I don't have an issue with playing positionless basketball but the thing is that if we do it, we still need guys to crash the boards. Teams like the Warriors & Bucks can manage to do this successfully because of that
Uncle Drew Playin With The Nephews By The 7/11: Official 2017-18 Boston Celtics Season Thread
- Thread starter William F. Russell
- Start date
Okafor has intrigued Danny Ainge for a while. Prior to the 2015 draft, ESPN reported that the Celtics were prepared to unload a Marcus Smart super package to move up from 16th pick with targets locked on Okafor at the top of the lottery. Ainge stood pat and selected Terry Rozier, but the Okafor rumors have remained pervasive, sprinkled into the Celtics regular season narrative each of the past two years. Last summer, Boston was rumored to be close on an exchange for Okafor involving the 2016 third overall pick. In retrospect, most fans are thankful to have Jaylen Brown instead. But for all of the flirtation, Ainge ultimately didn’t sacrifice any Brooklyn picks for Okafor, He had the foresight to know that the assets could lead to something bigger down the line. HoopsHype has a complete historic log of all of the reports linking Okafor with the Celtics.
If there’s one thing to covet about Okafor, it’s his isolation scoring. Okafor is a brilliant post-up scorer on the low block. He has textbook footwork and maximizes his length and girth to carve out space against post defenders. Okafor’s arsenal has everything; baby hooks, jump hooks, up and unders, shoulder shakes, spin moves, floaters, face ups, and more. He routinely punishes defenders with precision pump fakes and a deft and ambidextrous scoring touch.
Jahlil Okafor is still available. Is it the right time for the Celtics?
If there’s one thing to covet about Okafor, it’s his isolation scoring. Okafor is a brilliant post-up scorer on the low block. He has textbook footwork and maximizes his length and girth to carve out space against post defenders. Okafor’s arsenal has everything; baby hooks, jump hooks, up and unders, shoulder shakes, spin moves, floaters, face ups, and more. He routinely punishes defenders with precision pump fakes and a deft and ambidextrous scoring touch.
Jahlil Okafor is still available. Is it the right time for the Celtics?
Celtics announcer Tommy Heinsohn criticized Smart's physical conditioning at times last season, saying the guard would benefit from losing weight. Smart apparently agreed. Earlier this month, he said he had been "in the gym non-stop" and "eating right" throughout the offseason.
"Just making sure my body's right," Smart said. "It's a different me. It is a new me, it truly is. I'm more explosive and things like that. And I'm healthy so that's a big part for me."
It's still to be determined how Smart's slimmed-down physique will impact his production. He should compete for a starting backcourt position next to Kyrie Irving when the Celtics tip off training camp Tuesday. Even if somebody else nabs the first-unit spot, Smart should be relied on for big minutes again this season.
I'll be damned if Smart's not poised for a career year. And by career year, I mean a higher field goal percentage due to better shot selection and being able to play extended minutes.
Boston Celtics news: Marcus Smart's new physique drawing rave reviews
"Just making sure my body's right," Smart said. "It's a different me. It is a new me, it truly is. I'm more explosive and things like that. And I'm healthy so that's a big part for me."
It's still to be determined how Smart's slimmed-down physique will impact his production. He should compete for a starting backcourt position next to Kyrie Irving when the Celtics tip off training camp Tuesday. Even if somebody else nabs the first-unit spot, Smart should be relied on for big minutes again this season.
I'll be damned if Smart's not poised for a career year. And by career year, I mean a higher field goal percentage due to better shot selection and being able to play extended minutes.
Boston Celtics news: Marcus Smart's new physique drawing rave reviews
With Terry Rozier and possibly Marcus Smart coming off the bench, he’ll probably be spending some time off the ball. Larkin seems capable of contributing in this role. In small samples, he’s been an effective cutter over the years. There are plenty of ways to maximize his speed on the court. He should be able to get some easy buckets by cutting past inattentive defenders like Avery Bradley did. Boston could even use Larkin in some of those big looping actions that IT used to run.
One question mark is going to be his shooting. He’s a streaky shooter from beyond the arc. Looking at his entire body of work, he has a couple seasons of good shooting mixed with a couple of subpar ones. He wasn’t shy about firing away from deep last season, posting a career high in 3PA per game. But he only made 33.8% percent of them. He does take plenty of pull-up jumpers and other difficult shots. So he may benefit from playing in Boston’s offense and getting some open spot-up looks. Regardless, I wouldn’t bet on consistent shooting from him this season.
I guess he would help our depth at the guard position; the lower the expectations, the better
Shane Larkin’s NBA comeback begins in Boston.
One question mark is going to be his shooting. He’s a streaky shooter from beyond the arc. Looking at his entire body of work, he has a couple seasons of good shooting mixed with a couple of subpar ones. He wasn’t shy about firing away from deep last season, posting a career high in 3PA per game. But he only made 33.8% percent of them. He does take plenty of pull-up jumpers and other difficult shots. So he may benefit from playing in Boston’s offense and getting some open spot-up looks. Regardless, I wouldn’t bet on consistent shooting from him this season.
I guess he would help our depth at the guard position; the lower the expectations, the better
Shane Larkin’s NBA comeback begins in Boston.
I'll believe it when I see it
I don't blame you at all
Horford likes what he sees out of Kyrie :Horford:
Al Horford "blown away" by watching Kyrie Irving in practice
Al Horford "blown away" by watching Kyrie Irving in practice
Adebisi_Said
Truth is Power
“I think our voices are stronger together than individually,” Brown said. “So, I think we’ll open up a discussion about that, and maybe do something as a team, etc., or just at least open up a dialog about it. The reality is, there are problems in this country, and they’re not going to be fixed overnight. I just (want to) open up a discussion and keep raising awareness, and also, having some type of action about it.”
Jaylen Brown Calls Out Donald Trump, Takes Lead On Possible Celtics Protest
Speak that shyt, Jaylen :Jaylen:
Adebisi_Said
Truth is Power
"No question (he can contribute this year). No question," Horford said. "He can score the ball, he rebounds pretty well. He's shown us here in the first couple of days that he has a good sense on the court. He has a good feel of playing and sometimes that's harder for rookies, it takes them time to find their place. It's early but I have seen those things from him and I like that."
"He comes into a unique situation being such a high pick and coming to a team like us where, if he was going to a bottom team, I think we would all agree that he'd be playing a lot of minutes. So he has a different situation, a different challenge but I feel like he's taking it well and, for him, it's got to be a day-by-day thing of making sure that he gets better."
Al Horford: Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum 'as ready as I've seen any rookie'
Playing position-less basketball is not only popular among teams these days, but also plays off the strengths of this Celtics roster which has a few more multi-positional players than we saw last season when they finished with the best record in the East (53-29) and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals before losing in five games to Cleveland.
“If you look at our group now,” Stevens said, “obviously we got a little bit taller when you look at (Gordon) Hayward and (Jayson) Tatum, added to that group that are versatile, kind of swings that can play a bunch of different positions and obviously Marcus Morris when he gets here.”
Blakely: Celtics embracing position-less basketball
“If you look at our group now,” Stevens said, “obviously we got a little bit taller when you look at (Gordon) Hayward and (Jayson) Tatum, added to that group that are versatile, kind of swings that can play a bunch of different positions and obviously Marcus Morris when he gets here.”
Blakely: Celtics embracing position-less basketball