Finally, the Celtics received reprieve this past week. A hectic start to the season has taken its toll, and the boys in green were rewarded with only two games over the past nine days. Strange games they
were; first, playing a wayward Clippers team that no-shows like they’re paid to do it, and a Nets team hell-bent on losing. Like a truffle pig, I sniffed my way through the dank and the dark, and was rewarded with some fine nuggets.
The Space Cadet
A lot of this Celtics season will be defined by experimenting. With five brand-new players in the fold, Joe Mazzulla is going to have some ups and downs with the new faces. Anfernee Simons was the highest-profile arrival this offseason; the coaching staff raved about his potential. But it would appear some of the shine is coming off.
Through the first six games, Simons averaged 28.2 minutes per night, never dipping below 22. He was a key cog off the bench. In the nine games since, Simons has fallen to 22.2 MPG, dipping below 22 in four of those games. And it’s not hard to see why.
It’s not the worst thing in the world if you’re a dynamic on-ball scorer who doesn’t defend well on the ball. But the lack of on-ball effort and attention to detail is a different matter entirely. If he’s a liability on the ball, you can work around that; a liability off the ball has few workaround when facing a smart offense.
Results are showing in the stat sheet as well. Per Cleaning the Glass, Boston’s defense is 8.0 points per 100 possessions worse with Simons on the floor. It’s even worse when he plays alongside fellow newcomer to the bench, Luka Garza. With those two on the floor, Boston gives up 121.9 points per 100. That’s 16th percentile amongst all lineups to play at least 100 possessions.
What’s the opposite of a dynamic duo? The passive partnership? Apathetic associates? A dire dyad? Catastrophic companions? I’m running out of synonyms. Point is, if Simons (and Garza, to a lesser extent) can’t bring the effort, they’ll play someone else who will. Accountability is another theme of the season. Jaylen Brown sat down for an extended stretch due to poor play. If Jaylen isn’t above reproach, neither is Anfernee.
Horned Up
I’m a sucker for a one-off play set. In my last edition, I covered how the Celtics leaned heavily on staggered screen sets to disorient the Orlando Magic. If the coaching staff believes there’s a weakness to exploit, they won’t hesitate to hit it over and over again. Against the Clippers, they picked out their weakness. He’s about 6’5”, bearded, and known to frequent Magic City.
Horns sets, if you’re not familiar, are an NBA staple alignment. Two shooters are stationed in each corner, two screeners stand at the extended elbows, and a ballhandler initiates from the middle. In this variant, the big sets a flare screen (screening a shooter away from the ball) while the handler begins to drive.
Focus on Harden when you watch the first two clips. It’s a demanding set in terms of communication and effort, without a doubt. Compared to his teammates’ effort, Harden looks like an elementary school kid playing against their will, tears in their eyes. In the third clip, he watches Derrick White take a clear path to the rim without bothering to rotate.
Rest assured, if you are not inclined to give effort during screen actions, the Celtics will find you. There’s no hiding. You will be found out.
See You, Space Cowboys
That’s all for this edition of my Celtics film round-up. We’ll check in next week to see what’s shaking with the C’s.
