Green Shaded Glasses

Marion Not Selected to the All Star Game

2008-01-31T20:50:00.000-08:00

Privately, to themselves, Steve Nash and Mike D'Antoni must be thrilled that Shawn Marion was not selected to the big game this season. It is the best thing that could happen to Phoenix's hopes for a successful title run in 07-08.

I think there chances were improved with the Grant Hill addition for the following reasons. (1) added composure, (2) adds intelligence, (3) excellent ball handler and creator, (4) plays decent defense, (5) is a solid under control one on one player. Both Marion's and Stoudemire's offense is largely dependent upon what Nash can create. Raja Bell is an excellent defender and spot up shooter. Barbosa is a solid young talent, and yes he can go one on one. But he doesn't create like Hill, he isn't as intelligent Hill, and he isn't as under control as Hill. Hill adds elements to Phoenix's team game that weren't there last year. But lastly, and most importantly, Hill adds more toughness. Nash is tough. Bell is tough. Marion can be tougher. Stoudemire doesn't even know what tough means.

But back to Marion. Marion's biggest problem, based on what I've read in articles and in Jack McCallum's "7 Seconds or Less", is Shawn Marion. This is not to say that Marion is a bad guy. Not at all. Shawn Marion is a very sensitive player who is often frustrated by the fact that he is often overshadowed by Amare Stoudemire and Nash; especially when Marion is of the opinion that he does things that Amare and Nash can't. Marion can gaurd at least 3 different positions. Last year's Conference Semi-Finals was case in point when Marion gave Tony Parker some trouble when defending him. Marion is Nash's favorite running mate on the fast break. Marion is the master of the little things; things that only coaches notice. But what Marion suffers from is funks. Funks often created by Marion's feelings at times that he is being sleighted. Not being selected to the All-Star team might just be the thing that pisses him off for the rest of the season.

This year's all-star teams.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Carmelo Anthony, F Denver

Carlos Boozer, F Utah

Kobe Bryant, G L.A. Lakers

Tim Duncan, F San Antonio

Allen Iverson, G Denver

Yao Ming, C Houston

Steve Nash, G Phoenix

Dirk Nowitzki, F Dallas

Chris Paul, G New Orleans

Brandon Roy, G Portland

Amare Stoudemire, F Phoenix

David West, F New Orleans

Notable ommissions in the WEST

Deron Williams, Utah

Baron Davis, Goldent State

Shawn Marion, Phoenix

Manu Ginobili, San Antonio

Tony Parker, San Antonio

Al Jefferson, Minnesota

Kevin Martin, Sacramento

Pau Gasol, Memphis

Ron Artest, Sacramento

Josh Howard, Dallas

Tyson Chandley, New Orleans

Marcus Camby, Denver

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Chauncey Billups, G Detroit
Chris Bosh, F Toronto
Caron Butler, G Washington
Kevin Garnett, F Boston
Richard Hamilton, G Detroit
Dwight Howard, F Orlando
LeBron James, F Cleveland
Antawn Jamison, F Washington
Joe Johnson, G Atlanta
Jason Kidd, G New Jersey
Paul Pierce, F Boston
Dwyane Wade, G Miami

Notable ommissions in the EAST
Jose Calderon, Toronto
Michael Redd, Milwaukee
Josh Smith, Atlanta
Gerald Wallace, Charlotte
Ray Allen, Boston
Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia
Richard Jefferson, New Jersey
Vince Carter, New Jersey
Rashard Lewis, Orlando
Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando

Latest on Backup Point Gaurd Prospects

2008-01-30T22:46:00.000-08:00

Excerpt pulled from ESPN.com at 1:46am:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3223023
Stoudamire initially expressed strong interest in joining the Boston Celtics as a veteran counterpart to second-year playmaker Rajon Rondo, but it appears that the Celtics are banking on the future availability of Los Angeles Clippers guard Sam Cassell. It's widely expected that the Clippers will consent to buying out Cassell if they can't move him before the Feb. 21 trading deadline and Cassell remains close to this day with Celtics forward Kevin Garnett after their time together in Minnesota.

Props To The Role Players: A Nice Win Against Miami

2008-01-29T19:07:00.000-08:00

You really can't over analyze a blow out as the numbers are often skewed. But I do believe the following can be taken from this win...

The Boston Celtics were facing a team they should beat, and they did.

The role players deserve to be applauded. Yes, the win is against an injured and mentally defeated team. That said though, the Celtics were playing without two of there three all-star caliber players. Namely Kevin Garnett (abdominal strain) and Ray Allen (flu). In other words, the role players would be required to step up their game and find a way to win the game despite the losses of Allen and Garnett. More importantly the Celtics' role players would have to accomplish this by stepping up their game within the context of a team game. I say this because some players interpret stepping up as meaning "I have to score as much as KG or Allen." or "I have to try and take over the game." But more times that not, what leads to a victory is the stepping up of everyone's game within a team structure and not on various individual levels. The Celtics role players accomplished thus marvelously.

If I told you that KG and Allen were not playing tonight, who would you predict to be the leading scorer? Who would you predict would see the most defensive attention? I am guessing you all would have guessed Paul Pierce. Paul Pierce's numbers for the night: 28 minutes, 7 points, 2 for 9 (1 for 4 from behind the arc, 1 for 5 inside the arc), 2 for 2 from the line, 6 rebounds (1 offensive, 5 defensive), 2 assists, 2 turnovers, and 3 steals.

