Celtics Regular Season News

[Neurotic Guy]

Post game.

“I think that’s what we need,” Brown said, “I think we just need everybody to be on the same page and everybody to come out with the right effort. That’s 85 percent of the battle right there. We come out, we play hard and then we’re on the same page and the rest will take care of itself. We got enough talent in the locker room to beat teams. But if we’re not on the same page and we’re not playing hard, those are when we get ourselves in trouble. “So making sure, before the game, at film and shootaround, talking to everybody, touching everybody, letting everybody know that, ‘Hey, we’re not here to play around.’ We didn’t come to Cleveland for the weather, so let’s go.” ago – via The Athletic

Not that it’s implied, but this excellent quote makes me wonder if there is anyone in particular who doesn’t come out with the requisite effort, isn’t on ‘the same page’.  I like the sound of the seriousness of Brown’s statement. 

[Who]

Colin Cowherd ripping Tatum today. Saying he is not a true franchise player. That Boston have "two Pippens" in Tatum & Jaylen.

In particular, he is knocking BOS home-court record in the playoffs over the last few years. .500 for last 3 years. Saying that should not happen for an elite team. Should not happen to an elite star on a top team. That Tatum is not the guy.

Cowherd does not like Tatum's personality. Does not trash talk enough, does not have an edge, spikiness. He is more "let the game come to him" type of guy. His energy is too low end for a main guy. Says there are times where it looks like Jaylen wants the ball more than Tatum to make the play in difficult situations.

--------------------------------------

Jason Timpf agreeing with Cowherd. Tatum "very very good" but not quite there. Not a top 3 guy. And all the previous title teams since 2014 have had a top 3 player. Tatum is the question mark.

Timpf belives the lack of great first step to get to the rim and being an inconsistent shooter stops Tatum from being a top scorer. They were both talking about how Tatum has shot under 45% in 7 of the 8 playoff games so far (for context). Timpf was saying something similar about Towns in his criticisms about him earlier in the chat.

---------------------------------------

I liked one of the points Cowherd was making at the end. He was talking about team construction. How teams play. They tell you who they are.

He was talking about Boston and "vibes". Whose night is it tonight. The team switches to different guys depending on who has the hot hand. That there are nights were it feels like Porzingis' team. Jaylen's team. Tatum's team. But there is also ... this lack of clear direction of who they are and what they do when the chips are down. Where does the ball go. Who takes over the game.

He went a bit further than that and said this showed a distrust in Tatum's ability to take over games / a playoff series. I wouldn't go that far. I do like the underlying point really about hierarchy. And how that lack of clear direction causes some of the team's post-season failures over the last few years. And it is still there this year. We just aren't playing good opponents. We're bad opponents. It hasn't mattered. But that lack of clear direction is still there.

[radiohead]

https://x.com/Marc_DAmico/status/1787900530821382636

This is amazing.

[kraidstar]

Colin Cowherd ripping Tatum today. Saying he is not a true franchise player. That Boston have "two Pippens" in Tatum & Jaylen.

In particular, he is knocking BOS home-court record in the playoffs over the last few years. .500 for last 3 years. Saying that should not happen for an elite team. Should not happen to an elite star on a top team. That Tatum is not the guy.

Cowherd does not like Tatum's personality. Does not trash talk enough, does not have an edge, spikiness. He is more "let the game come to him" type of guy. His energy is too low end for a main guy. Says there are times where it looks like Jaylen wants the ball more than Tatum to make the play in difficult situations.

--------------------------------------

Jason Timpf agreeing with Cowherd. Tatum "very very good" but not quite there. Not a top 3 guy. And all the previous title teams since 2014 have had a top 3 player. Tatum is the question mark.

Timpf belives the lack of great first step to get to the rim and being an inconsistent shooter stops Tatum from being a top scorer. They were both talking about how Tatum has shot under 45% in 7 of the 8 playoff games so far (for context). Timpf was saying something similar about Towns in his criticisms about him earlier in the chat.

---------------------------------------

I liked one of the points Cowherd was making at the end. He was talking about team construction. How teams play. They tell you who they are.

