Boston Is Surging & They Got Better Thursday

[Lockdown504090]

i think itl be good, i cant wait to watch them all together myself.

[Bornstellar]

It's been 1 game

[steefP2]

Goddamn jinx

[TheBobster]

Yes, good enough for 7th in the East. Congratulations.

[steefP2]

Also while I don’t think it’s outlandish the Celtics will end up with the best defensive rating, the cavs, suns and warriors will be right behind us if at all.

[Wallace_Wallace]

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2022.html

Far as defensive rating goes, the Warriors are #1 at 104.2, while the Celtics (105.8) ahead the Cavs and the Suns by 0.1 and 0.3. Statistically, they are a very, very good defensive team but they are pretty close comparing to other tops defenses.

If I really have to choose, the Suns are the most solid defense in the league. I still don't think Kevon Looney and Draymond Green (at his age) can protect the rim better than Ayton/McGee/Biyombo while both perimeter defenses are top notch.

[celticfan42487]

I know your argument rests on White and Smart playing together for long periods of a time but that pairing has a flaw which might hurt their defense...

Part of good defense is not giving up transition buckets.

Part of not getting transition buckets is making buckets on offense and not giving up transition opportunities.

Those two are good but riddle me this, what other NBA has a PG and SG starting who shoot:

FG% 41 & 43
3P% 31 and 32

Don't get me wrong, maybe Smart and White are the Celtics version of Caruso and Ball but that's not worthy of saying it's the best and "not even close".

Because due to their similar weaknesses of spacing and shooting they might not even be a good combination on the court for long periods of time which is your entire premise of the why they'll elevate the defense dramatically above it's current level.

[Triple M]

It's been 1 game

even before the trade they were playing good defense

#2 in Defensive net rating. White seems like the perfect match for their defense too.

I wouldn't be making declarative statements though

[Madhouse]

definitely a thread that will get bumped at some point but their defense is very good, yes.

[steefP2]

I know your argument rests on White and Smart playing together for long periods of a time but that pairing has a flaw which might hurt their defense...

Part of good defense is not giving up transition buckets.

Part of not getting transition buckets is making buckets on offense and not giving up transition opportunities.

Those two are good but riddle me this, what other NBA has a PG and SG starting who shoot:

FG% 41 & 43
3P% 31 and 32

Don't get me wrong, maybe Smart and White are the Celtics version of Caruso and Ball but that's not worthy of saying it's the best and "not even close".

Because due to their similar weaknesses of spacing and shooting they might not even be a good combination on the court for long periods of time which is your entire premise of the why they'll elevate the defense dramatically above it's current level.

Fwiw smart is shooting 37% from 3 in his last 25 games and white is shooting 39% from deep in that same time span. Furthermore White has been shooting 22% from the corners for the season (35% on non corners 3’s) while in previous seasons being much more accurate from that spot. I’m not saying they’ll be curry from downtown rest if the season, just that their early struggles might suppress their actual shooting ability. I’d expect league average going forward, which again is not amazing but serviceable.

[Triple M]

I know your argument rests on White and Smart playing together for long periods of a time but that pairing has a flaw which might hurt their defense...

Part of good defense is not giving up transition buckets.

Part of not getting transition buckets is making buckets on offense and not giving up transition opportunities.

Those two are good but riddle me this, what other NBA has a PG and SG starting who shoot:

FG% 41 & 43
3P% 31 and 32

Don't get me wrong, maybe Smart and White are the Celtics version of Caruso and Ball but that's not worthy of saying it's the best and "not even close".

Because due to their similar weaknesses of spacing and shooting they might not even be a good combination on the court for long periods of time which is your entire premise of the why they'll elevate the defense dramatically above it's current level.

Fwiw smart is shooting 37% from 3 in his last 25 games and white is shooting 39% from deep in that same time span. Furthermore White has been shooting 22% from the corners for the season (35% on non corners 3’s) while in previous seasons being much more accurate from that spot. I’m not saying they’ll be curry from downtown rest if the season, just that their early struggles might suppress their actual shooting ability. I’d expect league average going forward, which again is not amazing but serviceable.

as long as they keep the ball moving you have to hope that the shooting will follow, especially for the bench players

[celticfan42487]

I know your argument rests on White and Smart playing together for long periods of a time but that pairing has a flaw which might hurt their defense...

Part of good defense is not giving up transition buckets.

Part of not getting transition buckets is making buckets on offense and not giving up transition opportunities.

Those two are good but riddle me this, what other NBA has a PG and SG starting who shoot:

FG% 41 & 43
3P% 31 and 32

Don't get me wrong, maybe Smart and White are the Celtics version of Caruso and Ball but that's not worthy of saying it's the best and "not even close".

Because due to their similar weaknesses of spacing and shooting they might not even be a good combination on the court for long periods of time which is your entire premise of the why they'll elevate the defense dramatically above it's current level.

Fwiw smart is shooting 37% from 3 in his last 25 games and white is shooting 39% from deep in that same time span. Furthermore White has been shooting 22% from the corners for the season (35% on non corners 3’s) while in previous seasons being much more accurate from that spot. I’m not saying they’ll be curry from downtown rest if the season, just that their early struggles might suppress their actual shooting ability. I’d expect league average going forward, which again is not amazing but serviceable.

as long as they keep the ball moving you have to hope that the shooting will follow, especially for the bench players

All good but it's a fair question.