ROLE PLAYERS:

Brian Scalabrine:
13 minutes, 2 points, 1 for 2 from the field, 3 rebounds

LEON POWE:
22 minutes, 23 points, 8 for 12, 7 for 9 from the line, 11 rebounds (3 offensive)

Eddie House:
21 minutes, 20 points, 7 for 14, 5 for 7 from behind the arc, 2 for 7 from within the arc

James Posey:
15 minutes, 9 points, 2 for 5 from behind the arc, 3 for 4 from the line, 5 rebounds

Rajon Rondo:
23 minutes, 24 points, 8 for 10 from the field, 8 for 9 from the line, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 turnover

Tony Allen:
31 minutes, 19 points, 6 for 10, 2 for 2 from behind the arc, 5 for 7 from the line, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 turnovers, 3 steals

SIDE NOTE:

The Boston Celtics are 9-5 this month (good for a 64.2 winning percentage). If we were 9-5 anytime at anytime last season I would have been thrilled. Now, I'm irrationally annoyed the Boston lost 5 games this month. That's my irrational side. My rational side knows that you're not always going to beat all the teams you're supposed to beat. That said, it is nice to see that for the exception of the Charlotte Bobcats the Boston Celtics losses this month were at the hands of pretty solid Eastern Conference teams (twice against Washington and once against Toronto). Boston also made each of those losses a close game. In fact it should be noted that the Boston Celtics biggest loss in terms of the number of points they lost by is 12. Oddly enough, that is the game Boston lost to Charolotte.

Back In Gear: So Far So Good...

2008-01-21T13:01:00.000-08:00

The one negative I'll pick out from today's matinee is that Boston has got to stop the talking, especially when you're up 20. There's no need for it and nothing good comes from it.

Kendrick Perkins played really well today. He was his usual solid self on the boards and defensive end of the floor. But what impressed me in addition to his usual contributions was that Perk seemed to be more in sync with the game on the offensive end today. Perk had a couple nice passes, he was moving very well without the ball and finding those open spots where Pierce, Rondo, or KG could find him. Perk also was very decisive with his moves off the catch, an aspect of his game where he has shown a tendency to be predictable.

Rondo had some real nice moments in his first game back.

KG was everywhere today.

Pierce's offensive numbers were not gaudy today by any means, but I really enjoyed watching Paul continue to create out there off the drive. Pierce also continues to hustle and give everything he has on the defensive end. Statistically, Paul may not be having one of his best seasons. But with respect to impact, I think Paul might be having the best season of his career.

Leon Powe also got a little time today, and was in my opinion quite effective for the short stretch that he played.

The Boston Celtics seem to be back in sync on the offensive end.

Boston finished with 15 tunrovers compared to NYK's 16. Boston shotw well from the field, and overpowered NYK on the defensive and offensive glass.

Hollinger's Stats On Stoudamire

2008-01-19T22:43:00.000-08:00

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/players/hollinger?statsId=3009
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/statistics?sort=per&pos=pg&seasonType=2
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/stats?statsId=3009

Check out Damon Stoudamire's numbers at the above link/address.

62 NBA point gaurds are considered in Hollinger's player rankings
*To qualify: a player must have played 6.09 MPG.

TS% - Stoudamire ranks 34th out of 62 - 51.4%
True Shooting Percentage calculates what a player’s shooting percentage would be if we accounted for free throws and 3-pointers. True Shooting Percentage = (Total points x 50) divided by [(FGA + (FTA x 0.44)]

FT% - Stoudamire ranks 29th out of 62 - 80.8%

Ast Ratio - Stoudamire ranks 27th out of 62 - 30.5
Assist Ratio is the percentage of a player’s possessions that ends in an assist. Assist Ratio = (Assists x 100) divided by [(FGA + (FTA x 0.44) + Assists + Turnovers]

TO - ranks 53rd out of 62 - 13.6%
TO Turnover Ratio is the percentage of a player’s possessions that end in a turnover. Turnover Ratio = (Turnover x 100) divided by [(FGA + (FTA x 0.44) + Assists + Turnovers]

Usg - ranks 32nd out of 62 - 18.3
Usg Usage Rate is the number of possessions a player uses per 40 minutes. Usage Rate = {[FGA + (FT Att. x 0.44) + (Ast x 0.33) + TO] x 40 x League Pace} divided by (Minutes x Team Pace)

PER - ranks 41st out of 62
PER Player Efficiency Rating is my overall rating of a player’s per-minute statistical production. The league average is 15.00 every season.

Hollinger's take on Stoudamire

2008-01-19T22:39:00.000-08:00

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/players/hollinger?statsId=3009

2006-07 season:
In his first year back after a devastating knee injury, Stoudamire didn't show inordinate slippage. That might sound like a backhanded compliment, but for a 33-year-old, 5-10 guard, it's actually quite impressive. Stoudamire's numbers were down, but not glaringly so, while his 8.0 assists per 40 minutes was easily the best mark of his career. In fact, for a guy who's been considered a shoot-first point guard his whole career it was a splendid performance -- he had the 10th-best assist ratio in the league.

Scouting report:
Stoudamire's overall numbers were solid, but look at the fine print and you'll see the impacts of the knee injury. Check the shot chart, for instance, and you'll see the percent of his shots that were non-layup 2-pointers went from 67.1 percent to 80.2 percent -- in other words, he got all the way to the rim a whole lot less. His free-throw numbers took a dip too, averaging only .189 free-throw attempts per field-goal attempt.

