Where did our defense go?

[MarcusSmartFanClub]

Poor roster construction that they just keep compounding by not adding actual NBA players.  As I've been saying for months, 1/3 of your team can't be journeyman on the verge or leaving the league, or untested 2nd round picks or undrafted players who have done nothing in the league.

Poor roster construction? Cmon man. They’re a top 5-10 team in the league coming off a finals appearance. They’re 3-1. I know it’s your thing to use hyperbole, but why not just say that you didn’t like how they rounded out the bench? They clearly don’t have a poor roster as is currently constructed.

I don't know.  He didn't say we had a poor roster.  He said it's constructed poorly.  I think it's fair to say that when you're missing your starting center for half the season, and your starting PF / backup center is old and needs more rest, it's a bad idea to spend 20% of your roster on Luke Kornet, Noah Vonleh and Blake Griffin.

If that’s fair, how many teams are poorly constructed? Every team besides GS and Milwaukee? I can find major faults with 95% of the rosters.

No, we’re not GS.

How many contenders have a guy as bad as Vonleh as a primary rotation player?

Instead of following you down this rabbit hole, I’m stating that contenders usually don’t have poor roster construction. I love the combo of Smart/Brogdon/White on defense, for example. I also like how switchable Tatum and Brown are.

I have issue with the idea that this is a poorly constructed team. It’s hyperbole.

Ok.  Our big man rotation is poorly constructed.  Negligently so.

Yes, I agree with this. I think Al is clearly long in the tooth and should be a backup. Same with Griffin. Williams should be back, and I wasn’t counting on Galinari like others.

Can we hope that they make additions before the deadline, or do we have to hyper focus on one aspect of the team? I would understand this criticism if we were 0-4.

I have confidence that Brad will find a substitute (or two) if Williams is out for the year.

[Moranis]

Poor roster construction that they just keep compounding by not adding actual NBA players.  As I've been saying for months, 1/3 of your team can't be journeyman on the verge or leaving the league, or untested 2nd round picks or undrafted players who have done nothing in the league.

Poor roster construction? Cmon man. They’re a top 5-10 team in the league coming off a finals appearance. They’re 3-1. I know it’s your thing to use hyperbole, but why not just say that you didn’t like how they rounded out the bench? They clearly don’t have a poor roster as is currently constructed.

They have a poorly constructed roster.  Some of it is fine, but some of it is not.  The parts that are fine are things like Tatum and Brown both being at their best at SF, not really an issue to move Brown to SG and keep Tatum at SF.  Not having a true PG, also is fine as Smart, White, and Brogdon are all excellent players and can make it work.  But a part of the problem on the roster is having Brogdon, White, and to a lesser extent Pritchard on the team which means that 3 of the 4 best bench players all basically play the same position.  And Brogdon and White, collectively make a supermax type contract.  That is a lot of money tied up in backups that play the same position. 

There also isn't a proven back up wing.  Sure Brogdon can play there in a pinch as can Grant, but they aren't guys that should be playing on the wing very much.  Hauser just isn't ready for the kind of role he is being asked to play.  He will certainly have flashes, but at critical moments, you shouldn't have to rely on Hauser, and frankly when Brown gets hurt and misses 15 games like he does every year, the team is going to see a real effect of not having a quality back-up wing.

But the real problem is the interior.  The big man rotation is awful.  Even before Gallinari went down, it was clear that it was awful.  Grant is fine, but you can't claim you are a contender and then have Vonleh, Griffin, and Kornet be your bench big men, especially when your starters are Rob "Glass" Williams and Al "Walking Stick" Horford. 

Boston will not last the season as a top tier team with the roster as it is presently constructed.  Tatum and Brown are good enough in spurts to carry the team, but they can't do it all season, especially when you are asking Tatum to play PF a lot more.  He shouldn't be playing big minutes at PF, it will wear him down even more, especially when you are having them play 37 or so mpg.  That is just too much, especially this early in the season.

And all of this was easy to see and predict.  It isn't like we've had a slew of unexpected injuries.  Williams, Horford, and Gallinari always get hurt and miss time.  The plan just wasn't there for it to happen.  And because Rob is going to miss so much time (and Gallo is out for the year), the wear and tear is going to accumulate as the season goes on. 

