What's with this slump?

[Fierce1]

The Celts are 8th in the league in points in the paint per game.

9th in rebounding rate, 11th DREB, 7th OREB.


So again I'm not really seeing this being a size thing.  It just doesn't bear out.


Free throws attempted per offensive play -- the Celts are down to 19th.  I think that's been a slow trend downward.


Opponent free throws attempted per offensive play -- Celts are down to 17th.  I think that's also been trending downward.


The free throws can be explained as a size issue, but I don't know if that necessarily makes sense.  Generating free throws can be a result of using size inside; it can also be a result of using speed and agility / ballhandling to create openings that force the opponent to foul you.  I think it's more a function of aggression on offense and a function of defensive cohesiveness / discipline on defense.

Because the stats don't tell the whole story.

Why are the Celts struggling to get open shots?

The stats will not show that.

Reason why the Celts are struggling right now is because NBA teams already figured out the Celts.

Celts rely too much on outside shots because they have no big man to suck in the defense.

The Suns showed us a perfect example of how to execute the inside-outside game.

When the Celts were trying to rally, Suns just pound the ball inside.

Then when the Celtic defense collapse to help inside, the Suns just kick the ball out for open 3s.

Stats will not show that.

[Fierce1]

The point of having a big man who can score inside it to keep defenses honest.

Right now opposing teams are just taking Theis and GWill for granted because they're too short to score inside the paint.

So even Theis is shooting more from the outside.

If the Celts have a big man who can score inside, Celts will get more open shots from the outside.

An inside-outside game, that's what the Celts are lacking.

Right now Celts have no diversity on offense.
It's the Kemba show or wing players jacking up outside shots.

[SparzWizard]

It sickens me that the Celtics lost to the Suns at home while the Lakers are killing the Rockets in Houston, a western conference powerhouse.

[Fierce1]

It sickens me that the Celtics lost to the Suns at home while the Lakers are killing the Rockets in Houston, a western conference powerhouse.

Are you excited for Monday's first Lakers vs. Celtics showdown this season?

[PhoSita]

The Celts are 8th in the league in points in the paint per game.

9th in rebounding rate, 11th DREB, 7th OREB.


So again I'm not really seeing this being a size thing.  It just doesn't bear out.


Free throws attempted per offensive play -- the Celts are down to 19th.  I think that's been a slow trend downward.


Opponent free throws attempted per offensive play -- Celts are down to 17th.  I think that's also been trending downward.


The free throws can be explained as a size issue, but I don't know if that necessarily makes sense.  Generating free throws can be a result of using size inside; it can also be a result of using speed and agility / ballhandling to create openings that force the opponent to foul you.  I think it's more a function of aggression on offense and a function of defensive cohesiveness / discipline on defense.

Because the stats don't tell the whole story.

Why are the Celts struggling to get open shots?

The stats will not show that.

Reason why the Celts are struggling right now is because NBA teams already figured out the Celts.

Celts rely too much on outside shots because they have no big man to suck in the defense.

The Suns showed us a perfect example of how to execute the inside-outside game.

When the Celts were trying to rally, Suns just pound the ball inside.

Then when the Celtic defense collapse to help inside, the Suns just kick the ball out for open 3s.

Stats will not show that.

How convenient!

[Tr1boy]

The Celts are 8th in the league in points in the paint per game.

9th in rebounding rate, 11th DREB, 7th OREB.


So again I'm not really seeing this being a size thing.  It just doesn't bear out.


Free throws attempted per offensive play -- the Celts are down to 19th.  I think that's been a slow trend downward.


Opponent free throws attempted per offensive play -- Celts are down to 17th.  I think that's also been trending downward.


The free throws can be explained as a size issue, but I don't know if that necessarily makes sense.  Generating free throws can be a result of using size inside; it can also be a result of using speed and agility / ballhandling to create openings that force the opponent to foul you.  I think it's more a function of aggression on offense and a function of defensive cohesiveness / discipline on defense.

Because the stats don't tell the whole story.

Why are the Celts struggling to get open shots?

The stats will not show that.

Reason why the Celts are struggling right now is because NBA teams already figured out the Celts.

Celts rely too much on outside shots because they have no big man to suck in the defense.

The Suns showed us a perfect example of how to execute the inside-outside game.

When the Celts were trying to rally, Suns just pound the ball inside.

Then when the Celtic defense collapse to help inside, the Suns just kick the ball out for open 3s.

Stats will not show that.

Tommy point x 5

After the Celts got played by the Raptors the last time they played

every other team took notice.  I sincerely believe this

Attack the Celts underneath the basket.   Drive, cuts etc. 

If the other forwards close in and try to help out, kick it out for the open shot

or fake and drive

Celts D at that point is running around like a headless chicken

Robert Williams is terribly missed right now.  This is why Danny needs to make a move asap and trade for another similar player

doesn't matter if he can shoot the 3 or has all that much skills offensively.   As long as they can protect the rim and defend the perimeter.  Maybe its a bandaid solution, but its what this team needs

[SparzWizard]

It sickens me that the Celtics lost to the Suns at home while the Lakers are killing the Rockets in Houston, a western conference powerhouse.

