RE: I have this hunch...

["R. Singh" <keltsfan@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

It's hard to box out when the offensive player has established inside
position because you're either fronting, in the midst of double teaming
or collapsing to penetration no matter who has the ball inside.  It
would be a novel idea to let guys play man to man now and then,
especially now that the Celtics have some quickness at each position. In
any event, the Celtics defense is the main culprit as to why this team
has been so abysmal on the boards since O'Brien took over.  

Your point about defensive effort being wasted because the opposing
offense gets 3, 4 and 5 opportunities at the basket each time down court
is right on.  There needs to be some balance between opposing FG
percentage and acceptable rebounding. Since O'Brien is such a stat freak
maybe he needs to figure out that optimum point at which opponent's
field goal percentage is not detrimental to defensive rebounding and
then adjust the defense accordingly.  

The book is out on the Celtics.  Force Pierce to beat you with his
decisionmaking rather than his offense and crash the offensive boards
because each Celtic's defender is more preoccupied with playing the
system rather than guarding their man. 

Ravi

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-celtics@xxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-celtics@xxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Kestas
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2003 8:01 PM
To: celtics@xxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: I have this hunch...


Jaims Castillo wrote:

> your "hunch" just got outrebounded again...

Yeah, no kidding. Had a good feeling about this one, but then they come 
out and pull a repeat of the Knicks performance, minus the offense in 
the 1st half.  Why can't they rebound? Kedrick 2 rebs. in 20 min., Baker

5 in 36 (only 3 defensive), Blount zero(!) in 17. How do you not get a 
single rebound at 7 feet tall? They just have no idea how to box out and

control an area. Their idea of rebounding is outjumping the other 
guy(s). With smart, experienced big guys like PJ, Kurt Thomas, and 
Magloire that doesn't work. The defense and the fronting doesn't help 
the cause, and the energy expended on defense goes to waste anyway with 
all the second-, third-, and fourth chances that the other team is
getting. Oh well, at least Banks is looking better these days, but
otherwise the 
offense is as constipated as ever. Pierce showed better decision-making,

  but no one else stepped up on offense. I don't know why Baker took so 
few shots.
We're missing LaFrentz's skill and rebounding, too. I wish they'd put 
the useless Waltuh on the IL, activate Hunter, and tell him to go get 
every rebound. Maybe he could teach the BBBB boys a thing or two about 
rebounding.
Kestas