Tag Archives: BRAD STEVENS

IT’S KYRIE’S WORLD, WE’RE JUST LIVING IN IT

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DANCING TO A DIFFERENT BEAT

“I see you. I see everyone. More than just your physical presence, I see your energy. I feel it. I know it.” 

These were some of the words spoken by Kyrie, to the people at the Thanksgiving meal for the Boston Center for Youth & Families. I think it is safe to say Kyrie Irving has a different focus than most people. In interviews, there is a sense that he is on a completely different page than the reporters asking the questions. It makes for occasionally odd answers to simple questions. Most people write it off as weird, but he just might be on to something. After all, his focus has taken him to heights not many human beings can even fathom.

Still, Kyrie has been known to say some outlandish things. For instance, when he challenged the dimensions of the earth. Knowing Kyrie has never been afraid to challenge ideas and provoke thought, I wondered if there was an ulterior motive to his viewpoint.

“..literally the whole intent was just to open up for people to do their own research. That was the only intent. It wasn’t to, OK, let me figure out and go against science. Let me go against what I’ve been told and what’s right and all this stuff. It was just literally with the intent of just wake up and do your own research instead of actually assuming something that’s been told to you.” -Irving on Geno Auriemma’s podcast

After that conversation, I truly believe Kyrie just wanted to challenge something that was obviously against the grain. He wanted to stir things up, just to show people that it’s okay to question something. Further, his point is that it’s important to question everything by doing your own research. It’s actually a good lesson, albeit probably not the best way to get the message across. But that’s Kyrie, always wanting to be epic.

CLUTCH KYRIE

Speaking of epic, he’s done some amazing things on the court already in his young career. The dagger stepback 3 in game 7 of the 2016 Finals immediately comes to mind. This year for the Celtics, he’s become as good a closer as Isaiah Thomas was last season. That’s saying something considering IT earned the nickname, King In The Fourth, after averaging nearly 10 points in the 4th quarter alone. Kyrie is proving he can step up for the big moments at the end of the game, what he calls “winning time.”

And man, does he love to win. Kyrie’s clutch stats this season(+/- 5 in last 5 min) are elite. Despite falling outside the top 20 in total clutch time minutes, he is second only to old pal Lebron James, in both FGM & FGA in the clutch. He has shot just one less shot than Lebron, and has one less make, sitting at 26/43. That’s over 60% in clutch time minutes for Kyrie. Out of players with more than 15 attempts in clutch time, he is behind only Lebron & Dion Waiters by a hair. Also, the man with the highest FG% in clutch time (min 15 attempts) in teammate and ultra-impressive rookie, Jayson Tatum. Tatum is sitting at 63.2%. Jaylen Brown recently dubbed Kyrie, Mr. 4th Quarter, but Mr. Clutch might be more accurate.

KYRIE WINNING ON MVP LEVEL

I mentioned in a previous article that Kyrie is going to need to play at an MVP level for this team to do anything special this year; especially in the absence of Hayward. Not a month into the season, he was starting to get MVP chants in buildings across the league. In the Garden, they were still waiting for the right time. Kyrie has been great, but most Celtics fans would agree that Al Horford has been the real MVP of the Celtics this season.

Sensing the pressure to perform up to what mainstream media was ready to call him, an MVP candidate, Kyrie had his first takeover game against the Mavericks. He poured in 47 points in an OT game, in which every last one was needed. Since then, he has taken his game to another level, bringing up his shooting percentages, and improving his looks. Most importantly, he is taking over the game in the clutch, as discussed above. I hate to sound like a broken record, but what he is doing to close out games really can’t be overstated.

KYRIE BRINGS WHAT GAME NEEDS

My favorite quote about Kyrie was made by Brian Scalabrine. He said “Kyrie brings what the game needs.” This is true over the course of almost the entire game. If you ask me, it goes back to him saying he can feel energy. He just knows what he needs to infuse in the game, at any given time, to make his presence felt. It might be scoring 47 some nights, but it usually won’t be.

Most of the time, we see flashes throughout the game of his scoring. He times this perfectly, waiting to attack until the offense is sputtering a bit. Sensing this, he gets aggressive, and looks for his own shot to get the team back in the fight. He then falls back, tries to get his teammates involved, and waits for closing time to strike again.

We probably won’t see Kyrie completely dominate many games like he did against the Mavericks in the regular season. There will be times when he feels the need to be more aggressive, but he is showing he loves to play in the big moments, and almost waits for them to come around so he can take over. In the playoffs, every moment is big, so Kyrie will be playing up to match the moment.