But it was most noticeable at the defensive end. Stoudamire seemed limited every time I saw him, with his already problematic size issues compounded by a newfound lack of quickness -- presumably because of the knee. On the other hand, players often fare better in their second year after a knee surgery, so Stoudamire could gain back more ground this year.

2007-08 outlook:
The Grizzlies have taken point guards in the first round in each of the past two drafts, so the handwriting is on the wall for Stoudamire. He'll serve as a mentor to Mike Conley and Kyle Lowry this year and might see spot duty when one or the other is taking his lumps, but nobody will be surprised if he's in a different uniform by February.

While his salary is generous for his production, Stoudamire has decent trade value if he can show he still has some of his trademark quickness left. By the trade deadline there would only be a year and a half left on the deal, so some team might become desperate enough to take it on.

Most similar at age: Dana Barros

Source: Grizz, Stoudamire near buyout; Suns, Celtics favorites to sign him

2008-01-19T22:36:00.000-08:00

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3204305
By Chris SheridanESPN.com(Archive)

Damon Stoudamire is close to reaching a buyout agreement with the Memphis Grizzlies that would allow the 34-year-old point guard to sign as a free agent with either the Boston Celtics or the Phoenix Suns, a source told ESPN.com on Saturday.

There remained a possibility, however, that the Grizzlies would decide against a buyout if one of several teams seeking Stoudamire upped its offer in trade talks.

Either way, a resolution was expected within the next several days.

The Celtics, Suns, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors and Denver Nuggets have all discussed trade possibilities with the Grizzlies to acquire Stoudamire, the 1996 Rookie of the Year and a 12-year veteran. Stoudamire was the Grizzlies' starting point guard over the first two months of the season before rookie Mike Conley was promoted. Stoudamire has not played since Dec. 30.
A source with knowledge of the trade talks said the situation also was being impacted by the possibility of Sam Cassell being traded or bought out by the Los Angeles Clippers.

Cassell is in the final season of a contract paying him $6.156 million. Stoudamire is earning $4.35 million this season and has one season remaining at $4.65 million, half if which is guaranteed.
Of the five teams known to be seeking Stoudamire, the Celtics appear to have the greatest need. Boston does not have a true point guard behind starter Rajon Rondo, a second-year pro who has missed three of the past four games with back and hamstring injuries.

Chris Sheridan covers the NBA for ESPN.com.

Game 37: Solid Win Against an Up & Comer

2008-01-17T20:50:00.000-08:00

Below are thoughts I wrote down while watching the game. I did add more thoughts the next day when reading over what I wrote. But if it appears disjointed, it is for that reason...

It may be time to get Pruitt out on the floor some more. He appears to be a better ball handler than both Tony Allen and Eddie House....Quite honestly, we all know that Allen and House are not constructed to be effective point gaurds. It isn't where their strengths are. They are at best decent stop gaps at the point gaurd position....

On the Dennis & Callahan show, Doc was correct in saying that with Rondo out this is a good opportunity for Allen and House to get some experience running the point. I feel like noting that I agree with that statement, even though I feel Allen and House are nothing more than decent stop gaps with respect to playing the point gaurd position....

But getting back to Pruitt, I was impressed with Gabe. Now I am not going to get overly excited with a 2nd round rookie based on one 12 minute performance. However I believe he played well enough to warrant more consideration for future playing time. He appears to be a solid ball handler, a good shooter, and he was working pretty hard on the defensive end. That latter aspect of his performance is especially important; because though Eddie House is an excellent offensive spark off the bench, he really can't play defense. Even when he tries, it just doesn't seem that he grasps the concepts. He's easily beaten by those who can take him to the rim; and when he is taken to the rim it forces his teammates to rotate and pick up the slack. Consequently this, against a very good team especially, will allow an opponent to dish and swing the ball quickly creating a wide open jumper. Specifically with Pruitt though, I do remember last night there being a couple possessions during the 2nd quarter where Pruitt did a terrific job in getting around the pick to cut off the lane to Rodriguez......

Glen Davis continues to impress me. He had some solid rotations defensively where he effectively prevented Portland from driving inside. Davis continues to box out and pull down big rebounds in important situations. And he is very nifty around the net. Tommy commented that unlike Perkins who still hasn’t learned that you can’t just lay the ball out there like a loaf of bread and not expect someone to steal it; Davis will show the ball, pull it back, and then put in the hole once he has gained the advantage. The loaf of bread analogy was Tommy's for the record......

Tony Allen made a couple mental errors out there early on. For example he made an unnecessary extra pass as the 24 second clock wound down when he should have shot it; unfortunately this resulted in the 24 second clock expiring. But in classic Tony Allen style, he did have a number of moments where he played some solid defense, was aggressive on the boards on a couple occasions, and drove and dished very well on a couple other plays.......

In the first half Boston seems to be getting more aggressive about getting into the paint than I’ve seen in their past couple games. However, they’re still taking way too many quick jump shots......

Following the conclusion of the second half I wrote:
Am I the only once who has noticed that Ray Allen isn’t taking the ball to the hoop anymore? That was one of the things about his game that was a real pleasant surprise to me this year.

847 left in the 2nd:
Davis creates a second chance opportunity by pulling down an offensive rebound in traffic & then before the defense knew what happened Davis shovels a perfect pass to Garnett for a dunk. This brought the Celtics within 2, 23-25.

Alas, Davis shows why he is a rookie… 818 to go. Not even 30 seconds since his nice little shovel pass and Davis picked up a silly offensive foul.

