Celtics are missing leadership. (why they need KG back soon)

[ManUp]

Lack of rebounding.

Lack of defensive effort.

Lack of energy on offense.

Settling for jumpshots to often.

and so on and so on.



These are all the issues the Celtics have shown.  It is imposible to point to any one Celtics as being the only one guilty of these basketball crimes.  All have had their good and their bad efforts.


What we can point to is the leadership.  No one seems to be stepping up leading this team through this slump.  No one has put this team on their back and pulled out the highest effort from all the teammates.  No one is being the vocal leader.


It has been shown time and again that leadership matters.  Look at Billups.  He is a good leader.  The trade transformed Detroit from contender to sneak in team and Denver for a sneak in team to a contender. 


So, who is not pulling the leadership weight.

Coach Doc.  He is not the "strong leader" coach.  He is the "let the players lead" coach.  He facilates that.  There is nothing wrong with that in the NBA when the team has a strong player leader.

Pierce.   He has never been the strong vocal leader.  It was either Walker or KG.  And there is nothing wrong with that.  He leads by example.  Unfortunatly, the team needs more.

Ray.  I really am not sure what leadership qualities he has since he has never had to be in that position on the Celtics. 

Rondo.  Too young for the older vets to follow.  Has some reported lockerroom issues (not the type that hurts a team but the type that limits leadership potential)

Perk. A future leader.  He has the right attitude for it.  He is just to young to lead this team.

Wallace  He is just a reserve on this Celtics team.  I do not think he is in position to lead and I am not so sure if he is that type of leader.  (see Billups)




The missing leadership is KG.  This team is not only better because of the physical skill and technical skills KG bring to the court, but also the leadership KG brings. 

KG is the emotional center of this team.  KG's efforts and energy on defense feeds this team to greatness.


That's what has been missing ever since the Celtics lost KG last year.  Even when KG has played this year, we have only seen glimpse of that leadership potential.  That is why we have only seen glimpses of how great this team can be. 


This team is the title favorite if and only if that KG returns to the Celtics healthy and prepared for the playoffs.

Even when KG was playin this team was displaying a lack of rebounding, effort, and was settling for jumpers.

I blame Sheed don't ask me why.

[Celts17Pride]

Celtics are not missing leadership, they are missing a productive bench.

While I agree that our bench has been unproductive since Sheed is now having to start and TA is back to being TA, I have to say that I feel you are wrong on the 'missing leadership'.  It was not our bench that got smoked in the 3rd quarter last night.  That was Paul, Ray, Rondo and Perk.

You could agrue that the starters are playing poorly because night after night they have to play 38+ minutes because no one on the bench is stepping up and giving them a break.

[RAcker]

Celtics are not missing leadership, they are missing a productive bench.

While I agree that our bench has been unproductive since Sheed is now having to start and TA is back to being TA, I have to say that I feel you are wrong on the 'missing leadership'.  It was not our bench that got smoked in the 3rd quarter last night.  That was Paul, Ray, Rondo and Perk.

You could agrue that the starters are playing poorly because night after night they have to play 38+ minutes because no one on the bench is stepping up and giving them a break.

And that's a valid argument, but then it can't explain why we had such a let down against Chicago after creaming the Nets the night before where the starters rested nearly the entire 2nd half.

TP for the point though.

[Celts17Pride]

Celtics are not missing leadership, they are missing a productive bench.

While I agree that our bench has been unproductive since Sheed is now having to start and TA is back to being TA, I have to say that I feel you are wrong on the 'missing leadership'.  It was not our bench that got smoked in the 3rd quarter last night.  That was Paul, Ray, Rondo and Perk.

You could agrue that the starters are playing poorly because night after night they have to play 38+ minutes because no one on the bench is stepping up and giving them a break.

And that's a valid argument, but then it can't explain why we had such a let down against Chicago after creaming the Nets the night before where the starters rested nearly the entire 2nd half.

