Why wont Brad let Pritchard be a pg??

[Somebody]

It's especially weird because we're missing the high-post playmaking from Horford and the playmaking at the wing from Hayward. PP isn't an elite passer, but he's a point guard. It's weird.

Cramming Tatum into being a point-forward is fine as long as it's supplemented by good playmaking elsewhere. This season it has not been. Fournier was a step in the right direction as he's a solid passer and good mover off-ball.

Timelord can provide some high-post playmaking.   Tatum isn't a point-forward so trying to force him to be one is a problem.

Stevens isn't trying to force Tatum to be a playmaker, he is teaching him to be one. Brown too.

They are both super young yet and their games still growing. Playmaking is the next step and, unfortunately for some fans, they are going to have to live with the mistakes as both players go through growing pains in this area.

My guess is in a couple years you could see both Jays averaging over 5 assists per game with Tatum being at maybe 6+. There's a learning curve and patience is needed. Even guys like Jimmy Butler, DeMar DeRozan, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Bradley Beal and tons of others throughout NBA history took 5+ years to get as good at playmaking as Tatum is right now.

He surely is teaching Brown how to be a playmaker by playing him as a bailout isolation scorer when the likes of FastPP/Smart/Waters run the PnR as a lead ballhandler in lineups without Tatuma and Kemba

But yeah Tatum needs time to develop (and I hope Brown will be given the opportunity to grow as an offensive player next season, hopefully a new coach will do that).

[wdleehi]

Because the playoffs are not the time for this.   


I like Pritchard but he may not be ready for this role.   I mean with all the games missed by Walker and Smart, if he was ready, we would have seen it more constantly.   

[Tr1boy]

It's especially weird because we're missing the high-post playmaking from Horford and the playmaking at the wing from Hayward. PP isn't an elite passer, but he's a point guard. It's weird.

Cramming Tatum into being a point-forward is fine as long as it's supplemented by good playmaking elsewhere. This season it has not been. Fournier was a step in the right direction as he's a solid passer and good mover off-ball.

Timelord can provide some high-post playmaking.   Tatum isn't a point-forward so trying to force him to be one is a problem.

Stevens isn't trying to force Tatum to be a playmaker, he is teaching him to be one. Brown too.

They are both super young yet and their games still growing. Playmaking is the next step and, unfortunately for some fans, they are going to have to live with the mistakes as both players go through growing pains in this area.

My guess is in a couple years you could see both Jays averaging over 5 assists per game with Tatum being at maybe 6+. There's a learning curve and patience is needed. Even guys like Jimmy Butler, DeMar DeRozan, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Bradley Beal and tons of others throughout NBA history took 5+ years to get as good at playmaking as Tatum is right now.

The question is why??

When Leonard was with the Spurs or Raptors he was not the pg.  At times when he wanted to go 1 on 1.  There was plays for him to do just that

Right now with the Clippers without a bonafide pg, Leonard and PG are forced to play the pg role.  From what I see(playoffs)... it hasnt worked smoothly.

I can understand running the show through non traditional pgs like Jokic. He is a natural.  But forcing/teaching others ... when the team already has one (since they started playing basketball) is puzzling.   

How many times has Tatum been stripped of the ball late in games? Or made the wrong read. Or didnt pass and chooses to take a tough shot??

Let PP or Yam(next season) have some decision making autonomy.   Having them bring up the ball midcourt, just to quickly drop of the ball to Tatum or Brown is .... I mean what is that?

Would it not be better if TL or Tatum for example set a pick for a PG.  Tatum can roll or find an open spot on the court.  Pritchard drives to the net, pull defenders towards him.  Kick out, pass pass

Or after an inbound play push the pace himself and find Brown trailing for an easy layup or and 1.

Right now its just so stactic and unorganized.  Too reliant on 1 on 1 type ball.

Is it not obvious?

Kawhi had the benefit of playing next to Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, and Boris Diaw in San Antonio. In short, Kawhi was allowed to develop slowly because he had better playmakers and passers next to him. Even in Toronto, he had a great PG in Kyle Lowry. Although by then, he was a far better playmaker himself.

Right now, there's just a talent gulf on this team and I think you're expecting a lot of younger players who aren't capable of playing at that level on the playoff stage. Pritchard has been very underwhelming in his first 2 playoff games - that's okay, he's a rookie. I don't think he's earned Brad's trust to have the ball in his hands primarily when the game is still competitive and picking up a few assists in garbage time isn't enough for him to get there.

As Nick said, putting the balls in the Jays hands is the best bet for the future of this team and the right choice right now. They're the best players on this team by far and allowing them to play through hiccups to learn is the right move.

Your best players doesn't have to be PGs. 

