Biggest Disappointment So Far

[AidaCelt]

3 games in... come on now..

but since we're doing it... Rondo. The assist numbers will always be there, but he's got some major lapses on D and that shot... *sigh

I'll still blame hand injury... for now

what? You can't take the assists for granted. 15 assists in a game is darn good. What did Kelly give us? I think right now we are better off giving Bass KO's mins. Kelly needs to earn back his mins. He can start by cutting his hair. I find it hard to take him seriously when he's constantly adjusting his hair.

Assists are overrated.   You get in assist for passing the ball to someone making a tough jump shot.  Getting open for a shot and making it is more important.

Karl Malone might disagree with this who benefitted from playing with one of best point guards. You make it seem like anyone can grab a bunch of assists. Was Stockton over rated then?

No opinion about Stockton's rating.  I just don't put much stock in assists.   The player putting the ball in the basket has a more difficult task.

Championships are won by scorers that pass sometimes not passers that score sometimes.

Watch a NBA shoot around and watch how many shots go in. Way more then in the game. Every player is going to hit more shots when open. And that's what Rondo does better then most every other point guard. He gets guys open looks. Not to mention the easy layups and dunks. The kickouts when the D caves in. The pick and pops and hitting guys in stride. How can you dismiss all this and say its all the shooter?

Even an open jumpshot isn't a gimme.   Lots of players pass up those opportunities. 

Can't put anything quantifiable on it, I just think putting the ball in the basket is far more difficult, even if your open.

The pass doesn't get someone open.   

The assister gets too much credit for doing only 1 part of the 3 actions required to get the assist.

You're right, the assister gets credit for 1 part of the action involved in a score (1 assist)... the person they help to get the basket gets the credit for the rest (2/3 points). If it's an end of shot clock pass to an open player or a contested shot, fair enough. But there is a lot more to an assist. The passes to a cutting player for a dunk/ lay up, kick out to an open jump shot, drive and dish etc.

[GreenWarrior]

"Biggest Disappointment So Far "

the fact that we're insisting we're this aggressive attacking team, when we're actually just a perimeter shooting team...and not a good one.

i'd say KO but stevie wonder could have told you he's not a center and he can't play D at any position...so everything I see from KO I expected.

[OhioGreen]

I agree with KO!  He has ZERO confidence in his shooting!  Until he gets that shooters mentality, he's a liability. 
In his defense, however, he and Sully have been singled out by officiating as weak defenders, and therefore targets for constant fouls----many of which are bogus!  It's what officials do!  They can't foul out the stars, so they pick on guys that aren't, or second and third stringers! It's no secret! 
On that note, watch Marcus Smart. Even as a rookie he gets away with fouls constantly, because of his reputation as a great defender!  It's just the way the NBA has always been----poor defenders, and non stars are gonna get the majority of fouls!
The way, as a team, to beat this is to play ultra aggressive defense, as they did in the second half the other night!  It's the way the old NY Knicks used to play D back when Doc played with them.  Starts out bad, but after a short time the officials get tired(or embarrassed) by calling so many fouls, and the the defense becomes crazy good!

[BudweiserCeltic]

Kelly Olynyk's defense has been the biggest for me, been too slow on rotations and he reacts very poorly when contesting shots. I expected much better positional defense, but he's just too slow to react.

I expected to see more ball pressure from our guards, which finally showed up in the last game's second half.

Off the ball movement has been inconsistent, though much of it was problematic from Houston's defensive scheme... it comes and goes.

Shooting in general has been bit colder in the last two games, I hope it doesn't last much.

to be disappointed you first have to have expectations. honestly, after last season how could anyone realistically think olly was a good defender? it is not a "choice", pitino be [dang]ed. olly is simply a slow human being when moving side to side. his lateral movement has always been mediocre.

last season, and so far this season, watch how he plays way off his man to compensate for his inability to stop his man from blasting by him.

but, as long as olly puts up offensive numbers, you live with the defense. besides, it is only game 3. lets wait until game 20 before weighing in on this team.

