It all comes down to rebounding

[TheTruthFot18]

I'm perfectly fine letting KO go this offseason if we can replace him with ANYONE that can actually rebound.

I dont even care if they are offensively challenged. We need something/someone now.

[Chris22]

Thomas scores 35 points and is a minus 20.
It all comes down to defense and rebounding.
And Thomas is not a max player. He can't defend.

[Chris22]

I'm perfectly fine letting KO go this offseason if we can replace him with ANYONE that can actually rebound.

I dont even care if they are offensively challenged. We need something/someone now.

Olynyk got 8 rebounds in 24 minutes and led the team.

[jambr380]

I'm perfectly fine letting KO go this offseason if we can replace him with ANYONE that can actually rebound.

I dont even care if they are offensively challenged. We need something/someone now.

Olynyk got 8 rebounds in 24 minutes and led the team.

I agree, KO's problem is he doesn't get the bruising type rebounds and when he gets posterized (or even just beat off the dribble), it appears especially bad because of how he looks. I'm thinking of times like the other night when Lebron went down the lane for a dunk in the 2nd quarter and KO couldn't even step to his left to consider cutting him off.

KO would be a real asset to this team if the other 2nd unit big wasn't Zeller or JJ. Zizic might actually be a perfect complement.

[TheTruthFot18]

I'm perfectly fine letting KO go this offseason if we can replace him with ANYONE that can actually rebound.

I dont even care if they are offensively challenged. We need something/someone now.

Olynyk got 8 rebounds in 24 minutes and led the team.

That's one game. He averages less than 5 boards in 20 minutes. Less than 9 per 36.

We can get a SF to get thosekind of rebounding numbers. For someone who is no less than 7 feet that's not OK.

[TheTruthFot18]

I'm perfectly fine letting KO go this offseason if we can replace him with ANYONE that can actually rebound.

I dont even care if they are offensively challenged. We need something/someone now.

Olynyk got 8 rebounds in 24 minutes and led the team.

I agree, KO's problem is he doesn't get the bruising type rebounds and when he gets posterized (or even just beat off the dribble), it appears especially bad because of how he looks. I'm thinking of times like the other night when Lebron went down the lane for a dunk in the 2nd quarter and KO couldn't even step to his left to consider cutting him off.

KO would be a real asset to this team if the other 2nd unit big wasn't Zeller or JJ. Zizic might actually be a perfect complement.

Deep down I'm doping Zizic is our Gortat or Valanciunas. Also hoping Yabu can provide that Sully rebounding (minus the horrible shots and conditioning).

[Rosco917]

Horford had a good 3 or 4 game run a few weeks ago, but now he's back to looking 40 years old. And it's the same for Amir. Both players NEED help from the bench during stretches of the game, and stretches of the entire season for that matter, and who do the Celtics turn to?

They turn to Olynyk, and Jerebko, two of the softest bigs in the NBA. Both shutter at the thought of actual contact. Kelly scratches, pushes, and pulls as a form of defense, with the slowest reaction time in the entire league. That's why he accumulates fouls at a league leading rate per minute. Jerebko would be best served to be playing in Europe, his style is perfect for it. 

After looking the boxscore, one stat caught my eye, it was the  -20 for IT, highest of the game. So while scoring a game high 35 points, his team was giving back points at a rate enough to earn him a -20.

Yet, the team can't function without him, because they lack scoring consistency at every position but his.

This is a strange team.

[colincb]

It all comes down to having one or two more efficient and consistent scorers. They're harder to get than rebounders.

[Moranis]

It all comes down to having one or two more efficient and consistent scorers. They're harder to get than rebounders.

The thing is Boston has those.  Thomas is one of the most efficient scorers in basketball.  Horford and Bradley are consistent (though not huge volume) scorers who are both efficient.  Crowder has had an excellent shooting season all year.  Scoring hasn't been a real problem this year, except when Thomas doesn't play.  Boston was a horrible rebounding team last year and they are even worse this year. 

