2012 CB Draft Atlantic Division Press Conferences

[Fafnir]

I don't see it.  The team will be fine offensively, but there are plenty of defensive PGs (unlike the lack of ones in LA and Miami) in the conference.  There is no one to stretch the floor.  Teams will be able to pack it in and dare Artest or Jackson  to beat them from the outside.

That's my issue as well. I think spacing the floor will be a problem given the lineups that Boston will be using.

[Kane3387]

I'm A) Not defending a 'Chicago V Boston' debate right now. We can do that later, in the playoffs. Assuming we're both there.

B) You said Tony Parker and Russell Westbrook are equal passers. That's a lie.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pcm_finder.cgi?request=1&sum=0&p1=westbru01&y1=2012&p2=parketo01&y2=2012

We both know Harden took over a lot of PG duties at points in the game allowing Russ to play off ball essentially making him a SG. Let's look at Russell when he played full time PG in 2010-11.

Assists Per Game: Russ 8.2 and Parker this year 7.7
Assists % for Russ 42.7 and this year for Parker was 40.3%
Per 36 minutes Russ was 8.5 and Parker this year was 8.7

So you are telling me in the span of the year Russ just forgot how to pass the ball? Or did his role in the offense change somewhat so that another highly talented player could be incorporated?

Russell Westbrook knows how to pass, he's just not great at running an offense.

The point I guess I've got, my biggest reservation, is that while I love your top 3 talents, big fans of all 3 players, your top 2 players both need a kind of specialized accessory to maximize their output, and I don't think you supplied those players.

Russell Westbrook especially, I think needed an elite passer (for a 2 guard. Average for a PG) next to him, and he didn't get it, and I think its a big deal.

PS: Marc Gasol is good too, but let's not pretend he's Tim Duncan's peer as a passer.

Numbers tell a different story. Gasol doesn't have to be though.

What teams have the personnel to stop Boston's big three?

There is no 2012 Spurs, Heat, or Celtics out there.

Based on who we play in the playoffs the strategy will change a bit, but Westbrook doesn't need to be Steve Nash or Rajon Rondo. That's not him. When was the last time a pg like that won? 2008?

Griffin gets a lot of points off pick and rolls and in transition. Also at the line. That's not really facilitation in the half court. Gasol getting on the block and posting up isn't hard...

I mean the offense isn't built on looking for things like Ray Allen coming off screens. It's simple in a Chicago Bulls kind of way. That team had the best record in the NBA. With the talent we have compared to the rest of the league, it really doesn't need to be rocket science.

I don't see it.  The team will be fine offensively, but there are plenty of defensive PGs (unlike the lack of ones in LA and Miami) in the conference.  There is no one to stretch the floor.  Teams will be able to pack it in and dare Artest or Jackson  to beat them from the outside.

Lol and they can hit open shots? Jackson shot 60% from three in the playoffs with those looks. We won't get offensive rebounds? Griffin band Gasol are two of the best rebounders in the NBA.

Based on the matchup Artest might not play a whole lot. I have no issue with Augustine or Rip getting wide open shots. Defenses can try to pack it in but you still have to have the personnel to do it.

The Lakers have been packed in forever and still contend year in and year out.

[Kane3387]

I don't see it.  The team will be fine offensively, but there are plenty of defensive PGs (unlike the lack of ones in LA and Miami) in the conference.  There is no one to stretch the floor.  Teams will be able to pack it in and dare Artest or Jackson  to beat them from the outside.

That's my issue as well. I think spacing the floor will be a problem given the lineups that Boston will be using.

Come playoff time based on match ups and personnel some role players roles will be moe significant then others. All will depend on the opposition.

[Fafnir]

I don't see it.  The team will be fine offensively, but there are plenty of defensive PGs (unlike the lack of ones in LA and Miami) in the conference.  There is no one to stretch the floor.  Teams will be able to pack it in and dare Artest or Jackson  to beat them from the outside.

That's my issue as well. I think spacing the floor will be a problem given the lineups that Boston will be using.

Come playoff time based on match ups and personnel some role players roles will be moe significant then others. All will depend on the opposition.

What sort of lineups will you use to space the floor? Who are your reliable three point shooters that will play?

(edit for old Boston roster brainfart)

[Kane3387]

I don't see it.  The team will be fine offensively, but there are plenty of defensive PGs (unlike the lack of ones in LA and Miami) in the conference.  There is no one to stretch the floor.  Teams will be able to pack it in and dare Artest or Jackson  to beat them from the outside.

That's my issue as well. I think spacing the floor will be a problem given the lineups that Boston will be using.

Come playoff time based on match ups and personnel some role players roles will be moe significant then others. All will depend on the opposition.

What sort of lineups will you use to space the floor? Who are your reliable three point shooters that will play?

