CelticsStrong
Celtics Basketball => Celtics Talk => Topic started by: CelticsElite on November 19, 2018, 11:29:38 AM
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As has been the case all year, the Celtics are struggling to get to the hole. They rank in the bottom five in shot frequency at the rim. Combined with their heavy reliance on long twos (at least Jayson Tatum has scaled back his volume from that range recently, taking just one two-point jumper outside the lane against the Bulls), the Celtics will continue to have a hard time scoring.
The search for optimism starts on defense, where Boston remains the league leader in efficiency.
Although it may be a symptom of their penchant for long twos, which defenses generally concede, the Celtics also get the highest frequency of wide-open looks. Eventually more shots will fall.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2805931-nba-power-rankings-warriors-strife-intensifies-competition-for-top-spots?src=rss?src=rss?src=rss#slide8
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Best defense in the league, bottom 10 offense. Seems about right, maybe even a little generous.
I'm pretty sure the Celts will get their offense to at least average by season's end.
If they want to really contend they have to find a way to get it to top 10.
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no big deal. surprised they're still rated that high. only ranking is the one at the end of the season after the finals
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It's interesting, the narrative has swung a bit over the last week or so, focusing less on Hayward and more on Tatum and Brown.
https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/stevens-not-interested-talk-lineup-change-he-just-wants-win
I personally think Tatum has been playing fantastic defense, and the numbers bear that out. He seems to be settling into a nice role as energy guy who's capable of scoring 10 points in 2 minutes, once a game, but doesn't gum up the offense consistently (which I think he was doing earlier in the year).
The Brown/Hayward offensive splits in that article are interesting. Not a huge sample, but consistent with the eye test for me. Not sure what is the issue there.
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I'd like to see a Kyrie-Smart-Tatum-Horford-Baynes lineup get some more time together.
If those were the starters the bench would be Rozier - Brown - Hayward - Mook - Theis/Yabu/RW.
I think that could make some sense. Simplifies the starting lineup offense to Kyrie + Tatum getting their touches and Horford taking what comes. Bench lineup can be facilitated by Hayward and give Brown some more freedom to attack.
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They have us behind the Clippers? Really?
Come on Celtics, that should fire you up. We are not the kind of team that should be underachieving.
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They have us behind the Clippers? Really?
Come on Celtics, that should fire you up. We are not the kind of team that should be underachieving.
Clippers have a better record.
Celtics are 7th on the NBA.com power rankings and 6th on ESPN. Which feels generous given their record right now.
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We're still in a somewhat small sample, but so far, only one team is top 5 in both offense and defense: Toronto (#3 offense, #5 defense)
Milwaukee (#2 ) and Portland (#4 & #10) are top 5 in offense and top 10 in defense.
Denver is #7 in offense and #9 in defense.
Those are the best all-around teams so far.
The Celtics do have the clear cut #1 defense in the league, but their offense is #24.
Memphis and Indiana, also top 5 in defense, are similarly bottom-10 in offense.
OKC has a top 5 defense and an above mid-point offense.
New Orleans is the inverse of Boston, with a top 5 offense weighed down by bottom-10 defense.
Golden State is the top offense but their defense is only 16th so far. I expect that to change.