The C's problem: Scoring

[ctrey]

That is it. Look at every team that has won a title since 1980. Every single one with the exception of the 2004 Pistons had a player that if needed could easily give 25 points in a game.

Even the 2008 Celtics had it. Yes, no player scored over 20ppg but PP averaged 19, KG 18 and Allen 17. Any one of them could "Take Over" and score 20 to 30 if needed.

This current team does not have that option any more. They honestly struggle to score. Yes Pierce still is around 20ppg but it is a struggle. He scored over 25 points in a game 16 times this season out of 77 games played. All the top flight teams have at least one player who is a threat to "Go off" and score over 30. Pierce only did it three times all year.

So in my mind it extra scoring we need moving forward. Our defense will be fine but we keep slipping behind top teams with our ability to score.

I know of course that there is no magic bullet for us. We are capped out and are picking 16th in the draft. Still it seems we need to raise the scoring bar for us to have any hope competing with the elite NBA teams.

[ManUp]

What's new? Been saying this since after 2010. Our offense stalls late in games it's happened in 2010, 2011, and 2012. It's what happened in game 1 and what will ultimately seal our fate this season.

[badshar]

OP, your logic is flawed.

Are you saying we don't seem to have a player that can score 20-30 at will? Or are you saying that the players we have are not capable of scoring 20-30 on any given day.

If the former, then yes. We don't have LeBron, Kobe, Durant and other super stars on this team.

If the latter, then you are wrong.

Jeff Green and Rajon Rondo could drop 20-30 points at will. Pierce can still do it if he wants to. Didn't he drop 40+ points this season in one game?

If someone can motivate Jeff Green and Rajon Rondo to give their best, then they will easily go out there and shred the defense.

For Jeff Green, that motivation is a good team or a "Big Game" against a big team. We have seen him go crazy against Heat and Thunder. In fact, if I remember correctly, he had a breakout game against the Thunder earlier this season.

For Rajon Rondo, that motivation is the playoffs or much hyped-anticipated game. For example, the game against the Knicks last year where he destroyed Jeremy Lin and shredded all the "linsanity" garbage. We already know that he steps up his game big time in the playoffs.

So we do have players that can drop 20-30 on any given night.

The problem is the scoring droughts, which in turn discourage us and weaken our defense.

[CelticConcourse]

ctrey, meet the Denver nuggets

[ctrey]

ctrey, meet the Denver nuggets

What have the Nuggets won? Oh right, nothing.

[ManUp]

What's new? Been saying this since after 2010. Our offense stalls late in games it's happened in 2010, 2011, and 2012. It's what happened in game 1 and what will ultimately seal our fate this season.

I feel like I just jinxed the Celtics.

Their O has completely shut down in the 3rd.

[ctrey]

OP, your logic is flawed.

Are you saying we don't seem to have a player that can score 20-30 at will? Or are you saying that the players we have are not capable of scoring 20-30 on any given day.

If the former, then yes. We don't have LeBron, Kobe, Durant and other super stars on this team.


If the latter, then you are wrong.

Jeff Green and Rajon Rondo could drop 20-30 points at will. Pierce can still do it if he wants to. Didn't he drop 40+ points this season in one game?

If someone can motivate Jeff Green and Rajon Rondo to give their best, then they will easily go out there and shred the defense.

For Jeff Green, that motivation is a good team or a "Big Game" against a big team. We have seen him go crazy against Heat and Thunder. In fact, if I remember correctly, he had a breakout game against the Thunder earlier this season.

For Rajon Rondo, that motivation is the playoffs or much hyped-anticipated game. For example, the game against the Knicks last year where he destroyed Jeremy Lin and shredded all the "linsanity" garbage. We already know that he steps up his game big time in the playoffs.

So we do have players that can drop 20-30 on any given night.

The problem is the scoring droughts, which in turn discourage us and weaken our defense.

If Rondo or Green could score like that they would. If they could score 20-30 "at will" as you state why don't they?  My Logic is not flawed, I spelled it out quite clearly with facts. You are simply not accepting the truth of our scoring problems and how it translates into us not being a top flight team.

Pierce scored 40 points once in 77 games.

Need further proof? There are 3 minutes left in the third quarter and we have 54 points.

Explain my flawed logic now.

[CelticConcourse]

Jinxed to high heaven. Wow.   

[Bosstown]

We can't score....without a point guard.

[syfy9]

OP, your logic is flawed.

Are you saying we don't seem to have a player that can score 20-30 at will? Or are you saying that the players we have are not capable of scoring 20-30 on any given day.

If the former, then yes. We don't have LeBron, Kobe, Durant and other super stars on this team.

If the latter, then you are wrong.

Jeff Green and Rajon Rondo could drop 20-30 points at will. Pierce can still do it if he wants to. Didn't he drop 40+ points this season in one game?

If someone can motivate Jeff Green and Rajon Rondo to give their best, then they will easily go out there and shred the defense.

For Jeff Green, that motivation is a good team or a "Big Game" against a big team. We have seen him go crazy against Heat and Thunder. In fact, if I remember correctly, he had a breakout game against the Thunder earlier this season.

For Rajon Rondo, that motivation is the playoffs or much hyped-anticipated game. For example, the game against the Knicks last year where he destroyed Jeremy Lin and shredded all the "linsanity" garbage. We already know that he steps up his game big time in the playoffs.

So we do have players that can drop 20-30 on any given night.

The problem is the scoring droughts, which in turn discourage us and weaken our defense.

It's more how players get those points that matter. Are they creating shot opportunities against lock down D, bailing them out? Are they utilizing their post game? Or did they just get hot/get some assisted lay ups?

[ItStaysYang]

OP, thank you for your profound insight.

Obviously we lack scoring. You need more points than your opponent if you want to win. We're missing the best scoring opportunity creator in the NBA, that is (primarily) why scoring is an issue

[ctrey]

OP, thank you for your profound insight.

Obviously we lack scoring. You need more points than your opponent if you want to win. We're missing the best scoring opportunity creator in the NBA, that is (primarily) why scoring is an issue

You can insult me if it makes you feel better but your claim is incorrect. We did not score when Rondo was playing either. Pierce got old this year and KG can only shoot jumpers.

[Celtics4ever]

Wrong.  Rondo has won us games in the playoffs in the past.   A triple double game one and who knows what would have happened.   

[PhoSita]

Man I can't wait until this team plays an exciting brand of basketball again (i.e. they actually score more than 95 points on a regular basis).