Nets (1-0) at Celtics (0-1) Preseason Game #2 12/18/20

[Moranis]

Starting to doubt we can be serious contender with Jayson Tatum as our best player.

Tatum isn't the problem, the team just isn't very deep or good enough.  Boston was never going to be a contender this year without a major roster change.  And Boston may never really be a contender with Tatum, though I think Tatum can get there.  It doesn't happen over night.  It takes years for a guy to develop into a guy that anchor a legit contender. 

[tstorey_97]

Where else can you go and watch your team go ...

8 for 45 from three?....that's 17%

What they could've done is just gotten the ball and handed it to the Nets 27 times and told'em to take another shot. That's like 18 extra turnovers to add to the 22 regular turnovers.

I want my money back.

I want my two hours and 40 minutes I spent watching this back.

Does this give the 14 freaking coaches wearing matching shirts watching this game any traction with the team?

Auerbach would sit on the bench with the trainer and that was it. Hell...Russell was a player coach. It was just him and he had a uniform on.

They've got more coaches than players and they went 8 for 45 from three...?

That's the end of my preseason game rant....would've been better as a "closed scrimmage" with no cameras, I could've watched college hoops tonight instead of 8 for 45 from three.

[RockinRyA]

The Celtics could’ve used more that only 2 preseason games. I’m still not sure why we only got two.

Are you kiding most of the fans here do not believe preseason games matter ..the NBA must have read this site.

You are trying to spin it differently. Fans here do not think preseason is a great indicator. But they matter a lot for a whole lot of reasons, like working out the kinks, running the plays, developing chemistry, getting in shape. Stop defending your hot takes based on a few preseason games. Remember when carsen edwards blew it up in a preseason game?!

[CelticsElite]

To be fair, kemba and Thomson are both very important pieces to our team. Without  them, I expect a tough fight like we see

[86MaxwellSmart]

I don't think any of our players even practice shooting....what an awful display right from the start...I'm ready for Brown/Smart for Harden.

[liam]

The Celtics could’ve used more that only 2 preseason games. I’m still not sure why we only got two.

Are you kiding most of the fans here do not believe preseason games matter ..the NBA must have read this site.

You are trying to spin it differently. Fans here do not think preseason is a great indicator. But they matter a lot for a whole lot of reasons, like working out the kinks, running the plays, developing chemistry, getting in shape. Stop defending your hot takes based on a few preseason games. Remember when carsen edwards blew it up in a preseason game?!

Exactly. This team needs more reps together.

[CelticSooner]

For all the criticism about Houston's system over the past 4+ years, are we really that different??

Chucking 3s, iso-ball, continuing to chuck away even when it's not falling.

I mean the difference is Morey actually tried to build a roster around Harden that fits that scheme. The C's though don't have enough shooting and don't have the roster to do that scheme. But they just continue reverting to iso-ball for stretches and just shooting a ton of 3s a night. Huh?? 

And to be clear, people will say I'm overreacting to this preseason game, but this has been the case for 3+ years now. And we've lost key playoff games and playoff series as a result too.

I mean really, 6/42 from behind the arc? That's embarrassing.

Offense will always be the C’s undoing unless they ever fully want to get to the rim and/or play make better. CBS keeps saying he tells these guys to do that but it never changes. So at what point do you just say the coach is being drowned out?

The margin of error for this team will be small again with this bench. Until they get fully healthy I wouldn’t worry to much about the outcome. You aren’t going to beat good teams missing a guy like Kemba.

[RJ87]

Starting to doubt we can be serious contender with Jayson Tatum as our best player.

Tatum isn't the problem, the team just isn't very deep or good enough.  Boston was never going to be a contender this year without a major roster change.  And Boston may never really be a contender with Tatum, though I think Tatum can get there.  It doesn't happen over night.  It takes years for a guy to develop into a guy that anchor a legit contender.

Agree 100%. Tatum isn't the problem. He's made the leaps to this point, but he's 22 years old. We can't realistically expect him to be good enough to completely make up for team deficiencies that the front office won't address. I think he can grow into a bonafide #1, but we can't keep trotting out a roster with dead weight on the bench.

Danny has to make moves to improve this team. Not almost make moves. Preferably sooner than later.

[Ogaju]

Where else can you go and watch your team go ...

8 for 45 from three?....that's 17%

What they could've done is just gotten the ball and handed it to the Nets 27 times and told'em to take another shot. That's like 18 extra turnovers to add to the 22 regular turnovers.

I want my money back.

I want my two hours and 40 minutes I spent watching this back.

Does this give the 14 freaking coaches wearing matching shirts watching this game any traction with the team?

