Baby is Getting Better and Better!

[Bankshot]

He just keeps improving.  Every year, he seems to work on whatever his weakness was the season before.  His rookie season was an up and down one, but Doc still turned to him in crucial situations.  Then he worked on his jumpshot and this year he worked on his inside game and is not getting blocked to the degree he was last season (at least not yet).  It's only been two games, but I am very pleased with his progress to date. It appears that he worked on his range too.  Did you see that 3 he hit last night?... although it didn't count.

Keep up the good work, Baby. You have become a valuable member of the Celtics.

[footey]

TP

[Prof. Clutch]

Davis has played well, and more than that, he was officially in Doc's crunch time line-up the last two nights.  As they say, it ain't who starts the game but who finishes, and Doc trusts him more than Jermaine and Shaq (no surprise with his FT shooting problems) to close things out.  And Baby's been involved in some big plays in crunch time already.

[pearljammer10]

I am still not a huge fan of BBD but I will admit that he has been playing some pretty great great basketball as of late. these first two games he has really played a big role off the bench averaging, what like, 13.5 and 5 boards? maybe a few more or something. He has also done a great job on his defensive rotations and has taken some huge charges already.

I still think he needs to start passing more out of the post however. it seems to me that whenever he gets the ball, his only mentality is to take up major clock time and try and score. He needs to work the ball around a little bit better.

[Fafnir]

He's not instead he's had two games where he hasn't turned the ball over at all and has shot 70%. Neither are sustainable. Meanwhile his production in areas other than scoring have gone down this year. The biggest different is that he's playing 31 minutes a game. Here's a repost from another thread where I go into more detail.

What concerns me is that he has stood out as looking fantastic, noticeably better...And yet this vastly improved looking Davis is still, through two games, averaging 13.5 points, .5 assists, 5 rebounds, .5 steals, and .5 blocks and it's taking him 31 minutes to do so. As a point of reference, a stand out bench player gives you that in maybe 24 minutes. So it's worrisome to me that even looking great while watching, he's still just providing "good" bench production expanded into borderline starter minutes.

The reason he's been so much better is that he's shooting 70% (and hasn't turned it over once). If his efficiency numbers come back down to earth he'll actually be preforming worse than last year, simply because he hasn't gotten many offensive rebounds this year. Last year he was rebounding 7.9/36 minutes. This year he's rebounding at a 5.8/36 clip which isn't good enough.

Take a look at his per 36 numbers, they're all down accept scoring and that's only because he's shooting so much better in two games.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/davisgl01.html

His rebounds, assists, and free throws are all down. I'm fine with him not drawing fouls if he converts at a high rate, but his rebounding has to get back to last year's level.

In short Baby needs to get back on the offensive glass (and then get to the line), otherwise when the shots don't fall he's quickly going to become a liability out there.

[Fafnir]

these first two games he has really played a big role off the bench averaging, what like, 13.5 and 5 boards? .

He's played 31 minutes a game, so basically he's playing Perkins minutes.

[Bankshot]

He's not instead he's had two games where he hasn't turned the ball over at all and has shot 70%. Neither are sustainable. Meanwhile his production in areas other than scoring have gone down this year. The biggest different is that he's playing 31 minutes a game. Here's a repost from another thread where I go into more detail.

What concerns me is that he has stood out as looking fantastic, noticeably better...And yet this vastly improved looking Davis is still, through two games, averaging 13.5 points, .5 assists, 5 rebounds, .5 steals, and .5 blocks and it's taking him 31 minutes to do so. As a point of reference, a stand out bench player gives you that in maybe 24 minutes. So it's worrisome to me that even looking great while watching, he's still just providing "good" bench production expanded into borderline starter minutes.

The reason he's been so much better is that he's shooting 70% (and hasn't turned it over once). If his efficiency numbers come back down to earth he'll actually be preforming worse than last year, simply because he hasn't gotten many offensive rebounds this year. Last year he was rebounding 7.9/36 minutes. This year he's rebounding at a 5.8/36 clip which isn't good enough.

Take a look at his per 36 numbers, they're all down accept scoring and that's only because he's shooting so much better in two games.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/davisgl01.html

His rebounds, assists, and free throws are all down. I'm fine with him not drawing fouls if he converts at a high rate, but his rebounding has to get back to last year's level.

In short Baby needs to get back on the offensive glass (and then get to the line), otherwise when the shots don't fall he's quickly going to become a liability out there.

From what I heard Tommy say last night, that is Doc's call.  Tommy was complaining that Doc is having the players play back so that they don't get offensive rebounds. He said "you won't get rebounds that way".. or something to that effect.  Not sure how true it is, but that's the gist of what Tommy said. Besides, KG gobbled up all the rebounds.

[SamuelAdams]

We play hard D and that means not giving up fast break points.  Obviously that means fewer Offensive bard opportunities.   Most teams play this way now anyways.

[Fafnir]

He's not instead he's had two games where he hasn't turned the ball over at all and has shot 70%. Neither are sustainable. Meanwhile his production in areas other than scoring have gone down this year. The biggest different is that he's playing 31 minutes a game. Here's a repost from another thread where I go into more detail.

