Is this possibly why we are struggling?!

[EJPLAYA]

I think I have decided why we struggle to beat teams like this at times. You know, the ones with the young guys who can put up a lot of points on the board. We really don't have an offensive structure. We don't have any "Go To" offensive plays when we need a basket. It seems like we play the game of Rondo trying to break someone down and then kick out to a shooter if he draws the double team, which absolutely stifles our offense when "Bad Rondo" kicks in and chooses not to drive to the rim.

The other option is to give the ball to PP at the top and have him isolate and try to score on his man. Some games that works well, however if they have a pretty good defensive 3 they can give him trouble. Especially when he isn't knocking down his free throws.

Sure there are other reasons (poor FT shooting, indifference at times defensively, bad fouls away from the ball or on screens) but I really think this is the reason we don't blow almost every squad out of the water… Thoughts?!

[wdleehi]

Not really.



Lack of effort on rebounding in one game, defense in the other two games; and there are your three loses. 

[PosImpos]

Certainly it feels like our team has yet to really find an identity offensively.

Even in the first few games of the season we started out games slow and only got back into games because our bench was better. 

Our team needs to develop a more fluid and trusted offensive game.  I think having difficulty on offense is actually a result of having so many stars on our team - it takes longer for each of them to get into a rhythm and for us to develop go-to plays for each of them because individually they get fewer touches than they would if they were each the focus of our offense.

Certainly I think porous defense and lack of effort (free throws, rebounding) have contributed more than anything to our losses.

[EJPLAYA]

Not really.



Lack of effort on rebounding in one game, defense in the other two games; and there are your three loses. 

I'm not just talking about these three losses though, rather last season as well. Even before KG. In our championship year these guys had a hunger like you've never seen and defensively destroyed people. We were also given more rope when it came to playing physical that this year so far and last year we haven't been. Teams have been allowed to rough us up a bit more and we have drawn quick whistles. That has something to do with it as well I guess. We just aren't playing with the same hunger that we had 2 years back, and unless we are hot we let teams hang around and then we get stagnant on offense and they can beat us.

[Chris]

While the offense hasn't been great, the reason the C's have lost these three games has been defense and rebounding.  The other teams have been getting wherever they want, and the  C's really have not been doing anything to slow them down.

Ultimately, I am getting a major "cruising" vibe from too many players on the team right now.  Hopefully KG rips into some of them (Rondo especially) in the next few practices.

[winsomme]

we basically run a hybrid offense of pick and roll and motion. We also run ISOs for Pierce - especially at ends of Qs. It's really what we have run the past two seasons.

I'd say the go-to plays are pick and pop with Rondo or PP with KG. Also motion with screens to free up Ray for a three. I don't personally think that is the problem.

I think the last two games the Refs have let younger more athletic teams stay in games with the Cs by letting them hack the crap out of and climb over the back of the Cs at key junctures which gives them a boost to feel like they can take the game.....add to that, the Cs have been a little flat and you have a recipe for a loss....

I think the bench needs more of an edge (would love to have a mid season addition of Leon) and KG needs to get his legs back under him so we can get more easy transition buckets.

I think we'll need another personnel move to solve the former problem....Posey??

[winsomme]

While the offense hasn't been great, the reason the C's have lost these three games has been defense and rebounding.  The other teams have been getting wherever they want, and the  C's really have not been doing anything to slow them down.

Ultimately, I am getting a major "cruising" vibe from too many players on the team right now.  Hopefully KG rips into some of them (Rondo especially) in the next few practices.

every time the Cs try to clamp down on defense the Refs are blowing the whistle. It happened on three or four big moments in this game and they are game-changers IMO.

In general, the Cs rotations have been slower than normal, but IMO the Refs in the last two games influenced the outcome. There was a stretch in the ATL game where the Hawks went to the line something like 12 or 13 times before the Cs did...and by that time the game had gone from being close to being 10 PTS...

[Chris]

While the offense hasn't been great, the reason the C's have lost these three games has been defense and rebounding.  The other teams have been getting wherever they want, and the  C's really have not been doing anything to slow them down.

Ultimately, I am getting a major "cruising" vibe from too many players on the team right now.  Hopefully KG rips into some of them (Rondo especially) in the next few practices.

every time the Cs try to clamp down on defense the Refs are blowing the whistle. It happened on three or four big moments in this game and they are game-changers IMO.

In general, the Cs rotations have been slower than normal, but IMO the Refs in the last two games influenced the outcome. There was a stretch in the ATL game where the Hawks went to the line something like 12 or 13 times before the Cs did...and by that time the game had gone from being close to being 10 PTS...

If the C's had been executing on defense, the refs wouldn't have had the opportunity to influence the game.  Not to mention the slow rotations are exactly what lead to the fouls being called.  The C's are not getting to their spots, and they are reaching.  Basically, all the calls did was not allow the C's to steal a game they did not deserve to win.

[Change]

We are having an identity crisis. We might be witnessing a new transition with this team. The Boston Celtics are not a physical teams anymore. We shoot 3 pointers now. Besides Perk, we have no other enforcers. We are Phoenix Suns soft (even they beat us).

[winsomme]

While the offense hasn't been great, the reason the C's have lost these three games has been defense and rebounding.  The other teams have been getting wherever they want, and the  C's really have not been doing anything to slow them down.

Ultimately, I am getting a major "cruising" vibe from too many players on the team right now.  Hopefully KG rips into some of them (Rondo especially) in the next few practices.

every time the Cs try to clamp down on defense the Refs are blowing the whistle. It happened on three or four big moments in this game and they are game-changers IMO.

In general, the Cs rotations have been slower than normal, but IMO the Refs in the last two games influenced the outcome. There was a stretch in the ATL game where the Hawks went to the line something like 12 or 13 times before the Cs did...and by that time the game had gone from being close to being 10 PTS...

If the C's had been executing on defense, the refs wouldn't have had the opportunity to influence the game.  Not to mention the slow rotations are exactly what lead to the fouls being called.  The C's are not getting to their spots, and they are reaching. 

there were phantom calls in this IND game and ATL was climbing all over the backs of the Cs. It was absurd. If you let a team do that - especially a young athletic team - you are handing them a huge boost...

This doesn't negate the fact that the Cs were slower than normal in their rotations, but Doc has been heated the last two nights with the Refs for a reason.

[twinbree]

Good question. That could explain why we fall behind early. The defense and rebounding needs work but improving the offense can't hurt for nights when they're struggling to get stops.

OP any ideas for realistic tweaks to the offense?

I haven't thought much about this but the things that generally stress me out: the isos, the driving into traffic, the no off the ball movement, the Rondo hands off the ball and runs into the corner (seriously?!), the wait for Ray to come off a screen and no plan B if he can't get free.

[gar]

Too many wide open threes.

[Tr1boy]

The two issues with us is that 1) we are aging and playing smart can't save us all the time and 2) a streaky team no doubt about it. Even from the first season the big three came aboard we would win 10 in a row but then also can lose 4 in row etc.

Dont even want to think about next year if we don't win it all this year.

[Tai]

  @ the Refs.

I honestly hope some of you don't think it's that simple.

[Fan from VT]

Most of our players look a step slow.