Not a fan of IT as a starter

[Alleyoopster]

This is a tough situation. The Celtics need IT's scoring and ball handling skills. However, the main problem, if I heard Stevens right, is the team needs to make stops. Isaiah stopped no one last night. He wasn't alone, but he was alarmingly anemic on defense.

Brad said something to the affect, that in order for someone to get hot all it takes sometimes  is to get an easy basket in the beginning of the game to set them off. He was referring to Mudiay. The way Brad was speaking I wouldn't be surprised to see Isaiah on the bench if his defense doesn't pick up. 

On offense teams are playing him differently. They are surrounding him when he's in the lane and deflecting or stealing his passes to the players on the perimeter. Tommy also noted that the refs aren't giving him the calls (as often) when he drives to the hoop.

[Who]

The offense sucks without above average big man passing.

Celtics do not currently have that without Horford (last year with Sully) or Olynyk.

[Tr1boy]

This is a tough situation. The Celtics need IT's scoring and ball handling skills. However, the main problem, if I heard Stevens right, is the team needs to make stops. Isaiah stopped no one last night. He wasn't alone, but he was alarmingly anemic on defense.

Brad said something to the affect, that in order for someone to get hot all it takes sometimes  is to get an easy basket in the beginning of the game to set them off. He was referring to Mudiay. The way Brad was speaking I wouldn't be surprised to see Isaiah on the bench if his defense doesn't pick up. 

On offense teams are playing him differently. They are surrounding him when he's in the lane and deflecting or stealing his passes to the players on the perimeter. Tommy also noted that the refs aren't giving him the calls (as often) when he drives to the hoop.

I agree.  Just saw the link below at csne

-Isaiah Thomas: "At this point we're all talk" on defense-

Who was guarding Mudiay? Cmon IT

[rollie mass]

mudiay did the bulk of scoring from what i just watched on players other than IT--
isaiah as stars do, carried this team on offense,
you lose not two but three players counting kelly- then less turner
at 6-7 turner was a difficult match up for opponents and was better defensively than given credit for and a decent rebounder-
the 2nd unit has little offense without kelly and rozier stepping up

[Celtics4ever]

IT is a scrapper but he is short and if a guy is shooting well, he can do little to alter their shot given his size.

We need his offense though to stay in games.

[rollie mass]

zeller is hitting his mid range again but jerebko and zeller don't cut it
-they keep saying zeller has good hands but i see him bumbling low passes,jerebko can't finish he is like a chucker from 5 ft
,some players have that touch but not him
maybe latter in season these two come on,when grind starts to take its toll
it  is simple undermanned missing two starters and even more important piece with 2nd unit since turner is gone  and that is kelly

[footey]

Just watched tape of last night's game.

Isiah was trying to do too much in the first quarter. Maybe he feels with injuries to two starters, the pressure to do so. But the ball just doesn't move when you play like that.

Avery wasn't hitting his open shots in the first quarter, and when that happens, and there are no rebounds, its one and done.

Zeller displayed really bad hands.

Our lack of interior strength really hurts us. I see what Brad meant by calling us finesse (read "weak").

[walker834]

I don't think IT is the problem although i sort of agree we come out fast and inexperienced li ke we did last night and can't score we don't have the defense to really stay in games and make plays on the other end.  In the words of the great Emmitt Smith "We got blowed out".

We were missing Jae and Horford.  Our young guys have to be better prepared.  I think either Marcus or Isaiah would be fine as the starter though.

PG isn't the problem although it is the pg's job to settle the team down in that instance.  Unfortunately we couldn't defend and the game got away  from us.

We came out fast were fumbling passes.  It happens with a young inexperienced team.  Especially when they aren't prepared and Zeller is basically nonexistant.  We might as well have been passing to no one and had no player on defense there either.

Zeller has to play tougher.  Mentallly and physically when he's called on.

[walker834]

I do agree IT is primarily a scorer. He's not really a pg ala Rondo who's going to settle the offense down and run the show both offensivly and defensively.  Rondo wasn't even that at times when he should have been.  It's all about timing though.

It's a team game though.  When your center can't make or stop a layup it's a problem.  The whole team breaks down.  No layups.

It's still early.  The nba season is a marathon and not a sprint.  Tortoise and the hare. We do have to be better prepared and play tougher.

We got ahead of ourselves. You could just tell before the game.  Even Bradley being interviewed before the game because of his hot start.  He had to hold himself back.  I could just tell. 

I blame the media too. Just listening to Scal before the game and Draper.  These guys are not great sometimes.  Scal was saying we need to come out fast and play with speed.  Draper was saying Denver will go small and will play into our hands like this game was a given.  These guys are inexperienced themselves. 

The issue is mindset, toughness and a lack of preparedness period.

It's threads like this that show that too.  That's the problem with the internet and people.  People are human but it's really ridiculous if you've seen it enough.  The internet and life and people are full of this crap in general. Overreactions, assumptions gallore when they don't understand on so many levels.

[walker834]

Emmitt Smith can't speak compilation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGT08DTk3NM

Greatness personified.

[Tr1boy]

I do agree IT is primarily a scorer. He's not really a pg ala Rondo who's going to settle the offense down and run the show both offensivly and defensively.  Rondo wasn't even that at times when he should have been.  It's all about timing though.

It's a team game though.  When your center can't make or stop a layup it's a problem.  The whole team breaks down.  No layups.

It's still early.  The nba season is a marathon and not a sprint.  Tortoise and the hare. We do have to be better prepared and play tougher.

We got ahead of ourselves. You could just tell before the game.  Even Bradley being interviewed before the game because of his hot start.  He had to hold himself back.  I could just tell. 

I blame the media too. Just listening to Scal before the game and Draper.  These guys are not great sometimes.  Scal was saying we need to come out fast and play with speed.  Draper was saying Denver will go small and will play into our hands like this game was a given.  These guys are inexperienced themselves. 

The issue is mindset, toughness and a lack of preparedness period.

It's threads like this that show that too.  That's the problem with the internet and people.  People are human but it's really ridiculous if you've seen it enough.  The internet and life and people are full of this crap in general. Overreactions, assumptions gallore when they don't understand on so many levels.

I dont know where you are going with all of this

Bottom line ... this is a team game.  Stop with the hero ball bs. Pass the ball around.   Get mad at guys who dont take the open shot.

IT as a pg can direct the offense half the time without having the ball in his hands.  Again he is not a pure pg but he is a vet player 

And if IT cant do this half the time nor wants to, he is basically an offensive weapon  . As a 6th man... main job to provide scoring off the bench ... also less pressure to need to provide lockdown D

[rollie mass]

he was distributing when horford and crowder  were playing-is everbody nuts
scoring is in hands of isaiah and avery

[BlackCeltic]

he was distributing when horford and crowder  were playing-is everbody nuts
scoring is in hands of isaiah and avery

I don't like when Avery feels he is the first scoring option. If we are going to rely on these two playing hero ball all season, then its all for nothing. This back court is not the splash brothers 2.0. Expect many nights like last night if Horford doesnt come save these guys from slefish play.

[CroCorvus]

No. We're way beyond that line. You can't just bench an all star player avr 25&7. He's a good spirit of the team and returning him to the bench would probably be a bad move regarding the team's chemistry.   

[LilRip]

I think the biggest change from last year is that teams are really starting to dissect and prepare for IT more than ever in his career. He's a bad defender but now, teams are game planning more than ever to exploit him. He's a terrific offensive player which is why teams are game planning more than ever to stop him. Teams are treating him like a superstar.