NO PRESSURE

Brad Stevens stated in a recent interview that, “basketball isn’t real pressure” when compared to real life. It’s a game, and that’s how he approaches it. He wants to win, but it’s not life or death. Kyrie epitomizes this. He doesn’t feel pressure on the court. It’s all fun and games for him, and he wants to have more fun than everybody. That’s where his clutch gene comes from– a genuine, fearless excitement in his approach to win basketball games. After his 47 point outburst against the Mavericks, in which he made some big plays down the stretch, Kyrie was feeling himself.

“I don’t want to say the NBA is like playing in the park, but to me…”

His voice trails off as he shrugs his shoulders. When you watch him play, you know he’s telling the truth. The court is Kyrie’s world, and if you aren’t on his team, you’re just in the way. Never fear, he’ll evade the entire defense when necessary, as well as he evades a poorly worded question post game.

CALM & CONFIDENT

It really is amazing how calm and confident Kyrie is in the clutch. As a fan, I feel confident when he has the ball late, and the fate of the game is in his hands. It makes you wonder if we’ve been looking at Kyrie, the man, all wrong. Maybe he has it together more than any of us. He knows the naysayers will always be around, so he doesn’t care about the media. He knows at the end of the day they’ll have their own story, far removed from the picture he would paint, if only he had the brush. It makes sense.

What doesn’t make sense is a person who has a life full of problems being so confident and free in their craft, especially in crunch time. On the contrary; I would say Kyrie derives his in-game confidence from the real-life confidence he has in himself and his beliefs. He doesn’t care if you doubt him, or disagree with him. That’s the point. It’s okay to think differently, to be your own person. That’s the picture he’s been trying to paint, with every move in his life.

He’s even willing to throw himself into the spotlight and take criticism, whether it be for challenging science, or himself taking a step into the unknown in his career, and leave what most thought was a picture perfect situation; for most, sure, but not for Kyrie Irving. He paves his own path, and he’s going to keep pushing forward until he reaches the end of the earth. Or arrives right back where he started, depending on how you look at it.

 

 

Marcus Smart

Boston Celtics’ Ups and Downs – Week 7

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Just three games, all of which were in Boston, made a light week for the Celtics. A Monday night loss to Detroit, the second best team in the Eastern Conference, started the week on a sour note. The Celtics bounced back with two wins over the 76ers and Suns later in the week. Losses are starting to pop up more frequently for the C’s, but they are still beating the teams that they are supposed to beat. Let’s take a look at the Ups/Downs from Week 7 of Celtics basketball!

The Ups

Marcus Smart Is Finding His Form

Smart has been having a terrible shooting season. While his impact on the court has still been a net positive, the scoring numbers and empty shot attempts were a problem. But maybe things are starting to come around. A pep talk from Al Horford seemingly worked, and Smart has been a much better all around player since. In three games this past week, Smart averaged 13.6 points and seven assists on 52/53 percent shooting from the field and three-point line, respectively. The numbers won’t jump off the page, but this level of production is exactly what the Celtics need from Smart. Score when he can, take quality shots (he scored 41 points on just 25 shots), and run the offense for the second unit.

Aron Baynes

Aron Baynes Back in the Starting Lineup

The Celtics’ versatility is always going to be a plus. They have the ability to match-up with pretty much any lineup that an opponent throws at them. Moving Baynes back to the starting lineup had as much to do with who the Celtics were playing as anything else. Brad Stevens has not been shy about changing Baynes’ role to try to match him up with opposing bigs, but the numbers suggest Baynes should be starting regardless.

A starting unit with Baynes, Al Horford, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kyrie Irving has been their most used/best defensive lineup all season. A +11.5 net rating is the highest of any Celtics lineup with at least 30 minutes played, and their 90.4 defensive rating is near the top of the league for any lineup with more than 99 minutes played. Baynes anchors the defense and works the glass at an alarming rate. Boston plays better with Baynes in the starting lineup, and moving Marcus Morris to the bench for some extra scoring is an added bonus. #StartAronBaynes

Jaylen Brown Bounces Back

Jaylen Brown

Brown had one of the worst games of his career against Philadelphia. He had just four points on 1-6 shooting, and a team-high four turnovers. He played just 22 minutes and had a plus/minus of -9, the only Celtics’ player in the negative. A performance like that could shake a players confidence, but Brown turned things around against the Suns. A 17-point outing tied him for second on the team in points, and his shooting splits (4-8 from the field, 3-5 3PT, 6-8 FT) were unusually efficient. Brown is young (21 yrs), but the Celtics need him to perform beyond his years. A bounce back outing like this is an encouraging sign.

