Celtics (13-12) at Wizards (6-17) Game #26 2/14/21

[kraidstar]

Trades are going to have to be made. DA can't play the long game anymore, he has two All-Stars, it doesn't matter how old they are. You try to win every year.

There are no more 'wait and see' seasons. Utah have similar higher end talent but significantly superior supporting cast. Celtics had Jayson and Brown on rookie deals for 4 years and all they have to show is an aging All-Star point guard, a solid undersized center, an All-Defense player who was already on the team, and a bunch of young guys who literally cannot string together two good games.

New players won't matter if guys still refuse to pass the ball. We need to work to get shots for the team instead of working to individually score.

This is why Durant disappointed in OKC but thrived in Oakland. The mindset on those two clubs was wildly different. Not shockingly, the team that played together and unselfishly had far more success.

Eh. I don't see guys unwilling to pass, I see guys passing and failing to make shots which I think is an overall talent issue. Outside of the Jays and Kemba (and Kemba himself is a mixed bag), there's a talent drop off. We just saw how good this team could be when role players are making shots, but we can't on guys like Semi to do that consistently.

Mike Dantoni coached similar rosters and racked up way more assists.

Have you ever watched G-league ball? The problem isn't that guys can't make shots. These are NBA players. They can do it. G-league guys can do it. I'll bet most of those guys hit 80% of their 3s in practice.

But the team is not dedicated to getting the best shots at the right time. Without this commitment and flow, the defense has a little more time to adjust when you do pass, and you throw up bricks.

This is the mentality that stops a lot of G-league scorers from having success in the NBA. When you pass as an afterthought,  you are not properly breaking down the defense, and your shooters are always under duress.

Our top guys don't get their teammates involved enough. The fish is rotting from the head. The Jays and Kemba need to set the tone and make the game a joy to play. No, Ojeleye, Grant, Pritchard, and Theis aren't going to hit every shot. But if they play in sync with those players, keeping them involved, then they will compete through stretches when they're missing shots. Right now they are folding under the negativity of selfish play.

[Roy H.]

Perhaps this might be better served in the rules thread...

Yep.  That’s what the thread is there for.

[Birdman]

Romeo, Romeo where for art thou Romeo?

Hahaha..our savior! 🤣

[jpotter33]

Ainge should have drafted Fultz. Even injured he would be playing better than Tatum.

Enough is enough of this over the topic.  You've been doing it all day.  This game sucks but you're not helping things in the game thread

TBH, he's been the only entertaining part of the game today.

Entertaining is subjective.

As a reminder, we do have game thread rules.  People may want to refresh themselves with it.

https://forum.celticsstrong.com/index.php?topic=34423.0

Whoa, a moderator giving a warning to another moderator.

That's legit the first time I've seen that here I think 

I think it was funny though what Nick was doing today, with the obvious sarcasm

When it crosses the line of ruining the enjoyment for others in the game threads, then its a problem and that's what happened.

I'm not trying to be bad cop here.  Just trying to reel things in a bit.

Can I ask an honest question? Perhaps this might be better served in the rules thread... But what's the difference between what Nick did and posters who post in that tone "seriously"? Game threads are ruined when you constantly have posters typing in all caps about Brad being a choirboy or constantly handwringing over timeouts. Why does sarcasm cross the line?

Well, I'm the one primarily implicated in this post, so I will respond with my perspective.

Agreed, I absolutely do critique Brad a lot in the game threads for what I view as errors on his part, primarily about his in-game management and rotations. And I'm sure those that disagree and are overall pleased with Brad do not enjoy those posts very much, but that's part and parcel of the "marketplace of ideas" and being on a sports blog with numerous different perspectives.

The difference is that I'm making good-faith and reasonable arguments for my position. Today Nick was just trolling and trying to get reactions out of people and taking things way overboard with the comments that nobody on here has ever said before, for example:

Team played the worst half ever. Stevens is so passive. He should make them walk back to Boston from Washington...in high heels...toeless high heels...with no socks...through the snow. That will teach them to be better.

Washington's coach knows how to call timeouts. Wish he would teach Brad. And while he is at it maybe he can teach our team how to shoot free throws. And how to play defense. And how to pass the ball. And how to give the best high five combo pre game to teammates.

