chris sheridan of espn writes on celtics

[moiso]

I remember reading and hearing former Auerbach players, saying that one of the reasons many of them entered the coaching business was because Red used to encourage them to design plays and give input, even during games.

The Celtics are 26th in the league in ORB% - this has no relation with FG%, as its the percentage of available rebounding opportunities. For every 100 shots they miss, they only board 23.9 of them. The Hawks, for example, rebound 30 for each of their own 100 misses.

The correlation (an inverse one) exists between offensive rebounding and transition defence - if you're not crashing the glass with 2 or 3 guys, you have them available to get back quicker (that was always Popovich priority, especially when facing the Suns). However, the Celtics used to be able to do both at an acceptable level - last season they ranked 8th in ORB%. This season they aren't doing none of them well.

To be fair, 8 out of the 14 games we played were against "running" teams.

The issue is that our backup 4 used to grab offensive rebounds. Sheed doesn't hit the offensive glass.

I don't view that as a huge problem, as long as we're a strong defensive rebounding team.

Why are you mentioning Sheed? Shelden is the one who hits the glass.

I meant compared to last year. BBD/Powe used to be getting offensive boards, now we have KG coming back from his surgery and Sheed so our offensive rebounding has taken a big hit.

I miss those two.  Nothing fires myself and the arena up like an offensive rebound followed by a nice hoop.

[nickagneta]

I thought the article was pretty spot on except for his last point. Even the quote that he has from Doc doesn't even sound like he is not listening to him. Sounded more like he listened and offered up another option, an option that ended up being pretty successful. The team might not be listening to Doc at times this season but I think this is about the worst example he could have came up with. He probably could have just said that they aren't moving the ball like Doc wants, aren't playing enough D, aren't grabbing rebounds, are settling for jump shots. I think these things would have illustrated Sheridan's point better than that stupid conclusion.

TP.

I agree 100% here. The Celtics, at times, have stopped listening to Doc. I think Greg Dickerson has reported during halftime or Doc has said it in post game pressers that Doc tells them to do something(get the ball inside, don't play one on one ball, don't shoot as many three, run players off the deep shot, etc) and that the team has done it one or two times down the court and then goes back to what Doc didn't want them doing.

He has publicly stated he didn't want Sheed putting up as many threes and yet the very next night Wallace tosses up 8 of them and then 3 more the next game, missing all of them. This is just one fairly public example and if you research enough, there are others(Pierce and Ray going one on one offense ain games against Doc's warnings to the contrary is another). The example Sheridan gave is just laughably wrong and counter to the example he is stating.

Again, Sheridan is a good writer that can bring a lot of knowledgeable, otherwise, unhidden stuff, out into the public eye. He mailed this article in stating nothing that hasn't been fairly obvious to anyone who has watched this team or the NBA at all.

[guava_wrench]

I remember reading and hearing former Auerbach players, saying that one of the reasons many of them entered the coaching business was because Red used to encourage them to design plays and give input, even during games.

The Celtics are 26th in the league in ORB% - this has no relation with FG%, as its the percentage of available rebounding opportunities. For every 100 shots they miss, they only board 23.9 of them. The Hawks, for example, rebound 30 for each of their own 100 misses.

The correlation (an inverse one) exists between offensive rebounding and transition defence - if you're not crashing the glass with 2 or 3 guys, you have them available to get back quicker (that was always Popovich priority, especially when facing the Suns). However, the Celtics used to be able to do both at an acceptable level - last season they ranked 8th in ORB%. This season they aren't doing none of them well.

To be fair, 8 out of the 14 games we played were against "running" teams.

The issue is that our backup 4 used to grab offensive rebounds. Sheed doesn't hit the offensive glass.

I don't view that as a huge problem, as long as we're a strong defensive rebounding team.

Why are you mentioning Sheed? Shelden is the one who hits the glass.

I meant compared to last year. BBD/Powe used to be getting offensive boards, now we have KG coming back from his surgery and Sheed so our offensive rebounding has taken a big hit.

Shelden is a much better rebounder than BBD. Is it even close?

As for Powe/Shelden, it is a tough call. I do prefer what Powe could do once he gets the rebound. Shelden doesn't finish as well underneath. But Shelden is not a rebounding downgrade in my estimation.

[ManUp]

3 points I agree with.

We don't get offensive boards. This has more to do with the way we use our bigs and their style of play than anything else.

Rondo's flaws. Teams sag off him, he seems to have even less confidence in his shot compared to previous years. His freethrow shooting has become so bad that I'm scared teams are going to start trying hack-a-rondo.

Sheed playing horrible. Yes he's been getting good looks, but the fact is he's still missing. The affect of spacing is becoming really overstated. At some point teams are going to start giving him those shots if he doesn't start knocking them down.

As for KG, Ray, and not listening to Doc. KG isn't 100 percent, but I don't consider him hurt. Ray has never really gotten the respect from Refs. The team and Doc have always had that type of relationship nothing new.

