Boston Celtics: Point Guard Rotation, 2021-22

[themoneyteam2]

no. We have Pritchard. Arguably the 2nd best combination of BBIQ, offense and defense on the team behind only Tatum. I think he can have a Lowry type career if given the chance and even be the #2 we sorely need. Smart is best as the 6th man. PG, with Pritchard, is set for the next 6-8 years.

Pritchard, starting and getting 32 mpg, I would expect 20-5-7 with 40% from three with above average defense. Essentially, a better VanVleet.

I am and always have been a big Pritchard fan but lol

[makubesu]

No way Pritchard starts. It was obvious by the end of last year that he can’t handle the physicality of the nba. Unless he really hits the weight room he’s going to have to stick to being our sixth man.

I think starting Smart is fine, especially if you coach the team do that Tatum is developing his play making.

[smooth_as_silk]

With Tatum improvement in playmaking, And Browns improvement in Playmaking and Timelord improvement in playmaking and Horfords ability to playmake and of course Smarts ability/improvement in playmaking this team is set.

Tony Parkers best season with the Spurs when they were winning championships he was getting 7.5 assists per game
Manu was getting 4.5
Then there was 5 guys getting 2 per game
so 7 "passers" averaged 24 assists per game
top 12 players in minutes per game averaged 27.7 assists per game

Based on last seasons numbers:
Smart - 5.7
Tatum - 4.3
Brown - 3.4
Fournier - 3.1
Timelord - 1.8
Pritchard - 1.8
Horford - 3.4
so top 7 "passers" averaged 23.5 assists per game
top 12 players in minutes per game averaged 29 assist per game

We just need a better system that promotes fast ball movement. The playmaking ability is there already. Just were not player "Celtic" basketball. That small score first PG is not celtics ball.

Smart will be brilliant as a defender/facilitator who catches and shoot when the ball is swung.

[Fantaxp7]

I think we need a vet point guard. I don't trust Smart to be the starter.

[cloverleaf]

Yes, Pritchard is challenged on D and he was also hesitant on his shooting and not the same take-charge PG, especially with the starters, that he was earlier in his career.

But could he be a player who can shoot, distribute and defend as well as, say, Kemba in the years he was in Boston? I don't see why not. Properly focused, the Jays are plus defenders. With two more of the same starting with them, could Pritchard improve enough to be that last piece? (He wouldn't have the AS pedigree/ego to demand the usage that Kemba sucked up either and could presumably be used as more of a pure distributor than the dribble-and-shoot Kemba.)

Maybe not. Maybe that he's already older than Tatum and almost as old as Rob suggests that he's close to a finished product, given his combination of skills and physical constraints.

But he's a hard-working competitor, and I imagine he'll come back this summer/fall at least better in dealing with screens and perhaps on his way to the improvements to get him there.

[sam_I_am]

I think we need a vet point guard. I don't trust Smart to be the starter.

I understand that point of view and it’s reasonable to get insurance.

However, every year the team starts out with an all star PG - IT, Kyrie, Kemba and every time team gets to ECF they are injured and Smart is called upon at the most difficult time possible to be the starting PG. Every time he has stepped up.

I for one want to see what he can do as day one starter.

[Parliament10]

I think we need a vet point guard. I don't trust Smart to be the starter.

I understand that point of view and it’s reasonable to get insurance.

However, every year the team starts out with an all star PG - IT, Kyrie, Kemba and every time team gets to ECF they are injured and Smart is called upon at the most difficult time possible to be the starting PG. Every time he has stepped up.

I for one want to see what he can do as day one starter.

You might have a point there. -- Though, I'm still somewhat antsy about Smart being our permanent Starting PG.
I like him as a Super 6th-Man. -- Although, during the last 3 years, he has been a de facto Starter, due to injury.

[sully00]

I think we need a vet point guard. I don't trust Smart to be the starter.

I understand that point of view and it’s reasonable to get insurance.

However, every year the team starts out with an all star PG - IT, Kyrie, Kemba and every time team gets to ECF they are injured and Smart is called upon at the most difficult time possible to be the starting PG. Every time he has stepped up.

I for one want to see what he can do as day one starter.

You might have a point there. -- Though, I'm still somewhat antsy about Smart being our permanent Starting PG.
I like him as a Super 6th-Man. -- Although, during the last 3 years, he has been a de facto Starter, due to injury.

Kind of like the reverse. What has really tortured this team is the lack of a go to offensive weapon when the main guys sit. I don't want Smart in that role. What Boston needs is a Lou Williams type to come off the bench in that 6th man role and be the focus of the offense in place of Tatum and Brown and maybe add some options in late game situations.

[zoyathedestroya]

Read on Twitter

[cloverleaf]

Read on Twitter

Room for Pritchard to grow!

[Half-Full]

No way Pritchard starts. It was obvious by the end of last year that he can’t handle the physicality of the nba. Unless he really hits the weight room he’s going to have to stick to being our sixth man.