(edit for old Boston roster brainfart)

Augustine is a career 37% three point shooter. I trust him to hit shots when open.
Jackson can hit. I have made my case for him.
Rip Hamilton. Definitely trust him when wide open.
Gerald Green hit 39% from three.

And who knows. Terrence Ross might show me something. He was a very good college shooter. But I don't necessarily need dude to hit three. Just make shots when open and keep the defense honest. Artest as a 4 man against twiners can shoot and Gasol is good from 8-14 feet out.

[Lucky17]

My rankings for the Atlantic Division:

Boston
New York
Brooklyn

Philadelphia (DQed)

Comments from the bottom up:

Philly: Too bad, I think they could have potentially challenged for the division title had the GM not cut and run during the second week. The makings of a deep and balanced roster (unlike the other teams in the division).

Nets: Too much reliance on young players to pick up the slack while Rose and Shumpert get healthy. A potentially very good team in the near future, though.

Boston/New York: Both teams have questions about depth, fit, and balance. In the end, I think I have fewer/lesser concerns about the Celtics than I do about the Knicks. And I am actually not so concerned about Monta and KD coexisting.

[jgod213]

Early Rankings

Same as Lucky.

1a) Boston
1b) NY

3)Brooklyn
4)Philly


Say what you will about whether Boston got better or worse over the last week, but i just think Russ Westbrook absolutely torches this conference.  Until Rose gets back, which is way too late for me to factor him in, Westrook's opposition here will be Calderon/Lawson/Lilliard.  He can have his way all day against those guys.  Add in the surrounding talent and i think they secure the 1 seed.

I think that if NY can come up with a coherent and visible gameplan for how they plan to use Ellis then this team can beat almost anyone in the playoffs.  I don't know how the pieces fit but for some reason i just like it.

[Kane3387]

Thanks to everyone for the dialogue. I got some stuff to do, but I look forward to seeing other people's pressers and I appreciate the questions/remarks.

There were some challenging ones for sure 

I will try and return the favor for everyone else's press conferences lol 

[StartOrien]

I might've missed it, but did Brooklyn not do a presser? I was trying to skim through as quickly as possible.

If a mod would like to update the first page here's the links to the other teams pressers -


New York Knicks: http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=59450.msg1296093#msg1296093

Boston Celtics: http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=59450.msg1296081#msg1296081

Philadelphia 76ers: http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=59450.msg1296064#msg1296064


I'll give my thoughts later when I get home and get a chance to read them.

[Rondo2287]

Evantime said he couldn't get to a computer till tomorrow prob

[wdleehi]

I'm A) Not defending a 'Chicago V Boston' debate right now. We can do that later, in the playoffs. Assuming we're both there.

B) You said Tony Parker and Russell Westbrook are equal passers. That's a lie.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pcm_finder.cgi?request=1&sum=0&p1=westbru01&y1=2012&p2=parketo01&y2=2012

We both know Harden took over a lot of PG duties at points in the game allowing Russ to play off ball essentially making him a SG. Let's look at Russell when he played full time PG in 2010-11.

Assists Per Game: Russ 8.2 and Parker this year 7.7
Assists % for Russ 42.7 and this year for Parker was 40.3%
Per 36 minutes Russ was 8.5 and Parker this year was 8.7

So you are telling me in the span of the year Russ just forgot how to pass the ball? Or did his role in the offense change somewhat so that another highly talented player could be incorporated?

Russell Westbrook knows how to pass, he's just not great at running an offense.

The point I guess I've got, my biggest reservation, is that while I love your top 3 talents, big fans of all 3 players, your top 2 players both need a kind of specialized accessory to maximize their output, and I don't think you supplied those players.

Russell Westbrook especially, I think needed an elite passer (for a 2 guard. Average for a PG) next to him, and he didn't get it, and I think its a big deal.

PS: Marc Gasol is good too, but let's not pretend he's Tim Duncan's peer as a passer.

Numbers tell a different story. Gasol doesn't have to be though.

What teams have the personnel to stop Boston's big three?

There is no 2012 Spurs, Heat, or Celtics out there.

Based on who we play in the playoffs the strategy will change a bit, but Westbrook doesn't need to be Steve Nash or Rajon Rondo. That's not him. When was the last time a pg like that won? 2008?

Griffin gets a lot of points off pick and rolls and in transition. Also at the line. That's not really facilitation in the half court. Gasol getting on the block and posting up isn't hard...

I mean the offense isn't built on looking for things like Ray Allen coming off screens. It's simple in a Chicago Bulls kind of way. That team had the best record in the NBA. With the talent we have compared to the rest of the league, it really doesn't need to be rocket science.

