Suns (5-5) at Celtics (3-5) Game #9 11/17/14

[MBunge]

Zeller leads us the whole game, so Brad takes him out in the last two minutes.

Doc Rivers going small 2.0.

It's good for a team to have structure but Stevens seems to have become really rigid with who he puts on the floor.  I mean, look how terrible KO had to be and how good Zeller had to be to get Zeller 20+ minutes.

Mike

[Mr October]

AB has to go.

Even though they are 2 of our best players, Bradley and Green are a terrible 2/3 combo. They are below average ball handler / passers for their position. That puts too much pressure on Rondo to do all the creating down the stretch.

It makes for too much predictability.

When Smart comes back I'd rather him start at the 2, with the style we're playing, we need 2 ball handlers, and that's Rondo and Smart.
Smart is also bigger stronger better handles and becoming one of the better defenders on our team.

Yeah i miss Smart. He could become a nice finishing guard.

[celtics2030]

He had Ray Allen for how many years and is possibly the worst free throw shooting guard in the league

I know he was bad from the line tonight, but man Ive never seen so many people chomping at the bit to pile on this guy.  He almost had another triple double again.

So many other people helped screw this game up too

I love Rondo. I am just pointing out the free throw thing. It really makes me angry. He is too good for this.

[Endless Paradise]

AB has to go.

Even though they are 2 of our best players, Bradley and Green are a terrible 2/3 combo. They are below average ball handler / passers for their position. That puts too much pressure on Rondo to do all the creating down the stretch.

It makes for too much predictability.

The reality is that Bradley and Green are more than likely not going to be a long-term starting wing combination for the Celtics.

[SHAQATTACK]

At he end of a game we have people who shoot in the 30 % taking shots , no rim protector .......until we get a elite  offensive player ..who shoots above 40 % consistent .....then if Celtics win ...it is pure luck

[timobusa]

AB has to go.

Even though they are 2 of our best players, Bradley and Green are a terrible 2/3 combo. They are below average ball handler / passers for their position. That puts too much pressure on Rondo to do all the creating down the stretch.

It makes for too much predictability.

When Smart comes back I'd rather him start at the 2, with the style we're playing, we need 2 ball handlers, and that's Rondo and Smart.
Smart is also bigger stronger better handles and becoming one of the better defenders on our team.

Yeah i miss Smart. He could become a nice finishing guard.

Definitely at the end of a game, I'd rather have a guy drive hard to the hoop and fish for a foul maybe an and 1, than settling for long 2 point jumpers.

[Who]

AB has to go.

Even though they are 2 of our best players, Bradley and Green are a terrible 2/3 combo. They are below average ball handler / passers for their position. That puts too much pressure on Rondo to do all the creating down the stretch.

It makes for too much predictability.

I agree. It is a problem.

I think the best way to counter it for now -- the lack of secondary ball-handling and playmaking on perimeter--  is to give our talented (and underutilized) high post bigs more responsibility. Continue to get them more involved as passers to take responsibility away from wings to provide that secondary playmaking. Let the bigs do more from the high post instead. Especially Olynyk.

Like Chicago and Memphis do with their big men. They have had good success with that in recent seasons. Helped them work around some limited ball-handling / passing wings in their lineups.

[SHAQATTACK]

This is either the worst last quarter team in history or the worst coached .....something is messed up

[Tr1boy]

I remember why I don't spend much time in these game threads. Some of the comments make me want to headbutt my wall...

no. Rondo makes you do that with less than 5 minute in the game.

The guy plays terrible defense.  He just passes the ball from the perimeter and just stands there. His man is loving that since he can help defend other players.   Careless mistakes. 

[SHAQATTACK]

Zeller leads us the whole game, so Brad takes him out in the last two minutes.

Doc Rivers going small 2.0.

It's good for a team to have structure but Stevens seems to have become really rigid with who he puts on the floor.  I mean, look how terrible KO had to be and how good Zeller had to be to get Zeller 20+ minutes.

Mike

Good point ......his coaching is flawed

[Endless Paradise]

The Celtics are a bad, young team in the process of rebuilding.  Bad, young, rebuilding teams tend to have issues with closing out games.  It's not that complex an issue, honestly.

[Chris22]

AB has to go.

Bradley was a +2.
Rondo was a -10.
Bradley committed 2 turnovers.
Rondo committed 5 turnovers.

Bradley had the biggest turnover of the game.
plus minus stats are irrelevant.

Only to an idiot.

[Beat LA]

The only thing I enjoyed tonight was the fact that we only took 10 3 point shots (3 of which came at the end of the game), and opted for more free throw attempts, which would have been a much higher total if the refs ever called a foul any time anyone on our squad got mugged inside, but hey, whatever.

[GratefulCs]

I couldn't watch most of the game tonight. Did Kelly suffer an injury or something? The box score claims he only played 13 minutes.   

[Tr1boy]

I couldn't watch most of the game tonight. Did Kelly suffer an injury or something? The box score claims he only played 13 minutes.   

he was benched. Foul issues.  Suns players were driving in on the celts all night long and KO/Sully had issues preventing shots from going in. Bass and Zeller did a better job