I certainly don't agree with everything you post, RJ, but you're also making your arguments in good-faith and not just trolling. Thus, there's nothing wrong with your posts that I think should be censored or stopped - even if I disagree with them - and the same goes for posts like mine that are of good-faith and making reasoned arguments that are not trolling. If you can't see the difference between those types of posts and arguments and the blatant, overboard trolling Nick did today, I'm not sure what to tell you.

[RJ87]

Trades are going to have to be made. DA can't play the long game anymore, he has two All-Stars, it doesn't matter how old they are. You try to win every year.

There are no more 'wait and see' seasons. Utah have similar higher end talent but significantly superior supporting cast. Celtics had Jayson and Brown on rookie deals for 4 years and all they have to show is an aging All-Star point guard, a solid undersized center, an All-Defense player who was already on the team, and a bunch of young guys who literally cannot string together two good games.

New players won't matter if guys still refuse to pass the ball. We need to work to get shots for the team instead of working to individually score.

This is why Durant disappointed in OKC but thrived in Oakland. The mindset on those two clubs was wildly different. Not shockingly, the team that played together and unselfishly had far more success.

Eh. I don't see guys unwilling to pass, I see guys passing and failing to make shots which I think is an overall talent issue. Outside of the Jays and Kemba (and Kemba himself is a mixed bag), there's a talent drop off. We just saw how good this team could be when role players are making shots, but we can't on guys like Semi to do that consistently.

Mike Dantoni coached similar rosters and racked up way more assists.

Have you ever watched G-league ball? The problem isn't that guys can't make shots. These are NBA players. They can do it. G-league guys can do it. I'll bet most of those guys hit 80% of their 3s in practice.

But the team is not dedicated to getting the best shots at the right time. Without this commitment and flow, the defense has a little more time to adjust when you do pass, and you throw up bricks.

This is the mentality that stops a lot of G-league scorers from having success in the NBA. When you pass as an afterthought,  you are not properly breaking down the defense, and your shooters are always under duress.

Our top guys don't get their teammates involved enough. The fish is rotting from the head. The Jays and Kemba need to set the tone and make the game a joy to play. No, Ojeleye, Grant, Pritchard, and Theis aren't going to hit every shot. But if they play in sync with those players, keeping them involved, then they will compete through stretches when they're missing shots. Right now they are folding under the negativity of selfish play.

D'Antoni had guys like Steve Nash and James Harden running his offense. I don't think those teams are comparable.

I get what you're thinking is in terms of thees are NBA players and should be able to hit shots, but some guys are more skilled than others. Would you rather have prime Kyle Korver or prime JJ Redick taking open 3's or Kelly Oubre? Danny hasn't done a good enough job constructing a supporting cast.

[tenn_smoothie]

At this rate i hope we dont make the playoffs anymore...this is awful.

But then again..even if we get a lottery pick at 13 to 16 range..Danny is gonna botch it just by picking up the usual busts like Langford and Nesmith

Ainge is so in love with perimeter wings. If it was up to him and Stevens, we would trot out a roster of 6-7 athletic wings who are streaky shooters, occasionally good at driving the ball and decent defenders when their head is in the game. Throw in an undersized high-usage point guard just to throw the offense even more out of whack and maybe one 6-5 high-IQ post player and you have the ultimate Danny team.

[PhoSita]

Man this team is a bummer right now.


I believe in Jay and Jay.  They're great.

I believe Kemba is going to get back to consistently being a good but not great starting point guard with a sweet jumper.

I believe in Brad.

I believe in Marcus Smart as the lead defensive guy and the heart and soul of the team.



Beyond that .... I'm not sure what I believe in on this roster.  Feels like something may just be wrong / missing.  Might take more than one or two moves with the TPE to really get them right.

[Donoghus]

Ainge should have drafted Fultz. Even injured he would be playing better than Tatum.

Enough is enough of this over the topic.  You've been doing it all day.  This game sucks but you're not helping things in the game thread

TBH, he's been the only entertaining part of the game today.

Entertaining is subjective.