Auerbach would sit on the bench with the trainer and that was it. Hell...Russell was a player coach. It was just him and he had a uniform on.

They've got more coaches than players and they went 8 for 45 from three...?

That's the end of my preseason game rant....would've been better as a "closed scrimmage" with no cameras, I could've watched college hoops tonight instead of 8 for 45 from three.

did they really go 8 for 45?

[Ogaju]

That was a brutal game that is probably better forgotten than studied, but I'll give a few notes of positivity.

Tatum and Brown were both trying to distribute more.
Nesmith has some shooter's gravity and demonstrated some good off-ball switching and weakside rotational defense.
Pritchard had several good defensive possessions when he was on an Island and forced a tough shot.
Grant Williams is shooting more threes, which is a piece we need if this team is going to succeed (assuming he can make more of them).

How is GW shooting more threes a good thing when he is bricking them?

[Atzar]

My current thoughts are that we'll be a decent team when fully healthy but we carry a lot of guys on the roster who just don't help to win basketball games.  Edwards, Green, Waters, Fall, Ojeleye, Nesmith, Pritchard, Langford, G Williams, R Williams.  I wouldn't point to any one of these guys and say "I trust this guy to be a positive contributor almost every single night".  Some of these guys just don't belong in an NBA rotation.  Some have talent but are unproven.  Some have flashed the ability to help us or are situationally useful, but lack consistent reliability.  But I don't trust any of them at this point.

When we're fully healthy, we'll be a good team.  Probably somewhere below contender level, but good.  But if we're missing anybody at all, the roster drops off steeply and we'll have to rely on some really shaky players.  And with Kemba's knee, it's likely that we'll have to use those guys pretty often.

There's room for optimism.  Maybe R Williams or G Williams turn into guys who bring it almost every game, rather than situational guys who chip in from time to time.  Maybe Langford gets healthy and the light comes on, or Nesmith catches up quickly and proves that he belongs.  Maybe we make some roster changes that alter the calculus some.  But at this point these are hopes, not expectations. 

Time is on our side.  At this point, Kemba is the only important piece of this roster with an expiration date.  We have a lot of youth with a lot of potential, Tatum and Brown are enviable building blocks, and we have the luxury of some patience as we see what all of these other young guys are worth.  But in the short term, I think we'll have some disappointed fans who expect contention this year but probably won't get it.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

That was a brutal game that is probably better forgotten than studied, but I'll give a few notes of positivity.

Tatum and Brown were both trying to distribute more.
Nesmith has some shooter's gravity and demonstrated some good off-ball switching and weakside rotational defense.
Pritchard had several good defensive possessions when he was on an Island and forced a tough shot.
Grant Williams is shooting more threes, which is a piece we need if this team is going to succeed (assuming he can make more of them).

How is GW shooting more threes a good thing when he is bricking them?

Again, that's assuming he makes them. He was more tentative last year, but we need him to be a threat to spread the court a bit for Tatum and Brown.

[Tr1boy]

Maybe Celts should have kept Wannamaker?

Teague is ok. But his defense worries me

It is spotty at best

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Starting to doubt we can be serious contender with Jayson Tatum as our best player.

Tatum isn't the problem, the team just isn't very deep or good enough.  Boston was never going to be a contender this year without a major roster change.  And Boston may never really be a contender with Tatum, though I think Tatum can get there.  It doesn't happen over night.  It takes years for a guy to develop into a guy that anchor a legit contender.

Agree 100%. Tatum isn't the problem. He's made the leaps to this point, but he's 22 years old. We can't realistically expect him to be good enough to completely make up for team deficiencies that the front office won't address. I think he can grow into a bonafide #1, but we can't keep trotting out a roster with dead weight on the bench.

Danny has to make moves to improve this team. Not almost make moves. Preferably sooner than later.

Nah. Danny will just keep drafting two or three guys a year and waiting for "the youth movement" to fully grow into something.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Where else can you go and watch your team go ...

8 for 45 from three?....that's 17%

What they could've done is just gotten the ball and handed it to the Nets 27 times and told'em to take another shot. That's like 18 extra turnovers to add to the 22 regular turnovers.

I want my money back.

I want my two hours and 40 minutes I spent watching this back.

Does this give the 14 freaking coaches wearing matching shirts watching this game any traction with the team?

Auerbach would sit on the bench with the trainer and that was it. Hell...Russell was a player coach. It was just him and he had a uniform on.

They've got more coaches than players and they went 8 for 45 from three...?

That's the end of my preseason game rant....would've been better as a "closed scrimmage" with no cameras, I could've watched college hoops tonight instead of 8 for 45 from three.

Hey, that's actually closer to 18%—don't shortchange them!