Celtics’ Slump Truth One – Brad’s Timeout Trouble
Brad Stevens has been lauded by many over the years for his exceptional plays off of time-outs. One issue that has reared its head this year, and during the current Boston Celtics‘ slump, has been Brad not using a time-out in situations he should have. There have been several games, the latest game against the Oklahoma City Thunder included, where a well-called time-out could have saved, and possibly won, the game. If Brad calls a time-out as soon as Kemba Walker gets trapped on the in-bounds pass during that game, it allows for another play to be drawn up and also advances the ball into the Celtics’ side of the court. This should have been a no-hesitation time-out call by Brad. What happened?
A real possibility is that this year has brought the coach’s challenge to the NBA, as well as the loss of a time-out for unsuccessful challenges. There seem to be situations where Brad wants to have the ability to challenge, just in case, so he’ll hold on to a time-out, and even end games with one still available. This matters in games like the one against the Thunder discussed above. Across the league, this season, the coach’s challenge has not been particularly successful or helpful. Several coaches have expressed frustration with the process and whether it merits use on the court.
Can the NBA Keep the Coach’s Challenge?
If the NBA continues to use replay with coach’s challenges the process needs to be revamped. This is especially true with regard to time-out usage and auto-replays. Under a certain amount of time in the game, and for certain challenges, automatic replays should occur. This change would allow coaches to save and use time-outs as they were meant to be used in the final moments of the game. The time-outs would be used to ready the team, grab a breath, draw up a play and advance the ball, as opposed to being a gambling piece in a situation that might happen. The challenge was meant to help teams, but with Brad’s example as just one piece of evidence, it seems to be hurting teams in ways not considered.
Celtics’ Slump Truth Two – Tacko and Tremont Time
During the slump, realistically since the All-Star break, there have been times during Celtics’ games where the team’s energy is flat. They can’t get a lay up, the defense is waning, and everyone needs a boost. The slog of the season is visible on the team; guys are tired, beat up and worn out. The All-Star Break is a nice week off, but it is not a panacea for everything ailing the C’s. Across the NBA, teams have been preparing for the playoffs all season, load management has been the buzzword all year. The Celtics do have a duo in Maine, Tacko Fall and Tremont Waters, that could significantly help the team with both energy and scoring.
Tremont Waters
?Hmm…I wonder what the @DeltaDental Play of the Game should be – maybe the TREMONT WATERS GAME-WINNER! Here it is ICYMI last night #CrustaceanNation pic.twitter.com/wr96Z6njfY
— Maine Red Claws (@maineredclaws) February 2, 2020
Tremont Waters is a bucket. He is a crafty, quick player who has a penchant for getting to the rim despite his size. Celtics fans should draw some immediate comparisons to Isaiah, IT, Thomas. Tremont has averaged 18.4 points, 7.4 assists and 3.2 steals this season for the Maine Red Claws. Waters was also named G-League Player of the Week twice (in November and January), and was named to the Eastern Conference Mid-season All-NBA G League Team. He has also shown the ability to perform in the clutch, and could help the C’s when buckets aren’t falling.
Tacko Fall
Watch: The best highlights of Tacko Fall dominating in G-League https://t.co/wP1g48J2Rc via @Timi_093 pic.twitter.com/Uyh7A9rt8i
— CelticsLife.com (@celticslife) February 16, 2020
Tacko Fall, the fan-favorite, could be another big contributor for the C’s. He’s been averaging a double-double this season for Maine, with 12.9 points and 11 rebounds. Throw in an average of three blocks per game and Tacko has become a legitimate threat in the G-League, with his latest exploit being a near triple-double coming off of points, rebounds, and blocks. He missed it by a single block. While he does still need work and polish at the NBA level, he could be a serious problem for other teams, especially coming off the bench against second units. What exactly would Houston’s small-ball line-up do against Tacko in situational ball? Tacko gives an instant energy boost, as well as near-guaranteed buckets to get the offense moving when it slows down. Teams would adjust to Tacko, but Brad could swap out and mix things up.
The Lie – Celtic’s Slump is Cause for Concern
(Some) Celtics fans last year: “WHY DIDNT DANNY TRADE ROZIER OR MORRIS!? THIS TEAM HAS TOO MANY MOUTHS TO FEED. THEY’RE TAKING AWAY SHOTS FROM JAYSON AND JAYLEN.”
(Some) Celtics fans this year: “IT AND JAMAL CRAWFORD ARE EXACTLY WHAT THIS TEAM NEEDS TO COMPETE FOR A TITLE.”
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) March 2, 2020
Across social media Celtics fans are in meltdown mode over the last four games. The C’s are now closer to the fourth seed than the second and the sky is falling. Boston fans are great at overreacting; Jamal Crawford should become their savior, Kemba Walker is worse for the team than Kyrie, Brad should be fired. For a team sitting at 42-21 on the season and sitting in third place, Bostonians can be bleak. The reality of the current situation is that the C’s have hit a mid-season slump, that’s it.
This does not mean that some of the concern isn’t justified, slumps can become longer and larger issues than initially expected. Nothing happening with the current Celtics team, however, indicates any larger problem. They are banged up, they are tired, and they have had a bunch of back-to-backs, overtimes, and close games. They have also proven to be a resilient team this year. There are far more examples of this Celtics team overcoming deficits, toppling supposedly stronger teams, and besting superstars then of them folding under pressure.
Celtics’ Slump – The Fans’ Job
The Celtics will overcome the adversities they have encountered in March, and fans can help them with that. Fans, however, need to stop overreacting and believe in the team. Kemba has looked downtrodden lately and guys are talking about having to lift each other up. Boston fans, wake up, that is your job! Don’t become so spoiled by championships that expectations become unrealistic and teams collapse under that weight. Last year’s Celtics team was a selfish, horrible group to watch. This year’s team has been bright, fun, enjoyable and has given C’s fans everything they could ask for. As Celtics fans, it’s time to give it back; be as resilient as you want the team and its players to be. Support the team, cheer, and have their back and this year’s Celtics team has a real shot at hanging Banner 18.
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