Official Celtics 2020-21 Regular Season Thread

[Fencer reregistered]

At this rate, the J’s frustration would pile up, with the lack of help and decent bench. Lack of proper offensive system to help them score easier. They looked tired and uninspired. In a couple of years, we might end up losing them both.

Obviously, if team management goes badly over the next few seasons, they'll look to take a hike. But I don't see the point of focusing on that worry now.

I just can’t see anything good moving forward. Ainge haven’t done a thing the past deadlines to improve this team. I don’t expect him to do something now. I don’t want us to lose, but i think a blow out loss would force Ainge to do something.

Oh come on.
-- 3 ECFs in 4 years.
-- Everybody who mattered in the recent playoffs, except Kanter-vs.-Philly, still around.
-- Jays still getting a LOT better.
-- Kemba recovering.
-- Pritchard.
-- Timelord.
-- Nesmith's and Langford's flashes, esp. on defense and the boards.
-- Theis from the 3.
-- A full set of picks remaining to trade, unlike most top teams.
-- The TPEs as quasi cap room, unlike most top teams.

And some day they'll all be vaccinated and able to practice normally.

[Triple7]

Obviously, if team management goes badly over the next few seasons, they'll look to take a hike. But I don't see the point of focusing on that worry now.

I just can’t see anything good moving forward. Ainge haven’t done a thing the past deadlines to improve this team. I don’t expect him to do something now. I don’t want us to lose, but i think a blow out loss would force Ainge to do something.

Oh come on.
-- 3 ECFs in 4 years.
-- Everybody who mattered in the recent playoffs, except Kanter-vs.-Philly, still around.
-- Jays still getting a LOT better.
-- Kemba recovering.
-- Pritchard.
-- Timelord.
-- Nesmith's and Langford's flashes, esp. on defense and the boards.
-- Theis from the 3.
-- A full set of picks remaining to trade, unlike most top teams.
-- The TPEs as quasi cap room, unlike most top teams.

And some day they'll all be vaccinated and able to practice normally.

I honestly want Stevens to get fired. That’s why i feel things won’t get better moving forward, because that won’t happen anytime soon. I feel we are treadmill team with him. It doesn’t matter if we have a deep roster or this one, it’s all the same. I’m fine with a lot of guys still believes in him, but i just had it with him.

[zoyathedestroya]

Early prediction: 16th in offense, 8th in defense by All-Star break. Then we ramp it up post-ASB. Think pre-Horford days when we were just getting by 1st half of the season and we hit a higher gear towards the playoffs. We definitely won't start 10-1 (last season) or 16-2 (three seasons ago) this season.

Just some growing pains to begin the season with Kemba out, integrating the new guys, and reliance on youth off the bench. Half-court offense will be an eye sore for the most part. Easy baskets might be hard to come by if we don't sort out our ball/player movement. Defense will slip with added offensive responsibility on both Jays and Smart.

Now for my optimistic view: CHAMPIONSHIPS!

Whoever this gal/dude is, they pretty spot on with their December/preseason prognostications.

Celtics currently 16th in offensive rating and 10th in defensive rating. Only "miss" is we're struggling even with Kemba back in the lineup.

I strongly disagree about the CHAMPIONSHIPS! part. Not our year.

[bucknersrevenge]

Early prediction: 16th in offense, 8th in defense by All-Star break. Then we ramp it up post-ASB. Think pre-Horford days when we were just getting by 1st half of the season and we hit a higher gear towards the playoffs. We definitely won't start 10-1 (last season) or 16-2 (three seasons ago) this season.

Just some growing pains to begin the season with Kemba out, integrating the new guys, and reliance on youth off the bench. Half-court offense will be an eye sore for the most part. Easy baskets might be hard to come by if we don't sort out our ball/player movement. Defense will slip with added offensive responsibility on both Jays and Smart.

Now for my optimistic view: CHAMPIONSHIPS!

Whoever this gal/dude is, they pretty spot on with their December/preseason prognostications.

Celtics currently 16th in offensive rating and 10th in defensive rating. Only "miss" is we're struggling even with Kemba back in the lineup.

I strongly disagree about the CHAMPIONSHIPS! part. Not our year.

[zoyathedestroya]

BREAKING NEWS: After the win vs. the Hawks last night, the double-big combo of Thompson and Theis is no longer in the negative. In 508 possessions so far that they've been in the floor together, Celtics have outscored their opponents by 0.9 points per 100 possessions!

Watch on YouTube

I love how they attacked the changing Hawks defense here using the double-big combo. When they blitzed, they had either Theis or Thompson in the middle with an easy pass to the guy in the dunker spot or a midrange jumper. TT felt like he was Draymond Green getting the pass from Curry and lobbing to Kevon Looney/Bogut. When they zoned up, we had a big in the middle to penetrate that zone. Having Kemba attracting the double ('cos Trae can't guard a nailed-down chair) was huge late in the game.

[DoubleHappiness]

This is why the Hawks will never be a very good team with Trae as their focal point. He's worse than IT was on defense.

[Parliament10]

This is why the Hawks will never be a very good team with Trae as their focal point. He's worse than IT was on defense.

Kemba seemed to be able to stay with him fairly well.
But Trae doesn't seem to do too much on the Defensive end.

