Celtics (1-2) at Pacers (3-0) Game #4 12/29/20

[gouki88]

On a more negative note  I absolutely hate the TT/Theis starting front court. I realize IND has a ton of size up front - and so do MIL and BKN to an extent - but I'd love to just start one of them and maybe even give FPP some run. His ability to penetrate opens things up quite a bit and it's not like our defense is super-stellar or anything with that duo.

That's ironic. Seems I often agree with your comments, but I love that Stevens is putting some size on the floor.
I haven't watched the Indy games though, so I can't say for sure - I would have thought those two together would improve our interior defense.
Are they not ?

I don’t know how much our interior defence has improved because Theis seems to be sticking to the perimeter a lot. Thompson has definitely earned his starting spot though. He’s defended Giannis & Sabonis very well, inhales offensive rebounds and put-backs like Kanter and sets mean screens.

I’d like to see Pritchard start as our offence could do with his decisive play. Good quick movements on and off-ball, makes good passes and can hit shots. What a pick!

[LilRip]

I changed the channel in the 3rd once they got down double digits, I was so disgusted with watching them. Came back in time to to see PP and Time Lord turn the game around - it looked like they woke up Tatum.

Really interesting development to see Brad go with Pritchard down the stretch - and he didn't disappoint. His teammates also seem to have no issue with him hoisting up his share of shots and then some.

Also agree with everyone wondering why Time Lord didn't play more - especially on a night when Theis was terrible. Williams has earned more minutes and I think he's going to get a lot more moving forward.  Center position looks like it could actually be a strength.

I don’t think they “woke up” Tatum as much as it is that Tatum didn’t have to do too much.

PP was great in starting the action, probing the D, and letting Tatum catch the ball in places he could punish defenders (or make plays for others). In previous games, we saw Tatum catch the ball with nothing going, him pulling it out to the 3, and then doing a bunch of size up dribbles before deciding what to do.

[RockinRyA]

On a more negative note  I absolutely hate the TT/Theis starting front court. I realize IND has a ton of size up front - and so do MIL and BKN to an extent - but I'd love to just start one of them and maybe even give FPP some run. His ability to penetrate opens things up quite a bit and it's not like our defense is super-stellar or anything with that duo.

That's ironic. Seems I often agree with your comments, but I love that Stevens is putting some size on the floor.
I haven't watched the Indy games though, so I can't say for sure - I would have thought those two together would improve our interior defense.
Are they not ?

In theory, I am all for it, but I think one of the bigs needs to be skilled like we had with Al. Theis isn't enough of a floor-spacer so they really just bog down the offense (in my opinion) when they are out there together.

There was a stat before the game saying the Cs are essentially the worst team in the league so far as far defensive FG% goes. Obviously a small sample size, but it's not like that duo is striking fear in the hearts of their opponents. Still lots of time to figure it out, though, and Theis is learning on the fly how to be more perimeter oriented.

I think it has mote to do with our last season lineup being more switchable than our current one. In modern nba, this lineup loses a lot of switchablity and offensive versatility for interior protection whichbisnt realky a good trade off.

[Rikibellevie]

Good win guys ! Happy for it. We have beaten an ealthy, solid, confident team in playing Pritchard and Green 27mn and 20mn (and I hope we don't have to do that all the year). And our bench beat theirs by a large margin, which is a very good news. Good coaching of Brad also who didn't insist on Grant or even Theis.
Pritchard may be our early season story. Guess we will see again a lot second unit smallball with PP/JT when Kemba is back.

I think also TT is showing he is our 5... And Theis, even with his good switchability and good mental has to much weakness on both side. Correct defensor, not a haul but we need better and will ever be limited with him. Not enough long and athletic, nor a good shooter or a playmaker. He fited well our need last year, he could be a good option B, but we have Grant and TT under contract next year and at one time we may have to move on Theis (unless we know he will resign with the same amount of money, but he won't). And definitely this  team with 2 bigs show that DA will try to find a PF with TPE. Aron Gordon, Jerami Grant or K Love (but can't do it with TE) come to mind as overpayed players who can be at some point trade chips for their team.
I guess it is not that bad idea to keep playing big before signing one of this guy or another, as Tatum would be fixed on his natural position where he is build to shine and it would facilitate the integration of our TPE player

[Sophomore]

I changed the channel in the 3rd once they got down double digits, I was so disgusted with watching them. Came back in time to to see PP and Time Lord turn the game around - it looked like they woke up Tatum.

