Should Brad Stevens be fired?

[cons]

i find it frustrating that they seem so stymied by a zone defense

esp given that Brad was a college coach - shouldnt he be able to devise a scheme that would stop a simple zone defense from putting us in such a tailspin?

it doesnt seem to be asking too much

it's leaving e w the feeling that we're being out-coached because I dont see us making similar adjustments that are frustrating the other team??

[PhoSita]

i find it frustrating that they seem so stymied by a zone defense

esp given that Brad was a college coach - shouldnt he be able to devise a scheme that would stop a simple zone defense from putting us in such a tailspin?

it doesnt seem to be asking too much

it's leaving e w the feeling that we're being out-coached because I dont see us making similar adjustments that are frustrating the other team??

It is mystifying that they're so thrown off by a zone.  It's not like a zone is a weird new strategy.  I assume that every team plans for and practices a strategy to use against the zone.

But we've seen a lot of great playoff teams thrown by zone looks.  I seem to remember the 2011 Mavs used it really effectively against the 2011 Heat.  Heck, that might even be where Spo got the idea. 



Anyway, talk to me about Brad getting fired when he is out-coached in a series by a coach who is clearly inferior.

We're just a week removed from Brad defeating the Coach of the Year in a hard fought series.  He's getting worked a bit by one of the best coaches of the last decade, a guy with multiple championships under his belt.  I dunno why people are acting like he's getting shown up by a nobody.

[Tr1boy]

i find it frustrating that they seem so stymied by a zone defense

esp given that Brad was a college coach - shouldnt he be able to devise a scheme that would stop a simple zone defense from putting us in such a tailspin?

it doesnt seem to be asking too much

it's leaving e w the feeling that we're being out-coached because I dont see us making similar adjustments that are frustrating the other team??

its not just zone

but midcourt press and then zone. By the time Kemba or Smart or Tatum get into the offensive set. There is less than 14 sec + aggressive zone D

In a situation like this a pure PG would be a big help. A dying position

[Tr1boy]

A smarter coach that also trust his lineup, would employ Tremont Waters in that situation

Sure it is a big moment for a pg that hasn't played at all in the playoffs. But he would be able to beat the midcourt trap and zone D (better chance).

Do that a few times and Spoels has no choice but to make another adjustment.  Just enough to throw his plan into a tailspin

Defensively when BAM is abusing you with the alleys,  you bring in Grant Williams and switch everything.  And stay in front of Bam so he doesn't have a chance to get a head start for the alley.    Have Grant attempt to guard Dragic or Herro which is 100 percent better than Kanter

Brad can't be fixed in his ways/rotations (save Grant Williams for the 4th).  He must adjust on the fly against a coach like Spoelstra.   Don't have a fix plan with players minutes or substitution patterns. Especially that Theis must play in the 4th.  Kemba must be out there for defensive situations just because you don't want to burn a timeout.   

[nyceltsfan]

Defensively when BAM is abusing you with the alleys,  you bring in Grant Williams and switch everything.   

Here is a revolutionary idea that I have been contemplating:  What happened to old school man defense with NO SWITCHING?  Switching is allowing our team to be lazy and allowing the Heat to get any matchup they want.  Theis on Dragic is maddening, as is Kemba on Butler.  Let's see some fight in this team - go through the picks, stay with your man and don't let him score.  Don't leave the open shooter.  Don't help and leave the roller - JUST STAY WITH YOUR MAN.  How many points could have been saved yesterday with that approach?

[Tr1boy]

Defensively when BAM is abusing you with the alleys,  you bring in Grant Williams and switch everything.   

Here is a revolutionary idea that I have been contemplating:  What happened to old school man defense with NO SWITCHING?  Switching is allowing our team to be lazy and allowing the Heat to get any matchup they want.  Theis on Dragic is maddening, as is Kemba on Butler.  Let's see some fight in this team - go through the picks, stay with your man and don't let him score.  Don't leave the open shooter.  Don't help and leave the roller - JUST STAY WITH YOUR MAN.  How many points could have been saved yesterday with that approach?

yes and no. You can't just go through picks without potentially getting a charge call against you

And the other problem is the pick and pop or roll man, can spin and head to the basket for alleys  OR prepare to shoot the 3.  They don't need much time/space. Especially the Heat. 

If help comes to try to protect the basket then Bam passes the ball to the open shooter

Celtics on the other hand lack this Roll/Pop guy to make this 2nd decision.  And heat are employing a D strategy that takes adv of this weakness

Celts need Hayward back ASAP. Because he is the best decision maker/passer + ability to shoot the ball from deep/mid range if you lay off him

[Roy H.]

A smarter coach that also trust his lineup, would employ Tremont Waters in that situation

This is the same Tremont Waters who has played a total of 119 NBA minutes, and who shot 28.6% from the field, correct?  Who shoots below 17% from three, and who averages as many turnovers as assists?

Yeah, that might not be the guy I would trust in this situation.

[Tr1boy]

A smarter coach that also trust his lineup, would employ Tremont Waters in that situation

This is the same Tremont Waters who has played a total of 119 NBA minutes, and who shot 28.6% from the field, correct?

yes ... But only when Heat are trying to midcourt press/Zone D trap

You know what? The starters are losing 17 point leads anyways

What do you got to lose?   Waters has more natural pg skills than anyone else on the team minus Hayward.   

