Trail Blazers (37-23) @ Celtics (37-24) – 8:00PM, Wed, Feb. 27, 2019

[celticfan42487]

Okay, maybe, just maybe all the "Ask me July 1st" sound bites and Davis trade talks have rocked our locker room a bit, which was already shaky to begin with. Danny, care to comment?

I think that the team plays more like a Team when Kyrie is out, Everybody pitches in.
When Kyrie plays, they rely on him to be the Superstar.

There's a big part of this. I don't have the numbers, but among starting forwards in the league Horford and Tatum are 21 and 22 in 2 point FGA frquency.

Horford converts them at a 59% rate... Tatum at a 49% rate. And I think we both know Horford either shoots off the pop or low post attemps while Tatum is mainly ISO fade away or ISO pull up.

When Irving is out and they just run Brad's system Tatum gets a ton more of head start hand offs from Horford (same play we ran for IT to death and always worked) and Tatum doesn't get stuck in ISO as much because he's running downhill. It also allows the defense less time to pick off his extremely weak handle while he drives to the basket.


For what's it's worth it's good to know for starting forwards that shot 2s as frequently as Tatum or more he is NO LONGER the worst in the entire NBA. Andrew Wiggins is now the worst 2 point chucker in that category by 2 point fg% measurements.

Tatum is a bit behind Aaron Gordon and he'll unlikely catchup to make it to 3rd worst. But at least he can finish as the second worst starting 2 point chucker in the NBA. Doing Evan Turner early career proud here.

Tatum is shooting 49% on his 2s, what is the target efficiency mark we're looking for here for that to be a good shot? Is it 60%?

[mbsnmisc]

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Okay, maybe, just maybe all the "Ask me July 1st" sound bites and Davis trade talks have rocked our locker room a bit, which was already shaky to begin with. Danny, care to comment?

I think that the team plays more like a Team when Kyrie is out, Everybody pitches in.
When Kyrie plays, they rely on him to be the Superstar.

Raptors have the same issue. Forget last night's game for a second. Raptors are 13-4 without Kawhi.
He's iso heavy player and he doesn't create for others. The difference is that he hasn't created any drama regarding his FA(although undecided) and his teammates respect that. And it's possible to resign with them regardless of the season's outcome, only for this reason. They respect him and he's not an attention *****. The respect seems mutual. Raptors appear like a team with no locker issues.
Bucks have FIVE free agents at summer(everybody except giannis). Nobody talks about that. No questions, no statements, no drama.

There is a fundamental difference between having player(s) that are pending free agents and offering up half your roster (publicly) in trade. Something was wrong with this team starting in the preseason and it has manifested itself over the course of the season. I don't know if it was too many mouths to feed, or just a toxic mix of personalities, but a large portion of the blame falls directly at CBS's feet. Brad is a fine tactical coach, but in the NBA I believe that ego/personality management is a much more important skill.

I could be wrong, I am just an old man who watches the games, but I hope that Steven's achilles heel has not been exposed.

[MagicBagley18]

I think that the team plays more like a Team when Kyrie is out, Everybody pitches in.
When Kyrie plays, they rely on him to be the Superstar.

Raptors have the same issue. Forget last night's game for a second. Raptors are 13-4 without Kawhi.
He's iso heavy player and he doesn't create for others. The difference is that he hasn't created any drama regarding his FA(although undecided) and his teammates respect that. And it's possible to resign with them regardless of the season's outcome, only for this reason. They respect him and he's not an attention *****. The respect seems mutual. Raptors appear like a team with no locker issues.
Bucks have FIVE free agents at summer(everybody except giannis). Nobody talks about that. No questions, no statements, no drama.

There is a fundamental difference between having player(s) that are pending free agents and offering up half your roster (publicly) in trade. Something was wrong with this team starting in the preseason and it has manifested itself over the course of the season. I don't know if it was too many mouths to feed, or just a toxic mix of personalities, but a large portion of the blame falls directly at CBS's feet. Brad is a fine tactical coach, but in the NBA I believe that ego/personality management is a much more important skill.

I could be wrong, I am just an old man who watches the games, but I hope that Steven's achilles heel has not been exposed.

It certainly is the last piece of Stevens coaching we have yet to see if he can master-the managing of ego’s and the superstar player.
Throughout his career even at butler he has always had tough, gritty, guys who thrived off extreme effort and bought in.

We know he’s a great x&o coach and analytically he brings tremendous IQ to the game, but managing these divas, ego driven superstars of today has yet TBD. So far it looks like he’s struggling but I’d like to think given how smart he is and adaptable that going forward into next year if kyrie stays and we have another superstar next to him, he will learn from this. It’s a tall order and not easy.

[ConstableGeneva]

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[Dave_From_NB]

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I would LOVE to see what the team would look like with Wannamaker in and Rozier out.

[JJHondo17]

My name is Jimmy V (no really!) and I say: Don't give up, don't ever give up."

[Jakeopp]

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Hate to see it

[yeahM8]

I wonder how quick my eyes will start burning when watching this one

[Jakeopp]

I wonder how quick my eyes will start burning when watching this one

[Froob]

Celtics win and cover the -3 easily.