Really interesting development to see Brad go with Pritchard down the stretch - and he didn't disappoint. His teammates also seem to have no issue with him hoisting up his share of shots and then some.

Also agree with everyone wondering why Time Lord didn't play more - especially on a night when Theis was terrible. Williams has earned more minutes and I think he's going to get a lot more moving forward.  Center position looks like it could actually be a strength.

I don’t think they “woke up” Tatum as much as it is that Tatum didn’t have to do too much.

PP was great in starting the action, probing the D, and letting Tatum catch the ball in places he could punish defenders (or make plays for others). In previous games, we saw Tatum catch the ball with nothing going, him pulling it out to the 3, and then doing a bunch of size up dribbles before deciding what to do.

The offense looked so different with PP out there. He plays with pace - always pushing the ball up the floor off missed shots, in the half court he’s making the defense move and react. Uses picks well and got by some defenders on his own with one move.

[RJ87]

The C's third quarters have sucked. But on the positive side, they have played great in 3 of their 4 4th quarters.

Silver linings. It’s ludicrous how bad they are in the 3rd. Is it the coach? The players? Everyone just making bets on 4th quarter comebacks or 3rd quarter unders? I don’t get it.

In this game, it was the players IMO. There were a few plays in that 3rd quarter where it felt like our bigs (Grant and Theis) had some mindboggling plays that got Indy into a rhythm. There was a sequence where Grant thought he was a point guard and dribbled the air out of the ball only to trip and turn it over, then he immediately was out of position at the other end and gave up a layup. Then a few plays later, Theis missed a point blank lay up and then he left Myles Turner open for 3 to double TJ Mcconnell (who really doesn't shoot on his drives).

Obviously, that doesn't account for us falling into a 17 point hole, but that's when I distinctly remember feeling like the game was slipping away and we weren't playing smart basketball.

[Kuberski33]

I changed the channel in the 3rd once they got down double digits, I was so disgusted with watching them. Came back in time to to see PP and Time Lord turn the game around - it looked like they woke up Tatum.

Really interesting development to see Brad go with Pritchard down the stretch - and he didn't disappoint. His teammates also seem to have no issue with him hoisting up his share of shots and then some.

Also agree with everyone wondering why Time Lord didn't play more - especially on a night when Theis was terrible. Williams has earned more minutes and I think he's going to get a lot more moving forward.  Center position looks like it could actually be a strength.

I don’t think they “woke up” Tatum as much as it is that Tatum didn’t have to do too much.

PP was great in starting the action, probing the D, and letting Tatum catch the ball in places he could punish defenders (or make plays for others). In previous games, we saw Tatum catch the ball with nothing going, him pulling it out to the 3, and then doing a bunch of size up dribbles before deciding what to do.

I hate to quote Scal but as he put it, Tatum played 'with force' when the C's started making their run - and that's what I mean by he 'woke up'. When he goes hard to the basket and forces the defense to react his game goes to another level. When he doesn't go hard, lets the defense control its territory and attempts to go around or over the defender, we get a lot of what we've seen to date this season especially when the 3's aren't going in.

Agree with you on PP starting the action - and that's an interesting development - especially with Hayward's passing removed from the equation.  If he can keep it up he may be a better fit to start games than Smart.

[Phantom255x]

Through 4 games, my biggest takeaway is that PF is becoming a position of need. I actually think the C position is alright with Thompson, Timelord and some spurts of Theis. Plus if needed you can acquire a depth big from the buyout market or something. But idk if Theis and G-Will is enough at the 4 position and that's been hurting us this season. It's not just that G-Will hasn't played great so far this season, but the position lacks depth. Ojeyele isn't really someone you want playing the 4 that much either.

If you were able to add a Draymond, Aaron Gordon or even Harrison Barnes, that'd be ideal.

[RJ87]

Through 4 games, my biggest takeaway is that PF is becoming a position of need. I actually think the C position is alright with Thompson, Timelord and some spurts of Theis. Plus if needed you can acquire a depth big from the buyout market or something. But idk if Theis and G-Will is enough at the 4 position and that's been hurting us this season. It's not just that G-Will hasn't played great so far this season, but the position lacks depth. Ojeyele isn't really someone you want playing the 4 that much either.

