Re: Dr. Jack Tears Into the Celtics

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The big guys are too busy "blitzing" the other team's point guard to defend their guy all that well. After all, when you're 7 feet tall, the most important thing you can do is "blitz" the opposing point guard 25 feet from the basket... right? Right????

You know what? When Mark Blount and Tony Battie are combining for 42 minutes per game, you can't expect much offense. Those guys are not offensive players. That's just a fact. You want more offensive production? Two suggestions: Play Lafrentz more, especially alongside Baker, and THROW THEM THE DAMN BALL. Next to Pierce, these guys are the two most skilled offensive players on the team. Yet Baker is averaging just 10 shots a game and Lafrentz just eight. That's 18 shots between them in about 54 minutes on the floor. That's just not enough. But they're using Lafrentz and Baker the same way they used Battie and Antoine the last few years - taking the first pass in the "offense" about 20 feet from the basket. The offense ran through Antoine. With Battie, it really didn't (doesn't) matter because he's not an offensive factor. But Lafrentz and Baker are different players. Shouldn't the offense make SOME adjustments to get them the kinds of shots they prefer? Shouldn't Baker get 15 shots a game from the post? Shouldn't Lafrentz get 8-10 18-footers a game off of pick and rolls? If you're not doing that, aren't you wasting their talents? But this is the same guy who has stationed Kedrick Brown at the 3-point line for three years. 

Instead, the Celtics run through the same set - hand it to Baker/Lafrentz/Battie/Blount 20 feet from the basket, run Pierce off a pick, pass him the ball 20 feet from the basket, see if he can create a shot for himself, if he can't... pass it to James for a 3-pointer. Isn't that the offense? Am I missing something? And Heaven forbid the other team try that never-before seen alien voodoo defense ... the 2-3 zone! A well coached team of NBA players should be able to dissect a zone defense with passing and shooting, yet the Celtics and Obie act as if the only solution is to start bombing away.

Thankfully, once again, Ainge sees it. The quotes in the paper today were encouraging. He's dead right about not getting the ball to the big guys enough, and I seriously doubt he's talking about Mark Blount. The quotes about not getting anything from the small forwards (how many small forwards have we tried in the past five years? Remember when we drafted three of them? Will we ever get it right?)... also was right on. I love Welsch's potential and I already like his headiness, but they do need someone who can make shots at that spot. Welsch, for everything he's doing right, isn't making shots. I hope they continue to play him, but it would be nice if they had someone there who was a threat. Does anyone else think Ainge's comment was a not-so-veiled jab at Obie to get Jumaine Jones involved? I mean, do you really think, with everything Ainge has said about Jones, that he believes the guy should be collecting DNP-CDs behind Walter? 

So... as frustrated as I am with Obie right now, I honestly believe Ainge sees the same problems. He'll get the coach thing fixed sooner or later. Here's hoping for sooner.

Mark

P.S. On Welsch... Please don't take my comments as criticism. In a perfect world, Baker and Lafrentz would be getting good shots to support Pierce and Welsch's do-everything unselfishness would be the perfect complement. But in the current environment, with teams zoning up the Celtics and Obie's only adjustment being more outside shots... his poor shooting hurts. But his basketball IQ remains a plus even when he's missing shots. Let's face it, the current alternatives are EWill, Walter and Kedrick, and they miss just as many shots and don't have a fraction of Welsch's smarts.    


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But what about your son-in-law Herr Doctor...

Jason(Nashua, NH): Doc, whats up with the Celts? I agree with PP that the Celts are soft and I think it'stime too trade away some parts like Kedrick Brown and Battie to get some tougher players. Maybe Jerome Williams or Drew Gooden? 

Dr. Jack Ramsay: Cs two major problems: the bigs aren't scoring and rebounding and defending like they must; the young point guards aren't getting the job done. No one is knocking down doors to acquire either Brown or Battie.