The Downs

The Defense Is Starting to Slip for the Celtics

Before you jump down my throat, the Celtics are still first in the league in defensive rating (98.9). But the team’s defense has been trending in the wrong direction since the 16-game winning streak ended. In five games after losing to Miami, the Celtics are ranked 16th in defensive rating at 108.2. The offense has been getting much better, but to be elite the Celtics still need to defend at a high level. They aren’t a good enough offensive team to let their defense slip, so the recent trend is troublesome.

https://twitter.com/HPbasketball/status/937059149950488576

Too Many Turnovers

The Celtics are normally pretty good at taking care of the ball. They average the seventh fewest turnovers per game (14.3). Against Detroit, turnovers were what cost Boston the game. Seventeen turnovers led to 25 points for the Pistons. The turnovers also allowed Detroit to take eight more shots than the Celtics. Clean up some of those turnovers and maybe Boston gets the win.

Free Throws, Again

Do I even need to say anything at this point? Boston shot just 57.1 percent from the free throw line against Detroit. THEY MISSED NINE FREE THROWS! That’s basically the difference in the game. Over the last three games the Celtics are shooting 71.9 percent from the free throw line. That ranks them 25th in the league. Boston can’t afford to leave a handful of points at the line each game. It says a lot when Andre Drummond can knock down more late-game free throws than your team can.

Brad Stevens Named Coach of the Month

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Brad Stevens has been named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month. According the nba.com, “The fifth-year Celtics coach guided his squad to a league-best 19-4 record during the first month and a half of the 2017-18 season, despite dealing with a plethora of unexpected obstacles”.

Some notes:

  • Brad and the team overcame the Gordon Hayward injury (so far).
  • They added 10 new players during the offseason.
  • The team’s margin of Victory is 7 point per game (teamrankings.com).
  • The team’s opponents points per game is first in the league (teamrankings.com).
  • Brad and the Celtics produced a 16 game win streak.

To top it all off, Wednesday (11/29) was the first time that the Celtics made it into their Waltham practices facility in over a month (nbcsports.com). That makes this accomplishment even more impressive. Brad coached through film, during games, on buses, on visitor practices courts – but without dedicated time at home. In my opinion, that makes his revisions and iterations even more unique.

Congratulations, Brad and the Celtics.

 

 

Kyrie Irving

Celtics’ Offense Catches Fire in Blowout Win over Orlando

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Despite the recently ended 16-game winning streak, the Celtics have not been a good offensive team. Their defense is the talk of the town, while their offense has been just good enough to get by. But last night, the Celtics fixed some of the problems that had been ailing them over the past few games. Boston got off to a fast start, got back to moving the ball, and were able to get open shots that actually dropped. It also didn’t hurt that they played the Magic, a team they have dominated at home in recent times.

Celtics Explode out of the Gates

Toward the end of the winning streak, the Celtics were getting off to horrible offensive starts. They had to dig themselves out of giant deficits, mainly because they weren’t playing efficient offense and weren’t knocking down shots. Back on the TD Garden floor against Orlando, the Celtics had no trouble getting the offense going. The C’s shot 68.2 percent from the field in the first quarter and hit 7-of-12 threes. The shooting barely cooled off in the second quarter and the Celtics hung 73 points on Orlando, a season-high for any half. The game was over at halftime, and this time it was because of a high powered offense, not a stifling defense.

Al Horford

Brad Stevens has always preached ball movement on the offensive end. The Celtics have always been near the top of the league in assists and passes per game. In the past, Boston needed that ball movement to be put the ball in the hoop. Even then, their lack of top-tier talent lead to some ugly offensive basketball. With offensive experts like Kyrie Irving and Jayson Tatum, the Celtics can sometimes get away with less ball movement and just rely on the isolation games of such advanced scorers. But that doesn’t lead to an efficient offense. We got a glimpse against Orlando of what the Celtics can be when they move the ball and get back to the style of play in which a Brad Stevens’ coached team excels.

Al Horford, a Key to the Offense

Stevens may have found something in the way they played in the first quarter against the Magic. The offense ran through Al Horford to start the game, and that generated open looks and ball movement. Horford had seven (SEVEN!!!) assists in the first quarter and really got everyone in a groove early on. Horford finished with just five points, but his 10 assists were a team-high by a mile. Horford is a smart, capable passer. He makes the correct reads more often than not and finds the scorer. It may behoove Stevens to make more of an effort to allow the offense to run through Horford early in games to increase ball movement and avoid offensive droughts.

Terry Rozier

Terry Rozier Leads an Energized Celtics Bench

As the old NBA idiom goes, role players and rookies always play better at home. Tatum has proved that he plays well anywhere, but the Celtics bench had been a problem on the recent road trip. The Celtics’ bench ranks 22nd in scoring (29.7pts/game) on some pretty horrendous shooting. They got just 22.3 points per game over the last three away games. Boston needs production from their bench, and Rozier stepped up against Orlando. A career-high 23 points on 8-11 shooting led the Celtics bench. You can’t expect 20+ points off the bench from players like Rozier and Marcus Smart, but they will need to be able to bridge the gap and give the starters a break without giving away leads or losing ground.