So yes, the roster is poorly constructed.  There is obviously a lot of talent, but the poor roster construction will catch up to the team at some point, if it hasn't already.

And the real shame of it all, is the C's had a very large asset that could have been used to fix some of these issues, but just didn't do it.  Even taking that aside, the team could have signed veterans that you could rely on more in a pinch, but instead signed Kornet, Vonleh, and Jackson (Griffin is at least a veteran and I have no issue taking a flyer on Hauser, he just shouldn't be the back-up SF).   

[MarcusSmartFanClub]

A lot of words there, but nothing said on a relative basis to support the claim that this team is poorly constructed. Name the teams that have a better constructed roster. If you come up with 20+, I think we disagree. I’m looking at your use of the term “poorly constructed” and comparing it to the NBA.

The Celtics have injury problems and need another competent big. The vast majority of the rest of the team fits well together, especially defensively.

I’m catching an alarmist tone from Roy and Moranis. Are your predictions for  this poorly constructed  team to finish below .500?

[bello_man09]

This roster is not balanced too heavy on guards and not enough bigs..AL should be coming off the bench, at this stage it, his  shooting will help our bench,.

[Moranis]

A lot of words there, but nothing said on a relative basis to support the claim that this team is poorly constructed. Name the teams that have a better constructed roster. If you come up with 20+, I think we disagree. I’m looking at your use of the term “poorly constructed” and comparing it to the NBA.

The Celtics have injury problems and need another competent big. The vast majority of the rest of the team fits well together, especially defensively.

I’m catching an alarmist tone from Roy and Moranis. Are your predictions for  this poorly constructed  team to finish below .500?

I think you are misinterpreting as poorly constructed as poor.  That isn't the same thing. Most teams are in fact constructed pretty well, but lack the talent the C's have.  Talent does wonders, especially in a sport like basketball where one person can have such a dramatic effect.  But to your question, most of the playoff level teams in the East are well constructed i.e. the Bucks, Heat, Cavs, Hawks, Raptors, Bulls, and even the Nets (though they have different issues).  The Sixers have a well constructed starting lineup, but like the C's, lack size and some cohesion on their bench.  The Knicks, Pacers, Wizards, and Magic has a nice cohesive unit, they just lack talent.  The Hornets are a weird team, but with Ball do seem to make sense as they are put together.  The West has more teams that aren't put together well, obviously the Lakers are the most talked about, but there are others that don't make a lot of sense because of tanking, trades, or otherwise. 

[MarcusSmartFanClub]

A lot of words there, but nothing said on a relative basis to support the claim that this team is poorly constructed. Name the teams that have a better constructed roster. If you come up with 20+, I think we disagree. I’m looking at your use of the term “poorly constructed” and comparing it to the NBA.

The Celtics have injury problems and need another competent big. The vast majority of the rest of the team fits well together, especially defensively.

I’m catching an alarmist tone from Roy and Moranis. Are your predictions for  this poorly constructed  team to finish below .500?

I think you are misinterpreting as poorly constructed as poor.  That isn't the same thing. Most teams are in fact constructed pretty well, but lack the talent the C's have.  Talent does wonders, especially in a sport like basketball where one person can have such a dramatic effect.  But to your question, most of the playoff level teams in the East are well constructed i.e. the Bucks, Heat, Cavs, Hawks, Raptors, Bulls, and even the Nets (though they have different issues).  The Sixers have a well constructed starting lineup, but like the C's, lack size and some cohesion on their bench.  The Knicks, Pacers, Wizards, and Magic has a nice cohesive unit, they just lack talent.  The Hornets are a weird team, but with Ball do seem to make sense as they are put together.  The West has more teams that aren't put together well, obviously the Lakers are the most talked about, but there are others that don't make a lot of sense because of tanking, trades, or otherwise.

I must be misinterpreting. I thought you were saying the team hasn’t been constructed well. I don’t agree with that conclusion, especially after seeing them play defense last year. We’re not that different, despite the obsession with Rob Williams’ injury.

[Kuberski33]

They just have too many new players, their shot blocker out, and they have a new coach. Team defense is not built overnight. It takes time - especially at this level.

It could take half the season to tighten this up. Keep in mind though, most of the players they have are pretty good defenders so it should just be a matter of getting everyone on the same page.