Shooting is a talent, and there has to be a reason why we don't see players with those averages starting in backcourts.

The defense for the Celtics is already great and I was more giving a reason why this isn't a match made in heaven to elevate it to "best in the league now and not even close" level.

Also traditionally it's bigs regardless that have the largest level impact on defense. Like if we traded for a KG or Greek Freak or AD and put him next to Rob Williams I get why one might now say it's not even close.

There is something to be said though about good offense not giving up transition opportunities and not allowing an offense even get into transition. Our team has a trademark 3 this year of missing open shots and lacking shooting ability and we traded for a 29% and 31% 3 point shooter trading away a 35% and 40% 3 point shooter to do so...

So even if both of Smart and White's numbers go up, is it really going to make up for that discrepancy on a team that desperately needed more shooting talent as is? That's like 40% 3 point shooting by both levels to do so (I know Pritchard will help and required to get minutes but that also hurt the defense in return and so the circle goes round and round when you're speaking of non all-star level players)

Just giving a valid point as to why White and Smart aren't anyone's ideas of all-stars and how their weaknesses do negatively affect their strengths on the court. They're role players on good teams, not the foundational piece for why a team is one way or another.

[steefP2]

Fwiw smart is shooting 37% from 3 in his last 25 games and white is shooting 39% from deep in that same time span. Furthermore White has been shooting 22% from the corners for the season (35% on non corners 3’s) while in previous seasons being much more accurate from that spot. I’m not saying they’ll be curry from downtown rest if the season, just that their early struggles might suppress their actual shooting ability. I’d expect league average going forward, which again is not amazing but serviceable.

as long as they keep the ball moving you have to hope that the shooting will follow, especially for the bench players

All good but it's a fair question.

Shooting is a talent, and there has to be a reason why we don't see players with those averages starting.

The defense for the Celtics is already great and I was more giving a reason why this isn't a match made in heaven to elevate it to "best in the league now and not even close" level.

Also traditionally it's bigs regardless that have the largest level impact on defense. Like if we traded for a KG or Greek Freak or AD and put him next to Rob Williams I get why one might now say it's not even close.

There is something to be said though about good offense not giving up transition opportunities and not allowing an offense even get into transition. Our team has a trademark 3 this year of missing open shots and lacking shooting ability and we traded for a 29% and 31% 3 point shooter trading away a 35% and 40% 3 point shooter to do so...

So even if both of Smart and White's numbers go up, is it really going to make up for that discrepancy on a team that desperately needed more shooting talent as is? That's like 40% 3 point shooting by both levels to do so (I know Pritchard will help and required to get minutes but that also hurt the defense in return and so the circle goes round and round when you're speaking of non all-star level players)

Just giving a valid point as to why White and Smart aren't anyone's ideas of all-stars and how their weaknesses do negatively affect their strengths on the court. They're role players on good teams, not the foundational piece for why a team is one way or another.

While I certainly won’t argue smart or white as all star caliber players or the like, I feel obliged to point out that the nr 1 transition defense are the San Antonio spurs, where white recently was acquired from. Of course the spurs shoot the least amount of 3’s in the whole league so there might be something to the “less long rebounds” theory of it all.

[PhilBlackson]

White looks like he's gonna be a nice addition.

Long term I'd see what him, Smart & RW + some picks could net ie/ a 3rd star maybe?!?

[Scarletfire81]

White looks like he's gonna be a nice addition.

Long term I'd see what him, Smart & RW + some picks could net ie/ a 3rd star maybe?!?

Zero chance RWIII is traded.

[robbie84]

White looks like he's gonna be a nice addition.

Long term I'd see what him, Smart & RW + some picks could net ie/ a 3rd star maybe?!?

Williams is looking like the 3rd star.
Dudes a monster.

[robbie84]

White was an epic pick up. Locked up long term. Adds size, IQ, shooting, defensive impact.
His shooting has been off this year, but his looks will be wide open playing off Brown and Tatum.
Theis was a solid pick up. We don't need Schroeder with White and after losing Enes, we now have a legitimate back up big man who knows our system like the back of his hand.
I'm amazed at how quickly people forget Theis' defensive impact.
We've shored up our bench/ playoff rotation and shed a bunch of bench trash and now have more roster spots to give guys like Hauser and Valentine some opportunity- aswell as more minutes for Nesmith and Pritchard.

Excellent deadline by Brad.

[OrangeBlueSkies]

I’ve seen far worse threads on this board. Triple M needs to get that stick out his ass

Nothing against you

I just like when there is no attention on the Celtics.

You are quite pathetic.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

Come on, man. Personal attacks are not allowed. -b

i feel like im the most reasonable die hard fan. ill admit when my team is playing like hefty, and ill admit when another team is playing better/improving from the start of regular season.

[Joshyjess]

Going into the all-star after losing to Detroit was kind of a major Buzz-kill. Hopefully when they pick things up again, that will be nothing more than just a bad memory that they are able to ignore.

[Mickey8]

They can win the East.