Re: the next level

["Cecil" <cecil@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The intelligent beagle has touched on one of my bugaboos; free throw
shooting.  But we are not shooting nearly as bad as he suspects, yet.
Methinks it will improve as the season unfolds, but here is what our core
players have done thus far:

Pierce: 14/16 = 87.5%
EWill:  9/11   = 82%
Vinny: 7/10   = 70%
Bruno: 5/7     = 71%
Toine: 4/6     = 67%
SWill: 5/6     = 83%
Delk:  2/4     = 50%

I think Delk's percentage with definitely rise and the rest of these guy,
who I think will get the vast majority of free throw attempts, doesn't
completely suck.  There is room for improvement, sure, but it ain't as
dreadful as you thought.  If we shoot in the 80's as a team, we'll win alot
of games from the line.

We are averaging 107.5 ppg which most surely will not continue.  But isn't
it unusual for a team who has been outrebounded in 2 games, to be averaging
a double-digit margin of victory?

With respect to Kidd, my hope is that for the first time, he will have to
concentrate on playing defense on his man, instead of helping out where is
able to be very effective defensively.  If Delk and Williams are able to
make him work on D, it could make a big difference, no?  He may try to post
our guards up but I would rather have him do that, with our D helping out,
than have him with the ball in the middle on a break.  I just don't think he
is that good a shooter.

Cecil


----- Original Message -----
From: <snoopy1@pig.net>
To: <Celtics@igtc.com>
Sent: Friday, October 11, 2002 11:30 AM
Subject: the next level


> OK.  We have had two games now to see what we've got.  On the plus side,
> the C's are averaging over 100 ppg, there seems to be more inclination to
> have an inside game, and shot selection has improved.  On the other paw,
> the defense couldn't stop Fred Hoiberg, the free throws were really,
really
> bad, and Kedrick Brown seems to have feet transplanted from Bill Walton.
>
> As enjoyable as the first two wins were--and believe me, I enjoyed them as
> much as anyone--New York and Chicago do not in any way represent the
better
> teams in the NBA this year.  Tuesday night, we have a chance to slap
around
> the New Jersey Nets.
>
> Tough talk about a team that knocked us out of the playoffs?  Yep, but
> here's my reasoning.  The playoff series featured a lot of "circus shots"
> by Jason Kidd.  He kept penetrating the defense just enough to throw up
> wild shots that resulted either in baskets or fouls.  The next factor was
> Kenny Anderson--for all everyone complains that he was the best PG we had
> in ages, he sure didn't play well against the Nets, and hurt the Celtics
in
> the series.  Then there were the refs.  That's a whole other post.  The
> final part was that the Celtics offense never really got cranked up, or
> more simply, if Paul Pierce didn't score, no one on the Celtics did.  The
> Nets simply closed Pierce down and dared everyone else to make shots.
>
> This season, we have some things ostensibly in our favor.  First, better
> ball distribution.  From what I can tell, the C's are spreading the
> scoring--while I grant that Pierce and Walker still shoulder a lot of the
> scoring burden, I think it's measurably less than last year.
>
> Second, we can theoretically tell Sundov to make like a wall between Kidd
> and the basket.  Sundov is tall enough that he doesn't have to leave his
> feet on a fake, thus cutting down Kidd's opportunties at the free throw
line.
>
> The Nets plan to use Rodney Rogers as a diversion from Kidd and open the
> perimeter with threes.  Our advantage is our guys should know how to beat
> Rogers better than anyone, since he recently played for us.  That allows
us
> to anticipate better.
>
> The Celtics defense has GOT to play keep away from Kidd as much as
> possible.  The less he has the ball, the more ineffective the Nets
> are.  Don't let him squirm free and catch a pass.  When he does, he
> inevitably gets a foul called in his favor.  (Like I said, the refs are a
> whole other post)
>
> If we spread the offense, tighten the defense, and keep Kidd to minimal
> contact with the ball, we stand a good chance of making the Nets wish
> they'd stayed home.
>
> However, the C's have a problem that the Knicks tried to exploit a few
days
> ago.  Free throws.  We're not hitting anywhere near 50%, as far as I can
> tell.  Going one-for-two is considered a positive.  It's real hard to make
> fun of Shaquille O'Neal's free throw percentage when ours as a team is
> worse!  If the Nets decide to throw bodies at the C's and send people to
> the line, a game can be easily lost.
>
> Similarly, the rebounding needs work.  Lots of work.  We got outrebounded
> by the Chicago Bulls last night.  That's like getting out pitched by
> Charlie Brown.  No longer can we say, "no big guys", not when Sundov made
a
> rebound without his feet losing contact with the floor.  We need more
> rebounding.  It's nice to talk about running more fast breaks, but very
> hard to do without the pumpkin in your paws.
>
> The Celtics have four days to get ready for the next game.  Now, as they
> expect to lose the services of Kedrick Brown for a stretch of time, they
> have to make more adjustments.  Sundov, Shammond and Baker, though nowhere
> near as fast as Brown, will all have to provide an inside presence to
> offset the obvious play of handing the ball to Pierce or Walker.  I think
> the other teams have figured that offensive set by now.  :>)
>
> Time to move to the next level.  No one will be surprised if we make the
> playoffs this year.  It's expected.  Now the team has to play like it's
> going to win close games and games against lesser teams.  And it has to
> step up against teams like New Jersey.
>
> By the way, there's 20 days left to make predictions.  :>)
>
> Onward to #17
>
> Snoopy the Celtics Beagle
> Please visit the Celtics Beagle Website at
> http://users.mfi.net/fluteaphrael/celticsbeagle/celtics.html