Victory Cigar!!! BOS 111, OKC 105 (9-8)

[Hal14]

Marcus Smart the last 2 games played great basketball.

He only attempted 2 3-pointers against LA and OKC.

And he was under control, made the right passes and didn't try to do too much.

That's the Marcus Smart that this Celtics team need.

and defensively he's been really good all year.

tatum said he was pissed that he didn't make all-nba last year - I think smart was pissed about not making all-defense. I think smart is extra motivated to get back on that all-defense team. especially since a bench warmer (thybulle) made it over him last year.

it's still very early, but i bet smart gets back on the all-defense team this year. obviously missing a bunch of games to injury last year hurt his chances too. knock on wood he stays healthy..

[Feed Your Head]

The ball movement lately has been insane, and they’ve left a bunch of assists on the table.

Zoya has been on this for years, but ball movement like that is contagious, and makes everyone play better.

Stevens so wanted something like this for this group. Especially when Hayward and Horford were here. I hate to think that guys just didn't listen to him, so in my mind, Tatum and Brown were just too young to get it.

We'll see how we do against the tougher defensive teams but I'm loving the recent commitment to it. None of the walk it down the court ****. None of the dancing with the dribble (or almost none). Very few one-pass possessions.

I don’t think Jaylen tries to go black hole, but he just doesn’t have the vision/feel for the game. Which makes the jumps he has made all the more impressive IMO.

Tatum on the other hand has very good vision, just had a very bad habit of taking ten years to make his move. That’s what made him so frustrating at times lol. He absolutely still gets stuck doing it too often, but it feels like night and day. And like you’ve said 100000 times, it only will make his life easier.

[TheMartian]

The ball movement lately has been insane, and they’ve left a bunch of assists on the table.

Zoya has been on this for years, but ball movement like that is contagious, and makes everyone play better.

Stevens so wanted something like this for this group. Especially when Hayward and Horford were here. I hate to think that guys just didn't listen to him, so in my mind, Tatum and Brown were just too young to get it.

We'll see how we do against the tougher defensive teams but I'm loving the recent commitment to it. None of the walk it down the court ****. None of the dancing with the dribble (or almost none). Very few one-pass possessions.

And very few ISO plays I'm seeing recently. Me likey.

[Fierce1]

Teams net rating is now +20.4 better with Smart playing as opposed to the bench. Tatum is next up at +17.3, and then Rob at +11.9.

Smart has been so, so good since the first few games.

The biggest difference is his 3pt attempts.
He only attempted 2 against LA and 2 against OKC.

Smart has also played under control lately.

He's looking like a different player from the one earlier in the season.

[zoyathedestroya]

Read on Twitter

Happy for this dude, which I kinda abandoned last season lol. PJ Tucker ceiling might be selling him short. He's only about to turn 23. Putting the ball on the floor so he can attack closeouts better is an offseason assignment for him.

[Afam]

Win

[Joshyjess]

Awesome Game!!!! OK, not really (you know I really hate 4th quarters) - BUT, they did win, and they are now over .500!!!!
If Brown comes back ready to go, and Timelord can keep from getting injured, this team might just be pretty good.
Oh, and for those who think Smart has lost a step or two - Wrong!!!!

[Shak_Celts]

Don't leave out who they are passing the ball to. The guys they are passing to may not be good shooters, but they know what to do with the ball! Most can pass, most can score, most can get their own look or pass for a great look for someone else. I'd pass to them too.

Nesmith coulda used a couple more shots, but my gosh he doesn't know where to be on offense or d a lot. I keep seeing him go to the side where one C has the corner 3 position and the other C is at the top corner when he should be at the short corner. guys either push him to keep him from running over them or yell at him to move. how is someone supposed to pass/receive with 3 defenders in such close proximity? Just messes the angle all up. He always raises his hands like he doesn't know why the guys are on him. He hasn't caught onto the switching but I don't want to be too harsh there, it took the vets a couple of games to figure out how often they should do it and on who. He still doesn't know where to be. He needs to go back to crashing the boards hard and flying around. it was still bad at times in the same way last season but the energy he brought was contagious. Needs the hustle of last season.

I hope we destroy Houston early so we can try nee and pritch again, DON'T PLAY JUANCHO!! These games are supposed to be the ones where we get them mins, we can't play the 4th the way we did (again) if they are going to get pt.

Tatum is the goat and he was tired of the disrespect. Was only a matter of time!

Schroo still good. go to the basket as much as you can because it's working! keep away from dribble dribble and we're good.

Smart steady with the passing and the d (most of his life)! Been really good since the mistake on Luka. BACK TO THE DO IT ALL DAWG!!

Jrich getting to his spot inside, no way he would be doing that with CBS, he'd only shoot treys and be really bad at it. JB was making those mid jays and he was forced to the 3 last season. I know the 3 is the better shot, but at least when you can't shoot 3s you are allowed to get to your spot inside to hit the shots you can make.

Ime is getting lost in the cred, big ups to him! Hope he keeps adding more until we look like the beast we will be! If we do this right, he will be in COY convo.

[Shak_Celts]

Read on Twitter

Happy for this dude, which I kinda abandoned last season lol. PJ Tucker ceiling might be selling him short. He's only about to turn 23. Putting the ball on the floor so he can attack closeouts better is an offseason assignment for him.

