Post-PHX slump: Is it the players, coaching, or random regression? (Blame Mazz)

[Roy H.]

If we lose four of the next five, Stevens should trade whomever will have a problem with Stevens becoming interim HC, fire Udoka on January 1, and make Stevens the new interim HC with Mazz as lead assistant HC, effective January 1 at midnight. We need to reverse this slide and it means moving whoever is primarily responsible for the stagnation (I’m almost certain it’s mostly JB with his change in play, possibly change in attitude behind the scenes —you all can continue to believe he’s more than a dude who affiliates with anti-semites like Kanye and Kyrie, but the rest of us know he’s got poor judgment). It also means finally ridding ourselves of the shadow of Udoka in case one or more player is intentionally doing things to try to cause us to bring back Udoka, who could be the Harvey Weinstein of the NBA for all we know, so we need to cut those ties ASAP too.

If the losing continues, we need a fresh start on January 1.

We're back to living and dying by the 3, so he's already here in spirit.

Did this really change substantially between last season - when, at this point, the state of the team was much more deserving of lamentation - and the play so far?

I'm inclined to agree with Droops: we were incredibly hot as a team, and were bound to cool off sometime.

Is that how regression to the mean works?  Massive spikes in performance, from the best for a sustained period to the worst for a sustained period?

Considering we're looking at the sky falling down over a sample size of four bad games? Hard to say.

The team has had the NBA’s worst offense for the past nine games.  11% of the season is a significant sample size.

[Kernewek]

If we lose four of the next five, Stevens should trade whomever will have a problem with Stevens becoming interim HC, fire Udoka on January 1, and make Stevens the new interim HC with Mazz as lead assistant HC, effective January 1 at midnight. We need to reverse this slide and it means moving whoever is primarily responsible for the stagnation (I’m almost certain it’s mostly JB with his change in play, possibly change in attitude behind the scenes —you all can continue to believe he’s more than a dude who affiliates with anti-semites like Kanye and Kyrie, but the rest of us know he’s got poor judgment). It also means finally ridding ourselves of the shadow of Udoka in case one or more player is intentionally doing things to try to cause us to bring back Udoka, who could be the Harvey Weinstein of the NBA for all we know, so we need to cut those ties ASAP too.

If the losing continues, we need a fresh start on January 1.

We're back to living and dying by the 3, so he's already here in spirit.

Did this really change substantially between last season - when, at this point, the state of the team was much more deserving of lamentation - and the play so far?

I'm inclined to agree with Droops: we were incredibly hot as a team, and were bound to cool off sometime.

Is that how regression to the mean works?  Massive spikes in performance, from the best for a sustained period to the worst for a sustained period?

Considering we're looking at the sky falling down over a sample size of four bad games? Hard to say.

The team has had the NBA’s worst offense for the past nine games.  11% of the season is a significant sample size.

Worst offense as determined by PPG? by FG%? ORtg?

[Roy H.]

If we lose four of the next five, Stevens should trade whomever will have a problem with Stevens becoming interim HC, fire Udoka on January 1, and make Stevens the new interim HC with Mazz as lead assistant HC, effective January 1 at midnight. We need to reverse this slide and it means moving whoever is primarily responsible for the stagnation (I’m almost certain it’s mostly JB with his change in play, possibly change in attitude behind the scenes —you all can continue to believe he’s more than a dude who affiliates with anti-semites like Kanye and Kyrie, but the rest of us know he’s got poor judgment). It also means finally ridding ourselves of the shadow of Udoka in case one or more player is intentionally doing things to try to cause us to bring back Udoka, who could be the Harvey Weinstein of the NBA for all we know, so we need to cut those ties ASAP too.

If the losing continues, we need a fresh start on January 1.

We're back to living and dying by the 3, so he's already here in spirit.

Did this really change substantially between last season - when, at this point, the state of the team was much more deserving of lamentation - and the play so far?

I'm inclined to agree with Droops: we were incredibly hot as a team, and were bound to cool off sometime.

Is that how regression to the mean works?  Massive spikes in performance, from the best for a sustained period to the worst for a sustained period?

Considering we're looking at the sky falling down over a sample size of four bad games? Hard to say.

The team has had the NBA’s worst offense for the past nine games.  11% of the season is a significant sample size.

Worst offense as determined by PPG? by FG%? ORtg?

Offensive rating.

And, while exactly nobody is preaching that the sky is falling, it is a bit concerning when the head coach says that no adjustments are necessary.

[Kernewek]

If we lose four of the next five, Stevens should trade whomever will have a problem with Stevens becoming interim HC, fire Udoka on January 1, and make Stevens the new interim HC with Mazz as lead assistant HC, effective January 1 at midnight. We need to reverse this slide and it means moving whoever is primarily responsible for the stagnation (I’m almost certain it’s mostly JB with his change in play, possibly change in attitude behind the scenes —you all can continue to believe he’s more than a dude who affiliates with anti-semites like Kanye and Kyrie, but the rest of us know he’s got poor judgment). It also means finally ridding ourselves of the shadow of Udoka in case one or more player is intentionally doing things to try to cause us to bring back Udoka, who could be the Harvey Weinstein of the NBA for all we know, so we need to cut those ties ASAP too.

If the losing continues, we need a fresh start on January 1.

We're back to living and dying by the 3, so he's already here in spirit.

Did this really change substantially between last season - when, at this point, the state of the team was much more deserving of lamentation - and the play so far?

I'm inclined to agree with Droops: we were incredibly hot as a team, and were bound to cool off sometime.

Is that how regression to the mean works?  Massive spikes in performance, from the best for a sustained period to the worst for a sustained period?

Considering we're looking at the sky falling down over a sample size of four bad games? Hard to say.

