Who is not playing defense?

[Chief]

It4 is just short.  Not his fault.  I honestly believe he gives 100%.

[SHAQATTACK]

It4 is just short.  Not his fault.  I honestly believe he gives 100%.

He is a 40 point a night liability

[jpotter33]

https://twitter.com/CelticsHub/status/824099593822629888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Celtics have the second worst defense in NBA during the past month, allowing 112.1 points per 100 possessions.

Pitiful.

[MJohnnyboy]

Can't say I saw this coming, but I think it might be time we realize how much we miss Turner and Sully. When people think Turner, they think secondary scorer but IMO Turner's best quality for this team was his versatility. He could play and defend positions 1-3 and had a knack for stealing the ball. Sully may not have kept in good shape but the effort was there on the court defensively and he had a nose for the ball. His presence negated the second chance points that the Celtics give up constantly now. With those two gone, the Celtics have been forced to rely on not-there-yet young players and guys who aren't known for their rebounding, and it's led to defensive woes.

Turner and Sully may not have been universally loved around here, but what they did contributed a lot to this team's overall scrappy play.

[mctyson]

As I have said a few times now, you CANNOT evaluate this team when any of the IT - Bradley - Crowder - Horford group are injured and not playing.  I don't want to talk about how much the D has regressed from last year when our 1st Team All-NBA defender isn't playing.

This is a team with little margin for error.  When one of the starters is out you can almost pencil in a loss.

[Kuberski33]

Amir got old. Horford is average defensively. Crowder hasn't played as well as in the past. Rozier has been a disappointment defensively.  Brown is too young. IT is 5' 9". Bradley is hurt. Jerebko tries hard but is limited.  Team should still be better defensively than it is.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

I don't know if you guys remember how awful the foul disparity was early in the season, but the narrative that fits that combined with the increase in scoring in the NBA this year is simple: Officials are allowing less physical play on the perimeter this year than ever before. The Celtics tried to play the same way as last year to begin the season, forcing the refs to make calls - they did.

Since, the Celtics have adjusted their physical style of defense and teams are scoring a lot against us.

I still think the refs choke on their whistles more in the playoffs, which favors us, but we have to figure out how we are going to slow teams without grinding physicality.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

People are going to tout Smart on defense but he doesn't waste much energy on offense so he has plenty to use on defense. I feel the same about It4 on offense, being short is a problem for sure, but he uses all his energy on offense which leaves him without much left for defense.

[GRADYCOLNON]

As I have said a few times now, you CANNOT evaluate this team when any of the IT - Bradley - Crowder - Horford group are injured and not playing.  I don't want to talk about how much the D has regressed from last year when our 1st Team All-NBA defender isn't playing.

This is a team with little margin for error.  When one of the starters is out you can almost pencil in a loss.

So should the team not figure out how to win without top players? Because I believe it is crucial in the event we repeat last years playoff appearance

[mctyson]

As I have said a few times now, you CANNOT evaluate this team when any of the IT - Bradley - Crowder - Horford group are injured and not playing.  I don't want to talk about how much the D has regressed from last year when our 1st Team All-NBA defender isn't playing.

This is a team with little margin for error.  When one of the starters is out you can almost pencil in a loss.

So should the team not figure out how to win without top players? Because I believe it is crucial in the event we repeat last years playoff appearance

How did GSW do without Draymond?

I am not saying the Cs are GSW, but AB is to the Cs as Draymond is to Warriors.  You cannot take a guy like that off the court and expect anything close to what you have when he is there.

[Bobshot]

IT is a terrific offensive player, but he doesn't make the people around him better. OK, he got 13 assists tonite. But that isn't always true. Some nights, he's a 2, not a 1.

But still, I can't blame their problems on him. Their main problem is they have no rim protector.
They have a hole in the middle that Horford doesn't fill. They lack the big guy to plug the middle and rebound. Except for Horford, their bigs are as soft as overripe melons.

I don't think Ainge has done his job on  this account--to use Belichick's words. Maybe he's not on the same page as Stevens. Maybe he's holding out for that added "star" he dreams about.

I do know that there's a consensus developing in the media, based on what I've seen on the tweets, that what the Celtics lack is a rim protector.
 
Get a rim protector, Danny!

[liam]

I don't know if you guys remember how awful the foul disparity was early in the season, but the narrative that fits that combined with the increase in scoring in the NBA this year is simple: Officials are allowing less physical play on the perimeter this year than ever before. The Celtics tried to play the same way as last year to begin the season, forcing the refs to make calls - they did.

Since, the Celtics have adjusted their physical style of defense and teams are scoring a lot against us.

I still think the refs choke on their whistles more in the playoffs, which favors us, but we have to figure out how we are going to slow teams without grinding physicality.

You hit the nail on the head. The NBA does not let the Celtics play defense like they did last year.

[Stig]

As I have said a few times now, you CANNOT evaluate this team when any of the IT - Bradley - Crowder - Horford group are injured and not playing.  I don't want to talk about how much the D has regressed from last year when our 1st Team All-NBA defender isn't playing.

This is a team with little margin for error.  When one of the starters is out you can almost pencil in a loss.

i agree, and this does expose our guard depth problem, Rozier, Young just can't step in.

[LilRip]

Except for Smart (and AB and Jonas), the defensive intensity just isn't there. It's frustrating to watch, honestly. IT's physical shortcomings are real, which makes teams with 2 good guards (like the raps) a hard matchup.

And I have a question. Is scoring is up because 3pt attempts and shooting is up? Or because fouls and FT's have increased? Because I'd assume people are looking to shoot threes more.

[Tr1boy]

Except for Smart (and AB and Jonas), the defensive intensity just isn't there. It's frustrating to watch, honestly. IT's physical shortcomings are real, which makes teams with 2 good guards (like the raps) a hard matchup.

And I have a question. Is scoring is up because 3pt attempts and shooting is up? Or because fouls and FT's have increased? Because I'd assume people are looking to shoot threes more.

Starts with IT4(limitations). Should be coming off the bench