Comments on: BP: The C’s Offense Will Decline Big Time. But Will It?

By: Today’s Celtics Links 10/23 « Flceltsfan’s Weblog

Today’s Celtics Links 10/23 « Flceltsfan’s Weblog — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:37:27 +0000

[...] Opposing Team Scouting Report Celtics Hub Friday Notebook: Baby’s Minutes, Opposing Scouts BP: The C’s Offense Will Decline Big Time. But Will It? “The Education of Rajon Rondo” and the Worst Team Meeting Did You Hear KG is Overrated? [...]

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:26:58 +0000

The Lakers ‘09 title has so many asterisks. You lucked into Yao braking his foot mid-series and avoiding having to play either of the East teams that match up the best, particularly the Celtics who lost their best player to injury (not at all like Bynum going down the year before, give me a break). Celts beat the Lakers handily to win their title, the Lakers beat nobody to get theirs.

By: Evan

Evan — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:06:32 +0000

The Celtics earned their title in 2008. Still, Bryan makes some sense. The Celtics are by no means dirty. We’re just physical, and the strange officiating in the finals allowed for that kind of defense. Looking at the record, we see pretty tight officiating throughout the playoffs, especially in the finals, year after year. Kobe definitely didn’t get the treatment Wade received in the 2006 finals.

Yes, it was a strange 2008 finals, and yes, if those finals were officiated like a finals or playoff game from any other season, the Lakers would probably have won the title. But that’s not what happened, and the Celtics were the champions.

Strangely, a lot of the uncalled fouls in that 2008 finals were not out of physical play but out of a lot of off-ball holding calls, based on the aging slowness of the Celtics. The Celtics, more than any other team, needs to get away with that stuff in order to compete, especially when playing against teams with athletic wings, like the Lakers. As the 2009 season wears on, we’ll have to see how the officiating will go. If they let them play – as in, hold, grab, foul – then the Celtics have a great shot at repeating. If not, and NBA foul-calling rules reign supreme, then the Celtics slowness, age, and willingness to break those rules will be exposed.

By: Zach Lowe

Zach Lowe — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:09:34 +0000

@Bryan: Sound analysis, man.

By: Bryan

Bryan — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:05:21 +0000

Too bad they didn’t really deserve that title in 08′. The Celtics were awful offensively. That Laker team was a much better basketball team than the Celtics. If the referees had actually blown their whistles when fouls were being committed then the Lakers would be going for a three-peat right now.

The Lakers were expecting the refs to call the game like a regular game, when the refs decided that they would let the games get physical, the Lakers didn’t know what hit them. The Lakers were too soft to deal with the physical nature of the Celtics dirty physical defense. Their overall frustration due to the lack of whistles from the referees is what gave the Celtics that title.

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:39:31 +0000

You forgot Marquis. The second unit had no one who could create his own shot or run the offense that well. Eddie had to come off screens. BBD had to pop or get a board. Now you have Marquis who can initiate, score or distribute. Sheed can space and shoot or you can dump it to him. The second unit won’t be the liability it was where it constantly relinquished leads the starters built. Offensively everyone, I think Eddie in particular, will benefit with Sheed and Daniels out there. They both improve the D as well.

Even though it’s just preseason, I think we are already seeing how strong the second unit is as they’ve been holding their own against other team’s starters.

I see where these guys are coming from, especially since I’m one to want Sheed to use his big man skills more efficiently, but as you mentioned can it account for everything? Plus Powe was a clear role player. Sheed and Daniels could be starters on many teams and much of their minutes will come against reserves. Daniels, Sheed, BBD, House. That’s a group that should dominate other second units on a constant basis. I can’t see the team’s offensive efficient dropping to the bottom half of the league.

Btw, what about the TOs? That was one huge factor against their efficiency. Seems like if that regressed just a little it would make up for many of the other factors.