Who said anything about believing Olly was a good defender? I simply hoped he had showed improvement on that regard, particularly on his reaction time and his rotations, two workable areas.

[Donoghus]

Turner. 

He just hasn't jumped out in a positive light for me yet.  He's entering that scary "Tony Allen" zone where it's an adventure every time he dribbles.  His shot selection is suspect and I think he can be awfully lazy with his passes.

I do wonder if his presence has helped light a fire under Jeff Green's butt, though.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Actually my biggest disappointment so far is how bad the Lakers are playing. I expected them to be very bad, but can't have them being THIS bad with their top 5 protected pick and all owed to the Suns.

So come on Kobe, you have to be a bit better than this.

[Vermont Green]

I am not terribly disappointed because most everyone is doing about what I expected.  Olynyk and Rondo are doing pretty much what they do.  Same with Turner, Green, etc.

The only player that I may have had some higher hopes for is Zeller.  I didn't have much to base my hopefulness on but I did let myself get a little hopeful.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I am not terribly disappointed because most everyone is doing about what I expected.  Olynyk and Rondo are doing pretty much what they do.  Same with Turner, Green, etc.

The only player that I may have had some higher hopes for is Zeller.  I didn't have much to base my hopefulness on but I did let myself get a little hopeful.

Is there really much to be disappointed with Zeller though? I think his biggest problem so far is lack of opportunity and a crappy start to the preseason which pretty much cemented his role on this team early on.

He simply isn't getting minutes, but when he has been on the floor he has been producing, and efficiently.

[BballTim]

3 games in... come on now..

but since we're doing it... Rondo. The assist numbers will always be there, but he's got some major lapses on D and that shot... *sigh

I'll still blame hand injury... for now

what? You can't take the assists for granted. 15 assists in a game is darn good. What did Kelly give us? I think right now we are better off giving Bass KO's mins. Kelly needs to earn back his mins. He can start by cutting his hair. I find it hard to take him seriously when he's constantly adjusting his hair.

Assists are overrated.   You get in assist for passing the ball to someone making a tough jump shot.  Getting open for a shot and making it is more important.

  You get a lot more assists passing the ball to someone to make an easy shot like Rondo does.  Not for nothing, but last year the Celts eFG% on shots from passes (it would be an assist if the basket was made) was about 55%. Their eFG% on all other shots was about 40%. In the average game they'd take about 44 assisted fg attempts and get about 48 points, they'd take about 40 fg attempts that weren't assisted and get about 32 points from those shots. So, in the grand scheme of things, assists really aren't overrated.

[Tr1boy]

3 games in... come on now..

but since we're doing it... Rondo. The assist numbers will always be there, but he's got some major lapses on D and that shot... *sigh

I'll still blame hand injury... for now

what? You can't take the assists for granted. 15 assists in a game is darn good. What did Kelly give us? I think right now we are better off giving Bass KO's mins. Kelly needs to earn back his mins. He can start by cutting his hair. I find it hard to take him seriously when he's constantly adjusting his hair.

Assists are overrated.   You get in assist for passing the ball to someone making a tough jump shot.  Getting open for a shot and making it is more important.

  You get a lot more assists passing the ball to someone to make an easy shot like Rondo does.  Not for nothing, but last year the Celts eFG% on shots from passes (it would be an assist if the basket was made) was about 55%. Their eFG% on all other shots was about 40%. In the average game they'd take about 44 assisted fg attempts and get about 48 points, they'd take about 40 fg attempts that weren't assisted and get about 32 points from those shots. So, in the grand scheme of things, assists really aren't overrated.

If the Celts didnt have rondo or another pure pg ,other players assist numbers would increase. We have many skilled passers on the team unable to use their skills to the max bc of rondo. Look at the way the spurs play

Right now number 1 priority is for Rondo to concentrate on keeping his man in front of him on every possession possible(playoff rondo) , sufficating him.

[Vermont Green]

I am not terribly disappointed because most everyone is doing about what I expected.  Olynyk and Rondo are doing pretty much what they do.  Same with Turner, Green, etc.

The only player that I may have had some higher hopes for is Zeller.  I didn't have much to base my hopefulness on but I did let myself get a little hopeful.