[Roy H.]

A smarter coach that also trust his lineup, would employ Tremont Waters in that situation

This is the same Tremont Waters who has played a total of 119 NBA minutes, and who shot 28.6% from the field, correct?

yes ... But only when Heat are trying to midcourt press/Zone D

You know what? you lose a 17 point lead either way

What do you lose by trying to "curveball" strategy.   Waters has more natural pg skills than anyone else on the team minus Hayward.   He has seen traps and zone Ds in college.   

I disagree, obviously. He adds absolutely nothing on the NBA level right now. The answer to fixing our offense isn’t to bring in an overmatched D-Leaguer.  Statistically, Waters led our team in turnovers per possession, and had by far the worst offensive rating on the team.

Isn’t this like arguing that a smart coach would utilize Tacko against Bam?

[nyceltsfan]

Defensively when BAM is abusing you with the alleys,  you bring in Grant Williams and switch everything.   

Here is a revolutionary idea that I have been contemplating:  What happened to old school man defense with NO SWITCHING?  Switching is allowing our team to be lazy and allowing the Heat to get any matchup they want.  Theis on Dragic is maddening, as is Kemba on Butler.  Let's see some fight in this team - go through the picks, stay with your man and don't let him score.  Don't leave the open shooter.  Don't help and leave the roller - JUST STAY WITH YOUR MAN.  How many points could have been saved yesterday with that approach?

yes and no. You can't just go through picks without potentially getting a charge call against you

And the other problem is the pick and pop or roll man, can spin and head to the basket for alleys  OR prepare to shoot the 3.  They don't need much time/space. Especially the Heat. 

If help comes to try to protect the basket then Bam passes the ball to the open shooter

Celtics on the other hand lack this Roll/Pop guy to make this 2nd decision.  And heat are employing a D strategy that takes adv of this weakness

Celts need Hayward back ASAP. Because he is the best decision maker/passer + ability to shoot the ball from deep/mid range if you lay off him

I am not saying to recklessly run through the picks and screens, but I think that they just simply move on once a player runs up to set a pick against them, leaving them with at least one mismatch and maybe more.  Since Stevens does not seem to find it important to make a defensive adjustment mid-game (I know this sounds horrible and I am just in a bad mood today), I am saying that it could be beneficial to tell the players that they can do their part to win the game if they don't let their man score.  It is the simplest defense in the book and does not provide automatic mismatches.  I am sure there are many flaws with it, but I also think that playing the way they do holds no one accountable when the other team scores.

[Donoghus]

Tremont Waters?  Seriously?

[Tr1boy]

A smarter coach that also trust his lineup, would employ Tremont Waters in that situation

This is the same Tremont Waters who has played a total of 119 NBA minutes, and who shot 28.6% from the field, correct?

yes ... But only when Heat are trying to midcourt press/Zone D

You know what? you lose a 17 point lead either way

What do you lose by trying to "curveball" strategy.   Waters has more natural pg skills than anyone else on the team minus Hayward.   He has seen traps and zone Ds in college.   

I disagree, obviously. He adds absolutely nothing on the NBA level right now. The answer to fixing our offense isn’t to bring in an overmatched D-Leaguer.  Statistically, Waters led our team in turnovers per possession, and had by far the worst offensive rating on the team.

Isn’t this like arguing that a smart coach would utilize Tacko against Bam?

huh?  We are talking about breaking midcourt trap/zone D. What does Tacko have anything to do with this

Can Tacko defend the PNR?  Can he switch?   


Just like Brad you are weighing too much percentages/stats for this series.  Spoelstra is not doing that

You know how successful midcourt traps are successful in the NBA? its not very high. Thats why teams don't utilize it all game.  You get burnt eventually

But Spoels didn't care yesterday and it worked (3rd quarter).   

Repeated alley hoop dunks is old school and teams these days may do that a few times a game. STicking to more higher percentage 3s or drive and 1s.    Spoelstra threw this out the window and kept feeding bam


Again I ask you....when you give up 17 , 15, 14 point leads.  Percentage basketball doesn't work.   Mike Buldenhozer found out the hard way.  He thought his lineup/system was most optimal.   Until he faced Spoelstra in the playoffs

[trickybilly]

Brad works with what he has available. Blame should be on Danny who didn’t believe we are real contenders and didn’t trade for veterans and or leaders off the bench.
I also suspect that Brad’s preference is to work with younger players hence all the draft picks every year. 4 more drafted players coming in 2 months. If we bring 4 more rookies that will be telling what Danny and ownership think about our contending potential.

Trade what salary? We're capped out.

[Tr1boy]

Erik Spoelstra is lucky to have had the opportunity to face Greg Popovich and ridiculously tough Spurs in the early 2010s. 

That Spurs team threw all kinds of plays/roster combinations.   Spoelstra even with a deep lineup went through hell.

This is a good lesson for Brad Stevens.   Not sure he will graduate this time around.   All I ask for is 1 or 2 wins. So that the team can build off of it moving forward

[Tr1boy]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29914988/sources-coach-brad-stevens-held-late-night-meeting-celtics-leaders