[Celtics4ever]

The thing is Boston has those.  Thomas is one of the most efficient scorers in basketball.  Horford and Bradley are consistent (though not huge volume) scorers who are both efficient.  Crowder has had an excellent shooting season all year.  Scoring hasn't been a real problem this year,

I disagree with you wholeheartedly.  Bradley is a nice player but he is no superstar.  We have one IT and he can score but sometimes is not an asset on defense.  Crowder is nice rotation guy but he is not consistent nor is he an allstar.

Scoring hasn't been a real problem this year,

I have seen games where it was a big problem.  We could get all the rebounds in the world   We are 17th in FG% and we live and die by the three.  We are 27th in rebounding.   But as you can it is not the only problem we have.  15th in 3p%.

I agree we need a rebounder but we have other holes on the team.   We are truly a team, other teams have their trio of stars.  We don't no matter how you twist it.

[PhoSita]

I dunno how important rebounding is big picture anymore.  We've seen lots of elite teams who rate poorly in rebounding categories.

Still, the Celts don't have a single player who I would characterize as a "dirty work" guy, and I think that's a problem.

They desperately need a Taj Gibson type, or heck, even a Kyle O'Quinn type.  Kenneth Faried could make a difference.  Somebody who can make plays inside.

What team are you watching. We got plenty of "dirty work" guys, maybe the toughest in the league in Marcus Smart. We need post players who are dirty work types while also having some athleticism and talent. Hoping the two big foreign stashes are gonna help this.

Having dirty work guards is nice, but you need big guys to do the dirty work down low.  You can't rely on all your smalls to do the dirty work and have nothing but finesse / glue guys up front.

[Chris22]

The thing is Boston has those.  Thomas is one of the most efficient scorers in basketball.  Horford and Bradley are consistent (though not huge volume) scorers who are both efficient.  Crowder has had an excellent shooting season all year.  Scoring hasn't been a real problem this year,

I disagree with you wholeheartedly.  Bradley is a nice player but he is no superstar.  We have one IT and he can score but sometimes is not an asset on defense.  Crowder is nice rotation guy but he is not consistent nor is he an allstar.

Scoring hasn't been a real problem this year,

I have seen games where it was a big problem.  We could get all the rebounds in the world   We are 17th in FG% and we live and die by the three.  We are 27th in rebounding.   But as you can it is not the only problem we have.  15th in 3p%.

I agree we need a rebounder but we have other holes on the team.   We are truly a team, other teams have their trio of stars.  We don't no matter how you twist it.

Crowder is not consistent?
He leads the team in plus and minus.
https://www.sportingcharts.com/nba/stats/individual-player-plus-minus-statistics/2016/

[Moranis]

The thing is Boston has those.  Thomas is one of the most efficient scorers in basketball.  Horford and Bradley are consistent (though not huge volume) scorers who are both efficient.  Crowder has had an excellent shooting season all year.  Scoring hasn't been a real problem this year,

I disagree with you wholeheartedly.  Bradley is a nice player but he is no superstar.  We have one IT and he can score but sometimes is not an asset on defense.  Crowder is nice rotation guy but he is not consistent nor is he an allstar.

Scoring hasn't been a real problem this year,

I have seen games where it was a big problem.  We could get all the rebounds in the world   We are 17th in FG% and we live and die by the three.  We are 27th in rebounding.   But as you can it is not the only problem we have.  15th in 3p%.

I agree we need a rebounder but we have other holes on the team.   We are truly a team, other teams have their trio of stars.  We don't no matter how you twist it.

I never claimed Bradley was a superstar but he is an efficient consistent player. In the 10 games before his recent missed time he scored between 12 and 20 points on between 12 and 16 shots with a pretty consistent and good FG%.  He is the epitome of efficiency and consistency, he just isn't a high volume scorer

[tenn_smoothie]

I dunno how important rebounding is big picture anymore.  We've seen lots of elite teams who rate poorly in rebounding categories.

Still, the Celts don't have a single player who I would characterize as a "dirty work" guy, and I think that's a problem.

They desperately need a Taj Gibson type, or heck, even a Kyle O'Quinn type.  Kenneth Faried could make a difference.  Somebody who can make plays inside.

We need post players who are dirty work types

Yep, we just don't have dirty work bigs.

yeah - that is what I said.