Around the NBA (Non-Celtics) 2020-21, Part 1

[Theocy]

OK seems like many posters on here have NO Idea how coaches can make or kill a player's confidence.

So here is an example. The NYK have sucked for ever? They get a New coach (Thibs) and are very lean on talent. They have Julius Randle, who most would agree, has not been living up to any High expectations in the NBA he had. But Thibs is forced to try something with what he has. And he has decided to run his offense through Randle. (even more so since their rookie lottery pick is out)

Randle's response. 28 pts 17 rbs 9 asts and a victory on the Road. One game, you may ask. Randle is averaging 21 pts, 10.2 rbs and 7 asts through 7 games. Still while shooting a very amazing 49+50% from FG and 3.

Of course this is a small sample size and probably won't hold up. But it should be a fact or near fact that players when given "more opportunity" and a TRUE green light, they play better.

Just look at our own Tatum. J Brown. Less "stars" to share the ball with and they are destroying. Might say the same for Rozier as well. Look what Stevens did for IT, when IT spent most of his career as backup-no one special player. But when Stevens gave him FULL control and confidence, he damn near became a top 3 MVP candidate that year.

The flip side can also occur. Especially with young players. A young player misses a shot, or a rotation, boom, the coach takes him out. very few players can excel with that type of situation. Only after Real opportunity comes, can a player grow.

Miami proved last year, if you give a player, even a rookie, some real opportunity, and LET HIM GROW. the team will be rewarded in the long term.

Why Brad Stevens continues NOT to see that is mind-boggling to me. (see Timelord and Nesmith)

My man RWilliams is averaging 16mpg. I think cbs is actually doing a good job on this guy slowly showing him the ropes. He will probably hit the 19mpg mark by the end of the regular season. He isn't there yet and let's be honest TT offers more robustness. Theis on his good day can be very good indeed. This is probably his last year being number 2 in the pecking order.

Neismith has been terrible he needs time we are a top 4 Eastern conference team we can't just expect players to start over more ready to go options. Still, with all the negative comments look at how Jaylen and Jason have matured into starters under the cbs tutelage.

[ParticleMan]

OK seems like many posters on here have NO Idea how coaches can make or kill a player's confidence.

So here is an example. The NYK have sucked for ever? They get a New coach (Thibs) and are very lean on talent. They have Julius Randle, who most would agree, has not been living up to any High expectations in the NBA he had. But Thibs is forced to try something with what he has. And he has decided to run his offense through Randle. (even more so since their rookie lottery pick is out)

Randle's response. 28 pts 17 rbs 9 asts and a victory on the Road. One game, you may ask. Randle is averaging 21 pts, 10.2 rbs and 7 asts through 7 games. Still while shooting a very amazing 49+50% from FG and 3.

Of course this is a small sample size and probably won't hold up. But it should be a fact or near fact that players when given "more opportunity" and a TRUE green light, they play better.

Just look at our own Tatum. J Brown. Less "stars" to share the ball with and they are destroying. Might say the same for Rozier as well. Look what Stevens did for IT, when IT spent most of his career as backup-no one special player. But when Stevens gave him FULL control and confidence, he damn near became a top 3 MVP candidate that year.

The flip side can also occur. Especially with young players. A young player misses a shot, or a rotation, boom, the coach takes him out. very few players can excel with that type of situation. Only after Real opportunity comes, can a player grow.

Miami proved last year, if you give a player, even a rookie, some real opportunity, and LET HIM GROW. the team will be rewarded in the long term.

Why Brad Stevens continues NOT to see that is mind-boggling to me. (see Timelord and Nesmith)

LOL we all realize this. But giving guys unearned minutes is also bad -- see Walker, Antoine. What you're maybe not appreciating is that a lot of development happens behind the scenes, not necessarily only in actual games. Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it isn't happening.

That means that when a guy suddenly gets minutes or a new role and succeeds at it, it doesn't mean he would have had that same success if you gave him the same role a month ago, a year ago, or 3 years ago. It's a process, particularly for players who don't come in NBA-ready. Case in point, you use Julius Randle, 6 year vet, as your example. If Thibs gave him that role as a 1st or 2nd year player it would have been a disaster, most likely. It's not because coaches are clueless idiots, it's because they see a lot more of players than fans.

Brad plays young guys when they earn minutes. Grant earned them last year. Pritchard earned them right away. TL has taken a while but he is earning them every time out. Tatum also earned them immediately, but JB took a year to earn serious minutes. The young guys have to prove they contribute more to winning than guys in front of them. It's a simple concept, really. This is particularly true on a team that isn't some tanking lotto squad like ours. We want young guys to play, sure, but we also want to win games.