What concerns me is that he has stood out as looking fantastic, noticeably better...And yet this vastly improved looking Davis is still, through two games, averaging 13.5 points, .5 assists, 5 rebounds, .5 steals, and .5 blocks and it's taking him 31 minutes to do so. As a point of reference, a stand out bench player gives you that in maybe 24 minutes. So it's worrisome to me that even looking great while watching, he's still just providing "good" bench production expanded into borderline starter minutes.

The reason he's been so much better is that he's shooting 70% (and hasn't turned it over once). If his efficiency numbers come back down to earth he'll actually be preforming worse than last year, simply because he hasn't gotten many offensive rebounds this year. Last year he was rebounding 7.9/36 minutes. This year he's rebounding at a 5.8/36 clip which isn't good enough.

Take a look at his per 36 numbers, they're all down accept scoring and that's only because he's shooting so much better in two games.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/davisgl01.html

His rebounds, assists, and free throws are all down. I'm fine with him not drawing fouls if he converts at a high rate, but his rebounding has to get back to last year's level.

In short Baby needs to get back on the offensive glass (and then get to the line), otherwise when the shots don't fall he's quickly going to become a liability out there.

From what I heard Tommy say last night, that is Doc's call.  Tommy was complaining that Doc is having the players play back so that they don't get offensive rebounds. He said "you won't get rebounds that way".. or something to that effect.  Not sure how true it is, but that's the gist of what Tommy said. Besides, KG gobbled up all the rebounds.

For offensive rebounds there really aren't diminishing returns, especially on the C's.

If Doc really is having Davis stay off the offensive glass then he's not going to be as effective as last year. He's a poor defensive rebounder for the 4/5 positions. He needs to get extra boards offensively to make up for that.

[Fafnir]

We play hard D and that means not giving up fast break points.  Obviously that means fewer Offensive bard opportunities.   Most teams play this way now anyways.

Didn't we play hard D last year and give up the fewest transition buckets in the league?

Yet Davis was still getting two offensive boards a game, in half the minutes he's playing now. So in half the time he was getting twice the production on that end.

Its only two games so hopefully as his shooting percentage comes back to earth he'll get back to crashing.

[Evantime34]

Faf I know his shooting percentages are going to come down but I still think in the first half of the year Baby's % will be extremely high.

I would make the argument that in taking Perk's minutes with the starters he is going to get a lot of the shots that lead to Perk shooting 60%+ from the field. Especially because I consider Baby to be a better finisher than Perk.

As far as him not hitting the offensive glass I have to disagree with this. I don't see him hitting the glass any less just the players around him not doing so. It is very easy for a defense to prevent an offensive rebound when only one guy is crashing the boards.

To me he looks like he has become quicker, improved his shot and thus become better at finishing in the paint. His improved quickness will only help his offensive rebounding. This early in the season I trust my eyes more than the numbers because there is such a small sample size. My eyes tell me he's much better.

[Chris]

We play hard D and that means not giving up fast break points.  Obviously that means fewer Offensive bard opportunities.   Most teams play this way now anyways.

Didn't we play hard D last year and give up the fewest transition buckets in the league?

Yet Davis was still getting two offensive boards a game, in half the minutes he's playing now. So in half the time he was getting twice the production on that end.

Its only two games so hopefully as his shooting percentage comes back to earth he'll get back to crashing.

He just needs to have more shots blocked back into his face, so he can be then credited with the offensive rebound...

[Fafnir]

Faf I know his shooting percentages are going to come down but I still think in the first half of the year Baby's % will be extremely high.

I would make the argument that in taking Perk's minutes with the starters he is going to get a lot of the shots that lead to Perk shooting 60%+ from the field. Especially because I consider Baby to be a better finisher than Perk.

I hope you're right, but over the course of their careers Baby is not a better finisher than Perkins.

Baby has finished his close in shots at about 10% less clip than Perkins and also doesn't get many dunks because he doesn't have the height/lift to do so.

I think you're right he'll shoot better from the field than before due to increased opportunity, but he won't be shooting like Perkins (even if you throw out his jumpers)

He'll end up more efficient than Perkins as long as he avoids turning it over so much in when he does have a scoring chance and improves like you and I hope.

[mmbaby]

Fafnir, did you watch the preseason games?

I'm trying to figure out what it is you are saying BBD is doing wrong. Something about not passing the ball enough?

You don't acknowledge his improved form in all areas he's had problems with as a rookie and then in his first year. He knows how to improve and works at it, just as OP was saying, and that equates to steady and consistent improvement over time.

His defensive awareness is unmatched and he gives it his all every game. I'll never forget when he got that horrible concussion and was dragging himself along the floor trying to continue the game because Doc was yelling for him to move.

Doc knows what he's got in Baby, though I'm not sure he appreciates it as he might.

TP Bankshot, for a post that was needed and well deserved.
Glen Davis is an enigma and full of surprises yet to come.

  

[Chris]

I hope you're right, but over the course of their careers Baby is not a better finisher than Perkins.

Whether the numbers bear it out or not, I dispute this.  While Perkins may not have as many shots blocked, and may shoot a higher percentage, but Davis converts plays Perkins could never even consider, and is much better at drawing contact and finishing.