Big or PG?

[Neurotic Guy]

Beef, muscle, aggression. Big with defensive skills.  Looking forward to growth from Q, Hugo and Walsh. Need to be able to get stops v OKC, SA, NYK. 

[michigan adam]

The c's need a 3 and D PG to bring the rock up the court.  JB and JT will be the offense creators. That is unlikely to change.

[Celtics4ever]

JB and JT will be the offense creators

Jason averaged 2.8 TO a game, Brown averaged 3.6 TO per game in the last playoff series against Philly.   The idea that these guys are great ball handlers is questionable to me.   High pressure D exposed the whole team's lack of ability to deal with on the ball pressure.   The Knicks did this the previous year, rushed the three point and played physical D.  Philly used these same tactics against us and we got bounced both times.  11.5 TO against the Knicks in 25, 11.9 versus the Sixers in 26.

Now these guys are great players, but they do not always handle the ball well under pressure.  The last two years have shown me that.

I'm hoping for a big and and a PG/combo guard

I agree 100%.   

[Who]

JB and JT will be the offense creators

Jason averaged 2.8 TO a game, Brown averaged 3.6 TO per game in the last playoff series against Philly.   The idea that these guys are great ball handlers is questionable to me.   High pressure D exposed the whole team's lack of ability to deal with on the ball pressure.   The Knicks did this the previous year, rushed the three point and played physical D.  Philly used these same tactics against us and we got bounced both times.  11.5 TO against the Knicks in 25, 11.9 versus the Sixers in 26.

Now these guys are great players, but they do not always handle the ball well under pressure.  The last two years have shown me that.

Aren't those low turnover numbers?

Around 14-15 turnovers per game would be high. 11-12 would be low turnover numbers.

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I looked up the 2026 playoff stats. BOS 11.9 vs Philly is the lowest turnovers per game in the playoffs. DEN 2nd lowest at 12. Philly 3rd lowest at 12.1. Average for the 16 playoff teams is 14.5 turnovers. Lakers had the highest at 18.1 turnovers per game for 2 series. San Antonio are at 14.8 for the entire playoffs. NY are 13.4. OKC was 13.0. Those are the top 3 teams in the playoffs.

In 2025. BOS ranked 6th out of 16 teams for avoiding turnovers at 13.2 per game. OKC won the title at 12.3 for 4th place. Indiana made the Finals at 14.3 per game. NY averaged 13.8. DEN 15.8. Minny 15.7. Those are the top teams from each conference.

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BOS typically do a great job of avoiding turnovers. Usually because they play 4 ball-handlers. Tatum & Jaylen at forward alongside two ball-handling guards. Jrue, D White, Pritchard in 2025. D White & Pritchard in 2026.

Also, you tend to turnover the ball less when you shoot 3s. You get more turnovers from attacking the rim and interior passing than side to side passing around the 3 point line. Another factor in the low turnovers.

I would see the main criticism of the Jays handling the ball so much would be the lack of creative passing. The lack of high percentage shot attempts near the basket. The game is too predictable for a defense. Too much 25 feet from the basket. And leads to a lot of long jump-shots. Too many long jump-shots.

[michigan adam]

JB and JT will be the offense creators

Jason averaged 2.8 TO a game, Brown averaged 3.6 TO per game in the last playoff series against Philly.   The idea that these guys are great ball handlers is questionable to me.   High pressure D exposed the whole team's lack of ability to deal with on the ball pressure.   The Knicks did this the previous year, rushed the three point and played physical D.  Philly used these same tactics against us and we got bounced both times.  11.5 TO against the Knicks in 25, 11.9 versus the Sixers in 26.

Now these guys are great players, but they do not always handle the ball well under pressure.  The last two years have shown me that.

I'm hoping for a big and and a PG/combo guard

I agree 100%.

I wasn't saying they are the best creators, just thst they were the teams alphas, and as long as both are on the team that is very unlikely to change. Now JT has very good assist to to numbers.  No reason to take the ball out if his hands. Same with white and Pritchard. JB is much less efficient, but still no worse than average. Would I love a quick guard like Massey, sure, but he better be great on the defensive end first, and be able to shoot threes next. The C's are not playing drive and slash basketball. They play collapse and shoot BB.  Until you change the entire staff from Brad on down that won't change.

[Celtics4ever]

I wasn't saying they are the best creators, just thst they were the teams alphas, and as long as both are on the team that is very unlikely to change. Now JT has very good assist to to numbers.  No reason to take the ball out if his hands. Same with white and Pritchard. JB is much less efficient, but still no worse than average. Would I love a quick guard like Massey, sure, but he better be great on the defensive end first, and be able to shoot threes next. The C's are not playing drive and slash basketball. They play collapse and shoot BB.  Until you change the entire staff from Brad on down that won't change.

I cringe sometime when Brown is dribbling still.  He has got better.  Yes, they are the main guys on offense, but would they be better if someone was setting them up vs. dribbling it and chucking a three or going one to one?   

The whole team struggled against the Knicks last year, and Philly this year.

You are aware that Brad Stevens said we need to attack the rim more?   That means more drive and slash basketball.  We need something when the threes are not falling.

Aren't those low turnover numbers?

Around 14-15 turnovers per game would be high. 11-12 would be low turnover numbers.

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I looked up the 2026 playoff stats. BOS 11.9 vs Philly is the lowest turnovers per game in the playoffs. DEN 2nd lowest at 12. Philly 3rd lowest at 12.1. Average for the 16 playoff teams is 14.5 turnovers. Lakers had the highest at 18.1 turnovers per game for 2 series. San Antonio are at 14.8 for the entire playoffs. NY are 13.4. OKC was 13.0. Those are the top 3 teams in the playoffs.

In 2025. BOS ranked 6th out of 16 teams for avoiding turnovers at 13.2 per game. OKC won the title at 12.3 for 4th place. Indiana made the Finals at 14.3 per game. NY averaged 13.8. DEN 15.8. Minny 15.7. Those are the top teams from each conference.

I did a search as well

ren't those low turnover numbers?

Around 14-15 turnovers per game would be high. 11-12 would be low turnover numbers.[/quote]


Thanks for the stats. I looked up some as well because I think this merits further discussion.

Game 1 (Boston 123, Philadelphia 91)Philly Turnovers: 10Boston Points Off Turnovers: 16

Game 2 (Philadelphia 111, Boston 97)Boston Turnovers: 9Philly Points Off Turnovers: 15

Game 3 (Philly 108, Boston 100): Turnovers became Boston's primary undoing. The Celtics recorded 17 turnovers, which translated directly into 21 points for Philadelphia Game 3 Philly Turnovers: 17 Boston Points Off Turnovers: 21

Game 6 (Philadelphia 106, Boston 93)Boston Turnovers: 13Philly Points Off Turnovers: 16
 Boston committed critical live-ball turnovers that stalled their offense and gave the Sixers easy run-out opportunities as Philadelphia kept the series alive.

Game 7 (Philadelphia 109, Boston 100)Boston Turnovers: 5Philly Points Off Turnovers: 7

often who won this battle won the game the exception being game five.

Game 5 of their playoff match up on April 28, 2026, the Philadelphia 76ers scored 12 points off turnovers during their 113-97
Philadelphia 76ers Points Off Turnovers: 12 points.  Philadelphia Turnovers Committed: 10Boston Celtics Points Off Turnovers: 18 points.  Boston Turnovers Committed: 12  We missed 16 FG in a row.

So I do think even with our low TO rate, this affected the games.   It also helps the other teams that they got calls to stop turnovers or when they happened.   This almost never occurs with Tatum and Brown as the refs seem to hate them.