TP for the point though.

I just think the Celtics bench is too relaxed. Someone has to get to House, Scal, Davis, Shelden, Tony Allen, Giddens, Walker and tell them if they don't start performing then there out. I don't get the sense of urgency from any of them.

[wdleehi]

Lack of rebounding.

Lack of defensive effort.

Lack of energy on offense.

Settling for jumpshots to often.

and so on and so on.



These are all the issues the Celtics have shown.  It is imposible to point to any one Celtics as being the only one guilty of these basketball crimes.  All have had their good and their bad efforts.


What we can point to is the leadership.  No one seems to be stepping up leading this team through this slump.  No one has put this team on their back and pulled out the highest effort from all the teammates.  No one is being the vocal leader.


It has been shown time and again that leadership matters.  Look at Billups.  He is a good leader.  The trade transformed Detroit from contender to sneak in team and Denver for a sneak in team to a contender. 


So, who is not pulling the leadership weight.

Coach Doc.  He is not the "strong leader" coach.  He is the "let the players lead" coach.  He facilates that.  There is nothing wrong with that in the NBA when the team has a strong player leader.

Pierce.   He has never been the strong vocal leader.  It was either Walker or KG.  And there is nothing wrong with that.  He leads by example.  Unfortunatly, the team needs more.

Ray.  I really am not sure what leadership qualities he has since he has never had to be in that position on the Celtics. 

Rondo.  Too young for the older vets to follow.  Has some reported lockerroom issues (not the type that hurts a team but the type that limits leadership potential)

Perk. A future leader.  He has the right attitude for it.  He is just to young to lead this team.

Wallace  He is just a reserve on this Celtics team.  I do not think he is in position to lead and I am not so sure if he is that type of leader.  (see Billups)




The missing leadership is KG.  This team is not only better because of the physical skill and technical skills KG bring to the court, but also the leadership KG brings. 

KG is the emotional center of this team.  KG's efforts and energy on defense feeds this team to greatness.


That's what has been missing ever since the Celtics lost KG last year.  Even when KG has played this year, we have only seen glimpse of that leadership potential.  That is why we have only seen glimpses of how great this team can be. 


This team is the title favorite if and only if that KG returns to the Celtics healthy and prepared for the playoffs.

Even when KG was playin this team was displaying a lack of rebounding, effort, and was settling for jumpers.

I blame Sheed don't ask me why.

I agree that the issues didn't just start when KG went out this year but when he went out last year. 


KG has not been the leader he can be this season.

[housecall]

It is not exactly rocket science,without KG the team is medicore,with him the sky is the limit.It doesn't take a whole lot of analyzing to figure it out.Look at the team from the 2007-08 season to now then figure who is the key piece to making this engine run smoothly.Some people want to make 1 player appear more important  than the other because they have a personal attachment to the player.Each player has his role on the team and some have a bigger one than others,but in the end it goes back to getting stops,playing tenacious defense consistently and KG is the best at leading the team in this dept.

[Spilling Green Dye]

I think it's a combination of things:

-Fatigue
-Lack of Leadership
-Lack of Motive (they're going to make the playoffs)
-Crappy rosters as a result of injures.

I think you hit the nail on the head that KG is the leader.  While I'd say Pierce and others have leadership quality, KG is the most vocal and not afraid to get in people's faces.  THAT is what this team is missing, I just wish he'd get in Rasheed's face a bit too.

But last night they had a roster of Davis, Scalabrine, Tony Allen, Ray Allen, and Eddie House on the court at the same time.  I'm sorry, but the Celtics can't beat the Mavs if that's who is on the court.  Most teams would outmatch that odd group of 5. 

Why win now?  Home court?  Sure it's important, but are 40 games played "all-out" worth 1 extra game at home?  I'm not condoning it, but you can kind of see that mentality with this team.

I'd like for the Celtics to get healthy and flex their muscle for a game or two just to show us what we've been missing.