The big three era is over. Right now, its fairly obvious the Celtics are transitioning into the Rondo era (or at least post big three era). Rondo has been putting up all-star+ numbers (having recently logged yet another triple double). And yet we're still on a losing streak.
So why are we losing?
Doc will go all in to win night in night out (even when asked to tank). But the problem is he has trying to win with what's been working for him in the past but what's been working does not work anymore. While the team has transitioned away from 2008, Doc is still in '08 mode.
Is it because Doc is incapable of running a team with this amount of talent? Is it because Doc is a bad coach and all of the credit was undeserved in '08?
I say no.
The team has had a much better record with major injuries than without. The injuries have forced Doc to actually coach again and be creative.
But the moment the players started getting healthy, he went right back to his once-winning formula.
Run Ray through screens. Occasionally run a pick and roll with Rondo and KG. Tough defense with Thibs's system. Are we down? Put in JO to stop the bleeding. We're down more! Big 4 on the floor.
4th quarter with a double digit deficit!? Time to mix it up...Ray, Pierce, Kevin, Rondo and Baby---I mean Bass.
It worked in 08. It worked in 09. It worked when we had Shaq in 10. 11-12?
It’s becoming more and more obvious the big 3 are on the back end of their career.
What’s more, our only true center is being held together with scotch tape, blu-tacs, thumb tacs, PVA glue, elastic bands and Papier-mâché.
JO
15 years pro and 33. That translates to about twenty thousand years old in NBA player age.
I have been cussing at the televised image of JO (or the fossil of the man) for pretty much every single game he's played this season.
But I've realized that he's not the one making the decisions. Its not his fault he's on the floor. He doesn't know any better.
Its Doc's fault for putting him in.
When we have 4 power forwards, 3 of whom have the legs to run with Rondo (KG still has a little bit), I cannot fathom why JO is getting any more than 15.
Some of you may argue that without JO, our defense would collapse. KG is our defensive anchor.
JO is getting blown by by the likes of Joakim Noah.
JO is like a bandage for our center problem who himself is being held together and saran wrapped by an assortment of bandages. You play him 5, 10, 15 minutes against the likes of Bynum, he'll give you one or two good plays and stop the bleeding. Any more and you'll be treated to a healthy dose of not finishing the easiest of shots and just generally sucking the energy out of our team.
And Rondo should never be on the floor at the same time as JO. JO clogs up the lane. What happened when JO was injured? Rondo rocked the house. You sprinkle in KG and Bass and you have nobody to score on the inside. Perfect.
Embrace the fact that you have 4 power forwards and go small.
Those dang plays
Ray running through screens, while still a very pretty sight to behold, has become increasingly guardable. Running the same plays with the exact same personnel tends to do that.
At the end of the fourth, Rondo is still on the top of the key, Pierce still isolating and we're still not scoring. News flash: Pierce can run the point. Rondo can post up (and apparently has had that in his arsenal since the beginning of the season). We don't have to go to the big 4 + Bass. We have Pietrus. We have Wilcox.
How about them young ones?
Dooling ran the point against the Bulls. Disaster. Not saying I don't like him now but as it turns out, he's Nate at 6'3 who drives more (I do like the energy though).
Playing him alongside, say, Smooge would have made sense. Someone with a better knack for running the point.
Avery Bradley brought so much energy when he finally found his role.
And Jajuan proved all the doubters wrong didn't he?
Its a compressed season and our main guys are playing garbage with probably tons of hidden ailments. Our rooks have showed up big when called up.
Play them. If not now, when?
Doc has a Swiss army knife at the point, 2 guard and the 4 and yet he's using his rusty old spork. The same plays, same lineups, same players is just not going to work. We still have the talent but we'll need more from Doc.
What we have over the Heat, Bulls, Knicks is some quite remarkable versatility from the bench and Doc's smarts (the guy did outcoach Phil Jackson in a series).
Just look at Pop. The Spurs have aged just as much as we have but are having a heck of a season.
Doc, stop being stubborn and start actually coaching.
Topic: [Opinion] [Long rant] Doc you stubborn son of a gun (Read 2342 times)