Jaylen Brown Is Playing like a Man Possessed

The night after losing his best friend, Jaylen Brown had a career night against the Golden State Warriors. Since that game, Brown has been the second best player on the Celtics and has taken his offensive game to another level. Since the passing of his friend, Brown is averaging 19.6 points on 53 percent shooting from the field and 52 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The shooting numbers aren’t sustainable, but Brown is playing with a different level of focus and a high level of confidence. This Celtics team needs a confident Jaylen Brown, and they have been getting it.

Eastern Conference Winner betting odds at William Hill

For the latest odds on the NBA and more.

BSE Week in Review

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Read through the articles that our talented writers have put together as we go back and review the Boston sports week and elsewhere. Also included are what other sport fans are saying about our articles, join in and be heard!!

@PatriotsExtra News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/nfl/2017/11/week-11-key-match-ups-score-predictions

https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2017/11/super-bowl-xxxix-rematch

https://bostonsportsextra.com/nfl/2017/11/week-10-winners-losers

https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2017/11/the-commish-on-the-ropes

@CelticsExtra News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/11/can-take-away-celtics-win-warriors

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/11/boston-celtics-week-4

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/11/brad-stevens-finally-win-coach-year

@RedSoxExtra News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/uncategorized/2017/11/jbjs-san-fran-suitors

https://bostonsportsextra.com/mlb/2017/11/cy-young-reaction-rotation-red-sox

https://bostonsportsextra.com/uncategorized/2017/11/twitter-stanton-sources-trusted

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/red-sox-build-offensive-machine

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/red-sox-greatest-second-basemen

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/red-sox-greatest-first-basemen-ever

https://bostonsportsextra.com/mlb/2017/11/jeter-send-stanton-red-sox

@BruinsExtra News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-bruins/2017/11/bruins-tank-rest-season

https://bostonsportsextra.com/uncategorized/2017/11/bruins-journey-califonria

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-bruins/2017/11/boston-bruins-trade-zdeno-chara

 

News from other Sports Cities

https://bostonsportsextra.com/charlotte-hornets/2017/11/kemba-walker-deserves-respect

https://bostonsportsextra.com/uncategorized/2017/11/college-basketball-returns

https://bostonsportsextra.com/carolina-hurricanes/2017/11/panic-time-already-hurricanes

Al Horford

Boston Celtics Ups and Downs – Week 4

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Is anybody getting a bit bored with the Celtics racking up all of these wins? No? Nobody’s over it? Oh, alright cool me either. Another week, another perfect 4-0 record. Boston has now won 12 straight games, a streak twice as long as that of any other team this season. There were many ups this week, but unlike previous weeks, there were some things to be concerned about too. Let’s dive in, and check out all the Ups and Downs of last week’s Celtics action!

Jayson Tatum

The Ups

Jayson Tatum Has the Clutch Gene

Tatum is now an integral part of the Celtics’ offense. Although the volume of shots aren’t there yet, the rookie has forced his way into more opportunities. Brad Stevens, who isn’t necessarily known for putting his faith in younger players, has thrown Tatum into the fire, and he is responding in a big way. With the exception of an injury scare, that limited him to just nine minutes against the Lakers, Tatum averaged 16.6 points last week, with some very timely buckets down the stretch of each game. A couple cold-blooded threes against Atlanta, and tough layups as the clock ticked down against Charlotte and Toronto, have shown that Tatum isn’t afraid of the moment. He is playing like a seasoned vet, and has the moves to prove it.

Terry Rozier Leading the Celtic Bench

Before the season started, I wrote about how Rozier was begging for more minutes, based on his preseason play. After leading the Boston reserves, and becoming a huge energizer off the bench, Rozier is proving me right. Rozier averaged 13.2 points, and 6.5 rebounds in the team’s four wins last week. He was playing big minutes down the stretch. With Kyrie Irving, Al Horford, and Tatum missing games, the Celtics were looking for people to pick up the scoring. Rozier took that challenge, and continued to crash the glass like almost no other guard can. His efficiency needs work (he’s shooting just 36.4 percent from the field), but given the opportunity, Rozier can make winning plays.

The Grit-and-Grind Celtics?

With Horford sidelined with a concussion, and Kyrie taking an inadvertent elbow from Aron Baynes just five minutes into the game, the Celtics looked dead in the water against the Hornets on Friday night. The team scored just 11 points in the first quarter, and could have easily packed it in. That isn’t the identity of this team. With their three best players out with injuries, the Celtics clawed their way back into the game. Physical defense, timely shot making, and big contributions across the roster, allowed Boston to get back into the game. They came away with one of their more impressive victories of the season.