7-8m in the 2nd:

Davis takes it hard to the hoop and draws a foul.Pruitt makes a good run at the defender
Loved Ray Allen's play in the second half. I really believe Ray shoots it better when he mixes up his offensive weapons instead of just taking long jumpers. Ray Allen is exceptionally dangerous when mixes selective drives to the lane and cuts to the basket for easy layups in addition to his super shooting ability.

Again, you have to love Pierce all round game. Despite his average offensive contribution, Pierce still found a way to have a significant impact on the game by taking it the lane and picking up fouls, rebounding, creating, and playing great defense.

Boston only committed 8 turnovers last night. Boston had 13 offensive rebounds to Portland's 6. Portland had more defensive rebounds, but that was to some extent a result of Portland's 19 turnovers translating into 9 extra field goal attempts for Boston. All this offset Boston's subpar performance at the free throw line (25 for 38).

But lets put the stats aside. Boston got their edge back. They didn't play a perfect game. The team overall shot only 43.6 percent. What Boston did though was instead of settling for a bunch of outside shots, the Celtics worked it inside. Either KG would post up, or Pierce would take it to the lane and create a foul, or Ray Allen would take it to the lane; but even better was that the team moved without the ball better. Allen, KG, and Pierce led the way in this regard. But it overall it created some nice cuts, and actually opened up the outside shots they did take. All in all, it was an impressive win against a very good Western Conference team.

Final Notes: Brandon Roy and Aldridge sure can play. If Oden lives up to the hype, that will be one nasty trio to contend with. LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Oden, and Brandon Roy. Plus Martell Webster is still developing as an outside marksmen. Portland is heading in the right direction. They will be a very tough team to beat in years to come.

Boston Herald: Hotshot Allen, Celtics get their groove back

2008-01-17T19:46:00.000-08:00

By Mark Murphy

Link: http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=483170275968946190

“I told Ray, ‘I’m going to try and get you the ball,’ ” said Paul Pierce [stats], whose evening of trading in shots (3-of-11) for doing the little things (12 points, five assists, eight rebounds) provided a nice backdrop to Allen and Kevin Garnett (26 points, seven rebounds).

In truth they haven’t had a healthy Rondo since late last month, when he first injured the hamstring during a Dec. 30 game in Utah, and their offense has suffered as a result.

“That’s going to be a good team in the Western Conference. You’ve got to respect them,” said Pierce. “Regardless of their age.”

Allen, Celtics on beam: He sparks win over Portland

2008-01-17T19:37:00.000-08:00

taken from the Boston Globe
Written by Marc Spears
Link: http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2008/01/17/allen_celtics_on_beam/
Celtics 100, Trail Blazers 90

Excerpts:
"Every game I walk out of this building feeling like I left something on the table and I still feel that way tonight, regardless of the points I scored," Allen said. "I was telling someone before the game that I'm never completely satisfied."

Allen is one of the most feared shooters in the league, but entering the game, he was averaging 17.6 points, his lowest average since the 1998-99 season, and a career-low 41.2 percent from the field. He has been hampered by ankle problems and a pinched nerve in his neck.

But last night, Allen said he felt the best he has all season, and it showed.

"I still had shots I would like to see go down," he said. "I do feel like I'm turning the corner, though, being able to feel good out there on the floor after everything I've gone through early. Still being able to go out there and get those shots and run up and down the floor. For me, the biggest key is getting my conditioning, just being in the best possible shape I can be in."

"To tell you the truth, we were kind of upset that we lost," said Paul Pierce, who had 12 points on 3-of-11 shooting, missed 5 of 11 free throws, but contributed 8 rebounds and 5 assists. "But by no means was our spirit down. We're going to take our bumps and it's about how we respond throughout the year."

Allen made 3 of 6 first-half shots as the Celtics trailed, 45-43, at the break. Roy, who was being guarded by Allen, had 13 points through two quarters.

But in the second half, Allen made 9 of 14 shots, hit two 3-pointers, and nailed all six of his free throw attempts. Roy, meanwhile, scored 9 points on 3-of-8 shooting, including 0 for 2 from 3-point range.

"We came in tonight wanting to play well against them," said Roy, who had a team-high 22 points. "I don't think we believed we could beat them."

Boston finished the third quarter with a 74-69 lead after outscoring the Blazers, 31-24. With only one starter (Allen) on the floor, the Celtics opened the fourth with a 6-1 run to take an 80-70 lead. Garnett's 23-foot jumper with 4:31 left gave Boston an 84-76 lead.

A Travis Outlaw 3-pointer sliced Portland's deficit to 86-81 with 3:18 remaining. But Allen nailed a 3-pointer on a broken play at the shot-clock buzzer to give Boston an 89-81 lead with 2:18 left.

"I'm sitting there looking at that play in slow motion, and the ball rolls right to Ray Allen, out of all people," McMillan said. "And I've seen that form enough to know he has a good chance of knocking that down. That was a big shot. Our guys were scrambling and rotating and we got a finger on it and it was just a break for them."

Portland wasn't quite done. LaMarcus Aldridge's jumper with 1:30 remaining made it 89-84. Allen's 16-foot jumper with 1:14 left gave Boston a 91-84 lead. Jarrett Jack's 3-point play with 56.9 seconds left kept Portland alive, 91-87. But Allen's 3-pointer with 49.3 seconds left gave Boston a 94-87 lead and sealed the game.

Marc J. Spears can be reached at mspears@globe.com.