Are you excited for Monday's first Lakers vs. Celtics showdown this season?

Excited that it's our annual rivalry matchup, but not excited to get blown out at the Garden by these clowns.

[Kuberski33]

Injuries to key players and a busy schedule exposing the fact that they have no bench once you get past Smart & Kanter.  That's pretty much it right now.  When you look at the overall roster, it lacks talent.  And it's also starting to look like Danny may have whiffed on the 2019 draft.

[Somebody]

The posters claiming that stats don't tell the whole story but their eye test does lost all credibility by suggesting that Robert Williams is the answer to our problems

[Ogaju]

the absence of Robert Williams is costing this team big time as has already been posted.

[GreenRunsDeep33]

The point of having a big man who can score inside it to keep defenses honest.

Right now opposing teams are just taking Theis and GWill for granted because they're too short to score inside the paint.

So even Theis is shooting more from the outside.

If the Celts have a big man who can score inside, Celts will get more open shots from the outside.

An inside-outside game, that's what the Celts are lacking.

Right now Celts have no diversity on offense.
It's the Kemba show or wing players jacking up outside shots.

Spot on analysis. I've been saying for a few years. This offense is just bland and has no post up options. It's just wings running weaves and waiting for a mismatch. There is no real PnR.

I keep saying Stevens needs more NBA vet coaches on his staff. This staff isn't NBA material...college yes.

[GreenRunsDeep33]

Rob Will isn't that big of a piece. He's not the problem.

Playing Grant Williams (undersized) and Kanter (weak defensively) is killing this team when you play them together.

We need a buyout option ASAP.

Please please start playing Waters and Tacko. We're losing games and they could be getting valuable minutes in these games.

Also can we get someone to motivate these guys to start the games and after halftime to come out and not get down by 20 then make a furious comeback to only fall short. Then have to hear how they played hard and almost came back. It gets old.

[ozgod]

Rob Will isn't that big of a piece. He's not the problem.

Playing Grant Williams (undersized) and Kanter (weak defensively) is killing this team when you play them together.

We need a buyout option ASAP.

Please please start playing Waters and Tacko. We're losing games and they could be getting valuable minutes in these games.

Also can we get someone to motivate these guys to start the games and after halftime to come out and not get down by 20 then make a furious comeback to only fall short. Then have to hear how they played hard and almost came back. It gets old.

It's not just that, it's also the fact that they can't shoot from the perimeter. I saw tonight vs the Suns when Gordon drove and passed out to Kanter at the top of the key, who passed up a wide open 3 to pass to GWill also on the perimeter, who also passed up a wide open 3. It messes up our spacing.

[ozgod]

The point of having a big man who can score inside it to keep defenses honest.

Right now opposing teams are just taking Theis and GWill for granted because they're too short to score inside the paint.

So even Theis is shooting more from the outside.

If the Celts have a big man who can score inside, Celts will get more open shots from the outside.

An inside-outside game, that's what the Celts are lacking.

Right now Celts have no diversity on offense.
It's the Kemba show or wing players jacking up outside shots.

Spot on analysis. I've been saying for a few years. This offense is just bland and has no post up options. It's just wings running weaves and waiting for a mismatch. There is no real PnR.

I keep saying Stevens needs more NBA vet coaches on his staff. This staff isn't NBA material...college yes.

Unfortunately we're not going to get a big that will move the needle for everyone crying out for one. There's no KAT out there that we can get. No matter what people want Danny's not going to get rid of Hayward or Smart. We can't even get Jakob Poeltl and he scored what, 2 points against us? I think what would be more achievable is to package some of the end of bench guys for a shooter who can space the floor for us, so that we can make the most of the talent we do have. Those are easier to get than this big that everyone wants.

In any case, our issue's not scoring, it's stopping them from scoring. Our offensive rating is better in Jan (111.7) vs Oct (109.8 ) or Nov or Dec. Our defense has gone off a cliff. We're letting perimeter players light us up. That's one of the big reasons for this slump. Our offensive and defensive rating by month:

Code: [Select]

Month Off Rating Def Rating

Oct 109.8 103.3
Nov 110.9 104.9
Dec 112.6 102.3
Jan 111.7 110.8

That's a big drop in January. That's what's killing us right now.

[Stig]

Agree with the analysis that we are predictable. It’s a really unfortunate slump, we should have taken advantage of the soft schedule and cenment us at the no.2 seed, but now we’ll have to face the 2nd hardest schedule In the league for the 2nd half, while our main rivals like 76ers, heat, raptors all have easier schedule coming up, while the pacers will welcome Oladipo back. Tatum and Brown can probably kiss goodbye to their all star hope if we end up outside of the top 4 seed.