He was talking about Boston and "vibes". Whose night is it tonight. The team switches to different guys depending on who has the hot hand. That there are nights were it feels like Porzingis' team. Jaylen's team. Tatum's team. But there is also ... this lack of clear direction of who they are and what they do when the chips are down. Where does the ball go. Who takes over the game.

He went a bit further than that and said this showed a distrust in Tatum's ability to take over games / a playoff series. I wouldn't go that far. I do like the underlying point really about hierarchy. And how that lack of clear direction causes some of the team's post-season failures over the last few years. And it is still there this year. We just aren't playing good opponents. We're bad opponents. It hasn't mattered. But that lack of clear direction is still there.

Cowherd is both right and wrong. He's right that Tatum is not an MVP-caliber consistent scoring talent. But he's underselling the rest of Tatum's game.

Kevin Garnett was nowhere near as good an offensive player as Tatum and he led a team to a title. Same with Duncan. I'd argue Kawhi Leonard isn't/wasn't a true top-tier scorer. Giannis and Embiid have limitations despite their strengths.

But those guys were all elite defenders,  and so is Tatum. He is outright spectacular, actually, especially considering how much of the offensive load he carries.

People comment on how amazing it is that he grabs so many rebounds.

But it isn't.

The kid is BIG, strong, long, and is ferocious in the defensive paint. And he's just so versatile. He's a problem for the other team no matter where he is on the court.

There's a reason the Celtics make it so deep every year despite their sometimes bizarre offensive meltdowns: they play great defense, and Tatum is at the heart of it.

Which makes their chokes all the more conspicuous. When Tatum and the Celtics get tight, they not only miss shots but they miss defensive assignments,  and then things can get ugly.

Because it's all about mindset. You don't need top-3 scoring ability to win. You need that underdog fire,  good offensive depth, and you dominate physically until you win. That's what Russell's Celtics did. And Duncan's Spurs.

When Tatum comes out angry we win. He needs to tap into that fire every quarter of every playoff game. When he's engaged he inspires others, regardless if his shot is falling. When he's moping, sagging his shoulders, complaining, he deflates the team. When he and Brown walk the ball up the court in the 4th, anxiously looking up at the clock, it deflates the team. It's not about the rah-rah stuff or having MJ-levels of natural sociopathy. It's about projecting that animal energy that you're going to fight for every moment of every play.

He can do it, we've seen it. We just need to see it more often.

[BitterJim]

Colin Cowherd ripping Tatum today. Saying he is not a true franchise player. That Boston have "two Pippens" in Tatum & Jaylen.

In particular, he is knocking BOS home-court record in the playoffs over the last few years. .500 for last 3 years. Saying that should not happen for an elite team. Should not happen to an elite star on a top team. That Tatum is not the guy.

Cowherd does not like Tatum's personality. Does not trash talk enough, does not have an edge, spikiness. He is more "let the game come to him" type of guy. His energy is too low end for a main guy. Says there are times where it looks like Jaylen wants the ball more than Tatum to make the play in difficult situations.

--------------------------------------

Jason Timpf agreeing with Cowherd. Tatum "very very good" but not quite there. Not a top 3 guy. And all the previous title teams since 2014 have had a top 3 player. Tatum is the question mark.

Timpf belives the lack of great first step to get to the rim and being an inconsistent shooter stops Tatum from being a top scorer. They were both talking about how Tatum has shot under 45% in 7 of the 8 playoff games so far (for context). Timpf was saying something similar about Towns in his criticisms about him earlier in the chat.

---------------------------------------

I liked one of the points Cowherd was making at the end. He was talking about team construction. How teams play. They tell you who they are.

He was talking about Boston and "vibes". Whose night is it tonight. The team switches to different guys depending on who has the hot hand. That there are nights were it feels like Porzingis' team. Jaylen's team. Tatum's team. But there is also ... this lack of clear direction of who they are and what they do when the chips are down. Where does the ball go. Who takes over the game.

He went a bit further than that and said this showed a distrust in Tatum's ability to take over games / a playoff series. I wouldn't go that far. I do like the underlying point really about hierarchy. And how that lack of clear direction causes some of the team's post-season failures over the last few years. And it is still there this year. We just aren't playing good opponents. We're bad opponents. It hasn't mattered. But that lack of clear direction is still there.