Game 36: Boston Drops 2 in a row to Washington

2008-01-15T19:51:00.000-08:00

Not much to say other than Boston had a disappointing letdown in the last 5 minutes of the game. As I said yesterday, the Celtics have fallen off track a bit this past week. This is nothing to panic about, but adjustments need to be made. The team needs to get that intensity back.

Big game against Portland on Wednesday. Hopefully Boston will get their edge back by then.

Pippen Making a Comeback

2008-01-15T18:16:00.000-08:00

Scottie Pippen appears to still be working towards a comeback in the NBA. See the below link to an ESPN.com article for details.

Pippen puts his game on display in Scandinavia
By Egan Richardson Special to ESPN.com
Updated: January 14, 2008
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=Pippen-080114
Excerpts:
"At 42 years old and out of the NBA since 2004, the former Chicago Bulls forward rolled out his game with a Scandinavian cameo last week."

"In his third game of the tour, he led the Sundsvall Dragons to a 102-74 win over Akropal of Rinkeby, registering 21 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and two steals in 30 minutes of action. Pippen was happy with his night's work."

"Of the three games Pippen played, the toughest matchup was his second game for ToPo against Honka Espoo -- the reigning champions and current home team of Petteri Koponen, the 2007 draft pick whose rights are held by the Portland Trail Blazers. Koponen, the rangy point guard who became only the second Finn drafted in the NBA, must complete his obligation to perform military or civil service before he moves to America. He is averaging 19.3 points after a slow start while adjusting to army life.

"He is the best player in the league," Honka coach Mihailo Pavicevic said. "[Trail Blazers] coach Nate [McMillan] asked me how he was doing, and I said, 'Coach, he'll be ready for you.' He's a real point guard, and he has a head for that position; he is able to create for others and for himself.

Added Pippen, who scored nine points against Honka: "You know, he's a talented player; he gets a lot of shots. But then, he's on a team where he gets a lot of shots, and there are a few players I could take from this team who could put those numbers up if they got the opportunities. I wasn't too impressed with him on the defensive end, but offensively, he sure puts the ball up."

Pippen was more impressed with the overall basketball being played in this part of the globe.

"There are players I played with in Finland and Sweden that are more talented than players who are playing in the NBA," Pippen said. "But you have to fall in the right spot; you have to go to a team that needs somebody of your caliber.""

Gm 34 and 35: Out of Sync and In Need of Adjustment

2008-01-14T17:32:00.000-08:00

Turnovers
Offensive rebounds
Offensive possessions
Intangibles

Over the last 3 games Boston has committed a total of 51 TO compared to their opponents who have committed a total of 44. That is a 7 TO differential in favor of Boston’s opponent.

In the last 3 games combined, the Boston Celtics have pulled down a total of 22 offensive rebounds. In those same 3 games their opponents have pulled down a combined 48 offensive rebounds. That is a differential of 26 offensive rebounds in favor of Boston’s opponents. That is 26 second chance opportunities.

Translation: Boston has not controlled the defensive glass as well as they have been doing all season.

(Boston has the 4th highest defensive rebound rate* in the entire NBA).

Boston’s opponents in the last 3 games have taken a total of 241 shots. That is an average of 80.3 shots per game. The Celtics have on average allowed 77.1 shots per game.

The Celtics in those 3 games have taken a total of 206 shots per game. That is an average of 68.6 shots per game. That is a differential of 11.7 shots per game in favor of their opponent - a 0 to 36 potential point advantage for their opponent.

The Boston Celtics can not lose sight of the little things. If you take fewer shots than most (Celtics rank dead last in the league in shots per game), then you (1) need to make the most of those shots, (2) control the pace and force your opponent to take fewer shots compared to what they’re used to or, (3) force your opponent into a poor shooting percentage, (4) box out and control the defensive glass, (5) don’t make so many mistakes by turning the ball over where you actually keep your opponent in the game even though you’re forcing them to shoot at a poor percentage. Your opponent can overcome a poor shooting percentage if they’re able to create second chance points by grabbing offensive rebounds.

In other words you have to box out and make sure to not miss your defensive assignments and rotations. It means you have to rotate the ball efficiently and decisively in order to create the highest percentage shot.

The Celtics in my opinion have been taking way too many jump shots. At times I feel they have passed well, but are creating too many jump shots with their passing. They instead need to move the ball, but also cut and move efficiently without the ball. One without the other simply breeds inconsistency; which is what I’ve seen from the Celtics the past few games. Boston needs to get more inside shots to counter balance the shots they take from the outside the paint. If you get more shots inside off cuts and dishes, then you will inevitably create more space for yourself when you do take those shots outside the paint. To not do this means to neutralize the effectiveness of all the weapons the Celtics possess.

Lastly and most importantly, the Celtics intensity has fallen off a notch and needs to be jacked up again. I have seen great intensity from certain individuals in the past couple games. But I have not seen great intensity from the team as one single unit out on the court. The Boston Celtics need to get back to being an intensely focused team in sync with one another. If they do that, I suspect many of the statistical gaps I have mentioned above will return to their normal levels.

Bottom line is there is nothing to worry about here. Not yet. We’re 30-5. The Celtics have fallen out of groove a bit. They need to make some adjustments, refocus, and get back on track. Every team is forced to do this throughout an 82 game season.

For the absence of some other intangibles I’ve noticed the past couple games; I’ll leave that to Perkins, Doc, and Ray Allen. These quotes were taken from Steve Bulpet’s article in the Boston Herald today.