Semi Ojeleye is much-maligned but he has definable skills, plays within himself, and rarely makes mental mistakes. Similarly, Tague was able to get minutes right away because he does the right things out there. We all hate Theis's crazy fouls but he does a lot of good things out there defensively, as you can see by his advanced stats last year. Tristan similarly gives us what we need in terms or rebounding and toughness. These are all aspects that contribute to winning. TL contributes in different ways, but he still has to clear that bar. I strongly disagree with the idea that if we had just force-fed him minutes as a rookie he'd have progressed much faster. But we sure would have lost more games.

[playa-hater]

OK seems like many posters on here have NO Idea how coaches can make or kill a player's confidence.

So here is an example. The NYK have sucked for ever? They get a New coach (Thibs) and are very lean on talent. They have Julius Randle, who most would agree, has not been living up to any High expectations in the NBA he had. But Thibs is forced to try something with what he has. And he has decided to run his offense through Randle. (even more so since their rookie lottery pick is out)

Randle's response. 28 pts 17 rbs 9 asts and a victory on the Road. One game, you may ask. Randle is averaging 21 pts, 10.2 rbs and 7 asts through 7 games. Still while shooting a very amazing 49+50% from FG and 3.

Of course this is a small sample size and probably won't hold up. But it should be a fact or near fact that players when given "more opportunity" and a TRUE green light, they play better.

Just look at our own Tatum. J Brown. Less "stars" to share the ball with and they are destroying. Might say the same for Rozier as well. Look what Stevens did for IT, when IT spent most of his career as backup-no one special player. But when Stevens gave him FULL control and confidence, he damn near became a top 3 MVP candidate that year.

The flip side can also occur. Especially with young players. A young player misses a shot, or a rotation, boom, the coach takes him out. very few players can excel with that type of situation. Only after Real opportunity comes, can a player grow.

Miami proved last year, if you give a player, even a rookie, some real opportunity, and LET HIM GROW. the team will be rewarded in the long term.

Why Brad Stevens continues NOT to see that is mind-boggling to me. (see Timelord and Nesmith)

LOL we all realize this. But giving guys unearned minutes is also bad -- see Walker, Antoine. What you're maybe not appreciating is that a lot of development happens behind the scenes, not necessarily only in actual games. Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it isn't happening.

That means that when a guy suddenly gets minutes or a new role and succeeds at it, it doesn't mean he would have had that same success if you gave him the same role a month ago, a year ago, or 3 years ago. It's a process, particularly for players who don't come in NBA-ready. Case in point, you use Julius Randle, 6 year vet, as your example. If Thibs gave him that role as a 1st or 2nd year player it would have been a disaster, most likely. It's not because coaches are clueless idiots, it's because they see a lot more of players than fans.

Brad plays young guys when they earn minutes. Grant earned them last year. Pritchard earned them right away. TL has taken a while but he is earning them every time out. Tatum also earned them immediately, but JB took a year to earn serious minutes. The young guys have to prove they contribute more to winning than guys in front of them. It's a simple concept, really. This is particularly true on a team that isn't some tanking lotto squad like ours. We want young guys to play, sure, but we also want to win games.

Semi Ojeleye is much-maligned but he has definable skills, plays within himself, and rarely makes mental mistakes. Similarly, Tague was able to get minutes right away because he does the right things out there. We all hate Theis's crazy fouls but he does a lot of good things out there defensively, as you can see by his advanced stats last year. Tristan similarly gives us what we need in terms or rebounding and toughness. These are all aspects that contribute to winning. TL contributes in different ways, but he still has to clear that bar. I strongly disagree with the idea that if we had just force-fed him minutes as a rookie he'd have progressed much faster. But we sure would have lost more games.

For Bold #1, Grant Williams started out terrible. 0-25 remember, his defense was never good man to man. But he knew how to switch I guess. Other than that, he had a very unearned opportunity.

Bold #2. Semi has a few seasons to prove himself. I don't care what a small sample size of playing well now means. It is fools Gold. He absolutely crumbles when games, defenses get tougher. Remember Boston's bench last year was worst in the NBA in scoring. Nuff said.

Bold #3 TL does more than contribute in "different ways" he clearly out plays Theis. My eyes say that and so do the numbers. Yet last year in the playoffs, RW sometimes played behind both Theis and Kanter.