Cowherd is both right and wrong. He's right that Tatum is not an MVP-caliber consistent scoring talent. But he's underselling the rest of Tatum's game.

Kevin Garnett was nowhere near as good an offensive player as Tatum and he led a team to a title. Same with Duncan. I'd argue Kawhi Leonard isn't/wasn't a true top-tier scorer. Giannis and Embiid have limitations despite their strengths.

But those guys were all elite defenders,  and so is Tatum. He is outright spectacular, actually, especially considering how much of the offensive load he carries.

People comment on how amazing it is that he grabs so many rebounds.

But it isn't.

The kid is BIG, strong, long, and is ferocious in the defensive paint. And he's just so versatile. He's a problem for the other team no matter where he is on the court.

There's a reason the Celtics make it so deep every year despite their sometimes bizarre offensive meltdowns: they play great defense, and Tatum is at the heart of it.

Which makes their chokes all the more conspicuous. When Tatum and the Celtics get tight, they not only miss shots but they miss defensive assignments,  and then things can get ugly.

Because it's all about mindset. You don't need top-3 scoring ability to win. You need that underdog fire,  good offensive depth, and you dominate physically until you win. That's what Russell's Celtics did. And Duncan's Spurs.

When Tatum comes out angry we win. He needs to tap into that fire every quarter of every playoff game. When he's engaged he inspires others, regardless if his shot is falling. When he's moping, sagging his shoulders, complaining, he deflates the team. When he and Brown walk the ball up the court in the 4th, anxiously looking up at the clock, it deflates the team. It's not about the rah-rah stuff or having MJ-levels of natural sociopathy. It's about projecting that animal energy that you're going to fight for every moment of every play.

He can do it, we've seen it. We just need to see it more often.

Agreed. I was doubly mad about his tech yesterday because not only was it weak (Strus was doing way more complaining), but it was so close to half time that we didn't get as much angry Tatum as we could have. Just the worst of both worlds

[Roy H.]

Interesting (but not necessarily accurate) take:

Josh Hart on ranking players in potential Celtics vs. Mavericks series: Just impact-wise, I might put Derrick White as more impactful than Jayson Tatum. Look at every main play in the last six minutes of the fourth to overtime, every big play, made. He’s probably one of the most impactful players because he does just everything on the court and does everything at a high level. – via Twitter

I love White, but Tatum does just about everything on the court at a high level, as well.

[Vermont Green]

Interesting (but not necessarily accurate) take:

Josh Hart on ranking players in potential Celtics vs. Mavericks series: Just impact-wise, I might put Derrick White as more impactful than Jayson Tatum. Look at every main play in the last six minutes of the fourth to overtime, every big play, made. He’s probably one of the most impactful players because he does just everything on the court and does everything at a high level. – via Twitter

I love White, but Tatum does just about everything on the court at a high level, as well.

I had seen that too.  You are being kind to call it "not necessarily accurate".  I call it dumb.  It happens fairly often in the playoffs, especially the finals, where a team puts so much emphasis on stopping the other team's best player (Tatum), that a secondary player (White) gets thrust into more opportunities.  It happened with Dennis Johnson, it happened with Cedric Maxwell, it could happen with White.

But that does not make White more impactful than Tatum.  The only reason that White may have an opportunity to make a big impact is that the other team is so focused on Tatum (otherwise, Tatum will beat them).

[jpotter33]

Interesting (but not necessarily accurate) take:

Josh Hart on ranking players in potential Celtics vs. Mavericks series: Just impact-wise, I might put Derrick White as more impactful than Jayson Tatum. Look at every main play in the last six minutes of the fourth to overtime, every big play, made. He’s probably one of the most impactful players because he does just everything on the court and does everything at a high level. – via Twitter

I love White, but Tatum does just about everything on the court at a high level, as well.

I had seen that too.  You are being kind to call it "not necessarily accurate".  I call it dumb.  It happens fairly often in the playoffs, especially the finals, where a team puts so much emphasis on stopping the other team's best player (Tatum), that a secondary player (White) gets thrust into more opportunities.  It happened with Dennis Johnson, it happened with Cedric Maxwell, it could happen with White.