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1066384

From Kendrick Perkins:
“I just think we need to all go back to what our roles are and stick to them… You know what I mean? I think guys have been getting outside their body in what they do. We’ve all got to realize what got us playing time and what made us successful as a team… We’ve all got to know that we’re going through Paul (Pierce), Ray (Allen) and KG (Kevin Garnett). If we get shots off of them, that’s fine. But as far as us trying to create shots on our own, I’ve just seen too much of that. I just think we’ve got to clean it up.”

“We beat ourselves in that game…That’s what that was. I think people just have to look at themselves in the mirror and see how we need to get better, and the rest will take care of itself…But we’re 30-5 right now, so there ain’t no reason for anybody to hang their heads.”

From Steve Bulpett:
“Hidden amid defensive and rebounding issues is the fact that the Celts have averaged just 84.8 points in their last four games, well below their season average of 98.7.”

From Ray Allen:
“It’s one thing for us to play defense, but you’ve got to carry the offense with you,” “And we haven’t been scoring points, so we’ve got to get our flow back. I don’t know what it is, but it’s something that we have to pick up. All of us.”

From Ray Allen on losing:
“It can balance you out,” he said. “As much as you don’t like to do it, losing does balance you out and it forces you to every small little detail. When you win, sometimes you let small things slip.”

From Doc Rivers:
Steve Bulpett wrote: “According to coach Doc Rivers, the concepts Perkins is preaching are not new to the lesson plan…”

“That’s something we always talk about,” the coach said. “As long as we stay with who we are, we’re good. That’s what I talk about every day. That’s staying who we are as a team and as individuals who are part of a team.”

Game 33: Frustrating...

2008-01-09T20:28:00.000-08:00

I am going attempt to not beat a dead horse with this game.

The Boston Celtics have been playing great basketball. But just because your team has been playing great does not mean a frustrating loss like this should not be acknowledged. Yes, losses of this kind will happen to every upper echelon team. However, my expectation as a fan has always been that you should make sure to beat the teams you’re supposed to beat. In this regard, the Celtics have exceeded my expectations this year. Their three losses were to solid teams: (1) Orlando Magic when they possessed one of the top 5 records in the league; (2) Cleveland, a team that makes a living off second chance opportunities and not making too many mistakes; (3) Detroit.

Charlotte is a team the Celtics should beat, and that is why I was frustrated with tonight's loss. The big picture should not be lost. The Boston Celtics are 29-4. That’s beyond impressive. But that again does not change the fact that the Boston Celtics lost to the 13th ranked team in the Eastern Conference. In case you were curious, the Eastern Conference is comprised of 15 teams.

Why I was frustrated by tonight’s loss:

TURNOVERS…

Every mistake that you make is an opportunity for your opponent to take control of the game. Period…. End of story…

Boston: 17 turnovers
Charlotte: 11 turnovers

Boston: 72 attempts from the field
Charlotte: 80 attempts from the field (0-24 potential point advantage)

Charlotte more than cashed in on this advantage by connecting on 49% of their shots (39 for 80). Boston increased the difficulty of their task tonight by shooting 41.7% from the field.

The problem tonight was that the Celtics played as a group of individuals on defense, instead of one cohesive unit. Boston appeared to be working hard in a number of stretches, but the rotations were poor which resulted in more than a few open lay-ups for Charlotte.

Stream of thought…
For those who react to tonight’s loss by saying “we did not have Ray Allen”…wake up. We should beat Charlotte regardless.

I have one criticism for Doc Rivers tonight…

WHERE’S LEON POWE?

Where’s #0?

This was the kind of game where you throw Leon Powe into the game. Leon Powe is synonymous with toughness and energy. We needed him tonight. He’s just the sort who could have mixed things up a bit for a few minutes. I fully admit this criticism is filled with personal bias. I love Leon Powe.

I would not cite the referee’s horrible calls as a reason why the Celtics lost, but I would say that Tommy was right tonight. The officiating was consistently inconsistent and horrible.

Rajon Rondo just keeps getting better and better… He is far from perfect and his defense will still frustrate me at times; not because of a lack of effort but more because his defensive positioning can still get better. I’d like to see Rondo keep his opponent between his legs more often rather than playing to either the left or right hand of his opponent.

The one major positive with tonight’s game… Scalabrine’s drive and dunk. I tried to find a picture of it, but couldn’t find one. If you know what I am referring to, it was great stuff.

Lastly... I have to give the Charlotte Bobcats credit. They played a very good game tonight. The one thing with Charlotte is that they will often take advantage of a better team who is not focused. Charlotte can play with a lot of fire, and they can not be slept on. Charlotte made the plays tonight. When the Celtics were sleeping, they cut to the hoop. If there was a loose ball, they were on the floor. Charlotte played tough and won the game. In my opinion Boston should have won this game. But Boston did not give them the game. Charlotte earned it, especially at the end when Boston tried to harness their focus and salvage a win. Charlotte played tough down the stretch and pretty much told Boston it was too late.

A Step In The Right Direction - Game 32 @ Detroit

2008-01-07T20:43:00.000-08:00

Contrary to some local broadcaster’s declarations Saturday that the Boston Celtics are now undeniably the team to beat in the Eastern Conference, I believe it is much too early to make such declarations. It is after all January 6, 2008 and we’re not even 40% of the way through the season yet. There’s a lot of basketball left to be played.

The series between these two teams is tied at 1 apiece, and at this juncture the Pistons still have to be given the edge in a 7 game playoff series even if only for their sizable advantage in the chemistry and experience playing together departments.