It may have been obvious to you, but I have to disagree. Payton looked well capable of handling physicality. He's a heady player with a lot of confidence, who had a remarkable rookie season. His three point shooting is just one of the things he brings to the table. He's not afraid to take the ball into the paint, and he's a crafty finisher. He's a tenacious defender, physically resembling Fred VanVleet (same ht/wt). Check out this highlight video and tell me again that he can't handle the physicality of the NBA game.

Watch on YouTube

[captain green]

Apparently we're interested in Reggie Bullock?

[patman66]

I think that we may need a Veteran, as a Starter.
Someone who can patch up the PG hole, for a year or two.

Perhaps you're right but:

a) who is the veteran we bring in for a year or 2 who starts at PG? Rubio? Lowry? Conley? Brogdon? Lonzo? All of them are probably too expensive. A cheaper option would probably not be a guy capable of starting, so it's kind of a catch 22

b) Is Madar and/or Pritchard both really step and look good during summer league/training camp, then what? If we bring in a veteran starting PG + Smart + Pritchard + Madar and all of them are looking good, then what? Perhaps just slide Smart over to the 2 where he has played most of his career anyways - but if Smart is playing all of his mins at the 2, is there enough mins to go around for Tatum/brown/Fournier/Nesmith/Langford? Do we even resign Langford? So many things for Stevens and staff to consider..

A) I like Satoransky, actually.



B) I'd rather get a PG-filler, than take the chance on just the 3, Smart + Pritchard + Madar.

the bulls don't want TT unless the celts pay to dump him. I think they just take Sato into the tpe for free or a slight incentive from the bulls. Dinwiddie/Ball to the Bulls, Sato and the incentive from the TPE to the celts to free up 10 mill of cap.

[Parliament10]

Read on Twitter

[Fantaxp7]

I think we need a vet point guard. I don't trust Smart to be the starter.

I understand that point of view and it’s reasonable to get insurance.

However, every year the team starts out with an all star PG - IT, Kyrie, Kemba and every time team gets to ECF they are injured and Smart is called upon at the most difficult time possible to be the starting PG. Every time he has stepped up.

I for one want to see what he can do as day one starter.

I agree don't want all star PG like we've had.

I guess I have stuck in my memory a game or so when Smart looked terrible and Brad pulled him. Like he has with his shooting, he had a fancy pass or two then proceeded with two more that were picked off and Brad said enough. And then couple that with his streaky shooting/poor shot selection some times.

It may be worth experimenting with him as the starter...I just don't have a lot of faith it will work out.

[Bleeding Green]

no. We have Pritchard. Arguably the 2nd best combination of BBIQ, offense and defense on the team behind only Tatum. I think he can have a Lowry type career if given the chance and even be the #2 we sorely need. Smart is best as the 6th man. PG, with Pritchard, is set for the next 6-8 years.

Pritchard, starting and getting 32 mpg, I would expect 20-5-7 with 40% from three with above average defense. Essentially, a better VanVleet.

Here are all the NBA players who put up that statline last year:

That's the list.

[sully00]

I think we need a vet point guard. I don't trust Smart to be the starter.

I understand that point of view and it’s reasonable to get insurance.

However, every year the team starts out with an all star PG - IT, Kyrie, Kemba and every time team gets to ECF they are injured and Smart is called upon at the most difficult time possible to be the starting PG. Every time he has stepped up.

I for one want to see what he can do as day one starter.

I agree don't want all star PG like we've had.

I guess I have stuck in my memory a game or so when Smart looked terrible and Brad pulled him. Like he has with his shooting, he had a fancy pass or two then proceeded with two more that were picked off and Brad said enough. And then couple that with his streaky shooting/poor shot selection some times.

It may be worth experimenting with him as the starter...I just don't have a lot of faith it will work out.

Marcus has been playing 30 mpg for the last 8 years whether he starts or not he plays starter mins. I really don't think the issue is Smart, I know people feel he takes ill advised shots but he take fewer shots per 36 mins then just about any other perimeter player on the team he just is fearless and in the end I would rather a brick 3 attpt over a shot clock violation.

I am hesitant to want Fournier back because on the one hand it could be a cap killer from a flexibility stand point. But on the other hand a starting 5 of Smart/Fournier/Brown/Tatum/Horford could be really good if Fournier can carve out a role in a team defense. Then you have a second unit built around PP, Nesmith and Rob Will that actually could be pretty good. I feel like it is one guy short but that guy could be Parker. Larry Nance would be good as well though he kind of sucks on defense.

[Matt5]

Smart "The Cobra", or Smart "The Enigma"? Is Smart a starting PG? I don't think so. Smart is a combo guard who has received starters minutes, largely because of injury and illness. He is a good passer for a combo guard, but his assist to turnover ratio does not look like a starting PG's should. His defense is the best on the team. He bleeds green! I think that his talents have plateaued, though. I don't know whether to extend him or trade him. (My wife would shoot me, he is her favorite player.)
I just don't think that we meet our potential with him as a starting PG. If we need him to start, I hope it is as SG.

[cloverleaf]

Yes, please. 3D: Distribute, D, and Distance. Vet who can lead his team.

[Matt5]

Do you think that Schroder is a real possibility?

https://hoopshype.com/2021/08/06/sources-boston-celtics-interested-in-signing-dennis-schroeder/