Is there really much to be disappointed with Zeller though? I think his biggest problem so far is lack of opportunity and a crappy start to the preseason which pretty much cemented his role on this team early on.

He simply isn't getting minutes, but when he has been on the floor he has been producing, and efficiently.

I guess I am disappointed that he is not playing well enough to get more minutes and be an actual factor.

[BballTim]

3 games in... come on now..

but since we're doing it... Rondo. The assist numbers will always be there, but he's got some major lapses on D and that shot... *sigh

I'll still blame hand injury... for now

what? You can't take the assists for granted. 15 assists in a game is darn good. What did Kelly give us? I think right now we are better off giving Bass KO's mins. Kelly needs to earn back his mins. He can start by cutting his hair. I find it hard to take him seriously when he's constantly adjusting his hair.

Assists are overrated.   You get in assist for passing the ball to someone making a tough jump shot.  Getting open for a shot and making it is more important.

  You get a lot more assists passing the ball to someone to make an easy shot like Rondo does.  Not for nothing, but last year the Celts eFG% on shots from passes (it would be an assist if the basket was made) was about 55%. Their eFG% on all other shots was about 40%. In the average game they'd take about 44 assisted fg attempts and get about 48 points, they'd take about 40 fg attempts that weren't assisted and get about 32 points from those shots. So, in the grand scheme of things, assists really aren't overrated.

If the Celts didnt have rondo or another pure pg ,other players assist numbers would increase. We have many skilled passers on the team unable to use their skills to the max bc of rondo. Look at the way the spurs play

Right now number 1 priority is for Rondo to concentrate on keeping his man in front of him on every possession possible(playoff rondo) , sufficating him.

  Last year, before Rondo came back, we were 27th in the league in terms of percentage of baskets assisted. For the rest of the season our percentage of assisted baskets was about that of a top 5 team. While your main hope for the team seems to be having Rondo touch the ball as little as possible, his number one goal should clearly be running the offense. And I didn't see much of the Mavs game but I don't think his defense has been as bad as you're claiming it has.  He isn't pressuring the ball as much as Bradley or as far away from the basket, but we're not getting lit up by the guy Rondo's guarding much more than the guy Avery's guarding.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I am not terribly disappointed because most everyone is doing about what I expected.  Olynyk and Rondo are doing pretty much what they do.  Same with Turner, Green, etc.

The only player that I may have had some higher hopes for is Zeller.  I didn't have much to base my hopefulness on but I did let myself get a little hopeful.

Is there really much to be disappointed with Zeller though? I think his biggest problem so far is lack of opportunity and a crappy start to the preseason which pretty much cemented his role on this team early on.

He simply isn't getting minutes, but when he has been on the floor he has been producing, and efficiently.

I guess I am disappointed that he is not playing well enough to get more minutes and be an actual factor.

Well, my point is that he has shown to be able to play well enough to get more minutes at least so far in this early season.

The biggest reason he hasn't gotten it, is 1. Either good play from Olynyk or Olynyk being a Brad's favorite and 2. We've been going small (with good success) a lot of the time as well.

[D.o.s.]

He isn't pressuring the ball as much as Bradley or as far away from the basket, but we're not getting lit up by the guy Rondo's guarding much more than the guy Avery's guarding.

This is a bit of a chicken and the egg phenomenon, though, because AB typically guards the better offensive player between the two of them.

In regards to assists, there's some evidence that they're the most easily replicated part of a box score for a team, which is not to say that all assists are created equal.

[Fafnir]

He isn't pressuring the ball as much as Bradley or as far away from the basket, but we're not getting lit up by the guy Rondo's guarding much more than the guy Avery's guarding.

This is a bit of a chicken and the egg phenomenon, though, because AB typically guards the better offensive player between the two of them.

In regards to assists, there's some evidence that they're the most easily replicated part of a box score for a team, which is not to say that all assists are created equal.

I've had no problems with Rondo's defense this year personally, much better than last year both in his movement and effort. He's not going back to 2008-2009 Rondo, he's older and has to do ten times more offensively.