Fixing the Celtics

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The NBA finals just concluded. This was the year the Boston Celtics were favored to win it all, but  they spit the bit against Miami, who was subsequently destroyed by the Nuggets. In 2023, Jayson Tatum went from being a surefire MVP to a player who will be lucky to be in the top ten in voting. Boston Globe reporter Chad Finn observed that even if the Celtics had gotten to the finals, the real MVP, Nikola Jokic, would have “throttled” the C’s.Yep.

 

The Celtics don’t need a rebuild, but if they hope to hoist another championship banner, they need to address flaws like ones below.

 

--Enough with the bloody threes!

            Nearly half (48%) of their shots were hoisted from afar. Tatum is one of the worst offenders, heaving an average of 9 per game but making just 30% of them. He’s very talented, but he too often plays like an undisciplined version of Kobe Bryant. Put another way, he’s no Steph Curry.   

            The Big Tell is that the Celtics were second in the league in scoring but 25^th in offensive rebounds. It’s hard to get a rebound when hero ball shooters let loose from behind the arc with no teammates in sight.

 

-- Pass the rock:

            Two-pointers don’t have the dramatic flair of a three-pointer, but they go in more often. Tatum shoots 56% from mid-range and Jalen Brown almost 58%. Teams with good ball movement cause defensive problems for opponents, including increasing the likelihood there won’t be hands in the face when you need to take a three.

 

-- Jaylen Brown isn’t the problem.

            There’s hue and cry to trade him. Huh? How do you replace an All-Star who averages 26.6 points per game? He gets my vote for the grittiest Celtic, even if he did falter during the playoffs. Remember that he had to wear a mask from February on after a facial fracture. Without Brown the Celtics’ prospects for even repeating as division champs are dim.

 

-- It’s Marcus Smart who needs to go.

            His defensive prowess hardly matters in a league that plays none. He’s not a good distributor, is three-ball happy, and prone to boneheaded decisions. Plus, He. Can’t. Shoot. This makes him a huge drain on a team that averages 118 points per game, nearly half of which come from Tatum and Brown.

            Boston needs someone who can put up big numbers when shots aren’t falling for JT or JB. Smart is not that guy. Both Derreck White and Malcom Brogdon are far better and need more minutes. Trade Smart for a lanky penetrator who can pass and drain mid-range shots.

 

-- When you have a big lead, slow it down.

            There’s no excuse for blowing 12+ point leads going into the 4^th quarter. Work the clock, move the ball, and take high-percentage shots. If that’s an alien concept, maybe the Celtics should watch WNBA games to see how it’s done!

 

--Practice bloody free throws.

            Once again, see the WNBA.

 

-- The Joe Mazzulla Factor.

            Mazzulla is a quality person, but making him head coach was handing the keys to a Maserati to a kid who just got his learner’s permit. He’s green in the wrong way.

            He’ll be back because management impulsively extended him, but newly-hired assistant Sam Cassell should be the head. At the least, put Cassell in charge of the offense. He wouldn’t be afraid to sit a superstar—I’m talking about you, JT–who takes his team out of its rhythm.

            Coaches also need to reduce the floor time for Tatum and Horford, both of whom were gassed by playoff time.

 

-- Needed roster adjustments:

            The “Green Team” was more of a buzz phrase than a reality. It was Brogdon, White, and Mazzulla was lost after those two. Solidify players 6 through 10. 

            The center/power forward position is in flux. Rob Williams is a great rim protector when he’s healthy, but he seldom is. That means that Al Horford gets too many minutes (30.5) for his 36-year-old body, even if he did lead the team in three-point shooting percentage. The Celtics need a reliable and impactful big. Danilo Gallinari? Three years ago maybe, but he’s making a lot of money and missed all of last season. I’d move that contract. They picked up Mike Muscala and buried him on the bench. Play him or move him. Luke Kornet is good to have in a pinch, but only then. He’s strictly an end-of-the-bench option.

            

           The Celtics should rely more on Sam Hauser, who has great potential and can shoot out the lights when he’s in his groove. 

 

            Grant Williams is a free agent seeking big bucks. Hard pass on him. If someone else wants to make him rich, that’s on them.

 

            Payton Pritchard is a feisty player who can shoot, but wants to be traded if he can’t get more playing time. I’m not seeing it. He gets burned on defense, so he will probably be moved.

            Do they have anything in Mfiondu Kabengele or Justin Jackson? Maybe with Kabengele, but need to see more to know. Jackson has no role.

 

            Why did they draft JD Davidson? The guide says he’s 6’1 but he’s really 5’11, too small for today’s NBA . He’ll soon be playing overseas. 

 

            Blake Griffin is pretty much a spent force ready to begin his coaching career. 

 

            How to fill out the roster? A few bargain-basement free agents can wave the towels, but why not…

 

-- Send out the scouts.  

            Basketball has become the second most popular global sport after soccer.  Millions of kids around the world are playing hoops. Scour the globe in search of talent the analytics nerds have never seen play. Sign a point guard with a sweet shot and an instinct for the floor, and a Big who can get to the paint without picking up 3 fouls in 4 minutes. Apprentice them from the bench and see if they can adjust. (Being a # 13-18 bench player is better than playing in the no-defense NBDL.) It won’t cost much to experiment and it might yield a gem.