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.
Hoiberg's right: It's tough to defend stars when they discontinue their dribble. pic.twitter.com/DY60JtIpZo
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) April 25, 2017
There have been a few articles written about Fred Hoiberg and his issue with Isaiah’s dribbling. But that 30 second video above really is all you need to look at.
Hoiberg’s criticism of Isaiah Thomas is just another variation of the same old prejudice against short players. Fred, like more than a few people around the league and especially in the media, has a preconceived minimum height for good basketball players.
It is not enough to admit that players below that height are exceptionally rare, rather, one must invent reasons why they cannot possibly exist.
That’s why you see people carping about Isaiah’s defense, calling him a gimmick, saying he can’t carry a team, and whatever else they can come up with–including Hoiberg’s risible beef.
Although, to his credit, this the most creative and certainly the least plausible complaint about IT I’ve seen this season.
Seriously. You look pretty dang stupid complaining about a rules interpretation that Magic Johnson took advantage of.
In 1987.
C’mon, Fred, admit Isaiah Thomas is better at basketball than most of–if not all of–your players. It’s not going to kill you.
Related links (mostly Brad keeping his mouth shut about this little contretemps)
ESPN Boston: Brad Stevens not ‘putting a lot of weight’ into Fred Hoiberg’s IT comments
Boston Globe: Brad Stevens, Isaiah Thomas to carry on, despite Hoiberg’s comments
Page 2: Where Brad’s playing chess
Even harder to believe or predict is that the Celtics would find their groove by inserting into their starting lineup a guy who played 5:34 in Game 1 and never even got off the pine in Game 2. And five DNP’s? That’s nothing. Gerald Green picked up 29 of them in 2016-17.
So Gerald hits two early 3-pointers last Friday, and the Bulls were knocked back onto the heels of their hooves. Sunday he hit them even harder with 16 of his 18 points in the first half and seven rebounds in 23 minutes.
A move that reeked of desperation at the time to some was, in actuality, a simple rearranging of chess pieces that got others into better positions to attack the Bulls’ side of the board.
The first thing that popped into my mind when I heard Green was starting? “Brad Stevens Hire”
There are plenty of people that will tell you they ‘think outside the box’; but, really, they’re just thinking inside of a larger box.
Brad Stevens (like Danny Ainge) has demonstrated an ability to pull off some extremely unconventional moves. I loved the decision to start Green as soon as I heard about it. The move caught Chicago completely flatfooted and seized the initiative. Rather than the Celtics trying to limit Lopez with Johnson, the Bulls would now have to match the Celtics’ perimeter capabilities, and the Bulls are not very deep at the perimeter–even less so with Rondo out.
However, if there’s one thing this Celtics team can’t handle, it’s prosperity.
Last Tuesday, I was fairly confident that the C’s would get things turned around. Today? I’m a bit worried that they’re going to coast in their next game. I really hope they don’t, but it could happen.
Finally: Larry Legend in an Indycar because why not?
Bird drove four blocks down Fifth Avenue in his car Monday to deliver the Pacers’ bid to host the 2021 game to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, fitting his 6-foot-9 frame into a car usually driven by much shorter people.
Bird, an Indiana native and now the Pacers president, had driven an IndyCar only once, during his practice for his drive Monday.
Drawing a crowd of a couple hundred spectators, he maneuvered along the left lane, exited his yellow and blue “Larry Bird” car and called it a “little rough ride” because of his big feet and the car’s small pedals.
This is, basically, the auto racing equivalent of taking a single free-throw at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
The rest of the links
Boston Herald: After back-to-back road victories, Celtics look to beat Bulls to first home win of playoff series
Boston Globe: Bulls will switch up how they guard Thomas
Bonus points: Identify the house in the featured photo & its connection to Chicago.
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