As someone said, he's been good since he broke out that 0-1000 misses slump. He didn't get an offseason last season and he looked like it, but he still shot well. People will score against him and it will make it seem like he's playing poorly, truth is it's just good o beating good d a lot of the time. Grant sets some really good screens on the low. He's so smart and underrated. I'm not saying he's great, but 7th man worthy for sure IMO!

[Shak_Celts]

Marcus Smart the last 2 games played great basketball.

He only attempted 2 3-pointers against LA and OKC.

And he was under control, made the right passes and didn't try to do too much.

That's the Marcus Smart that this Celtics team need.

and defensively he's been really good all year.

tatum said he was pissed that he didn't make all-nba last year - I think smart was pissed about not making all-defense. I think smart is extra motivated to get back on that all-defense team. especially since a bench warmer (thybulle) made it over him last year.

it's still very early, but i bet smart gets back on the all-defense team this year. obviously missing a bunch of games to injury last year hurt his chances too. knock on wood he stays healthy..

Tat deserved his money every one else is getting theirs, Ben is giving his money back, but they stiffed Tatum!

[Ed Pinkney]

Pssst…. Celtics are 7-3 in their last ten. Don’t tell anyone.

[Shak_Celts]

The ball movement lately has been insane, and they’ve left a bunch of assists on the table.

Zoya has been on this for years, but ball movement like that is contagious, and makes everyone play better.

Stevens so wanted something like this for this group. Especially when Hayward and Horford were here. I hate to think that guys just didn't listen to him, so in my mind, Tatum and Brown were just too young to get it.

We'll see how we do against the tougher defensive teams but I'm loving the recent commitment to it. None of the walk it down the court ****. None of the dancing with the dribble (or almost none). Very few one-pass possessions.

I don’t think Jaylen tries to go black hole, but he just doesn’t have the vision/feel for the game. Which makes the jumps he has made all the more impressive IMO.

Tatum on the other hand has very good vision, just had a very bad habit of taking ten years to make his move. That’s what made him so frustrating at times lol. He absolutely still gets stuck doing it too often, but it feels like night and day. And like you’ve said 100000 times, it only will make his life easier.

Not a black hole like a dancer, but he quickly goes for his own when he gets it. So, black hole-ish or lite.

[return2glory]

Good win. Didn't love the 4th quarter. This should have been a 20 point win.

VC was a toss up for me between Tatum and Schroder. They were both great. I went with Schroder because we expect games like this from Tatum. Tatum was a close 2nd for me.

Where would we be without Schroder right now? He has emerged as the 3rd best player on this team behind Tatum and Brown.

Al with a good game too.

Grant Williams with a really good game with 14 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks.

My guy Kanter with 10 points and 10 rebounds to go along with 2 blocks in 17 minutes was huge for us off the bench.

Looks like Romeo got hurt again since he didn't play in the 2nd half.

Nesmith looked lost and was really bad in his 10 minutes.

[return2glory]

So far this year, Grant Williams has been the Celtics best draft pick in the last 3 years from Romeo, Grant, Nesmith and Pritchard. I'm not counting Desmond Bane because we didn't keep him.

Grant is slowly becoming the player I had hoped he would be when we drafted him out of Tennessee. I still think he can and will improve some more, but he has made some nice progress. He is still 22 for another week.

[return2glory]

Schroder is now averaging 18 ppg for the season, on 45% shooting from the field and 90% from the line.

It gets better over the last 7 games. Schroder in his last 7 games is averaging 23.6 points on 55% shooting from the field; knock on wood. He has been huge for Boston.

[exculpatory]

If Menace keeps this incredible level of play up, keeps the TOs down & does not revert to ‘dribble dribble dribble’, PAY HIM a front loaded contract for 4 years!

[Fierce1]

If Menace keeps this incredible level of play up, keeps the TOs down & does not revert to ‘dribble dribble dribble’, PAY HIM a front loaded contract for 4 years!

Can't be done because of cap rules.

[Triple M]

The ball movement is my VC. Not only was it refreshing to see but I was literally in agreement with every decision durining the run in the 3rd quarter

[exculpatory]

If Menace keeps this incredible level of play up, keeps the TOs down & does not revert to ‘dribble dribble dribble’, PAY HIM a front loaded contract for 4 years!

Can't be done because of cap rules.

Kill joy! Lol.

Impractical delusions are the spice of lifel

[robbie84]

Stevens so wanted something like this for this group. Especially when Hayward and Horford were here. I hate to think that guys just didn't listen to him, so in my mind, Tatum and Brown were just too young to get it.

We'll see how we do against the tougher defensive teams but I'm loving the recent commitment to it. None of the walk it down the court ****. None of the dancing with the dribble (or almost none). Very few one-pass possessions.

I don’t think Jaylen tries to go black hole, but he just doesn’t have the vision/feel for the game. Which makes the jumps he has made all the more impressive IMO.

Tatum on the other hand has very good vision, just had a very bad habit of taking ten years to make his move. That’s what made him so frustrating at times lol. He absolutely still gets stuck doing it too often, but it feels like night and day. And like you’ve said 100000 times, it only will make his life easier.

Not a black hole like a dancer, but he quickly goes for his own when he gets it. So, black hole-ish or lite.

I can't look it up here, but at least 5 of them would be without Brown right?