Celtics (14-27) at Magic (10-30) Game #42 1/19/14

[hpantazo]

I'll just say -- I'm not enamoured of Bradley's deep two-pointers, either, but I don't think the people hating on him right now have a strong grasp of how basketball works if they think this team has many other options.

Other options would be Sullinger, Rondo, Green, Olynyk, and Bass. All should shoot more than Bradley, and all are much less turnover prone, but heck, he's shooting us to a top 5 pick so I'll take it.

Well, I think Green could press the issue more, but we all know how passive he is.

Otherwise, how are you going to GET those guys their shots?  They aren't shot creators.

Often, Bradley shoots because he's the guy with the ball and the team can't get anybody else open.

Sullinger creates his own shots, Green, yes, like you said, should be more aggressive. Rondo is the best shot creator on the team, for himself and others. We should create shots for guys like Bass and Olynyk by going inside much more, and playing inside out basketball, not by having Bradley and previously Crawford dribble out the shot clock on the perimeter and then chuck it. They have the ball because they don't pass the darn ball!

[hwangjini_1]

by the way, for what it is worth...if we ignore bogans, then avery bradley is the 4th best on the celtics in terms of fg%. only hump, bass, and wallace (?!) are better.

for 3 pt%, green shoots .368, first on the team. followed by bradley at .365.

bradley shoots both fg% and 3pt% higher than celtics' opponents' averages so far this season.

say what you want about bradley's shooting, he is one of the best on the celtics. the underlying story may be less that bradley stinks than that the rest of the team double-stinks.

[hpantazo]

Bradley and Crawford's selfish bball has been our major weakness this season. Crawford was inflating his stats, winning player of the week, all the while his teammates reportedly hated him for his selfish play. I can see it all season long. These two just dribble around the key and take the shots themselves while our best scorers in Green and Sullinger rarely get the ball in good spots. Crawford is gone, now we just have to move Bradley for value.

[Smokeeye123]

Woah... Rondo returns and we drop back-to-back games vs Lakers and Orlando.  Two of THE WORST teams in the league.  It's a tanker's dream.

It would be pretty cool if we could hang onto Rondo and still land a Top 5 pick.  Very nice.

Next three games are Heat, Wizards, Thunder. 2/3 are almost locked losses and the Wizards are playing competent basketball at least so I can see them winning.

[Spicoli]

Woah... Rondo returns and we drop back-to-back games vs Lakers and Orlando.  Two of THE WORST teams in the league.  It's a tanker's dream.

It would be pretty cool if we could hang onto Rondo and still land a Top 5 pick.  Very nice.

Agree. Rondo is still working his way back, but even when he is totally back, he will still be passing the ball to guys coming off screens taking long twos which is not a winning recipe. This team has no 3 point shooters at all, and i'm thinking that the losses will continue to pile up because of it which is great.

[Spicoli]

I'm going to stop giving Avery a hard time because as long as he keeps shooting long twos, the tank will continue which is fine by me. The C's are right on track to get Andrew Wiggins Embiid. They have now lost to the Lakers, Bucks, and Magic. All horrible teams.

lol i would take Wiggins over Embiid. There are too many instances where the big is taken first but the wing player should have been taken first. I hope the C's don't make that mistake!

[Spicoli]

I'll just say -- I'm not enamoured of Bradley's deep two-pointers, either, but I don't think the people hating on him right now have a strong grasp of how basketball works if they think this team has many other options.

Other options would be Sullinger, Rondo, Green, Olynyk, and Bass. All should shoot more than Bradley, and all are much less turnover prone, but heck, he's shooting us to a top 5 pick so I'll take it.

Well, I think Green could press the issue more, but we all know how passive he is.

Otherwise, how are you going to GET those guys their shots?  They aren't shot creators.

Often, Bradley shoots because he's the guy with the ball and the team can't get anybody else open.

To me it seems that Avery just lets it fly as soon as the pass hits his hands. If all the other guys on the team did the same thing, they would have just as many shot attempts as he does. The other guys aren't playing selfishly and are keeping the ball moving though. It just seems that whenever they swing it back to Bradley he has to be the one to take the shot instead of keeping it moving himself.

[LarBrd33]

Guys... we are essentially tied for the 3rd worst record in the league.  2014 Draft is thought to be transcendent. Just gotta keep this going for the second half the season and we'll be in a far better position this offseason.

[Spicoli]

Guys... we are essentially tied for the 3rd worst record in the league.  2014 Draft is thought to be transcendent. Just gotta keep this going for the second half the season and we'll be in a far better position this offseason.

Great news. Our all star PG has come back and the losing continues. I am pleased.

[LarBrd33]

Guys... we are essentially tied for the 3rd worst record in the league.  2014 Draft is thought to be transcendent. Just gotta keep this going for the second half the season and we'll be in a far better position this offseason.

Great news. Our all star PG has come back and the losing continues. I am pleased.

I expect things to change once Rondo's minutes are no longer restricted and he has some time to get back to form... but it's good to keep our flexibility going heading into the trade deadline. 

[satch]

Guys... we are essentially tied for the 3rd worst record in the league.  2014 Draft is thought to be transcendent. Just gotta keep this going for the second half the season and we'll be in a far better position this offseason.

If the only change next year is a lottery pick then we will be in the lottery again in 2015. Two years of thrashings and Stevens will  be gone. Probably someplace like UNC.

[Cman]

Guys... we are essentially tied for the 3rd worst record in the league.  2014 Draft is thought to be transcendent. Just gotta keep this going for the second half the season and we'll be in a far better position this offseason.

Completely agree. I'm happy the Cs came close to winning. And then didn't. Bring on the number one pick!!

[SHAQATTACK]

I feel another trade coming ,  wow another couple trades will just about sink this ship  and keep it nailed to the bottom.

Come on Bucks .....get it in gear !

[hwangjini_1]

Guys... we are essentially tied for the 3rd worst record in the league.  2014 Draft is thought to be transcendent. Just gotta keep this going for the second half the season and we'll be in a far better position this offseason.

If the only change next year is a lottery pick then we will be in the lottery again in 2015. Two years of thrashings and Stevens will  be gone. Probably someplace like UNC.

i will disagree on this. ainge knew and knows that the rebuild will take at least 3 years. stevens was hired for 6 years for a reason. stevens has plenty of rope, was told to develop talent, and not to worry about wins and losses for those 3 years.

next, ainge knows a single lottery pick wont change this team over night. but, a draft with a lottery pick and then a second good pick, THEN the next year a lottery pick and another first rounder, THEN in year 3 a possible lottery pick from the nets and the celtics own pick...and so on for the next 5 years.

then add in the salary space the team will have in 2-3 years for signing free agents or doing sigh and trades. patience is required, but ainge has plenty of it.

stevens is a very good coach saddled with a bad team, and he is also a rookie coach learning the nba. but look at the play he drew up for green near the end of the game. brilliant when executed by the players. same for the play against miami.

i believe stevens will be here for more than 2 years, and am happy about it.

[satch]

Two years of beatings will get old. Stevens will not want to stay.