As of right now, the identity of this team is defense. Players like Kyrie, and Tatum, can make the offense look beautiful, but the Celtics need to play hard, smart basketball in order to win games.

Terry Rozier

The Downs

Enough With The Injuries!

It’s remarkable to see where the Celtics are, given how many injuries they have had to deal with. Gordon Hayward, Marcus Morris, and even Marcus Smart, have all missed games early in the season. This past week Kyrie (broken facial bone), and Horford (concussion), both went down. Horford missed two games and Kyrie is on his way back soon. It’s getting to the point where you hold your breath any time somebody hits the floor. Clearly the injuries haven’t slowed the Celtics down too much, but can we go a week without losing somebody else please?

Too Many Slow Starts

Blame this on the injuries if you so choose, but the Celtics have gotten off to some ugly starts this week. The offense has been slow and stagnant early on, and the team has dug themselves some early holes. Putting themselves down early like that, is eventually going to come back to bite them. Eleven points against the Hornets on Friday, and shooting just 33 percent in the first half against Toronto, are just a few examples. The Celtics play with such energy and passion, but they need to start bringing that at the beginning of games.

The Celtics Need More Offense

This may sound silly to say to a team currently on a 12-game winning streak, but the numbers don’t lie. The Celtics are winning with defense and effort, not with a high powered offense, or lights out shooting. Boston ranks 24th in points per game (102.2), and 28th in shooting percentage (43.1). Imagine if the Celtics can clean up the offensive execution, and match their defensive ranking. They would be a team nobody would want to face.

Boston is on a roll. A win against Brooklyn on Tuesday will send them into a matchup with the Warriors as winners of 13 straight. Stevens and the Celtics aren’t getting caught up in the hype. They just keep playing their game.

Brad Stevens Might Finally Win Coach of the Year

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NEXT MAN UP MENTALITY

Next man up. It’s a phrase we hear all the time in sports. For Coach Stevens and the Celtics, it’s becoming a part of the nightly game plan. First, it was Gordon Hayward going down for the season. Before that, Marcus Morris wasn’t ready at the start of the season, and is still battling some knee soreness. After scrambling to install some new things in the offensive and defensive schemes for the new rotation, plentiful in first year players, the team got off to a scalding hot, completely unforeseen, 9-2 start.

Nov 3, 2017; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; The Boston Celtics celebrate after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

“I don’t think anyone expected anything like this,” Al Horford said of the surprising start of the new-look Celtics.

Just when things started to settle down, and the Celtics could just play, Horford himself started showing signs of a concussion, from a blow he took in a previous game vs. the Hawks. He would have to sit out against the Lakers, putting the 9-game win streak in jeopardy. Making matters worse, Jayson Tatum left the game in the first half, with ankle soreness, and didn’t return. Did it matter? Nope, the C’s won comfortably anyway.

“Until we only have four left, I guess we’re just gonna keep playing,” Stevens said after the game.

IS THIS THE MAINE RED CLAWS?

The next game, against the Hornets, provided a bigger test. The Hornets should be a playoff team this year, and Al Horford was still out. Kyrie Irving suffered a blow to the head in the opening minutes of the game, and did not return. Now officially operating without a single member of the big 3 assembled in the offseason, Brad Stevens and the C’s now had a real situation on their hands.

What did they do? Exactly what Stevens said after the previous game against the Lakers– they kept playing.

Down 18 at one point, Stevens told his players at the beginning of the 4th quarter in the Hornets game, according to Terry Rozier, “We are going to win this game, and this place is going to go nuts.” 

The coach proceeded to roll out a lineup littered with players that have legitimately received more playing time in the G-league, and overseas, in their careers than in the NBA.

And they won the game.

CALM AS EVER

Afterwards, the coach could be found sitting at the podium, waiting on the media.

Seemingly always two steps ahead of the competition, the people who spend their lives hustling, to get things out for the public as quickly as possible, can’t even keep up with him. Despite the brilliant comeback, with the ragtag bunch put together, the opening questions remained the same as they have been most of the season.

“Brad, can you tell us what you know about  _______’s injury?”

Injuries have been one of the biggest storylines of the season for the Celtics thus far. Perhaps only second to the fact that this team has now won 12 straight games, the last two without Irving. It’s something I have had to double check every time I hear it. It’s simply surreal that this team, fighting through adversity from every possible angle, seems incapable of losing. What is happening? How are they doing this?

BRAD STEVENS, THE MAGICIAN

Maybe Rachel isn’t that far off. After all, the coach has proven his wizardry, time and time again, in pressure situations. When there is supposedly no way out of a bind, Brad Stevens doesn’t panic. He doesn’t back down. The coach looks further on down the bench, calm as ever, and he finds something that will work. He believes in his guys, all the way down to the last man. The coach fights for his players, and always puts the blame on himself. When asked about a mistake rookie Geurschon Yabusele made, intentionally fouling Dwight Howard under 2 minutes, the coach went to bat for his player.

