Celtics (32-28) at Hornets (29-30) Game #61 4/25/21

[SCeltic34]

Rose calling out Stevens on the post-game saying it's a failing of his that he can't get his guys to consistently play hard.

Let's face facts, Stevens is never going to be the guy to light a fire under these guys. It's never going to happen.

I know that they say it's not the coach's responsibility to motivate pro athletes, but I think it def helps. Unfortunately our main guys are not as self motivated as IT and Horford.

It's like having Mr. Rogers as your coach. You're just never going to respect him as an authority figure.

Exactly.

But it's exactly the role and responsibility of the coach to motivate and get his guys to play hard. That is an integral part of his job description.

It's become increasingly clear over recent seasons that our best players don't buy into whatever Brad supposedly is selling.  Beyond the lack of effort is an unwillingness to trust each other and move the ball.  That starts with our best players.

Brad needs to take a page out of Popovich's book and be toughest on your best players.  When you're holding your best players accountable then everyone else falls in line.  Brad doesn't seem to have the respect of our players.  In a game like this, that means benching Tatum for his awful, selfish play. 

I don't care what our players say to the media.  Just look at the way they play and the results that follow.  Lack of communication and poor defensive effort.  Stupid, undisciplined offense with lots of iso ball.  It's why Smart and Tatum have been able to launch away terrible early shot clock 3's all season with little regard.  There's no accountability.

[blink]

Maybe this is just over-reaction (I am sure it is), but maybe Tatum / Brown / Smart / Kemba just aren't as good as we all think they are?
I mean there are 1000 excuses we can give, we are too young, we have had too many injuries, Brad can't coach, but eventually guys have to have the desire and effort to win games.

I mean they got smacked in the face by Terry Rozier, Devonte Graham, and PJ Washington.  No Hayward today, and we got abused.  At some point it becomes impossible to make excuses that don't directly point to the players.

I am not confident that any major changes are happening in the off season.  What a disappointing season.

The biggest problem we have is that we don't have any player that is capable of (or willing to) consistently making their teammates better.  That's why we look like absolute crap for long stretches of the game.  Lots of hero ball.  No accountability.  Our players don't seem to enjoy playing together, and in fact don't even look like they're having fun playing basketball.

yeah the bolded is a huge concern.  if I didn't have any info on our team, I would wonder why they hate each other so much.  it seems like a job to them, a job they don't like.  There is a lot of bad body language from Tatum like every other game.  When our star isn't setting the correct tone for our team attitude and approach it is a big problem.  I know I know he is young, he is coming back from Covid, but it is the attitude, heart, effort that I worry about with our guys, mostly Tatum.  Smart / Brown seem to be mostly self motivating.  We need a team leader really badly, and it isn't Kemba Walker.

[liam]

At what point does this stop being completely Stevens fault and it becomes the players' fault?

At some point, the players have to be held responsible for this type of play. It's not all on the coach.

Now, since you can't fire 17 players, at some point Brad will get the ax, but this season is as much about bad effort and performance by the players as it is Brad's inability to get these guys going.

When he pulls out all the stops and benches guys that aren't playing hard and gets techs on some of these bad calls. Maybe if Brad showed some fire his team might follow. Why have a coach if he can't affect the game? What is Thibs doing in New York? He's coaching his ass off and overachieving with a less talented roster. When does Brad take some responsibility?

[Ogaju]

For all the complaints about Stevens, you know what he didn't do?

He didn't shoot 38% from the field.
He didn't missed close to 20 shots at the rim.
He didn't decide to go iso all game
He didn't turn the ball over 13 times.
He didn't decide not to get back in transition.
He didn't allow Charlotte to shoot wide open threes all game.
He didn't play some of the most pathetic half court defense all year in this game.

At some point, it's on the players, not the coach. This game was all on the players. They were the ones that decided not to show up and stink up the joint.

What exactly is the coach’s job?

It's not to play the game.

Not play guys who play hard and bench guys that are phoning it in or get a tech to fire up his team or rem a guy out for horrid lazy play. See Pop! Coaching is an active participation job! Not sit and hope guys do something.

Sure. Yeah. Let's bench Tatum, Brown, Kemba and Smart because a lineup of Pritchard, Besmith, Langford, Parker and Kornet are going to win sooooooooo many games. 

It may be the spark and change of pace you need during a game.

[hwangjini_1]

For all the complaints about Stevens, you know what he didn't do?

He didn't shoot 38% from the field.
He didn't missed close to 20 shots at the rim.
He didn't decide to go iso all game
He didn't turn the ball over 13 times.
He didn't decide not to get back in transition.
He didn't allow Charlotte to shoot wide open threes all game.
He didn't play some of the most pathetic half court defense all year in this game.

