The current problem: Too many offensive challenged phony defenders

[Eja117]

You're seeing it now with the Wizards having huge runs.    26-0?    That's longer than an entire quarter. The Celts got smoked.

Even if the Celts come back they're gonna get smoked by the Cavs and even if that didn't happen they'd get smoked by the Warriors or something.

We have one significantly gifted offensive player, which is a problem because offense wins games. 26-0 runs. Those things win games. Do we ever have those?

Assuming the Celts make it to Cleveland they'll probably get swept but why? Crowder - in theory - ought to at least make Bron work for it and maybe hold him under his average.

And the great Smart outta be able to give Kyrie fits.   Then what?  Shouldn't the rest of the Celts be at least a little better than the rest of the Cavs? Shouldn't the Celts be able to win - gasp - 2 games against the Cavs?

If we have such great defenders then where were they this series and Rondo isn't exactly the greatest guard of all time.

This is why Jaylen is going to surpass Crowder. Crowder has gone soft jacking up threes. And this is why Rozier will probably surpass Smart fairly soon. Smart isn't a shooting guard. The key word in shooting guard is shooting. He's not a small forward. He's not a point guard. He's an OLB or TE who missed his calling.

Avery is going to be let go.

If you think defense wins games then why are we struggling instead of putting things away? Why are we gonna get smoked soon? Why the 26-0 run? Why will these players be replaced or surpassed soon?

KO isn't the only soft player on this team and if you asked other teams who is the softest player I bet they wouldn't say KO. Not sure who they'd pick. It might surprise you.

I can't wait to see how this series ends. Because if all they do is win on their home court that's not good enough at all.

[steve]

The thing is Crowder and Smart are good role players who are playing starter minutes. We need another scorer, Butler, George or Fultz.

No one player, sans IT, should be untouchable in the quest to get a pure scorer.

[mobilija]

I can't wait to see how this series ends. Because if all they do is win on their home court that's not good enough at all.

Winning on their home court would be good enough to win the series....

That puts them as one of the top two teams in the east. Not an awful place to be. Sure, the team needs more offensive fire power and will have some options, more than most or maybe any team, to improve in this area in the summer. So, barring catastrophe to the two contenders we're not good enough to win it all but things aren't all that bleak. Baby steps, and this baby seems to be taking big steps every year.

[Eja117]

I agree but we need another defender too because the Celtics are not the defensive team that is advertised.

[Banner18now!]

I would have to agree some of these player are too overrated by this fan base. Smart is a glorified hustle player that at times can make hustle plays to help a game. And when he is not doing that he is either bricking up shots or turning the ball over. Completely useless on the floor and Rozier deserves more playing time.
Crowder is soft and a complete front runner. When he misses shots he just hangs his head and is useless. Instead of picking up the rest of his game when his offense is off he just sulks. When he is hitting his shots he is engaged and plays a well rounded game. Him and Smart are the two biggest reasons this team plays like they do on the road. I would punt on both this off season and have them in a trade. Both have sucked for the majority of the playoffs and are killing this team. Smart needs to stop eating donuts or steaks and throw in a salad. How many turnovers? And what is he 50% at the free throw line this series?

[Eja117]

I can't wait to see how this series ends. Because if all they do is win on their home court that's not good enough at all.

Winning on their home court would be good enough to win the series....

That puts them as one of the top two teams in the east. Not an awful place to be. Sure, the team needs more offensive fire power and will have some options, more than most or maybe any team, to improve in this area in the summer. So, barring catastrophe to the two contenders we're not good enough to win it all but things aren't all that bleak. Baby steps, and this baby seems to be taking big steps every year.

But when you take steps back for steps forward...or if you take steps sideways or don't take very important steps....that's a problem.

[Eja117]

If our players were as hyped we'd have been able to pull off meaningful trades but other teams didn't want any part of them. Not for real players.

Teams with good players going into free agency didn't want our players. They were like "Uh. We'll take our chances in free agency or just tank or something."  Teams called it.

[jpotter33]

I agree but we need another defender too because the Celtics are not the defensive team that is advertised.

They haven't been the advertised defensive team all year long. They just didn't take the same initiative defensively this year as in years past, and now it's causing problems for us in the playoffs by not being able to tap into that defensive intensity.