If you were able to add a Draymond, Aaron Gordon or even Harrison Barnes, that'd be ideal.

Agree. I don't really think it's a lack of depth at the 4 so much as it's a lack of versatility. In a vacuum, Theis and Grant are solid players but we need our 4's to be more dynamic as ball-handlers and/or shooters to really unlock our offense. Those are basically weaknesses for both players so it just compounds the issue.

[Vermont Green]

Through 4 games, my biggest takeaway is that PF is becoming a position of need. I actually think the C position is alright with Thompson, Timelord and some spurts of Theis. Plus if needed you can acquire a depth big from the buyout market or something. But idk if Theis and G-Will is enough at the 4 position and that's been hurting us this season. It's not just that G-Will hasn't played great so far this season, but the position lacks depth. Ojeyele isn't really someone you want playing the 4 that much either.

If you were able to add a Draymond, Aaron Gordon or even Harrison Barnes, that'd be ideal.

I agree with the assessment of our lack of skill/talent at PF but it is not "becoming" a position of need, it has been a position of need since the beginning of last season.  For the entire season, we were forced to play Tatum as our PF because Theis was our C and we literally had no one else on the roster that was a starting caliber player for the PF position.

This year, we are trying Theis as the starting PF with Thompson as the C which I support/agree with.  If Theis was OK as a starting C, I feel he can be OK as a starting PF.  I don't think we should give up and concede to playing with 1-big (bench Theis and start Pritchard for example as has been suggested), at least for now.  If you look at individual +/-, Tatum is -3.5 and all the starters (including Theis at -5.0) are in the same range but below that so there really isn't enough data to say Theis is hurting the unit or that replacing him with Pritchard would improve it.

Interesting side note from the stats is that Smart + Pritchard have played 31 minutes together and are -7.  Teague + Pritchard together are +15 in 56 minutes.  Pritchard and Teague seem to be a nice combo off the bench.  Not sure changing that is the smartest way to solve our PF problem.  I think the better solution is to use one of our TPE and trade for someone who can play PF at an NBA starter level.  I know that isn't something that is going to happen tomorrow but I don't feel it needs to.  Let's stay with Theis as our PF, let him struggle through it as best he can, but keep our other players in their natural positions (meaning Tatum as a wing, Pritchard as a back up guard, and so on).  At some point, a decent PF type player will become available but now is not the point in the season where teams make players available.  So for now, better to just wait.

[tstorey_97]

We'll see tonight, but, watching the "offense go through Tatum" didn't work for me.

Watching the offense go through Pritchard was a breath of fresh air.

He took a few shots, but basically, focused on "being a point guard"...haven't had that in a while.

[Sophomore]

We'll see tonight, but, watching the "offense go through Tatum" didn't work for me.

Watching the offense go through Pritchard was a breath of fresh air.

He took a few shots, but basically, focused on "being a point guard"...haven't had that in a while.

TP - felt like I was watching basketball again, not AAU ball. Even Kemba, who’s done a lot more in the game, doesn’t always make the ball move that way. He’s a lot more likely to get his own than set up a lob.

[liam]

We'll see tonight, but, watching the "offense go through Tatum" didn't work for me.

Watching the offense go through Pritchard was a breath of fresh air.

He took a few shots, but basically, focused on "being a point guard"...haven't had that in a while.

Pritchard can shoot but he’s a point guard and not a shooting guard in a points body like so many small guards these days. His passing needs to improve but his handle let’s him operate we’re ever he wants and that shot keeps defenses honest.

[nickagneta]

Through 4 games, my biggest takeaway is that PF is becoming a position of need. I actually think the C position is alright with Thompson, Timelord and some spurts of Theis. Plus if needed you can acquire a depth big from the buyout market or something. But idk if Theis and G-Will is enough at the 4 position and that's been hurting us this season. It's not just that G-Will hasn't played great so far this season, but the position lacks depth. Ojeyele isn't really someone you want playing the 4 that much either.

If you were able to add a Draymond, Aaron Gordon or even Harrison Barnes, that'd be ideal.

Well, once Kemba is back, I think we may see a bunch of Kemba, Smart, the Jay's and a big lineup where Tatum is playing the 4. So the PF position may get a giant boost in production when Jayson starts playing more at that spot.

[keevsnick]

Like Jaylens passing tonight, two nice dishes to Theis and Williams that neither could finish. Also Rob Williams has provide really nice energy including to start this game.