You can try to twist any thing you want to justify Stevens' coaching decisions/development. Fine No problem. That's what posting on here is for. But nothing will change my mind on this debate. HS, AAU, College and in the NBA, I have seen/experienced far too many examples of coaching strategies that have worked or failed under these circumstances.

[The_Ghost_of_JB]

Randle is absolutely killing it this year. 22/11/7 50% shooting 40% three point shooting.

I said before the draft that the Celtics should have picked him instead of Smart.

[Theocy]

Randle is absolutely killing it this year. 22/11/7 50% shooting 40% three point shooting.

I said before the draft that the Celtics should have picked him instead of Smart.

Randle would be a nice addition to this team. But your comment is rather odd. It took him 6 years to amount to something possitive. In the mean time smart has been a net possitive for 3 years now.

[zoyathedestroya]

Just saw the WT... Exum is injured again?? Has this guy ever been healthy for one full month in his career?

[Darthlukey]

Hayward going HAM tonight! Good to see, even if its not for us

[itrsteve]

Hayward going HAM tonight! Good to see, even if its not for us

I’m glad to see it for him.

[Half-Full]

Just saw the WT... Exum is injured again?? Has this guy ever been healthy for one full month in his career?

Injuries taking their toll across the NBA. Markelle Fultz out for the year with torn ACL. Killian Hayes and Darius Garland out with injuries as well.

[MagicBagley18]

Hayward w 45 beal with 60 and an L

[Bleeding Green]

Hawks are like Suns last year where everyone thought they were suddenly good.

[BRUNiNHO91]

Hayward going HAM tonight! Good to see, even if its not for us

I’m glad to see it for him.

Perfect situation for him. Big money, no pressure on a losing team where he can be the man and put up huge numbers as a probable 9th seed.

[Shak_Celts]

Hayward going HAM tonight! Good to see, even if its not for us

I’m glad to see it for him.

Perfect situation for him. Big money, no pressure on a losing team where he can be the man and put up huge numbers as a probable 9th seed.

they can get in as a 9th seed if they win the play in to get to 8th. they also could be better than 9th before then.

[playa-hater]

Wow..Hali is killing fo0r Sac right now..15 points in the 4th on 6 for 7 and counting.. He wasn't available for when Boston selected, But he is an absoluteSolid player .. And yet if Boston did draft him would we even have drafted PP?

[Shak_Celts]

Wow..Hali is killing fo0r Sac right now..15 points in the 4th on 6 for 7 and counting.. He wasn't available for when Boston selected, But he is an absoluteSolid player .. And yet if Boston did draft him would we even have drafted PP?

I wish people wouldn't talk about him because I was so happy we were about to get him, i just KNEW we were, then sactown said, "NOT TUHDAY!" I almost cried.

[playa-hater]

Wow..Hali is killing fo0r Sac right now..15 points in the 4th on 6 for 7 and counting.. He wasn't available for when Boston selected, But he is an absoluteSolid player .. And yet if Boston did draft him would we even have drafted PP?

I wish people wouldn't talk about him because I was so happy we were about to get him, i just KNEW we were, then sactown said, "NOT TUHDAY!" I almost cried.

Ok..I wont talk about him..we can still talk about our ROY candidate..

[Shak_Celts]

Wow..Hali is killing fo0r Sac right now..15 points in the 4th on 6 for 7 and counting.. He wasn't available for when Boston selected, But he is an absoluteSolid player .. And yet if Boston did draft him would we even have drafted PP?

I wish people wouldn't talk about him because I was so happy we were about to get him, i just KNEW we were, then sactown said, "NOT TUHDAY!" I almost cried.

Ok..I wont talk about him..we can still talk about our ROY candidate..

could have had both because let wyc tell it, danny was picking pritch no matter what.

[playa-hater]

I wish people wouldn't talk about him because I was so happy we were about to get him, i just KNEW we were, then sactown said, "NOT TUHDAY!" I almost cried.

Ok..I wont talk about him..we can still talk about our ROY candidate..

could have had both because let wyc tell it, danny was picking pritch no matter what.

You really beat me to this in like 20 seconds I was going to say the same. Can you imagine how good those 2 would play together. We would not have had to pick up Jeff Teague as well..

[playa-hater]

Sed Bey 20 points, 6 -10 from 3 and team leading 10 rebounds,all while coming off the bench..

My top 4.players at 14 were Precious, S Bey , P Williams, and Nesmith.. 3 of the 4 looking good.. 1 not even getting a look..sadly

[GoGreen]

It pains me seeing Bey tear it up while Nesmith can't even make the court. Still hopeful for him, but ouch.

At least Payton is looking good