Their struggles defensively don't bother me at all at this point in the season. 

Also Vonleh's auditioning for a role in the rotation. If he can't cut it Brad likely tries to find someone else who can come in at the 4-5 and hopefully defend and rebound. And if last night's any indication, and he can't stay on the court, Brad will continue looking.

[Goldstar88]

Marcus was DPOY, but I still believe that Rob is the anchor to the defense. If I had to chose between having Rob on the court with this group or Marcus, I’m taking Timelord everyday of the week. 

[MarcusSmartFanClub]

I’m just confused at the alarmism this year, especially after fans did the very same thing last year.

Last year- Fire Ime!
This year- Were screwed without Ime and Rob Williams!

[sgrogan]

A lot of words there, but nothing said on a relative basis to support the claim that this team is poorly constructed. Name the teams that have a better constructed roster. If you come up with 20+, I think we disagree. I’m looking at your use of the term “poorly constructed” and comparing it to the NBA.

The Celtics have injury problems and need another competent big. The vast majority of the rest of the team fits well together, especially defensively.

I’m catching an alarmist tone from Roy and Moranis. Are your predictions for  this poorly constructed  team to finish below .500?

I think you are misinterpreting as poorly constructed as poor.  That isn't the same thing. Most teams are in fact constructed pretty well, but lack the talent the C's have.  Talent does wonders, especially in a sport like basketball where one person can have such a dramatic effect.  But to your question, most of the playoff level teams in the East are well constructed i.e. the Bucks, Heat, Cavs, Hawks, Raptors, Bulls, and even the Nets (though they have different issues).  The Sixers have a well constructed starting lineup, but like the C's, lack size and some cohesion on their bench.  The Knicks, Pacers, Wizards, and Magic has a nice cohesive unit, they just lack talent.  The Hornets are a weird team, but with Ball do seem to make sense as they are put together.  The West has more teams that aren't put together well, obviously the Lakers are the most talked about, but there are others that don't make a lot of sense because of tanking, trades, or otherwise.

I must be misinterpreting. I thought you were saying the team hasn’t been constructed well. I don’t agree with that conclusion, especially after seeing them play defense last year. We’re not that different, despite the obsession with Rob Williams’ injury.

We are different, especially defensively and especially at the big.
Rob, our best defensive big is out.
Al, our second best defensive big, is a year older and coming off heavy minutes in a playoff run, instead of half a season of being shut down.
Theis, our third best defensive big isn't on the roster.

At the big position we are more like the .500 team we were the first half of the season, than the juggernaut we were the second half of the season.

[hpantazo]

Any way we can get Theis back? He fills a need for us and nobody else seems to value him much in the NBA.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Some of this may be a coaching philosophy:

“I think last year we thought defense first, and obviously you have to do that. But now, with our skill, we can kind of think offensively as well. So, just a bit more balance and what gives our team the best opportunity to win,” Mazzulla said.

Now, is that Mazzulla actually changing things because he wants to, or him spinning a bad situation out of necessity?  Management hasn't given him the proper tools to have an elite defensive unit, particularly when Horford isn't on the floor.

This isn't really a surprise to me.  I've been shocked by management, and many fans, thinking we'd be just fine without a legitimate big man to step in for Timelord and Horford.

I think the team should've done more to address Timelord's absence and Al's part-time status. Heck, even if Timelord was healthy right now, they should still have a good backup plan in place, because we all know that he's never gonna go a long stretch without getting hurt again. I don't think Grant at the 5, or Vonleh in general, is the answer.

[bello_man09]

Marcus was DPOY, but I still believe that Rob is the anchor to the defense. If I had to chose between having Rob on the court with this group or Marcus, I’m taking Timelord everyday of the week.

Especially when you have guys like White and Malcom...

[Who]

Dwight Howard would be a good stop-gap starting center for 15-20mpg to help set a defensive tone to start the game. A shot-blocker and a twin defensive big alignment next to Horford.

[CelticsWhat35]

The thing that I find odd is that they seemed to bring the defensive intensity in the pre-season, which you typically NEVER see.  It was particularly evident that first game, but I saw it a lot throughout the pre-season.  I didn’t think it was something that could be maintained over the course of an 82–game season, but I also didn’t think they’d abandon it pretty much from the jump