[QuinielaBox]

He did not bother to state that Perkins is the only player earning his salary. You could make a case for Scalabrine because he has had productive stints whenever Doc bothered to put him in the game.

Would anybody here object to a frontline of Perkins, Sheldon Williams, and Scalabrine?

Then we got to fix our god awful backcourt. Ray Allen and Lester Hudson, perhaps.

[BballTim]

He did not bother to state that Perkins is the only player earning his salary. You could make a case for Scalabrine because he has had productive stints whenever Doc bothered to put him in the game.

Would anybody here object to a frontline of Perkins, Sheldon Williams, and Scalabrine?

Then we got to fix our god awful backcourt. Ray Allen and Lester Hudson, perhaps.

  Welcome to the lottery...

[JHTruth]

I think sometimes our issues get a little overblown. Yes we are struggling, and our play is pretty bad. But I don't have to remind anyone that this is a looooooonnnnnnnggggg season. Teams that know they will be playing deep into the playoffs often ease into the season a bit. Sure the Hawks are starting out like crazy, but they've never been farther than the second round. Heck last season we were burning up the league to start out. Look what it got us. I think this is what might appear like "lethargy" or "complacency". I have little doubt that we'll pick it up towards the playoffs..

[Brickowski]

I don't think Shelden is a "better rebounder" than BBD.  He gets more reabounds, but BBD does a better job of eating space underneath so that teammates can get rebounds.

The other issue is that Rivers doesn't really trust Williams at the end of a close game.  It's tough to get rebounds from the bench.

[hpantazo]

I remember reading and hearing former Auerbach players, saying that one of the reasons many of them entered the coaching business was because Red used to encourage them to design plays and give input, even during games.

The Celtics are 26th in the league in ORB% - this has no relation with FG%, as its the percentage of available rebounding opportunities. For every 100 shots they miss, they only board 23.9 of them. The Hawks, for example, rebound 30 for each of their own 100 misses.

The correlation (an inverse one) exists between offensive rebounding and transition defence - if you're not crashing the glass with 2 or 3 guys, you have them available to get back quicker (that was always Popovich priority, especially when facing the Suns). However, the Celtics used to be able to do both at an acceptable level - last season they ranked 8th in ORB%. This season they aren't doing none of them well.

To be fair, 8 out of the 14 games we played were against "running" teams.

The issue is that our backup 4 used to grab offensive rebounds. Sheed doesn't hit the offensive glass.

I don't view that as a huge problem, as long as we're a strong defensive rebounding team.

That falls on Doc. It's tough to hit the offense glass when you are behind the three point line

[Fafnir]

I remember reading and hearing former Auerbach players, saying that one of the reasons many of them entered the coaching business was because Red used to encourage them to design plays and give input, even during games.

The Celtics are 26th in the league in ORB% - this has no relation with FG%, as its the percentage of available rebounding opportunities. For every 100 shots they miss, they only board 23.9 of them. The Hawks, for example, rebound 30 for each of their own 100 misses.

The correlation (an inverse one) exists between offensive rebounding and transition defence - if you're not crashing the glass with 2 or 3 guys, you have them available to get back quicker (that was always Popovich priority, especially when facing the Suns). However, the Celtics used to be able to do both at an acceptable level - last season they ranked 8th in ORB%. This season they aren't doing none of them well.

To be fair, 8 out of the 14 games we played were against "running" teams.

The issue is that our backup 4 used to grab offensive rebounds. Sheed doesn't hit the offensive glass.

I don't view that as a huge problem, as long as we're a strong defensive rebounding team.

That falls on Doc. It's tough to hit the offense glass when you are behind the three point line

His offensive rebounding rate has been consistently in the range it it is now for almost his entire career. I don't think Doc has much to do with Sheed's lack of offensive boards, that's just his game.

[ssspence]

I don't think Shelden is a "better rebounder" than BBD.  He gets more reabounds, but BBD does a better job of eating space underneath so that teammates can get rebounds.

The other issue is that Rivers doesn't really trust Williams at the end of a close game.  It's tough to get rebounds from the bench.

baby's had the benefit of injury forcing him into the spotlight. williams has on the Cs for a handfull of games. jury's out.

[BASS_THUMPER]

The other issue is that Rivers doesn't really trust Williams at the end of a close game.  It's tough to get rebounds from the bench.

true...

i heard doc tellin paul during the orlando game.."i wanna see you with the ball more"...


he needs to trust the bench..dang we got some talent if doc will let them run

[hpantazo]

The other issue is that Rivers doesn't really trust Williams at the end of a close game.  It's tough to get rebounds from the bench.

true...

i heard doc tellin paul during the orlando game.."i wanna see you with the ball more"...


he needs to trust the bench..dang we got some talent if doc will let them run

I don't know about that, I wouldn't trust the bench either, especially WIlliams, House, TA, and Davis when he's back. They have limited skills and even more limited basketball IQ.