“He’s new to the NBA…What that really boils down to is horrible coaching. Because he should know what he’s supposed to do when he goes in and he should know when he can’t do it. So that’s not his fault, it’s ours.”

TRUST GOES A LONG WAY

Stevens took the rookie out after the play, and was obviously frustrated with him. Yabusele has come along slowly, not getting much PT yet in his young career. He really shouldn’t be seeing the floor, but Brad Stevens went back to him in the 2nd half, and he played a role in the comeback. Brad’s players know he trusts them, and he is not going to let them fail alone. He is going to have their backs, even when he shouldn’t. Stevens is never going to publicly scold someone. He does it behind the scenes, and in a teaching manner, not a belittling way.

In almost every game, Stevens’ deep trust in his players is put on display in a unique way. In the same game vs. the Hornets, Marcus Morris made a critical mistake, shooting the ball up three, with 30 seconds left in the game. He was wide open, but the C’s had a full shot clock, and needed to hold the ball. Stevens kept Morris in, and he hit a huge shot the next possession to make it a 5 point lead, and all but seal it.

DOMINANCE ON THE HORIZON?

Brad Stevens is a master of X’s and O’s, but more importantly, he is a master of people. He knows exactly what buttons to push, to get the proper reaction he wants out of his players. This goes far beyond basketball, and his players are able to respect him as a man first. They see how he approaches life and basketball, and they admire it. He never gets too high or too low. He just stays the course, and keeps working, no matter how chaotic things get around him.

“The Celtics are going to be like the Patriots and dominate a conference for a decade,” Colin Cowherd said on his talk show recently.

It is becoming apparent, with each passing year, that Brad Stevens is going to be the coach of the Boston Celtics until he gets tired of it. All the way up to that day, they are going to keep playing, until they get down to 4 players. And unless that tragic scenario actually plays out, they are going to keep winning basketball games. It’s time to give this man his due credit, as the best coach in this league.

Boston Big Men

The Celtics Have A Big Man Problem In the Best Way Possible

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The Celtics have had to rely on their depth more than expected early this season. Players who, in all honesty, shouldn’t even be seeing the floor, are getting extended minutes. So far it’s working. The Celtics own the league’s best record at 10-2, and are currently riding a 10-game winning streak. Would you like to know why? It’s not Kyrie or Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown, although they all have been spectacular thus far. The Celtics are winning because of their rugged group of big men.

The depth of Boston’s front court, and their ability to contribute, has been a huge factor over the first 12 games. The play of Al Horford has been well documented, but the contributions of Aron Baynes, Marcus Morris, and Daniel Theis have gone somewhat unnoticed. This group of bigs are one of the more diverse in the league, and each player knows his role. They complement each other well, and impact the offense and defense equally. Lets dive in and break down what makes them so impactful.

Aron Baynes

Aron Baynes is the Perfect Celtic

Baynes embodies knowing your role. There will almost never be an offensive play called for him. He willingly crashes the boards, and has no problem battling with opposing bigs that may give Horford problems. Baynes is a perfect foil for bigs like Horford and Morris. While Horford and Morris excel on the offensive end, Baynes holds down the defense and takes his shots whenever they come. He never forces anything, and plays whatever role Brad Stevens asks of him. He protects the rim, gives the Celtics a physical presence in the middle of the floor, and has no problem starting or coming off the bench. Baynes is a matchup player. Traditional bigs like Greg Monroe and Jonas Valanciunas are his specialty. When the game calls for it, Baynes can even carry the offense:

Marcus Morris

Marcus “Mook” Morris is the Celtics’ X-Factor

Morris has only played three games this season, but he is already showing what his capabilities. With a polished offensive game, Morris is a rare power forward who can get his own shot. So far, he hasn’t shown the ability to grab a lot of rebounds or get others involved, but he can score the ball. Let me remind you that he is still working his way back into game shape, and still scored 18 points against the Lakers, in just his third game this year.

Morris’ versatility fits nicely alongside many of Boston’s other bigs. Slide him in next to Horford, when an opposing team is going small, and he can guard anyone from a quick shooting guard, to a bruising power forward. If Stevens decides Baynes is the best matchup to start, Morris can head to the bench and become the number one offensive option with the second unit. We can now expect the offense to come from people like Kyrie, Horford, Tatum, and Brown. If Morris can become a good spot up shooter, and be a plus defender against opposing wings, he can make this Celtics team special.

Daniel Theis

Theis, Theis Baby!