[bisme37]

Read on Twitter

[BostonCouchGM]

Read on Twitter

Gotta love the Ainge sycophants in the media. We’ve played some of the worst defenses in the league these last four games ATL twice, Wizards and Nuggets. Celebrating Kemba as if he’s “back” is hilarious. Nothing Kemba does will justify that awful contract and we aren’t winning a chip while he and it are on our roster.

[Parliament10]

Read on Twitter

Gotta love the Ainge sycophants in the media. We’ve played some of the worst defenses in the league these last four games ATL twice, Wizards and Nuggets. Celebrating Kemba as if he’s “back” is hilarious. Nothing Kemba does will justify that awful contract and we aren’t winning a chip while he and it are on our roster.

There are better posts, in which to express your disgust for this team.
I've listed a couple below.

~ Parl



How would you fix this team?
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2052444


Fire Ainge: Thanks Danny, but it's time to go
https://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2020992

[LarryBirdsFingr]

I just can’t see anything good moving forward. Ainge haven’t done a thing the past deadlines to improve this team. I don’t expect him to do something now. I don’t want us to lose, but i think a blow out loss would force Ainge to do something.

Oh come on.
-- 3 ECFs in 4 years.
-- Everybody who mattered in the recent playoffs, except Kanter-vs.-Philly, still around.
-- Jays still getting a LOT better.
-- Kemba recovering.
-- Pritchard.
-- Timelord.
-- Nesmith's and Langford's flashes, esp. on defense and the boards.
-- Theis from the 3.
-- A full set of picks remaining to trade, unlike most top teams.
-- The TPEs as quasi cap room, unlike most top teams.

And some day they'll all be vaccinated and able to practice normally.

I honestly want Stevens to get fired. That’s why i feel things won’t get better moving forward, because that won’t happen anytime soon. I feel we are treadmill team with him. It doesn’t matter if we have a deep roster or this one, it’s all the same. I’m fine with a lot of guys still believes in him, but i just had it with him.

Correct. He just can't get them over the hump. Can't win the big game.

[Half-Full]

Forgive me if someone already posted a link to this article, but I think it is on the money. There is too much hero ball being played, and there needs to be more ball movement. It's a team game, we need to play like a team.
https://www.celticsblog.com/2021/2/19/22290882/selfishness-or-schemed-against-boston-celtics-atlanta-hawks-jaylen-brown-jayson-tatum

[Half-Full]

Celtics vs Pelicans. They blow a 24 point lead, and resort to hero ball for the loss. It was the Tatum show with support from Jaylen and Kemba. So disheartening.

[Fierce1]

The solution is make personnel changes.

There will be a lot of iso ball and less ball movement if your PG is a scoring PG.

This is on Ainge.
Ainge needs to make a move to improve the team.

[Triple7]

This team is looking more like a treadmill team. It doesn’t matter who the players are. Kyrie, horford, kemba, tatum or brown. Same boring as hell offense. A lot of hero ball isos from the main players. Not much ball movement. Head scratching rotations. No consistency. No identity. Poor effort. Nothing will change as long as stevens is here. Sadly Ainge would never fire Stevens. It would be nice to get a coach that played in the nba. Billups, Cassell, Stackhouse, heck even Ewing would be better, and definitely good for the players.

[Fencer reregistered]

The solution is make personnel changes.

There will be a lot of iso ball and less ball movement if your PG is a scoring PG.

This is on Ainge.
Ainge needs to make a move to improve the team.

Every recent NBA champion has had either Steph Curry as PG or LeBron James as de facto PG, except for the one that had Kyle Lowry.

[Fierce1]

The solution is make personnel changes.

There will be a lot of iso ball and less ball movement if your PG is a scoring PG.

This is on Ainge.
Ainge needs to make a move to improve the team.

Every recent NBA champion has had either Steph Curry as PG or LeBron James as de facto PG, except for the one that had Kyle Lowry.

Steph is not pass first PG, true.
But Steph is not an iso player like Kemba.

When Steph is not open, he moves the ball.

What Kemba does is a lot of dribbling and only passes when he gets in trouble and the shot clock is about to expire.

[zoyathedestroya]

Read on Twitter

After Kyrie debacle and having too many chefs in the kitchen, Celtics wanted it this way. Have the Jays and Kemba run the show. But they're not nearly on the same level of Nets three stars. Certainly not in terms of playmaking. And recently not even in efficient shotmaking.

[Fierce1]

Only Kemba is not efficient among the 3 Celtic stars.

He's gotta go.

The sooner the better.

Celtics started the season 8-3 without Kemba.

[Fencer reregistered]

Read on Twitter

After Kyrie debacle and having too many chefs in the kitchen, Celtics wanted it this way. Have the Jays and Kemba run the show. But they're not nearly on the same level of Nets three stars. Certainly not in terms of playmaking. And recently not even in efficient shotmaking.

All the more support for the idea of always playing two of them, with the tradeoff of rarely playing all three of them (and hence making one of them into the Sixth Man). And when the one of the three who is the weakest and least versatile defender is also the one who needs the most limitations on his minutes and game count, it's obvious that he's the one who should give up the starting job.