2020-2021 Celtics Season

I never said take Bane instead of Pritchard. I'm talking at pick 30. It gives you a defensive option. Pritchard has been a pleasant Surprise given the expectations and scouting reports. He's still 6'1" and a guy I'd worry about teams attacking in the playoffs if he has to play a big role.

It's not just height either, Wanamaker is 6'3" like Teague, yet 15 pounds heavier. Wanamaker was a tough physical defender, giving you the option of playing him with Smart. Smart's only 6'3", yet he's 220 pounds which allows him to play physical. Pritchard is 195, Bane is 215.

I don’t think the Celtics can afford to wait another 4-5 weeks to make a move. They’re turning into a complete disaster right before our eyes.

"Fade for Cade(Cunningham)"

We're a couple of guys away. If Kemba is never getting back to all star form, we need someone we can start alongside Smart, Brown, Tatum and Theis. Try Kemba in the Lou Williams role. Then we still need another good rotational player. It looks worse than it is.

I really believe in Danny. I think he’s been really good. I don’t think the Thompson contract was bad. Teague was not this bad last year. I didn’t like the draft, but I’ll probably be wrong about it. Pritchard is probably better for this team than Kemba. And Nesmith plays his tail off and seems like a hard worker with good confidence.

The Kemba contract is bad. I was calling for him to be traded after the playoffs. He really hurt this team in the bubble against Miami and Toronto. But when Danny signed him, I thought it was a decent move. I was surprised we were able to land another all star free agent after the Kyrie debacle.

I don’t think Brad is the right guy to coach this team. I feel like I’m late to the party on this one. I don’t think he is tough enough to make hard decisions, especially related to veterans. I think this is also why we have seen his reluctance to call timeouts when things start going badly. For Brad, it seems easier to be hard on a humble kid like Robert Williams or Aaron Nesmith than on veterans like Tristan Thompson or Kemba Walker. Telling Kemba to his face, “you’re just not playing well enough, we’re moving you to the bench until you’re better,” and then dealing with the repercussions seems out of the question with Brad.

The problem is, where do you get that sort of coach? Popovich isn’t leaving San Antonio. And you would need whomever the coach is to be lined up prior to letting Stevens go. I have questions about the respect that the players have for Brad.

With Smart here, I’d bet the Celtics would be 3rd in the East right now, and we’d all be hoping for a major playoff run. But his injury has been a blessing in disguise. This iso heavy offense continues to be ugly, just like it was in the playoffs. And now the defense is average at best without Smart.

It's a flawed roster, I've been saying that since they signed Thompson and Teague. Yet I don't get using Tatum and Brown like they are prime age LeBron and Wade either. You're asking too much for them to be your best scorers, defenders and primary creators. The idea of ball movement is gone, it's iso Tatum/Brown, then Walker bombing away three point shots.

He's managing Robert Williams minutes okay, maybe he doesn't want to hurt Pritchard development by giving him too much to soon. Yet why can't Kemba act as a PG? Why not tell Teague to cut out all those two point shots, just run the offense and shoot three's?

He's able to mold young players and get them to do what he wants. It's no surprise that a guy like Rozier who he completely molded did exactly what he wanted. Heck he even molded Wanamaker, yet he hasn't been able to mold Walker, Irving, Teague or he's not trying too.

Tatum and Brown were awesome last night, on both ends of the court. They cranked up the defense, it felt like a playoff game. Nice come back, yet it shouldn't have ever come to that. Team ball should not disappear because one player gets injured.

They miss Kanter/Horford's ability to score from the big spot. I think people forget how many games Kanter really helped us with last year during the regular season. They don't have the ability to go small and matchup with teams when they do that. Walker isn't close to a PG right now, no Wanamaker to help fill that void. Your counting on two rookies to fill major holes and they just aren't ready. Pritchard looks like he's hitting a rookie wall as they reach about the games you play in a full College season. Nesmith while looking better is still raw.

The problem is even with Smart as your primary creator, that's not going to work in the playoffs. When teams start to clamp down on D, Smart isn't going to be able to blow by people, get into the lane, draw in the D and open up things. He's just basically playing Haywards role this year. You need a PG that can run the show against pressure defense. At minimum a guy like Rozier who can get by anyone with his dribble, then swing the ball back out opening up things. Kemba Walker did that last year, it wasn't till the Raptor series that changed. So if he's not doing that because he can no longer do that, were in big trouble. You can't trade Walker and Steven's just keeps rolling him out there and adjusting everyone else.

It's a shit show, that has no easy fixes. The only plus is if your RJP and you think this is what you need to win Championships, they are getting important developmental time. I personally think we need to get back to 2018 playoffs with the ball moving. Do a practice where no one can shoot untill everyone touches the ball. Go watch some tape of Miami and the ball movement that shredded our defense. Brad get back to actually running your offense that's based on Ball movement. If you think Tatum and Brown have to be the primary creators, then get then to create within the offense, not iso.

They don’t have practices, which is a huge problem. Limited camp, with missing bodies and basically a season with no practices.

It's interesting if you go to page 1 of this thread and read the 3rd post.  Nothing has changed since the beginning of the season.  That tells me it's the roster.  We haven't went backwards...we haven't went forwards...we just have been the same team.  The same problem that existed at the start exists now.  

How to fix that....trader Danny needs to become TRADER Danny....not look for the grand slam Danny.  Honestly, who do we have that are championship players??

-  Tatum, Brown, Smart, Theis, Prichard, Williams, Neswmith, Walker

And Smart has his flaws (cann't shoot real great)
Prichard and Nesmith are rookies and Prichard is small
Walker is well....he's been off a lot and defensive liability
Theis....struggles lately shooting the 3
Williams...can't shoot great beyond 15 feet

I'm not asking anyone to be all stars...we have those 2.  But solid role players that play their role...yes.  Danny has done a horrible job assembling this team while managing the cap.  And I believe he hasn't done the best using the draft assets ...someone tell me Oje or Grand Williams or Edwards  or Waters are good??  Or trading the last pick in the 1st was good (we used the cap money to sign Jeff Teague and Triston Thompson  (anyone say Bane or Xavier Tillman would help more?).  I don't know who could have been picked other than Grant Williams..but that has sucked.  And lets go back to Romeo Langford or missing on Matisse Thybulle (for $$$), ...or Yabusele  or Zizic or RJ Hunter or James Young..or Fab Melo.  

In 11 years we have picked the following quality players:  Avery Bradley, Marcus Smart, Terry Rozier, Jalen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Robert Williams, Payton Prichard
         Maybe:  Aaron Nesmith/Romeo Langford

How many picks did we have in that time span:  34.    That's 9 picks in 34...and then we went and lost Rozier, traded Bradley....we hit on top 6 picks basically and that's it.  SAD

Marcus Smart was talking about it - obviously they technically have practices but they are not real practices like you have in a regular season with days off. He talked about it during the broadcast he was on during the game. So yes, technically there are some but they are few and light considering the rest they need. It’s a lousy situation.

So giving up 72 points in a half to the Hawks is pretty good ball.

Ok ok ok maybe this is the low point