Saturday's victory against the Pistons was solid and impressive. But it was solid and impressive for reasons different than what was presented by the Gary Tanguays and Donny Marshalls of Comcast Sports Net.

Tommy Heinsohn made an excellent observation following Saturday night’s game. In his judgment the Detroit Pistons are still the better of the two teams. But that what the Celtics have to look forward to is the fact that they, moreso than Detroit, have greater room for improvement to make over the course of the season. I share Tommy's assessment and I, as a fan, find myself more excited about the Celtics because of what I think they can be, rather than what they are now.

Saturday night’s victory in Detroit was solid and impressive because I witnessed a very good team continue its education in how to compete and beat an elite team. The greatest success the Boston Celtics have achieved this season has been their ability to not take many nights off. But again that said, they're not an elite team yet.

The Celtics are 29-3 and are presently on an unrealistic pace to win 74 games. To some local prognosticators in the media, to say this 29-3 team isn’t elite flies in the face of sanity; and judging by the numbers this may indeed seem true.

It is way too premature to classify the Celtics as an elite team.

For a team to even begin to be considered an elite team, it needs to beat those teams that are considered to be elite. And in my book those teams are Detroit, San Antonio, and Phoenix. The wannabe contenders are for now the New Orleans Hornets, Dallas Mavericks, Portland Trailblazers, Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, and the Boston Celtics; the Boston Celtics being the hands down best of the wannabe contenders at the moment.

Boston has faced 3 of the 6 wannabe contenders, and their record is 3-1.
Boston has faced 1 of the 3 elite contenders (Detroit), and is 1-1.

That all said though, even if Boston finishes the season 6-1 against Detroit, San Antonio, and Phoenix combined it will be all for not if Boston fails to make a very deep run in the playoffs.

The 1996 Chicago Bulls are not considered to be one of the greatest teams of all time because they won 72 games in a single season. They’re considered to be one of the greatest teams of all time because they won the title in addition to winning 72 games that season. Win 72 games and not win the title; and you’ve got a team that in years to come should feel lucky if they find themselves part of some fan’s obscure blog discussion on the biggest posers of the past 10 years.

Don’t believe me?

Just ask the 2006-2007 Dallas Mavericks. You wouldn’t know it now, but heading into last season’s playoffs there were many who dubbed the 67 win team as the eventual NBA champion. A couple weeks later Dallas found itself heading home early after being defeated in 6 games by an 8th seed. Two weeks is all it took for Dallas to go from being a perennial championship contender to being the most overrated team in the 2006-2007.

Simply, the verdict is still out on the Boston Celtics despite their remarkable 29-3 run thus far (5 teams in NBA history have started the season out 29-3, only 3 went on to win the title. ) That said though, the Celtics are looking pretty darn good so far and I am enjoying every minute of it.

Breaking down some numbers...

The game can be broken down in many ways. I am going to quickly highlight a few things and then delve into the two areas of the game that stuck out to me the most.

The Celtics have done a very good job making the most of their opportunities at the free throw line. On the flip side Detroit has been surprisingly poor at the free throw line, and this trend should not be expected to continue.

Boston has shot miserably out from behind the arc in both games against the Pistons. On the other side, the Pistons have taken an unusually high amount of three point shots in both games against the Celtics. In the first game Detroit connected on 45% of their three point attempts, resulting in the necessary counterbalance that allowed Detroit to be in a position to win the game at the end despite their uncharacteristically high number of turnovers. The flip side was true in game 2. Detroit shot 7 for 21 in game 2, but only committed 6 turnovers while forcing Boston into 14 turnovers.

This was an important psychological win for the Celtics. But two sets of statistics where Boston struggled mightily stood out to me for two reasons. (1) Boston really needs to improve on these aspects of the game against elite teams, especially the second aspect. (2) If Boston is 29-3 in spite of these struggles, it is fun to ponder the fact that this Celtics team is still far from playing their best ball this season. The potential is there, at the very least, for the Celtics to ratchet their game up whole another level.

Both Boston and Detroit rank in the top ten for assist ratio*. So though it wasn’t surprising to see Detroit distribute 23 assists, it wasn’t good to see Boston only dish out 14 assists for the game. However, it should be noted that the Celtics took control of the game in the 4th quarter when Glen Davis scored multiple key buckets off assists from the team's leaders, namely Kevin Garnett and especially Paul Pierce. But I will get to him later.

*AST Assist Ratio is the percentage of a team’s possessions that ends in an assist. Assist Ratio = (Assists x 100) divided by [(FGA + (FTA x 0.44) + Assists + Turnovers]

Bottom line in mentioning this is that the Celtics various offensive weapons are most effective when coupled with quick and decisive ball movement. The more consistent the Boston Celtics are in this regard, the more success the Celtics will find in competing with any team, but especially the elite.

15-10 was the offensive rebounding advantage held by Boston over Detroit in last night’s game. 35-26 was the defensive rebounding advantage held by Boston over Detroit in last night’s game

How then did Detroit attempt 5 more shots than Boston (79 to 74)?

The answer is turnovers. Simply, Detroit made fewer mistakes; the mark of any truly elite team. Where Detroit committed 6 turnovers, Boston committed 13.

5 shots may not seem a lot, but it is in a close game. 5 additional shots can offer an opponent anywhere from a 1 point advantage to a 15 point advantage. This is significant in a game that was for all intent and purposes a 1 or 2 point game until the closing seconds.

