Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
Per the NBA’s “Last 2 Minute Report,” the referees incorrectly called a foul on Marcus Smart after he stole the ball from Damian Lillard with 10.8 seconds remaining.
NBA: Smart wrongly called for PF w/10.8 left in 4th Saturday. Lillard made 2 FT for 113-110 lead. Smart had scored on steal. PORT won in OT.
— Steve Bulpett (@SteveBHoop) January 23, 2017
This was obviously one of the game’s pivotal plays. Had the refs correctly called the play, Smart would have scored to give the Celtics a 112-111 lead with under 10 seconds to play. Although Terry Rozier nailed a game-tying three to force overtime, the game turned into a disappointing home loss to an underachieving Portland team.
Page 2: Where Terry Rozier Shows off the “Clutch Gene”
Even before the important 3, Rozier was constructing one of his most productive games of the season. In 22 minutes he made 6 of 13 shots and had 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists. And on a night when Boston’s starting backcourt of Thomas and Smart combined for 10 turnovers, Rozier coughed up the ball just once.
Rozier dominated summer league play for the Celtics last July and carried that momentum into the preseason, when he made 54 percent of his shots over seven games. Then during the regular season he had stalled a bit, and prior to Bradley’s injury, Smart had essentially slid over and taken Rozier’s role as the backup point guard.
Rozier had arguably his best game of the season, punctuated by his timely three-pointer with 8 seconds left in regulation. Between his accurate three-point shooting, athletic finishes, one-man fast breaks, and pesky defense, Rozier’s full arsenal was on display Saturday. It was only the second time he’s scored at least 15 points this season, and his 13 field goal attempts tie a season high.
In 38 games played and 18 minutes per game, the second-year guard averages 5.8 points, 1.7 assists, and 3.2 rebounds, shooting 33 percent from three and 39 percent overall. While he started the season as the primary backup point-guard, he was relegated to 10th man off the bench in December, with veterans Jonas Jerebko and Gerald Green taking up most of his minutes.
Selecting Rozier 16th in the 2015 draft was highly controversial at the time. Projected to go in the 20s, Danny Ainge acknowledged that he “reached” for Rozier, making no secret of his admiration for Rozier’s game. But the Celtics already had Isaiah Thomas and Marcus Smart on the roster, and Danny passed on guys like Sam Dekker, Bobby Portis, and Larry Nance jr., who would all have more impact on the 2016-2017 Celtics then Rozier could. And if the Celtics end up taking Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball, or Dennis Smith with the Nets pick, how bad does the Rozier selection look? (more on this later)
Brad Stevens increasingly relies on Marcus Smart as the backup point guard so he can post smaller players and utilize his improved passing skills. It’s definitely a welcome sign with Rozier playing well in Avery Bradley’s absence, and the increased playing time will aid his development. While consistent minutes are not guaranteed, Rozier must make them count when they’re available, just as he did on Saturday.
Page 3: Where Evan Turner has some Thoughts on the Nets Pick
“I think you’ve got to probably trade that pick,” Turner said of the Brooklyn pick that will be property of the Celts this June once president of basketball operations Danny Ainge exercises the option to swap first-round positions. “I mean, if you have to take a point guard, you’ve got Isaiah (Thomas) playing how he’s playing, and Marcus (Smart) is developing. There’s no room. You barely get to play Terry Rozier, and that kid can play. And you don’t want to overload with the young guys, because you run into the same thing where you have to cut a young, promising guy.
“I know Danny’s going to do the right thing, and a lot of teams might want that first pick, so maybe he can get some great things for it.”
Whoa. Rarely do you hear such a candid answer from a professional athlete. But Evan Turner was not leaving Boston before delivering a noteworthy quote. He humorously spoke of the inclement weather in Portland and Boston, but gave his honest advice for Danny Ainge and the front office regarding the 2017 Nets 1st Round Pick.
