What's Wrong With the Offense?

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

This may sound odd, but I think (and I have thought so for a while) that Boston's primary offensive problem is the makeup of the starting five. Rondo's penetration game is good, but we all know about his shooting woes; Pierce goes into too many isos; Perk (when he's there) is a sloth with few offensive moves; and KG isn't as aggressive as he used to be. In sum: there's not enough movement, and guys aren't attacking the rim enough. It seems that the only movement most of the time is from Rondo dribbling around and Ray running off screens, which will work only so often. The second unit's offense is more dynamic: Baby's quickness and athleticism on the post, plus the fact that he can move outside; Quisy's slashing ability and midrange pull-up game; Nate's dribble penetration AND outside shooting; Delonte's driving/slashing/shooting.

Of course, even the first unit would score more if they stopped playing with grease on their fingers.

[GreenEnvy]

I'll be honest, I'm disgusted by the Cleveland game. I believe the Cavs will be a decent team, maybe even knock on the playoff door (a Miami-Cleveland playoff series would be.... I don't know what it would be), but the Celtics simply cannot hand over games to mediocre (at best) teams, especially this early.

The offense has seemed to get more stagnant each season. I know KG can't do as much as he did when he first came over, and Pierce and Allen are slowing down as well, but that's where a self-proclaimed best PG in the League comes in. He's got to be better. People fall in love with the 17-assist games and ignore these types of games.

If we don't look significantly better on the offensive end within the next month or two, Ainge should at the very least inquire about CP3, see what the price is and if CP3 is willing to sign an extension in Boston.

Ugh.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Well, one problem this year..is the same problem last year....Who will go in for layups...who is the slasher..? Well, TA was one...gone......If doc can figure it, maybe a rotation of Nate and Rondo, or West and Rondo...these guys will go in fast for layups.....Rebounds will still be a problem...

   Although I like BBD, do not call him a rebounder. Marcus Camby got 14 rebounds last night. THAT, is a rebounder. When BBD or anyone on our team can get 10-14 a night...that is what we need...I do think KG got 10 last night, but it would be good to have someone else in the...besides Rondo. If I was a forward on that team, I wouldn't let Rondo get more rebounds than me...because I just stood there, or didn't have the idea, angles, reaction time, or able to get in position..! Getting A rebound is good...getting MANY rebounds is just as much a SKILL as is scoring. Lasme had the Leon Powe attitude, it is the mindset that rebounding is your JOB.....BBD, well not yet.....

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Like maybe Rondo, West, Ray A, KG, and Shaq....that covers it well. Inside slashing, post up, outside shooting-with layup option, good D and ball movement....hmmmm.....I could be a genius..!

[GreenEnvy]

Well, one problem this year..is the same problem last year....Who will go in for layups...who is the slasher..? Well, TA was one...gone......If doc can figure it, maybe a rotation of Nate and Rondo, or West and Rondo...these guys will go in fast for layups.....Rebounds will still be a problem...

   Although I like BBD, do not call him a rebounder. Marcus Camby got 14 rebounds last night. THAT, is a rebounder. When BBD or anyone on our team can get 10-14 a night...that is what we need...I do think KG got 10 last night, but it would be good to have someone else in the...besides Rondo. If I was a forward on that team, I wouldn't let Rondo get more rebounds than me...because I just stood there, or didn't have the idea, angles, reaction time, or able to get in position..! Getting A rebound is good...getting MANY rebounds is just as much a SKILL as is scoring. Lasme had the Leon Powe attitude, it is the mindset that rebounding is your JOB.....BBD, well not yet.....

Well, KG has been rebounding well thus far, 10 against Miami and 15 against Cleveland.

I trust them more than any other team to get a stop, so defense is not really a problem.

Rebounding and turnovers will hopefully both be better, but time will tell.

What I don't see going away right now is the offensive woes.

[BballTim]

I'll be honest, I'm disgusted by the Cleveland game. I believe the Cavs will be a decent team, maybe even knock on the playoff door (a Miami-Cleveland playoff series would be.... I don't know what it would be), but the Celtics simply cannot hand over games to mediocre (at best) teams, especially this early.

The offense has seemed to get more stagnant each season. I know KG can't do as much as he did when he first came over, and Pierce and Allen are slowing down as well, but that's where a self-proclaimed best PG in the League comes in. He's got to be better. People fall in love with the 17-assist games and ignore these types of games.

If we don't look significantly better on the offensive end within the next month or two, Ainge should at the very least inquire about CP3, see what the price is and if CP3 is willing to sign an extension in Boston.

Ugh.

  Our offense was better in 08-09 than the year we won the title. It was worse last year, but PP and KG were in and out of the lineup and playing hurt for about 1/3 of the season. It's a little too early to panic.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

If defense wasn't a problem, how is it that cleve scored at will. Hickson and varajo were going in untouched. Open shots..defense makes good offense, it is a problem when you give a team like cleve the open door treatment. And I know kg gets rebounds, but what we need is someone OTHER than our star doing all the dirty work....Your number one rebounder shouldn't be your #1 guy. It should be a role player Like a Leon Powe, BBD here...or my choice Lasme...because he did it and would keep doing it. Even Rondo out rebounds bbd. Poor effort there. Asking KG to get all the rebounds on both ends, then bail us out with posting up and all the offense...not a good plan, we'll just wear him out again.

[snively]

Thus far we are 23rd in Offensive Rating (5th in defense) primarily because we turn it over like crazy (tied for 3rd worst), don't get to the charity stripe (tied for 7th worst), we don't hit the offensive boards (12th worst) and we don't have quite the accuracy from the field to bring us back to average (8th best eFG%).

I'm predicting that the TO% will go down significantly (KG won't be averaging 4.3 tos this season), the eFG% will come up (Ray and Nate's %s are in the tank right now), and hopefully the FT/FGA will come up as well.

Hopefully we can get near the top 10 offensively while sustaining our top 5 D. 

[Jon]

I think turnovers are always going to be a bit of a problem simply because we pass it so much.  And that's not always a bad thing.  Some of the turnovers the C's make are on plays that other teams would've likely just taken bad shots without making the extra pass.  However, in those situations, the C's are more likely to make the good extra pass (and the consequent easy basket) than another team is to make the bad shot. 

However, I do think the C's will improve as they a) get used to playing with Shaq and b) hopefully start to get a little more selfish.  Make the extra pass, but if you're wide open, take the shot.