Celtics '21'22 - The Jay's Team

[fightinfunbags]

Tatum really appears to have taken that next step.

It's not just the scoring, either. He always had a talent for getting buckets.

It's the assertiveness. It's going stronger to the basket and finishing.

What's impressive is... teams are most definitely slanting their defense towards him. But now Tatum is finding ways to beat these shifts consistently.

Great time to be a Celtics fan... this team is humming.

I’m actually listening to the Zack Lowe podcast and he has Bill Simmons on this episode. They’re talking a lot of Celtics if you ever listen to any pods it may be worth checking out. They’re talking about how the Celtics have rewritten the script for this season.

 

[Gman]

I’m actually listening to the Zack Lowe podcast and he has Bill Simmons on this episode. They’re talking a lot of Celtics if you ever listen to any pods it may be worth checking out. They’re talking about how the Celtics have rewritten the script for this season.

Thanks for the tip.

From my perspective: here's how the Celtics have not only turned their season around, but have (arguably) blossomed into a bonfide title contender:

• Overall team health has been great lately
• Tatum's improved play
• Team defense has ratcheted up at least 2 notches since earlier this season. (**this is the most important dynamic**, IMO)

Notice that I haven't mentioned team offense outside of Tatum. In my ways, the C's are still a mediocre offensive team. For instance, 3 pt shooting % remains a stubborn problem area.

Yet, they've been winning consistently regardless. The key has been defense. Defense doesn't just mean stopping the other team... it has also allowed for opportunities for the Celtics to get out in transition and semi-transition and to attack the opposing team before their defense is set. This has relieved some of the pressure that is sometimes felt when watching Boston have to always execute in the half court (which is not a strength of this team). Jaylen Brown, in particular, is a guy that sometimes struggles in the half court... but who is very dangerous in semi-transition opportunities.

So the winning formula is defense (first and foremost), staying healthy, and Tatum being a bonafide #1 type star. That type of team is gonna be a problem in the playoffs.

 

[The Q]

Thanks for the tip.

From my perspective: here's how the Celtics have not only turned their season around, but have (arguably) blossomed into a bonfide title contender:

• Overall team health has been great lately
• Tatum's improved play
• Team defense has ratcheted up at least 2 notches since earlier this season. (**this is the most important dynamic**, IMO)

Notice that I haven't mentioned team offense outside of Tatum. In my ways, the C's are still a mediocre offensive team. For instance, 3 pt shooting % remains a stubborn problem area.

Yet, they've been winning consistently regardless. The key has been defense. Defense doesn't just mean stopping the other team... it has also allowed for opportunities for the Celtics to get out in transition and semi-transition and to attack the opposing team before their defense is set. This has relieved some of the pressure that is sometimes felt when watching Boston have to always execute in the half court (which is not a strength of this team). Jaylen Brown, in particular, is a guy that sometimes struggles in the half court... but who is very dangerous in semi-transition opportunities.

So the winning formula is defense (first and foremost), staying healthy, and Tatum being a bonafide #1 type star. That type of team is gonna be a problem in the playoffs.

Yeah I don’t know if they can win 4 ugly series in a row.

But I know no one wants to play them because of that d

 

[The Q]

 

[Gman]

So RWIII will be out 4-6 weeks...

... meaning he *might* be back by the 2nd round of the Playoffs.

But in a very competitive East, it's not a given (for anyone IMO, depending on the match-up) that they even get out of the 1st Round.

So... a little nervous. Especially if the first round is vs Brooklyn.

We'll see how it goes. Big game vs Miami tonight.

 

[The Q]

So RWIII will be out 4-6 weeks...

... meaning he *might* be back by the 2nd round of the Playoffs.

But in a very competitive East, it's not a given (for anyone IMO, depending on the match-up) that they even get out of the 1st Round.

So... a little nervous. Especially if the first round is vs Brooklyn.

We'll see how it goes. Big game vs Miami tonight.

As long as he’s back for a series with the sixers or heat.

Ideally they’re both on the other side of thr bracket as the 2/3 lol

 

[The Q]

Heat Notes: Oladipo, Lowry, Robinson, Draft Pick

Kyle Lowry's hamstring injury may create an opportunity for Heat guard Victor Oladipo, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. …

www.hoopsrumors.com

@bksballer89
@Heatles84

Is that last bullet really a thing?

And if so how quickly can we finish that deal? Celtics gif a tpe that can take him full boat and then draft Al’s success Koloko with that 27th pick lol

 

[The Q]

So RWIII will be out 4-6 weeks...

... meaning he *might* be back by the 2nd round of the Playoffs.

But in a very competitive East, it's not a given (for anyone IMO, depending on the match-up) that they even get out of the 1st Round.

So... a little nervous. Especially if the first round is vs Brooklyn.

We'll see how it goes. Big game vs Miami tonight.

I can’t believe he’s back already

But getting into some type of game shape for mil is huge

 

[bksballer89]

Heat Notes: Oladipo, Lowry, Robinson, Draft Pick

Kyle Lowry's hamstring injury may create an opportunity for Heat guard Victor Oladipo, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. …

www.hoopsrumors.com

@bksballer89
@Heatles84

Is that last bullet really a thing?