[Parliament10]

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2 Ballhandlers OUT. Looks like we need to bring up Dozier, and maybe Hunter.

[GoCeltics123]

Celtics win and cover the -3 easily.

Rozier out? Easy cover.

[ducler]

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[Celtics_History_Lesson]

The best Jake Layman play they run is called the Jake Layman Cleared For Takeoff play.

It works for him 50% of the time, but only 50% of that 50% does the player with the ball notice.

It starts in the left corner. His defender and everyone else is looking at the player with the ball. He goes through a few semi-screens as he travels around the arc. An option does occur at the top, and sometimes he is wide open to catch the ball and hit the three.

The main idea of the play is to continue on his trajectory. When he is on the right baseline then he heads to the basket. This often results in the lob pass and the huge dunk for two.

Watch on YouTube

Jake Layman is, statistically, much better this season than any player Boston drafted in his draft. Only Zizic comes close.


PER

Domantas Sabonis
Ben Simmons
Jakob Poeltl
Pascal Siakam
Ivica Zubac
Cheick Diallo
Malcolm Brogdon
Buddy Hield
Ante Zizic
Jake Layman


True Shooting %

Cheick Diallo
Domantas Sabonis
Malik Beasley
Jakob Poeltl
Pascal Siakam
Jake Layman



You would have to feel very stupid knowing the player you picked at number 45 in that draft is getting paid for the next few years to not be a Celtic, and that someone you were told was a top 10 talent in the draft was there to select and you refused to pick him and he has shown all he is a top 5/top 10 talent from that draft.

[Curmudgeon]

Especially when the kid they didn't pick is from Norwood, MA and played AAU ball for Leo Papile, who worked for the Celtics for many years.

[soxfan2003]

Okay, maybe, just maybe all the "Ask me July 1st" sound bites and Davis trade talks have rocked our locker room a bit, which was already shaky to begin with. Danny, care to comment?

I think that the team plays more like a Team when Kyrie is out, Everybody pitches in.
When Kyrie plays, they rely on him to be the Superstar.

There's a big part of this. I don't have the numbers, but among starting forwards in the league Horford and Tatum are 21 and 22 in 2 point FGA frquency.

Horford converts them at a 59% rate... Tatum at a 49% rate. And I think we both know Horford either shoots off the pop or low post attemps while Tatum is mainly ISO fade away or ISO pull up.

When Irving is out and they just run Brad's system Tatum gets a ton more of head start hand offs from Horford (same play we ran for IT to death and always worked) and Tatum doesn't get stuck in ISO as much because he's running downhill. It also allows the defense less time to pick off his extremely weak handle while he drives to the basket.


For what's it's worth it's good to know for starting forwards that shot 2s as frequently as Tatum or more he is NO LONGER the worst in the entire NBA. Andrew Wiggins is now the worst 2 point chucker in that category by 2 point fg% measurements.

Tatum is a bit behind Aaron Gordon and he'll unlikely catchup to make it to 3rd worst. But at least he can finish as the second worst starting 2 point chucker in the NBA. Doing Evan Turner early career proud here.

Tatum is shooting 49% on his 2s, what is the target efficiency mark we're looking for here for that to be a good shot? Is it 60%?

Really depends factors like how much those 2's are setting up drives to the basket that may draw fouls and whether or not those 2's are shot at the beginning of shot clock or with time nearly expiring.

[celticfan42487]

I think that the team plays more like a Team when Kyrie is out, Everybody pitches in.
When Kyrie plays, they rely on him to be the Superstar.

There's a big part of this. I don't have the numbers, but among starting forwards in the league Horford and Tatum are 21 and 22 in 2 point FGA frquency.

Horford converts them at a 59% rate... Tatum at a 49% rate. And I think we both know Horford either shoots off the pop or low post attemps while Tatum is mainly ISO fade away or ISO pull up.

When Irving is out and they just run Brad's system Tatum gets a ton more of head start hand offs from Horford (same play we ran for IT to death and always worked) and Tatum doesn't get stuck in ISO as much because he's running downhill. It also allows the defense less time to pick off his extremely weak handle while he drives to the basket.


For what's it's worth it's good to know for starting forwards that shot 2s as frequently as Tatum or more he is NO LONGER the worst in the entire NBA. Andrew Wiggins is now the worst 2 point chucker in that category by 2 point fg% measurements.

Tatum is a bit behind Aaron Gordon and he'll unlikely catchup to make it to 3rd worst. But at least he can finish as the second worst starting 2 point chucker in the NBA. Doing Evan Turner early career proud here.

Tatum is shooting 49% on his 2s, what is the target efficiency mark we're looking for here for that to be a good shot? Is it 60%?

Really depends factors like how much those 2's are setting up drives to the basket that may draw fouls and whether or not those 2's are shot at the beginning of shot clock or with time nearly expiring.

True I was thinking non layup/dunk attempts but that's an extremely relevant and good point.

[Revived]

Because everyone thinks the Celtics will lose this game, their almost guaranteed to win. Probably even in blowout fashion.

[Parliament10]

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[thelarrybirdx]

The effort during this game will tell if the team has completely checked out or not.

Really? This game will be the one that confirms that? Lol