But that does not make White more impactful than Tatum.  The only reason that White may have an opportunity to make a big impact is that the other team is so focused on Tatum (otherwise, Tatum will beat them).

In a lot of ways, you can say the same thing about Brown. While Brown is playing excellently, part of the reason he’s playing so well is due to Tatum’s gravity and the fact that so much attention is put into stopping Tatum that it allows him to succeed.

[Neurotic Guy]

Interesting (but not necessarily accurate) take:

Josh Hart on ranking players in potential Celtics vs. Mavericks series: Just impact-wise, I might put Derrick White as more impactful than Jayson Tatum. Look at every main play in the last six minutes of the fourth to overtime, every big play, made. He’s probably one of the most impactful players because he does just everything on the court and does everything at a high level. – via Twitter

I love White, but Tatum does just about everything on the court at a high level, as well.

I had seen that too.  You are being kind to call it "not necessarily accurate".  I call it dumb.  It happens fairly often in the playoffs, especially the finals, where a team puts so much emphasis on stopping the other team's best player (Tatum), that a secondary player (White) gets thrust into more opportunities.  It happened with Dennis Johnson, it happened with Cedric Maxwell, it could happen with White.

But that does not make White more impactful than Tatum.  The only reason that White may have an opportunity to make a big impact is that the other team is so focused on Tatum (otherwise, Tatum will beat them).

In a lot of ways, you can say the same thing about Brown. While Brown is playing excellently, part of the reason he’s playing so well is due to Tatum’s gravity and the fact that so much attention is put into stopping Tatum that it allows him to succeed.

Yes, but don’t you think there’s also some extra focus on JB?  I think Derrick, Jrue and KP are beneficiaries of defensive focus on both Jays.

[Atzar]

Interesting (but not necessarily accurate) take:

Josh Hart on ranking players in potential Celtics vs. Mavericks series: Just impact-wise, I might put Derrick White as more impactful than Jayson Tatum. Look at every main play in the last six minutes of the fourth to overtime, every big play, made. He’s probably one of the most impactful players because he does just everything on the court and does everything at a high level. – via Twitter

I love White, but Tatum does just about everything on the court at a high level, as well.

Nobody can talk about any player on this team without also simultaneously s***ting on Tatum or Brown.  It's impossible.  Even NBA players do it, and they're the ones who should know better. 

[SHAQATTACK]

Colin Cowherd ripping Tatum today. Saying he is not a true franchise player. That Boston have "two Pippens" in Tatum & Jaylen.

In particular, he is knocking BOS home-court record in the playoffs over the last few years. .500 for last 3 years. Saying that should not happen for an elite team. Should not happen to an elite star on a top team. That Tatum is not the guy.

Cowherd does not like Tatum's personality. Does not trash talk enough, does not have an edge, spikiness. He is more "let the game come to him" type of guy. His energy is too low end for a main guy. Says there are times where it looks like Jaylen wants the ball more than Tatum to make the play in difficult situations.

--------------------------------------

Jason Timpf agreeing with Cowherd. Tatum "very very good" but not quite there. Not a top 3 guy. And all the previous title teams since 2014 have had a top 3 player. Tatum is the question mark.

Timpf belives the lack of great first step to get to the rim and being an inconsistent shooter stops Tatum from being a top scorer. They were both talking about how Tatum has shot under 45% in 7 of the 8 playoff games so far (for context). Timpf was saying something similar about Towns in his criticisms about him earlier in the chat.

---------------------------------------

I liked one of the points Cowherd was making at the end. He was talking about team construction. How teams play. They tell you who they are.

He was talking about Boston and "vibes". Whose night is it tonight. The team switches to different guys depending on who has the hot hand. That there are nights were it feels like Porzingis' team. Jaylen's team. Tatum's team. But there is also ... this lack of clear direction of who they are and what they do when the chips are down. Where does the ball go. Who takes over the game.

He went a bit further than that and said this showed a distrust in Tatum's ability to take over games / a playoff series. I wouldn't go that far. I do like the underlying point really about hierarchy. And how that lack of clear direction causes some of the team's post-season failures over the last few years. And it is still there this year. We just aren't playing good opponents. We're bad opponents. It hasn't mattered. But that lack of clear direction is still there.