At some point, it's on the players, not the coach. This game was all on the players. They were the ones that decided not to show up and stink up the joint.

good points. tonight was mostly on the players playing like crap. they know they should defend the 3 point line, but didnt.

the one play that examplifies their lack of effort was tatum's lazy ass pass in the opening. rozier simply steals it and gets a lay up.

charlotte was a great passing team and shooting team tonight. they worked harder than the celtics for much of the game.

[liam]

Rose calling out Stevens on the post-game saying it's a failing of his that he can't get his guys to consistently play hard.

Let's face facts, Stevens is never going to be the guy to light a fire under these guys. It's never going to happen.

I know that they say it's not the coach's responsibility to motivate pro athletes, but I think it def helps. Unfortunately our main guys are not as self motivated as IT and Horford.

It's like having Mr. Rogers as your coach. You're just never going to respect him as an authority figure.

Exactly.

But it's exactly the role and responsibility of the coach to motivate and get his guys to play hard. That is an integral part of his job description.

It's become increasingly clear over recent seasons that our best players don't buy into whatever Brad supposedly is selling.  Beyond the lack of effort is an unwillingness to trust each other and move the ball.  That starts with our best players.

Brad needs to take a page out of Popovich's book and be toughest on your best players.  When you're holding your best players accountable then everyone else falls in line.  Brad doesn't seem to have the respect of our players.  In a game like this, that means benching Tatum for his awful, selfish play. 

I don't care what our players say to the media.  Just look at the way they play and the results that follow.  Lack of communication and poor defensive effort.  Stupid, undisciplined offense with lots of iso ball.  It's why Smart and Tatum have been able to launch away terrible early shot clock 3's all season with little regard.  There's no accountability.

Exactly!!!!

[SparzWizard]

If you look at what Thibs is doing with a much less talented team in the knicks it's clear he's out coaching Brad. CLEAR AS DAY!!!

Thibs > Brad

Facts 100%. Thibs can do more with less, but Brad can't seem to do more with more

[hwangjini_1]

For all the complaints about Stevens, you know what he didn't do?

He didn't shoot 38% from the field.
He didn't missed close to 20 shots at the rim.
He didn't decide to go iso all game
He didn't turn the ball over 13 times.
He didn't decide not to get back in transition.
He didn't allow Charlotte to shoot wide open threes all game.
He didn't play some of the most pathetic half court defense all year in this game.

At some point, it's on the players, not the coach. This game was all on the players. They were the ones that decided not to show up and stink up the joint.

What exactly is the coach’s job?

It's not to play the game.

Not play guys who play hard and bench guys that are phoning it in or get a tech to fire up his team or rem a guy out for horrid lazy play. See Pop! Coaching is an active participation job! Not sit and hope guys do something.

Sure. Yeah. Let's bench Tatum, Brown, Kemba and Smart because a lineup of Pritchard, Besmith, Langford, Parker and Kornet are going to win sooooooooo many games. 

It may be the spark and change of pace you need during a game.

ha ha ha...if CBS ran this line up out during real game time this place would demand his head....again....as usual. 

[jpotter33]

For all the complaints about Stevens, you know what he didn't do?

He didn't shoot 38% from the field.
He didn't missed close to 20 shots at the rim.
He didn't decide to go iso all game
He didn't turn the ball over 13 times.
He didn't decide not to get back in transition.
He didn't allow Charlotte to shoot wide open threes all game.
He didn't play some of the most pathetic half court defense all year in this game.

At some point, it's on the players, not the coach. This game was all on the players. They were the ones that decided not to show up and stink up the joint.

This is such a bad argument lol The only thing you're really saying is a descriptive statement that he's not actually a player - that's it. But that's a very naive and narrow conception of how coaching affects the game, and by this kind of logic there's no role whatsoever for coaching in the NBA.

Sure, if players are just missing shots, that's unfortunate but it doesn't necessarily involve coaching. Turnovers? Same kind of argument can be made. But you know how coaching does relate to  poor play, either wholly or at least in part?

(a) Not coming out prepared to start the game - coaching staff not having guys ready to start the game
(b) Not playing motivated or with hustle throughout the game - poor in-game management of players by coaching staff
(c) Consistently missing defensive assignments/not communicating defensively/implementing a poor overall defensive help strategy - coaching staff futility in defensive gameplan management and preparation and instilling defensive discipline and accountability
(d) Team consistently relies too heavily on jumpshots and isolation offense - coaching staff futility in offensive gameplan management and preparation and instilling offensive discipline and accountability
(e) Inconsistent rotation/regular freezing or benching of the hot player/poor TO calling - poor in-game management by coaching staff
(f) Stars with awful body language and motivation throughout the game - poor leadership and accountability instituted by coaching staff

Brad and the coaching staff are not wholly responsible for the team's problems, but acting like they have minimal impact on the team's poor play today and this season and aren't a major driving factor of the poor play is asinine.