And if so how quickly can we finish that deal? Celtics gif a tpe that can take him full boat and then draft Al’s success Koloko with that 27th pick lol

Wouldn't surprise me. I'm a big Dunc fan but hard to see him on the team next year

 

[Gman]

The loss in the Finals stings... and we're still way too near to it... but pretty darn good season overall.

This iteration of the Celtics finally achieved a dream that they've been building towards for years... a fully switchable defense that can be fielded for the majority of any given game. Boston road this strength to the top rated defense in the NBA and all the way to the Finals.

Of course, it wasn't enough to win a title... and the flaws of the Celtics...

• Carelessness / turnovers
• Inconsistent outside shooting
• The inability of our two best players (Tatum and Brown) to consistently drive and finish

... ultimately cost them a championship against a team that did have top talent (Curry and Wiggins) who could consistently get their shots and score, all while not shooting themselves in the foot repeatedly.

Still... pretty darn good season overall.

Hard to know exactly the next move to put us over the top... other than Tatum and Brown continuing to get better... (but there is no guarantee they won't plateau). The good news is that both Tatum and Brown are hard workers.

Tatum eventually has to solve his issues finishing at the rim. A very good defensive team almost totally stifled him in this regard... and if you're really a superstar, that simply can't happen.

 

[BigKen]

Last night, Jalen showed up. Jason folded under the pressure and might as well have called in sick. 13 Points was a waste of court time.

The bench was the worst of the entire season.

No excuses needed. This team needs a strong leader. A Larry Bird, John Havlichek, Bob Cousy type who can ignite a flame under peoples asses.

Watching this team for the past two games was pure agony.

 

[trojanfan12]

This series reminded me of the championship series between the Showtime Lakers and the Bad Boys Pistons. The Celtics were a younger more talented team going against an older, more experienced champion and in the end, that experience decided the series.

I think the main things the Celtics need are to just learn from what the Warriors did to them and....this one is most important...Jayson Tatum needs to accept that he is a superstar quality player and start carrying himself like one. Cowherd has been playing a clip for the past week or so of Tatum saying ''Who said I'm a superstar? Did I tweet that? Why are people speaking for me?''

Can you imagine what guys like MJ, Kobe or Bird would have done with that info? They'd see that as weakness would be doing everything they could to use that to crush him.

As much as it pains me to say, Tatum and the Celtics are right there. Tatum just needs to take that next step and make the Celtics ''his team''.

Or, as Dan Patrick just said...if you're going to be inspired by or channel Kobe or whatever, then you need to play like Kobe.

 

[shopson67]

Last night, Jalen showed up. Jason folded under the pressure and might as well have called in sick. 13 Points was a waste of court time.

The bench was the worst of the entire season.

No excuses needed. This team needs a strong leader. A Larry Bird, John Havlichek, Bob Cousy type who can ignite a flame under peoples asses.

Watching this team for the past two games was pure agony.

A vet PG would go a long way. Options in FA aren't great; does Rondo have anything left? Shopping with the 6.4m MLE won't get the big dogs, maybe the trade route is the way to go.

 

[The Q]

The loss in the Finals stings... and we're still way too near to it... but pretty darn good season overall.

This iteration of the Celtics finally achieved a dream that they've been building towards for years... a fully switchable defense that can be fielded for the majority of any given game. Boston road this strength to the top rated defense in the NBA and all the way to the Finals.

Of course, it wasn't enough to win a title... and the flaws of the Celtics...

• Carelessness / turnovers
• Inconsistent outside shooting
• The inability of our two best players (Tatum and Brown) to consistently drive and finish

... ultimately cost them a championship against a team that did have top talent (Curry and Wiggins) who could consistently get their shots and score, all while not shooting themselves in the foot repeatedly.

Still... pretty darn good season overall.

Hard to know exactly the next move to put us over the top... other than Tatum and Brown continuing to get better... (but there is no guarantee they won't plateau). The good news is that both Tatum and Brown are hard workers.

Tatum eventually has to solve his issues finishing at the rim. A very good defensive team almost totally stifled him in this regard... and if you're really a superstar, that simply can't happen.

They folded under the brightest lights

Plain and simple

Not sure how you fix that

 

[tlance]

They folded under the brightest lights

Plain and simple

Not sure how you fix that

Are you ready to take back everything you said about Wiggins being terrible?

 

[redseat]

Tatum

31.6% shooting percentage from 2.... Lowest in 60 seasons for any player....

 

[Gman]

Tatum

31.6% shooting percentage from 2.... Lowest in 60 seasons for any player....

Against good defense, Tatum is still awkward as hell going to the basket.

You can easily guess that he'll make a totally unnatural arm movement accompanied by a weird euro-step.... (while blowing the shot more often than not, and then griping to the officials).

 

[The Q]

Are you ready to take back everything you said about Wiggins being terrible?

Because Tatum folded?

 

[redseat]

Against good defense, Tatum is still awkward as hell going to the basket.

You can easily guess that he'll make a totally unnatural arm movement accompanied by a weird euro-step.... (while blowing the shot more often than not, and then griping to the officials).

His shot selection was atrocious as well.. Dude also "drove" the the hoop with absolutely NO confidence

 

[tlance]

Because Tatum folded?

So you are saying you will continue to die on that hill?

Andrew Wiggins is a very good NBA player. And now he is the 2nd best player on a title team.