This edition is clearly a running team

[TheRev72]

Lots to be impressed about with exhibition victory over Nets last night but what I liked the most was the focus on the running game. It's amazing what swapping Lee for Allen does to the team's pace. They have always been good at forcing turnovers but now, once the ball is loose, Lee is just sprinting down the court and Rondo is looking for him at the rim (instead of just looking for the trailer, i.e. Allen).

Lee and Green can really get out on the break and even Pierce seemed more inclined to attack the basket on the break last night. (I expect Barbosa will push it as well.) Rondo looks more aggressive than ever and having people that can sprint down court and finish is such a complement to his skills - much better him than dribbling down the court and waiting for others to catch up.

An emphasis on easy baskets in the fast break (with personnel that can actually run) is the perfect mix to the C's aggressive defense. Love it.

[csfansince60s]

Lots to be impressed about with exhibition victory over Nets last night but what I liked the most was the focus on the running game. It's amazing what swapping Lee for Allen does to the team's pace. They have always been good at forcing turnovers but now, once the ball is loose, Lee is just sprinting down the court and Rondo is looking for him at the rim (instead of just looking for the trailer, i.e. Allen).

Allen who?

[TheRev72]

Allen who?
[/quote]

TP!

[CelticG1]

What I love is the balance. We can be a running fast break team but we can also slow it down.

We have a couple new guys who can really post(green and Sully), we have guys great on the break (green, Lee, Barbosa among others) we added another guy who os great at creating his own shot in Terry (also green imo).

We just added different and more versatile parts to our already solid team. We know that if teams stop the fast break we are still a very solid half court team and vice versa.

I also think having that speed in the break is just as important defending the fast break too.

[JumpingJudkins]

Courtney Lee was awesome on the break last night. Always ahead of the play and finishing easily. I think he cemented the starting role right there.

[BudweiserCeltic]

As always, it'll depend on Rondo pushing the ball or not. Let's hope he continues it.

What changes though is that he has higher incentive to run now. And if Lee and Green, those two in particular, run hard they'll get the ball.

[ScoobyDoo]

Good post and agree. You could see with the draft picks and the moves Ainge has made over the last few seasons that he has been building for the future by accumulating athletic players who can really run the floor with Rondo.

I'd say Sully is an exception to that as far as being a run jump athlete - but he also fits the mold in that he's a bulldog on the boards, which starts the break...Also, all teams benefit greatly from a good low post threat.

Athletes: Bradley,JJJ,Courtney Lee, Jeff Green, Bass, Melo, Joseph, Barbosa, etc... 

I think it's also a big part of the logic behind the Perkins trade. As much as I hated to see Perkins go, Jeff Green is probably a better long term fit with Rondo. In an uptempo game, a plodder like Perkins coming off major knee surgery probably isn't the best fit at center.

Even moving KG to center makes us faster. Even at his age, we now have one of the fastest centers in the league...

I like the speed and the balance to play big, slow and physical as well.   

Milicic
KG
Green
Pierce
Rondo

This year we can put just about any kind of lineup we want out there.

[ScoobyDoo]

Barbosa will add another wrinkle.

[csfansince60s]

Barbosa will add another wrinkle.

...and a "Blur".

[Fafnir]

I think we'll try to run more, but I don't think we'll be a running team. We're not a fast paced offense if we don't get something on the break or in semi-transition.

[ScoobyDoo]

[CelticG1]

I think we'll try to run more, but I don't think we'll be a running team. We're not a fast paced offense if we don't get something on the break or in semi-transition.

I don't think we will be either. We've been the opposite of that for a while though so a couple fast breaks blows our mind.

I think we will def be more efficient on the break and will hopefully create more points off of TO's because of it.

[crimson_stallion]

I love it too, and I expected it from the start.

Rondo is a "Push the break" kinda guys - he loves to push the tempo every chance he gets.  Our defensive pressure combined with Rondo have always made us great at generating fast breakopportunities, but we've just not scored many fast break points because we haven't really had guys who can run with Rondo and finish.

With Jet, Lee, Bradley, Barbosa, Pierce, Green, Bass and Wilcox we have a host of guys who can run the floor and who can finish strong.  I beieve that is an advatage we have over just abut every other team out there, and if we don't take advantage of that then I believe we are wasting our talent.

Force turnovers and bad shots with out defense, have KG, Sully and Darko hit the boards, then throw the quick outless pass to our already running backcout for an easy fastbreak score or a trip to the line.  Sounds like a recpe for success!

[pearljammer10]

Courtney Lee was awesome on the break last night. Always ahead of the play and finishing easily. I think he cemented the starting role right there.

Yeah he musta had, what? 8 fast break points? Maybe 10? Great to see. Excited to watch celtics basketball that is actually EXCITING! Run, boys run.

[guava_wrench]

I think we'll try to run more, but I don't think we'll be a running team. We're not a fast paced offense if we don't get something on the break or in semi-transition.

I think we will be a running team. We just won't crash the boards much on offense since we are big on getting back on defense and we will take our time in the half court.

We can be a running team while also having a slow pace by:

1. Pressure on the primary ball handler and tight defense that takes opposing teams deeper into the shot clock
2. Taking time in the half court when the break isn't there.

Fast pace is different from being a running team. Phx was fast pace team when they couldn't run because they wanted to shoot withing 8 seconds, even in the halfcourt.

If Sully starts beasting people, then I could see us running less.