Saturday, October 15, 2005
How about a three-some?
After three pre-season games I thought it'd be interesting to discuss some of the good and bad things we've all seen so far...
Three Reasons for Optimism
1) Paul Pierce - Celticsdoom's #3 whipping boy (after Marcus and Waltah) has looked, sounded and played like a different dude. He's not pressing, his shot is falling, and he's routinely looked like the best Celtic on the floor, something that was often not the case last season. He can't and won't do it alone, but it's nice to see him resembling the pre-Ainge era Pierce we loved instead of the sulky, turnover prone jerk he's evolved into since.
2) Kendrick Perkins - our #1 big man, and the most fun Celtic to watch. He's playing as well as he did during his breakout week last season (before he turned into a technical foul machine and got lost behind Toine), providing rebounding, toughness and shot blocking. In other words, everything Mark Blount is not. Unfortunately I foresee him and Al competing for minutes, rather than being on the floor together, but that's to be seen and right now I'm just happy this dude is kicking ass.
3) Al Jefferson and Tony Allen - we've looked pretty much like total shit, but our number one inside presence and our best 2 guard reserve haven't played a minute yet. Gomes and Reed are solid, but they don't have that explosiveness that TA can (and sometimes does) provide. Al Jefferson will send Blount to the bench and hopefully toughen up the starting front court which right now is best defined by the phrase, "they sit when they pee."
Three Reasons To Worry
1) Point Guard Play - It's been brutal, unwatchable, and humiliating. Dickau has been eaten alive (the Heinrich humiliation was particularly unsettling), D-Herpes has been great except for the fact that he can't penetrate or get the ball past half-court under pressure, and neither Bynum nor Greene have proven to be anything beyond iffy. If this were a truly fair process Marcus Banks would be starting (assuming his injury is minor), which is a terrifying prospect to anyone who cares about team offense.
2) Running Game? - no talk of it this year. I guess now we're not a embracing the style of play that was supposedly the goal of "the vision." Remember? Sacramento Kings Jr? Old-time Celtics basketball, etc, etc. What the fuck are we then exactly? Is being a mediocre half-court team who can't play defense the compromise between Ainge's vision and Wyc's (un)willingness to pay for it?
3) Blount's "renaissance" - Blount has been scoring in bunches and earning tons of praise from Mike and Tommy, but all I see is a soft-headed career back-up who can't rebound or defend stronger post players, and is going to be taking minutes away from Perk and Big Al. Unlike Perk, who makes things happen, Blount makes everyone around him seem tired. If they weren't under contract, he and Scalaburine should be cut.
Three Reasons for Optimism
1) Paul Pierce - Celticsdoom's #3 whipping boy (after Marcus and Waltah) has looked, sounded and played like a different dude. He's not pressing, his shot is falling, and he's routinely looked like the best Celtic on the floor, something that was often not the case last season. He can't and won't do it alone, but it's nice to see him resembling the pre-Ainge era Pierce we loved instead of the sulky, turnover prone jerk he's evolved into since.
2) Kendrick Perkins - our #1 big man, and the most fun Celtic to watch. He's playing as well as he did during his breakout week last season (before he turned into a technical foul machine and got lost behind Toine), providing rebounding, toughness and shot blocking. In other words, everything Mark Blount is not. Unfortunately I foresee him and Al competing for minutes, rather than being on the floor together, but that's to be seen and right now I'm just happy this dude is kicking ass.
3) Al Jefferson and Tony Allen - we've looked pretty much like total shit, but our number one inside presence and our best 2 guard reserve haven't played a minute yet. Gomes and Reed are solid, but they don't have that explosiveness that TA can (and sometimes does) provide. Al Jefferson will send Blount to the bench and hopefully toughen up the starting front court which right now is best defined by the phrase, "they sit when they pee."
Three Reasons To Worry
1) Point Guard Play - It's been brutal, unwatchable, and humiliating. Dickau has been eaten alive (the Heinrich humiliation was particularly unsettling), D-Herpes has been great except for the fact that he can't penetrate or get the ball past half-court under pressure, and neither Bynum nor Greene have proven to be anything beyond iffy. If this were a truly fair process Marcus Banks would be starting (assuming his injury is minor), which is a terrifying prospect to anyone who cares about team offense.
2) Running Game? - no talk of it this year. I guess now we're not a embracing the style of play that was supposedly the goal of "the vision." Remember? Sacramento Kings Jr? Old-time Celtics basketball, etc, etc. What the fuck are we then exactly? Is being a mediocre half-court team who can't play defense the compromise between Ainge's vision and Wyc's (un)willingness to pay for it?
3) Blount's "renaissance" - Blount has been scoring in bunches and earning tons of praise from Mike and Tommy, but all I see is a soft-headed career back-up who can't rebound or defend stronger post players, and is going to be taking minutes away from Perk and Big Al. Unlike Perk, who makes things happen, Blount makes everyone around him seem tired. If they weren't under contract, he and Scalaburine should be cut.
# posted by Dr. Chestnutt @ 11:37 PM 