Theis is quickly becoming a Celtics cult hero. He has proven to not only be a spark off the bench, but a reliable backup big man who can give the starters a break without giving up a lead. The 25-year old rookie has years of experience playing professionally in Germany, and it shows. His basketball IQ is through the roof, and for a backup big man, he plays solid defense. While his stats won’t wow you, Theis has been one of the more consistent players when given minutes. Theis is shooting 53.8 percent from the floor, and is averaging 1.7 offensive rebounds per game. He’s an energy player that can crash the glass, block shots, and has already created a great chemistry with bench guards, Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier.

The top four Celtics’ front court players are currently responsible for 39.6 points and 23 rebounds per game. This may not seem like a lot, compared to stacked front courts like New Orleans and Minnesota, but the improvement from last season is undeniable. With the injury to Gordon Hayward, every player will need to do more. So far, the Boston bigs have been helping to carry the load.

On “Lonzo Wednesday” Secondary Storylines Carry More Weight

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LONZO WEDNESDAY

Every year, the Celtics-Lakers match up has at least one game nationally televised. Why? Because it is quite possibly the greatest rivalry in all of sports. Together, the Celtics and Lakers have won 33 out of 71 NBA championships. That’s almost half of the history of this league, chalked up to the dominance of these two franchises. Thanks to Lavar Ball and his marketing schemes, all of that history now falls on the shoulders of Lonzo Ball.

ESPN has dubbed tonight “Lonzo Wednesday”. It didn’t matter to them that the Celtics are going for 10 wins in a row and hold the NBA’s best record. It didn’t matter that this might be the moment this rivalry gets renewed, because of BOTH teams having exciting, youthful talent. But most surprisingly, it didn’t matter to the sports giant that Lonzo is not the most captivating rookie playing in this mid-week rivalry game, and perhaps not even on his own team.

TATUM VS KUZMA

For real hoops fans, this is the most exciting storyline of this game. These two rookies have stood out as some of the brightest from what is looking like a strong 2017 class in the early going. Tatum was taken 3rd overall, and brought some hype and expectations, being such a high lottery pick. He has exceeded what anyone thought he would do in his first year. In all of the shuffling of the starting lineup, Tatum has been a constant. Amazingly, he has shown as much trust in the rookie as anyone, giving him 31.6 minutes per game thus far.

Tatum has been a huge surprise defensively, in the top 15 in the NBA in both defensive win shares & defensive rating. Offensively, he has yet to be fully unleashed, but is finding open looks and knocking down shots efficiently. He is shooting 50% from the field and 52.9% from 3, but is only taking 9.3 shots per game. He has had a couple 20 point games, including the last game in Atlanta. Even though Tatum has had some great games already, I would say he has yet to truly have a breakout game. After passing up a few too many open shots against Atlanta, he should be much more aggressive tonight.

STEAL OF THE DRAFT?

Kyle Kuzma was selected 27th overall, and is already considered the steal of the draft by some. It’s a little early, but through ten games he has established himself as a player that is here to stay. The kid nobody knew before the draft, Kuzma is displaying a wide array of offensive moves. Much like Tatum, he is able to dive deep into his arsenal to score from anywhere on the court. Kuzma has been given the starting nod ahead of Julius Randle in the absence of Larry Nance. He is playing well enough to make the Lakers think twice about sending him back to the bench.

Since this is a smaller lineup for the Lakers, it is possible Tatum starts at the 4. This would put him head-to-head with the rookie that most closely resembles his game. Both of these guys have gone above and beyond expectations set for them already this season. It will be fun to watch the two go at it with such similar styles of play. While Lonzo will be the main storyline ahead of the game, I expect to see the narrative shift to these two rookies by post-game.

WIN STREAK ON THE LINE

Perhaps the headline of this game should be the Celtics putting their win streak on the line. No other team in the NBA has reached 9 wins. The Celtics have put up 9 W’s in a row. On the surface, this looks like an easy one for them. They should be hyped for the game, as they make their return to TD Garden coming off a 3-game road trip. The fans should be equally hyped just to be a part of the win streak and watch the C’s go to work at home for the first time in a week. Translation: the Garden is going to be ROCKING.

We can’t discredit the fact that the Lakers are capable of pulling out a win on any given night. They have talented players that can get hot, paired with veterans to lead them to some extra wins. They have had some exciting moments in their season already and definitely have the building blocks for the future. However, on this night I expect the Celtics to feel a little slighted by the headline. While not typically the way a Brad Stevens team operates, it would be fun to see Kyrie and the other guards feed Tatum heavily to show the world that this night should be dubbed “Tatum Wednesday” if they insist on giving the spotlight to a rookie.

My prediction: Celtics win by 5-10 in a high-scoring game. Tatum steals the show on “Lonzo Wednesday” with his first career 30 point performance.

PREVIEW OF THINGS TO COME?