I don't see it.  The team will be fine offensively, but there are plenty of defensive PGs (unlike the lack of ones in LA and Miami) in the conference.  There is no one to stretch the floor.  Teams will be able to pack it in and dare Artest or Jackson  to beat them from the outside.

Lol and they can hit open shots? Jackson shot 60% from three in the playoffs with those looks. We won't get offensive rebounds? Griffin band Gasol are two of the best rebounders in the NBA.

Based on the matchup Artest might not play a whole lot. I have no issue with Augustine or Rip getting wide open shots. Defenses can try to pack it in but you still have to have the personnel to do it.

The Lakers have been packed in forever and still contend year in and year out.

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/378/stephen-jackson


Career .337 shooter from down town. 


Post season shooting .355

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/378/seasontype/3/stephen-jackson

He shot great once in the postseason.  The others, below average to awful.


I can live with him taking shots for the other team.

[ronaldo943]

I'm A) Not defending a 'Chicago V Boston' debate right now. We can do that later, in the playoffs. Assuming we're both there.

B) You said Tony Parker and Russell Westbrook are equal passers. That's a lie.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pcm_finder.cgi?request=1&sum=0&p1=westbru01&y1=2012&p2=parketo01&y2=2012

We both know Harden took over a lot of PG duties at points in the game allowing Russ to play off ball essentially making him a SG. Let's look at Russell when he played full time PG in 2010-11.

Assists Per Game: Russ 8.2 and Parker this year 7.7
Assists % for Russ 42.7 and this year for Parker was 40.3%
Per 36 minutes Russ was 8.5 and Parker this year was 8.7

So you are telling me in the span of the year Russ just forgot how to pass the ball? Or did his role in the offense change somewhat so that another highly talented player could be incorporated?

Russell Westbrook knows how to pass, he's just not great at running an offense.

The point I guess I've got, my biggest reservation, is that while I love your top 3 talents, big fans of all 3 players, your top 2 players both need a kind of specialized accessory to maximize their output, and I don't think you supplied those players.

Russell Westbrook especially, I think needed an elite passer (for a 2 guard. Average for a PG) next to him, and he didn't get it, and I think its a big deal.

PS: Marc Gasol is good too, but let's not pretend he's Tim Duncan's peer as a passer.

Numbers tell a different story. Gasol doesn't have to be though.

What teams have the personnel to stop Boston's big three?

There is no 2012 Spurs, Heat, or Celtics out there.

Based on who we play in the playoffs the strategy will change a bit, but Westbrook doesn't need to be Steve Nash or Rajon Rondo. That's not him. When was the last time a pg like that won? 2008?

Griffin gets a lot of points off pick and rolls and in transition. Also at the line. That's not really facilitation in the half court. Gasol getting on the block and posting up isn't hard...

I mean the offense isn't built on looking for things like Ray Allen coming off screens. It's simple in a Chicago Bulls kind of way. That team had the best record in the NBA. With the talent we have compared to the rest of the league, it really doesn't need to be rocket science.

I don't see it.  The team will be fine offensively, but there are plenty of defensive PGs (unlike the lack of ones in LA and Miami) in the conference.  There is no one to stretch the floor.  Teams will be able to pack it in and dare Artest or Jackson  to beat them from the outside.

Lol and they can hit open shots? Jackson shot 60% from three in the playoffs with those looks. We won't get offensive rebounds? Griffin band Gasol are two of the best rebounders in the NBA.

Based on the matchup Artest might not play a whole lot. I have no issue with Augustine or Rip getting wide open shots. Defenses can try to pack it in but you still have to have the personnel to do it.

The Lakers have been packed in forever and still contend year in and year out.

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/378/stephen-jackson


Career .337 shooter from down town. 


Post season shooting .355

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/378/seasontype/3/stephen-jackson

He shot great once in the postseason.  The others, below average to awful.


I can live with him taking shots for the other team.

I also brought this up as Jackson really only had one good shooting postseason the rest were awful

[Who]

I like Boston to win the division. I think Westbrook, B.Griffin and M.Gasol is a fearsome Big Three to build around.

I thought the Celtics supporting cast took a pretty big hit in bringing those three players together though. I'm not sure yet whether I am confident enough in their supporting cast to keep them in title-contention.

After Boston, I have New York 2nd, then Philly 3rd and finally Brooklyn ... with the Nets moving up to 2nd place in a year's time.

[KCattheStripe]

I like Boston's core an I wouldn't be surprised if Ross was in the starting line up by the end of the year.

[StartOrien]

Here's how I see it:

Boston Celtics
-----
New York Knicks
Brooklyn Nets
-----
Philadelphia 76ers

Was close to separating the Knicks and Nets into different tiers, but I'm a big DMC guy and I like Okafor next to him a lot.