In general, NBA players prefer playing with veterans and do not hold much respect for rookies until they’ve proven themselves. Lebron wanted to play with Love, not Wiggins, despite his extraordinary potential and small salary. Al Horford never mentioned the Nets picks when speaking about why he chose to play in Boston. Same deal with Durant’s consideration of the Celtics. But from the perspective of fans, media, and team executives, this Nets pick is one of the most valuable assets in the NBA.
He brings up good points and pretty much assumes the team will be in line to select Markelle Fultz or Lonzo Ball. On paper, it doesn’t make sense to select a point guard, incentivizing the Celtics to find a trade. Ultimately, these are problems for another day, but the draft is slowly creeping up…
Page 4: Where The Draft is Five Short Months Away
They have quality pieces all over the place but, like what has been stated before, they lack another superstar and MVP candidate. The most glaring need, though, even with the addition of Al Horford is probably an-all around big.
The names that come to mine for big men in the 2017 NBA Draft are Bam Adebayo, Miles Bridges, Harry Giles and TJ Leaf. Based on current projections, the Celtics will have the number one pick. None of those players are even close to being worthy of the first selection. Not even a top seven selection if the Nets were to pick up speed.
The Brooklyn Nets have the worst record in the NBA by 4.5 games, and their projected top selection goes to the Celtics. Check out the standings, it’s glorious. Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball are the consensus top two selections, and with the NBA increasingly moving to a faster, spacier, shooting-oriented, guard-dominated game, it would be foolish to pass these guys up.
But the Celtics are already equipped with a star point-guard (Thomas), an emerging young point-guard (Smart), a shooting guard in a point-guard’s body (Bradley), and two promising point-guards who could definitely be playing on weaker rosters (Rozier and Demetrius Jackson). If the Celtics received a top-two pick, and wanted to weigh their non-point-guard options, they have little to choose from.
As the article mentions, the bigs from this draft do not validate a top 5 selection. While Duke Center Harry Giles was once considered the top-three pick, injuries have hurt his stock. Josh Jackson from Kansas seems like the perfect Danny Ainge draftee: athletic, defensive-oriented, no jump shot (see: Brown, Smart, Bradley, Rondo, Allen, Banks, etc.). Florida State’s Jonathan Isaac is a 6’10” wing with a silky smooth shooting touch and high long-term upside.
Regardless, Fultz and Ball are currently the undisputed top draft prospects. If the Celtics selected one of the two, would the team be comfortable offering them minimal playing time behind IT/Smart/Bradley/Rozier/whoever we sign? Would we trade Smart or Bradley? How would the team feel about pushing Rozier aside? Should the team consider firing Danny Ainge and bringing in Evan Turner as the GM?
We have some time before these issues circumvent. Personally, I cannot imagine a scenario where the team doesn’t take Fultz or Ball if they do receive a top-two pick. You get the talent, and let the roster work itself out. These two can be transcendent players. Check out some of their most recent highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGtoS9ieWxM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htp-F1VY1VM
And Finally…
Isaiah Thomas calls himself “the best player in the world” in an interview with The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor.
https://soundcloud.com/ringernbashow/ep-63-one-on-one-with-isaiah-thomas
He says it around the 8:30 mark. The full quote is as follows: “Everybody’s not great for a reason. I also think it’s a mindset, the way you carry yourself. Not to be cocky or anything, but I feel I’m the best player in the world. And that’s just the work I put in. And if you don’t feel like that, you’re cheating yourself.”
In the interview, he talks about his professional mentors, career development, and areas for improvement, but the “best player” quote will get most of the attention. I really want to see if the national media picks up the quote as a talking point. It’s supreme confidence, and aligned with everything we know about Isaiah.
The Rest of the Links:
MassLive: Late Game Defensive Miscues | Marcus Smart Steal
Hardwood Houdini: Why the Celtics Should Trade for Jimmy Butler
CSNNE: 5 Takeaways from the Celtics-Blazers Loss
The Ringer: The King of the Fourth
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