The Celtics are on the come up, and the Lakers are being sure not to fall too far behind their cross-conference rival. Both teams are plentiful in young players, each with an average age of just over 24. Further, they are talented, high draft picks expected to take their teams places in the future. I can’t stress enough that this is a long way down the road. Likely not until the end of the Warriors dominance, but these two teams are destined to meet each other again in the Finals one day.

Will it be with the cores each have put together now? For a Finals showdown, both teams need to keep their young talent and let them grow together. And then, they actually have to turn in to what they were drafted to be. It is going to be a long road until that day comes, but my guess is next time it happens, there will be a few key players left from the current Celtics and Lakers rosters. Hopefully when that time comes, ESPN again gives the Celtics a little extra motivation by leaving them out of the storyline entirely.

Boston Celtics Ups and Downs – Week 3

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Another week, another handful of wins for the Boston Celtics. A blowout against the Kings, an 18-point comeback on the road against OKC, and the first win against San Antonio during the Brad Stevens Era highlighted a perfect 4-0 week. Kyrie was amazing, Al Horford was a force on both ends of the floor, and Marcus Morris made his team debut. Let’s take a look at all the Ups and Downs from last week’s Celtics action!

Kyrie Irving

THE UPS

Kyrie Irving Dazzles

Kyrie, understandably, took some time to adjust to leading Boston. With a ton of new, young players around him, it took Kyrie a few games to learn how everyone wanted to play. It’s still a work in progress, but he is stepping up in a big way. He has scored 20+ points in seven of the teams eight wins and has done a great job of finding his teammates. His chemistry with Horford has unlocked the offense and he has completely bought into Stevens’ system. Kyrie’s wizardry with the ball is unmatched, and the more comfortable he gets with this roster around him, the better he will be. He is even competing on the defensive end, leading the league with 24 steals. Kyrie is special, and Celtics fans are getting a front row seat to his evolution.

Marcus Morris Makes His Celtics Debut

Morris missed the first eight games of the season with knee soreness, and as you can imagine it will take him some time to get back into game shape. In two games, on a 20-22 minutes per game restriction, Morris averaged 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds. The numbers won’t jump off the page, and Morris is certainly still trying to find a rhythm with his shot (7-18 from the field, 0-5 from three), but his impact is already being felt. His physicality and intensity nearly match that of Marcus Smart, which is saying something. His versatility on defense is key and his skill on the offensive end is rare for a power forward. Boston will work Morris in slowly, but a starting spot will be waiting for him. His ability to contribute on both ends will be greatly needed as the season goes on.

Boston Defense

Boston’s Defense Is No Joke

In last week’s Ups/Downs, I wondered if Boston’s strong start on defense was for real, or just an early season abnormality. Well, during their 4-0 performance this week, the Celtics held their opponents to under 95 points, something that they have done in all eight of their wins this season.

The elite defense is here to stay, and everyone is stepping up to keep it that way. Horford continues to be a star on the defensive end, but the entire starting lineup have been holding their own. Horford (1st), Kyrie (2nd), Jayson Tatum, (6th), and Jaylen Brown (7th) all rank in the top-10 for individual defensive rating. The fact that a rookie, second year player, and Kyrie, a known poor defender, have been leading the league on the defensive end has been eye-opening. Add in defensive mainstays like Smart, Rozier, and Aron Baynes and it’s no wonder Boston has been suffocating opposing offenses.  Let’s see how many points they are able to rack up tonight when the Celtics face off against the Hawks.

The Downs

Jaylen Browns Home/Road Splits

Let me qualify what I am about to say; Brown is 21 years old and is only in his second professional season. Every criticism of him could go out the window as his career continues to progress. BUT, after 10 games, his performances on the road and in Boston are drastically different. In four games at home, Brown is averaging 20.3 points on 60.9 percent shooting from the field and an ungodly 61.1 from beyond the arc. On the road, though, Brown drops down to 12.8 points on 37.8 percent shooting and just 31.0 percent shooting from three. Brown has still been able to be a net positive in road games because of his presence on the boards and defensive effort, but consistency will determine whether he remains an above average role player or becomes a star.

Can We Please Make Some Free Throws?!

We are pulling at straws here a bit considering a 4-0 week doesn’t garner much criticism, but the inability to consistently make free throws is starting to get frustrating. Boston gets to the line 12th most in the league but ranks 20th in the league in free throw shooting at 75.4 percent. At some point the young players will need to show some improvement from the charity stripe.

Daniel Theis

Where in the World is Daniel Theis?

After Morris’ return, players like Theis and Shane Larkin were obviously going to lose playing time. Theis has been very effective in his time on the court, but saw just three minutes on Sunday night against the Magic. Theis has earned minutes. He can add rebounding, and his chemistry in the pick-and-role game with Smart has been undeniable. Let’s see if he can work his way back into the rotation as Boston’s fourth big.