Does Embiid need to be a PG? or bring up the ball?  No

Did Hakeem had to?  or  Charles Barkley?

Tatum or Brown could develop into better ball handlers or passers. But they lack that natural instinct to be point forwards.  Because their natural inclination is to "attack" "score".   

Why force it?

No issues to give up the ball to either when they are "feeling it".   Otherwise let a true PG do his part. 

Currently, all Steve Nash has to tell his team is to keep a close eye to Tatum or Walker.   Celts never dive to the net and kick out. Never drive and bounce pass to a big for easy layups.   There is very little complexity.  Just "sit" back

While the Nets are playing a complete inside outside left to right offensive display. 

[Tr1boy]

When Celts had Horford or Hayward or even Olynyk

you can tell that they had the instincts to make the correct read/pass.  Close to 80 plus percent. Not pure PG level but darn close

Hayward would use to drive, stop, spin and either make a pass to an open man..... or take the fadeaway jumper if there was no defender up in his grill

Tatum doesn't do any of this.  He might be a better passer if double teamed and even then has had his share of issues beating it

Brown is better. But still he loves to score 8 out of 10 times. Even if its forced because he has the "you can stop me mentality". Its not the correct read/easy basketball

One has to wonder, if this team had a more traditional coach like Rivers or Nash.  How this lineup would function instead.   

[tstorey_97]

I think Pritchard is better than Waters in some areas, but waters stylistically plays a different kind of point guard.

For rookies they are both relatively square and confident when they are responsible for the point on offense. Often Pritchard plays with the starters and thus, is off the ball. This does not exploit his ball handling and passing. Steven's reasons for this are obvious, veterans are going to handle the playmaking and PP gets his occasional wide open three.

Looking at Water's contribution this season might add something to the discussion.

When Water's is on the floor and also, the odd games he's started, Waters brought the ball up.

This is his second year, last season he was the G league MVP or whatever he won, but, played few minutes in Boston.

Next season, will Pritchard play in Maine? I don't think so, but I will say that Stevens does not give him many minutes.

My point, Stevens ball distribution schemes don't seem to be about point guards.

When all of the bench is on the floor? Teague or Waters would bring the ball up, but, is that because Stevens runs things differently with the bench on the floor?

to address triboy's query, I offer little beyond how Stevens uses Pritchard and Waters...(who, BTW are both really accomplished NCAA point guards who got drafted)

Pritchard
Games 66 Minutes 1267
FGA  - 418 - 44%
3PTA - 248 - 41.1%
FTA - 45 - 88.9%
REB - 158
AST - 120
TO - 53
STL - 37
PTS - 510

Waters (this season)
Games 26 Minutes 237
FGA  - 84 - 40.5%
3PTA - 38 - 39.5%
FTA - 17 - 94.1%
REB - 21
AST - 60
TO - 27
STL - 15
PTS - 99

For you math lovers Pritchard played about 6 X the number of minutes as Waters so go down the line.

Waters would win the assist per game battle 360 to 120
Waters just has the ball in his hands more.

Pritchard is now used as a shooting guard and Waters is the point guard. Whatcha gotta do to get rookie minutes...right?

I agree that these two players are small. I also insist that they are both excellent shooters and passers and can "run the floor" as point guards under pressure and do it well. I watched them in college and on numerous occasions they took over games for their teams and won them. That is why they were drafted...right?

I will also state that a reasonable number of Celtics point guards I watched play from Cousy to today were not "long" in any way shape or form.

If the opponent attacks the "small point guard" things can be done.... as there are plenty of smaller PG's out there and still more with shiny sparkly championship rings on their fingers.

[Tr1boy]

Good post tstorey_97

Like Liam stated, Brad outsmarted himself this season

Tremont won G league rookie of the year and made all 2nd team

[liam]

Because the playoffs are not the time for this.   


I like Pritchard but he may not be ready for this role.   I mean with all the games missed by Walker and Smart, if he was ready, we would have seen it more constantly.

Yeah, Pritchard getting minutes might cost us the series!

[wdleehi]

Because the playoffs are not the time for this.   


I like Pritchard but he may not be ready for this role.   I mean with all the games missed by Walker and Smart, if he was ready, we would have seen it more constantly.

Yeah, Pritchard getting minutes might cost us the series!

No.   He just isn't as good as Kemba and Smart.   

[liam]

Because the playoffs are not the time for this.   


I like Pritchard but he may not be ready for this role.   I mean with all the games missed by Walker and Smart, if he was ready, we would have seen it more constantly.

Yeah, Pritchard getting minutes might cost us the series!

No.   He just isn't as good as Kemba and Smart.

So we'll lose by 25 instead of 30?