What happened to that unrivaled ball movement?

[stretch]

The first half of the season, especially the first 25 games, the C's were moving the ball as well as any team since the 80s.

What happened to that? What happened to the offense? I'm not talking about the high scoring, I'm talking about the ridiculously unselfish offense that almost guaranteed that all shots were open shots.
The first half of the season, when EVERYONE wanted to prove they were extra unselfish and even made 4 or 5 extra unnecessary passes?


granted, we've evolved defensively. Even the players individually (did you see Pierce shut down and steal the ball from Amare Stoudemire in two different possessions?)

But offensively, it seems like we've regressed. If assists is any indicator, that is certainly the case


if the C's play defense like they are capable of now, AND move the ball like they did over the first 20 games, then we can surely get to the Finals. The players are there. The defense is there. We just need the ball movement on offense. Then, it won't matter if Allen and Pierce miss 20 shots or whatever...

[TheCelticTruth]

The first half of the season, especially the first 25 games, the C's were moving the ball as well as any team since the 80s.

What happened to that? What happened to the offense? I'm not talking about the high scoring, I'm talking about the ridiculously unselfish offense that almost guaranteed that all shots were open shots.
The first half of the season, when EVERYONE wanted to prove they were extra unselfish and even made 4 or 5 extra unnecessary passes?


granted, we've evolved defensively. Even the players individually (did you see Pierce shut down and steal the ball from Amare Stoudemire in two different possessions?)

But offensively, it seems like we've regressed. If assists is any indicator, that is certainly the case


if the C's play defense like they are capable of now, AND move the ball like they did over the first 20 games, then we can surely get to the Finals. The players are there. The defense is there. We just need the ball movement on offense. Then, it won't matter if Allen and Pierce miss 20 shots or whatever...

great post, stretch

at this point, im willing to chalk it up to growing pains, and making the adjustment to playing without KG and then adding him back in. the thing is, as some have observed, our excellence has mostly been in spite of the big 3 as a group because in many cases only one or two of them is at their best at a time. this is encouraging in some ways because our bench has played really well. but the bench is still feeling out their roles, and they play well together, but are functioning more as individuals at this point than the cohesive unit theyll continue to develop as, able to adapt to what the Big 3 needs game to game

[UGA Hayes]

Well I think teams have also started game planning us. I think Doc has been really good this year, but I do feel like we are getting a little predictable. I find myself knowing exactly whats going to happen before it happens, good and bad . I'd really would like to see us add some new wrinkles into the offense.

Also if I have one complaint about Doc, and I don't have many, he seems way to willing to ride out a bad shooting streak with Ray Allen. His performances have been very polarized this year. He either shoots the ball well or he shoots it poorly most of the time, not much in between. AS someone else pointed out earlier it seems to coincide with back to back, and back ends of road trips. I hope we become a bit more cognizant of that the rest of the way.

[SuperDeluxe]

Nice post stretch. I think, however, that the issue here is not that the ball is not moving. There's zero selfishness and the passing is still there. The problem, in my eyes, is that the players are not moving without the ball as they used to. Therefore, finding an open teammate is not as easy as before, and wide open shots are more rare. The reason? Maybe fatigue, but who knows? As soon as the playoffs start, these guys will find extra reserves of energy.

[bruno sundov]

In the PHO game the team played stand around and watch. that is celtics basketball of bad teams. i expect this team to correct the ship against portland and start rolling heads again. This will lead to us winning games by 10 again.

[Kids Are Alright]

The problem, in my eyes, is that the players are not moving without the ball as they used to. .

About the only evidence of that kind of thing was between TA and Perk on a couple of plays against the Suns.

That game was a painful as some of our "Allan Ray as high scorer "games last year on the offensive end.