Cowherd is both right and wrong. He's right that Tatum is not an MVP-caliber consistent scoring talent. But he's underselling the rest of Tatum's game.

Kevin Garnett was nowhere near as good an offensive player as Tatum and he led a team to a title. Same with Duncan. I'd argue Kawhi Leonard isn't/wasn't a true top-tier scorer. Giannis and Embiid have limitations despite their strengths.

But those guys were all elite defenders,  and so is Tatum. He is outright spectacular, actually, especially considering how much of the offensive load he carries.

People comment on how amazing it is that he grabs so many rebounds.

But it isn't.

The kid is BIG, strong, long, and is ferocious in the defensive paint. And he's just so versatile. He's a problem for the other team no matter where he is on the court.

There's a reason the Celtics make it so deep every year despite their sometimes bizarre offensive meltdowns: they play great defense, and Tatum is at the heart of it.

Which makes their chokes all the more conspicuous. When Tatum and the Celtics get tight, they not only miss shots but they miss defensive assignments,  and then things can get ugly.

Because it's all about mindset. You don't need top-3 scoring ability to win. You need that underdog fire,  good offensive depth, and you dominate physically until you win. That's what Russell's Celtics did. And Duncan's Spurs.

When Tatum comes out angry we win. He needs to tap into that fire every quarter of every playoff game. When he's engaged he inspires others, regardless if his shot is falling. When he's moping, sagging his shoulders, complaining, he deflates the team. When he and Brown walk the ball up the court in the 4th, anxiously looking up at the clock, it deflates the team. It's not about the rah-rah stuff or having MJ-levels of natural sociopathy. It's about projecting that animal energy that you're going to fight for every moment of every play.

He can do it, we've seen it. We just need to see it more often.

Tatum’s BIG issue

He is a Celtic . 

One of the big media guys admitted it ….he said I love brown and Tatum ….but I hate the Celtics …..on national TV next after Boston beat Indy.

At least he was honest …..he hates what Boston stands for , was close to his exact words .

But , all the major media love LA and NY…. Everything they do is ok ….including racism and bias .

[cman88]

its funny to me that the media loves to go at tatum about one side of the ball...offense. just watch how they talk about luca vs tatum.

now, is luca a better scorer? probably. but you throw defense in there and Luca is a liability that side of the ball while tatum is one of the better defenders.

the mavs hide luca. he's standing in a corner on their worst offensive player.

[radiohead]

JT is what, 30 plus points away from being the top scorer in the playoffs at age 26. The #1 guy - Kobe Bryant. JT will most surely break that record during the finals. The media keeps ripping him but his numbers prove them wrong most of the time.

I also hate it when they bring the topic of Boston sucking at home the past 3 years. Well those are different teams compared to what we have now. Sure JT and JB were there, but we now have KP and Jrue. This is a totally different team.

[Neurotic Guy]

JT is what, 30 plus points away from being the top scorer in the playoffs at age 26. The #1 guy - Kobe Bryant. JT will most surely break that record during the finals. The media keeps ripping him but his numbers prove them wrong most of the time.

I also hate it when they bring the topic of Boston sucking at home the past 3 years. Well those are different teams compared to what we have now. Sure JT and JB were there, but we now have KP and Jrue. This is a totally different team.

I am dreading what this forum will say when the Cs lose one of the first 2 at home.  That to me is much tougher than listening to the national talking heads.

[Phantom255x]

JT is what, 30 plus points away from being the top scorer in the playoffs at age 26. The #1 guy - Kobe Bryant. JT will most surely break that record during the finals. The media keeps ripping him but his numbers prove them wrong most of the time.

I also hate it when they bring the topic of Boston sucking at home the past 3 years. Well those are different teams compared to what we have now. Sure JT and JB were there, but we now have KP and Jrue. This is a totally different team.

I am dreading what this forum will say when the Cs lose one of the first 2 at home.  That to me is much tougher than listening to the national talking heads.

Oh don't worry. A 5 point deficit early in Game 1 and there will be calls for a rebuild