As a reminder, we do have game thread rules.  People may want to refresh themselves with it.

https://forum.celticsstrong.com/index.php?topic=34423.0

Whoa, a moderator giving a warning to another moderator.

That's legit the first time I've seen that here I think 

I think it was funny though what Nick was doing today, with the obvious sarcasm

When it crosses the line of ruining the enjoyment for others in the game threads, then its a problem and that's what happened.

I'm not trying to be bad cop here.  Just trying to reel things in a bit.

Can I ask an honest question? Perhaps this might be better served in the rules thread... But what's the difference between what Nick did and posters who post in that tone "seriously"? Game threads are ruined when you constantly have posters typing in all caps about Brad being a choirboy or constantly handwringing over timeouts. Why does sarcasm cross the line?

It's a fair question. 

I can only speak on what I see.  As the game threads regulars can probably attest, I'm not in the game threads much these days.  Life has gotten in the way a bit. I still watch the games but don't have my computer open concurrently.    Today I was multi-tasking while working & listening on satelite radio so dropped in.  If people are acting up, crossing the lines, or being annoying, then hit the report to moderator button or if you see a moderator in the thread, PM them (which I was getting today).  Someone on the staff will look at it. If the enjoyment of others is getting ruined, its a problem.

[RJ87]

Ainge should have drafted Fultz. Even injured he would be playing better than Tatum.

Enough is enough of this over the topic.  You've been doing it all day.  This game sucks but you're not helping things in the game thread

TBH, he's been the only entertaining part of the game today.

Entertaining is subjective.

As a reminder, we do have game thread rules.  People may want to refresh themselves with it.

https://forum.celticsstrong.com/index.php?topic=34423.0

Whoa, a moderator giving a warning to another moderator.

That's legit the first time I've seen that here I think 

I think it was funny though what Nick was doing today, with the obvious sarcasm

When it crosses the line of ruining the enjoyment for others in the game threads, then its a problem and that's what happened.

I'm not trying to be bad cop here.  Just trying to reel things in a bit.

Can I ask an honest question? Perhaps this might be better served in the rules thread... But what's the difference between what Nick did and posters who post in that tone "seriously"? Game threads are ruined when you constantly have posters typing in all caps about Brad being a choirboy or constantly handwringing over timeouts. Why does sarcasm cross the line?

It's a fair question. 

I can only speak on what I see.  As the game threads regulars can probably attest, I'm not in the game threads much these days.  Life has gotten in the way a bit. I still watch the games but don't have my computer open concurrently.    Today I was multi-tasking while working & listening on satelite radio so dropped in.  If people are acting up, crossing the lines, or being annoying, then hit the report to moderator button or if you see a moderator in the thread, PM them (which I was getting today).  Someone on the staff will look at it. If the enjoyment of others is getting ruined, its a problem.

TP, That's a fair and unbiased answered. I usually try not to report things or bother the mods, but I will report in the future when I think it's appropriate.

[hpantazo]

https://twitter.com/keithsmithnba/status/1361063626946342916

[Ogaju]

https://twitter.com/keithsmithnba/status/1361063626946342916

it is a serious problem with this team. The ball never moves, the players do all the moving. That is not how you play winning ball. You have to move the ball to keep everyone engaged on offense. They have to figure out why the ball is not moving and FIX IT.

[RJ87]

https://twitter.com/keithsmithnba/status/1361063626946342916

I mean, what can he really say here though? He had 10 assists against Toronto, but hasn't had an assist in the 2 games since.

[blink]

https://twitter.com/keithsmithnba/status/1361063626946342916

I mean, what can he really say here though? He had 10 assists against Toronto, but hasn't had an assist in the 2 games since.

well sometimes 'no comment' is the best thing a player can say. 

[Ogaju]

the ball is not moving, that is the problem. The team has three ball dominant stars. They have to change that. You cannot have more than one ball dominant star, two tops.

[blink]

the ball is not moving, that is the problem. The team has three ball dominant stars. They have to change that. You cannot have more than one ball dominant star, two tops.

The ball not moving has been a consistent issues, BUT...other than Brown / Walker the C's were 12/51 from the field = 23.5%.  not going to win many games when that is your shooting percentage from most of the guys on the team.