The team has had the NBA’s worst offense for the past nine games.  11% of the season is a significant sample size.

Worst offense as determined by PPG? by FG%? ORtg?

Offensive rating.

And, while exactly nobody is preaching that the sky is falling, it is a bit concerning when the head coach says that no adjustments are necessary.

Yeah they're scoring fewer points per 100 possession than other teams in the league over that stretch. 4-5 because of two close games and cold shooting. Is what it is.

But that's getting away from the question: this time last year, were we "living by the three and dying by the three"?

[PAOBoston]

I think they are just going through a lull. It’s a long season and they basically came out like gangbusters. Throw in reacquainting the rotation with Timelord as well and they were bound to have a slump at some point. Their 3 pt shooting was also unsustainable so law of averages bringing them back to earth a bit.

I’m sure they will get back to winning basketball shortly but they do have some things to figure out in terms of their identity, team defense, and offensive execution when the 3s aren’t falling.

[Roy H.]

If we lose four of the next five, Stevens should trade whomever will have a problem with Stevens becoming interim HC, fire Udoka on January 1, and make Stevens the new interim HC with Mazz as lead assistant HC, effective January 1 at midnight. We need to reverse this slide and it means moving whoever is primarily responsible for the stagnation (I’m almost certain it’s mostly JB with his change in play, possibly change in attitude behind the scenes —you all can continue to believe he’s more than a dude who affiliates with anti-semites like Kanye and Kyrie, but the rest of us know he’s got poor judgment). It also means finally ridding ourselves of the shadow of Udoka in case one or more player is intentionally doing things to try to cause us to bring back Udoka, who could be the Harvey Weinstein of the NBA for all we know, so we need to cut those ties ASAP too.

If the losing continues, we need a fresh start on January 1.

We're back to living and dying by the 3, so he's already here in spirit.

Did this really change substantially between last season - when, at this point, the state of the team was much more deserving of lamentation - and the play so far?

I'm inclined to agree with Droops: we were incredibly hot as a team, and were bound to cool off sometime.

Is that how regression to the mean works?  Massive spikes in performance, from the best for a sustained period to the worst for a sustained period?

Considering we're looking at the sky falling down over a sample size of four bad games? Hard to say.

The team has had the NBA’s worst offense for the past nine games.  11% of the season is a significant sample size.

Worst offense as determined by PPG? by FG%? ORtg?

Offensive rating.

And, while exactly nobody is preaching that the sky is falling, it is a bit concerning when the head coach says that no adjustments are necessary.

Yeah they're scoring fewer points per 100 possession than other teams in the league over that stretch. 4-5 because of two close games and cold shooting. Is what it is.

But that's getting away from the question: this time last year, were we "living by the three and dying by the three"?

Before the turn around, our offense largely was living and dying by the three.  Not to the extent it is this season.

And, what changed the team's fortunes was playing defense.  We got some upgraded talent in the off-season, so we've been able to be successful with poorer fundamentals, but it's not necessarily sound strategy.  That's especially true of the announced "no adjustments needed" strategy.

[goCeltics]

Mazz is out of his depth bring back Ime.

[Moranis]

If we lose four of the next five, Stevens should trade whomever will have a problem with Stevens becoming interim HC, fire Udoka on January 1, and make Stevens the new interim HC with Mazz as lead assistant HC, effective January 1 at midnight. We need to reverse this slide and it means moving whoever is primarily responsible for the stagnation (I’m almost certain it’s mostly JB with his change in play, possibly change in attitude behind the scenes —you all can continue to believe he’s more than a dude who affiliates with anti-semites like Kanye and Kyrie, but the rest of us know he’s got poor judgment). It also means finally ridding ourselves of the shadow of Udoka in case one or more player is intentionally doing things to try to cause us to bring back Udoka, who could be the Harvey Weinstein of the NBA for all we know, so we need to cut those ties ASAP too.

If the losing continues, we need a fresh start on January 1.

We're back to living and dying by the 3, so he's already here in spirit.

Did this really change substantially between last season - when, at this point, the state of the team was much more deserving of lamentation - and the play so far?

I'm inclined to agree with Droops: we were incredibly hot as a team, and were bound to cool off sometime.

Is that how regression to the mean works?  Massive spikes in performance, from the best for a sustained period to the worst for a sustained period?

Considering we're looking at the sky falling down over a sample size of four bad games? Hard to say.

The team has had the NBA’s worst offense for the past nine games.  11% of the season is a significant sample size.

Worst offense as determined by PPG? by FG%? ORtg?

Offensive rating.

And, while exactly nobody is preaching that the sky is falling, it is a bit concerning when the head coach says that no adjustments are necessary.

Yeah they're scoring fewer points per 100 possession than other teams in the league over that stretch. 4-5 because of two close games and cold shooting. Is what it is.

But that's getting away from the question: this time last year, were we "living by the three and dying by the three"?

Before the turn around, our offense largely was living and dying by the three.  Not to the extent it is this season.

And, what changed the team's fortunes was playing defense.  We got some upgraded talent in the off-season, so we've been able to be successful with poorer fundamentals, but it's not necessarily sound strategy.  That's especially true of the announced "no adjustments needed" strategy.

The thing is, the team is much smaller overall than last year and is getting out physicalled a lot.  This is one of the concerns I had about playing Tatum at PF, Brown at SF, and two guards.  The team can be overpowered.  Since Rob has come back there is a bit more size, but he doesn't have the fitness or stamina to start yet, so you are still seeing the small starting lineup.  Starting around that Phoenix game, teams figured out the way to beat this Boston team is to play them tight with physicality.  That then leads to less ball movement, more tiredness, etc. offensively and the team just isn't as good.  The real concern though is that with the current roster construction, there isn't much that can be done.  The team is just too small.