[Birdman]

Embarrassing!!! Had all our players except TimeLord & should have won plus Hornets didn’t have Hayward & Ball

[liam]

For all the complaints about Stevens, you know what he didn't do?

He didn't shoot 38% from the field.
He didn't missed close to 20 shots at the rim.
He didn't decide to go iso all game
He didn't turn the ball over 13 times.
He didn't decide not to get back in transition.
He didn't allow Charlotte to shoot wide open threes all game.
He didn't play some of the most pathetic half court defense all year in this game.

At some point, it's on the players, not the coach. This game was all on the players. They were the ones that decided not to show up and stink up the joint.

What exactly is the coach’s job?

It's not to play the game.

Not play guys who play hard and bench guys that are phoning it in or get a tech to fire up his team or rem a guy out for horrid lazy play. See Pop! Coaching is an active participation job! Not sit and hope guys do something.

Sure. Yeah. Let's bench Tatum, Brown, Kemba and Smart because a lineup of Pritchard, Besmith, Langford, Parker and Kornet are going to win sooooooooo many games. 

It may be the spark and change of pace you need during a game.

I'd rather watch less talented players play hard than more talented players loaf a game away. Every day....

[liam]

For all the complaints about Stevens, you know what he didn't do?

He didn't shoot 38% from the field.
He didn't missed close to 20 shots at the rim.
He didn't decide to go iso all game
He didn't turn the ball over 13 times.
He didn't decide not to get back in transition.
He didn't allow Charlotte to shoot wide open threes all game.
He didn't play some of the most pathetic half court defense all year in this game.

At some point, it's on the players, not the coach. This game was all on the players. They were the ones that decided not to show up and stink up the joint.

This is such a bad argument lol The only thing you're really saying is a descriptive statement that he's not actually a player - that's it. But that's a very naive and narrow conception of how coaching affects the game, and by this kind of logic there's no role whatsoever for coaching in the NBA.

Sure, if players are just missing shots, that's unfortunate but it doesn't necessarily involve coaching. Turnovers? Same kind of argument can be made. But you know how coaching does relate to  poor play, either wholly or at least in part?

(a) Not coming out prepared to start the game - coaching staff not having guys ready to start the game
(b) Not playing motivated or with hustle throughout the game - poor in-game management of players by coaching staff
(c) Consistently missing defensive assignments/not communicating defensively/implementing a poor overall defensive help strategy - coaching staff futility in defensive gameplan management and preparation
(d) Team consistently relies too heavily on jumpshots and isolation offense - coaching staff futility in offensive gameplan management and preparation
(e) Inconsistent rotation/regular freezing or benching of the hot player/poor TO calling - poor in-game management by coaching staff
(f) Stars with awful body language and motivation throughout the game - poor leadership and accountability instituted by coaching staff

Brad and the coaching staff are not wholly responsible for the team's problems, but acting like they have minimal impact on the team's poor play today and this season and aren't a major driving factor of the poor play is asinine.

TP

[Ogaju]

For all the complaints about Stevens, you know what he didn't do?

He didn't shoot 38% from the field.
He didn't missed close to 20 shots at the rim.
He didn't decide to go iso all game
He didn't turn the ball over 13 times.
He didn't decide not to get back in transition.
He didn't allow Charlotte to shoot wide open threes all game.
He didn't play some of the most pathetic half court defense all year in this game.

At some point, it's on the players, not the coach. This game was all on the players. They were the ones that decided not to show up and stink up the joint.

What exactly is the coach’s job?

It's not to play the game.

Not play guys who play hard and bench guys that are phoning it in or get a tech to fire up his team or rem a guy out for horrid lazy play. See Pop! Coaching is an active participation job! Not sit and hope guys do something.

Sure. Yeah. Let's bench Tatum, Brown, Kemba and Smart because a lineup of Pritchard, Besmith, Langford, Parker and Kornet are going to win sooooooooo many games. 

It may be the spark and change of pace you need during a game.

ha ha ha...if CBS ran this line up out during real game time this place would demand his head....again....as usual. 

Not if they produce and take the other team out of their flow.

[footey]

I had a bad feeling going into this game.

[liam]

I had a bad feeling going into this game.

I have that feeling going into every game lately.