The difference between an elite team and a very good team is that elite teams are usually better at minimizing their mistakes while also exploiting the blunders of their opponent. By Detroit only committing 6 turnovers, Boston wasn’t left much breathing room for many blunders. Unfortunately Boston ended up committing more than double the number of turnovers committed by Detroit. Only through securing themselves second chance opportunities by pulling down offensive rebounds with a vengeance (15 to Detroit’s 10) while also limiting Detroit’s ability to secure their own second chance opportunities by crashing the defensive glass (35-26) were the Celtics able to overcome this often devastating deficit.

I hate to say this, being a Celtics fan and all, but Detroit could have very well had a more convincing win in their December meeting if they hadn’t committed 15 turnovers in the first meeting. But then again each game is different from the other often times.

The point is that making fewer mistakes as a team is one significant area the Celtics need to improve on in order to become a truly elite team. Boston has the 11th worst turnover rate (TOR*) in the league; 14.6% of Boston’s possessions end in a turnover. On one hand John Hollinger’s statistic is negative; on the other hand the Celtics are 29-3 despite this deficiency. It is fun to think how much better the Celtics could be come playoff time if they’re able to improve on their overall efficiency with respect to handling the basketball.

Final note before some numbers… I mentioned above that I am of the opinion that Phoenix, Detroit, and San Antonio are the true elite teams in the NBA at the present time. Below are the 6 teams with the best TOR* in the NBA. Detroit ranks 1st in TOR, while San Antonio and Phoenix rank 5th and 6th respectively.

* TOR - Turnover Ratio is the percentage of a team’s possessions that end in a turnover. Turnover Ratio = (Turnover x 100) divided by [(FGA + (FTA x 0.44) + Assists + Turnovers]

RNK-Team-TOR
1 Detroit, 11.3
2 Toronto, 11.4
3 New Orleans, 12.1
4 Golden State, 12.2
5 San Antonio, 12.2
6 Phoenix, 12.4

Game 32 – January 5, 2008 – Boston defeats Detroit, 92-85 - @ Detroit

FG Made-Attempted

31-74 (.419) - Boston

31-79 (.392) - Detroit

2p Made-Attempted

27-58 (.466) - Boston (6 point advantage)

24-58 (.414) - Detroit

3P Made-Attempted
4-16 (.250) -Boston
7-21 (.333) - Detroit (9 point advantage)

FT Made-Attempted
26-33 (.788) -Boston (10 point advantage)
16-23 (.696) - Detroit

Rebounds (Offensive-Total)
15-50 - Boston (5 rebound advantage)
10-36 - Detroit

Rebounds (Defensive-Total)

35-50 - Boston (9 rebound advantage)

26-36 - Detroit

Assists
14 - Boston
23 - Detroit (9 assist advantage)

Turnovers
13 - Boston
6 - Detroit (7 fewer)

NOTES:
Don’t be fooled into thinking that Paul Pierce played poorly against Detroit based on some of the numbers in the box score (5 for 16 shooting from the field and 4 turnovers). Pierce played great last night, especially down the stretch. He may have only scored 19 points, but he pulled down 9 defensive rebounds and dished out 7 assists. I mentioned before that I was impressed by the Celtics performance because you got the sense the Celtics were making significant strides in learning how to beat an elite team as a team. Pierce was a great example of this.

Paul Pierce for years has been responsible for carrying a significant portion of the offensive load. Now he doesn’t have to and as a result Pierce has been steadily becoming a more complete player. Filling in whatever hole the team needs filled. Pierce has impressed many with his previously untapped ability to pass and create at a level never seen before by him.

However despite all the strides that Pierce continues to make I noticed in Boston’s first meeting with Detroit that Pierce, in the 3rd and 4th quarters especially, returned to trying to do it all himself a few times. Most times when he did this he was unsuccessful.

In the 4th quarter this past Saturday I remember watching two unsuccessful possessions by Pierce where he again tried to do too much. Superstars at times will carry their team, but one must be selective and aware that there are different ways to carry one's team. But then Pierce all of a sudden adjusted his game during its most crucial part. Pierce took the ball, drove left and then dished off to an open Glen Davis after drawing Detroit's defense to him. Pierce must have done this at least 3 times in the closing minutes. Instead of trying to take everything on himself individually, Pierce in the final 5 minutes became the ingenious creator for his teammates. Pierce carried his team to victory Saturday night by making everyone else around him better. He in particular was instrumental in making rookie Glen "Big Baby" Davis look like a perennial all-star for at least one quarter anyway. Joking aside, it should be noted that Big Bay totally redeemed himself in his second game against Detroit. He battled Detroit's bigs on the board, provided second chance opportunities for his teammates, and made sure he was in the right spot at the right time. A skill that is often overlooked.

I must admit I questioned Doc’s decision to pull Rondo from the game for Tony Allen. I understood why Doc pulled Rondo, but I worried about Tony Allen’s ball handling on offense. Tony Allen seemed to do what Doc needed him to do on defense, but he turned my fears into a reality by turning the ball over a couple times in the closing minutes. I’m still on the fence as to whether or not I agree with the move, but I respect the guts to pull the trigger because it was clearly an adjustment to what he saw Billups do to Rondo in the post in the 4th quarter of game 1 between Detroit and Boston. It should be noted that Doc’s team won the game & that a couple of those defensive stops that Tony helped to create played a small part in that win.

ESPN Recap

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=280105008

Box Score

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=280105008

Play By Play

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playbyplay?gameId=280105008

Shot Chart/Game Flow
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/shotchart?gameId=280105008