Brown all averaging more.)
This obviously suggests that the number of isolation plays increased when we got Kyrie Irving. When a team begins running more isolation plays the number of assists are going to be down. Therefore it is logical to conclude that style of basketball HAS changed.
Next thing to look at is the number of pull up shots. This is obviously going to have an affect on the number of assists too because the ball is not being moved on a pull up shot; a player just runs and shoots. Hence, there is no assist. The stats are as follows:
2015-16: 5.8 per game
2016-17: 5.9 per game
2017-18: 8.9 per game
2018-19: 7.8 per game
2019-20: 7.7 per game (Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum both attempted the most with approx 8.5 per game and both shot 40% which is obviously excellent)
2020-21: 8.9 per game (Tatum is attempting 10.3 per game with 37% success; Kemba is shooting 9 per game with 34.5% success)
Again these numbers indicate that our basketball changed to a more individual-orientated style well before Kemba arrived. However, I do concede he is not shooting as well as these stats indicate but then again I have never stated he was blameless.
The final thing to remember is that basketball is a team game! Contrary to popular belief, just because a player is making 35m per year does not mean he is running the team. Brad Stevens is the coach and he is ultimately responsible for the style of basketball we are playing. If a player refuses to buy into the team's strategy then either Stevens or the player must go; the status quo cannot be maintained. Hence, Stevens must be held accountable.
I'm not blaming everything on Kemba.
But the spotlight is on Kemba because he's the highest paid among all those who are to blame.
Besides Kemba, Tatum, Brown, Smart, and Brad are all part of the problem.
What I disagree with is you said Kemba is the only one who moves the ball.
That's absolutely false.
Who's the primary ball handler?
It's Kemba, right?
After the opposing team scores, the Celts inbound the ball to Kemba, right?
So clearly Kemba handles the ball a lot but he can't even average 5 assists per game!
That's awful for a starting PG.
But like what you said, Kemba is behind Smart and Brown when it comes to pass %.
How is that possible when almost every possession Kemba touches the ball.
There's just no way Kemba's the only one who moves the ball.
He's as guilty as Tatum and Brown when it comes jacking up shots.