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.
In that span of subpar fourth quarters over the past four games for Thomas, Al Horford has scored a total of 5 points. One of the drawbacks from Thomas’s marvelous fourth quarters is that his teammates understandably tend to watch more than move. And Thomas has obliged his coaches and teammates by scoring at will in stretches.
Opposing teams have definitely taken notice, fully realizing the best way to beat the Celtics is by not having Thomas beat them alone, but forcing him into more decision-making situations where he may have to put his teammates in scoring positions where they are not comfortable.
Boston Globe: Isaiah Thomas needs fourth-quarter help
By the end of Friday night’s game, I had devolved into a blubbering mess, begging the Boston Celtics to actually run some semblance of an offense rather than nervously hand the ball to Isaiah Thomas and pray. The mostly did not, which mostly cost them the game.
Opposing teams are going to blitz and bother Isaiah in fourth quarters because that’s when they know he activates super powers by tapping on his wrist. The trade deadline didn’t deliver a guy who can make opponents pay for this strategy, so this team will have to do it themselves.
Maybe the return of Avery Bradley will help, but whichever four players share the floor with Isaiah will have to be willing to beat teams four-on-four on some possessions rather than get the ball to Isaiah at the bottom of the jump circle with half the shot clock gone. Isaiah, meanwhile, will have to be willing to let that happen.
The ONLY way the Celtics can open things up for Isaiah Thomas in fourth quarters is to run an actual offense. That means the ball sometimes starts in someone else’s hand while Isaiah runs off picks. It means guys, when the opportunity arises, will have to take open shots.
I’m looking squarely at Al Horford at this point. I love Horford and I think he’s been fantastic in so many ways, but he absolutely has to take more shots. Part of why he is so important to this team is his ability to pick-and-pop. If teams are so intent on stopping Isaiah, Horford needs to be the guy who relieves some of that pressure. Five shots in the game (one in the fourth quarter) is unacceptable.
If the Celtics won’t run their offense in the fourth quarter, they’re doomed. Not only does it force Isaiah to take on the world, it takes guys like Marcus Smart out of their comfort zone. Instead of the surprisingly efficient corner-3 guy he’s become, Smart feels compelled to do something to help the team, which turns him into the chucker who misses pull ups above the break.
Help exists on this team as currently constituted. We’ve seen the Celtics do it from time to time but they need to do it ALL the time.
Page 2: Celtics showing interest in Bogut
Celtics are one of five teams (CLE, HOU, SA, UTA) to have discussions with Bogut's reps over last 24 hours according to @ShamsCharania.
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) February 26, 2017
As we’ve noted before, the Celtics have the money to spend on one of these buyout guys. All they need to do is waive someone to clear a spot. Guys like James Young and Jordan Mickey have been floated as possibilities, though Young has produced a little for the team lately, which might spare him. Mickey’s got two more years on his deal but next year is not guaranteed and the following is a team option, so he can be waived without much issue.
But is it worth it? Ultimately, what’s the point? Andrew Bogut isn’t a long-term solution to anything, so he’d be a band-aid for right now. Does Bogut change the team dynamic so much that Boston suddenly challenges Cleveland for a spot in the Finals? No, of course not.
If the Celtics have given up on Mickey, then they can make this move and make a few people happy. But in reality, that’s all this would be… a way to sedate the critics who have fallen in love with THIS season and want some sign that the team cares about the “now” as much as they do. Fair warning to those of you I just described, though… I wouldn’t hold your breath
“We have such a good chemistry with this team. We’ve had everybody contributing to winning,” Ainge said. “We’ve had James Young playing the most fourth-quarter minutes [of his career] in the last four games we won on the road. We’ve had Jordan Mickey start in a win, and we’ve had [rookie] Jaylen Brown go 9-1 as a starter [during a stretch before the All-Star break]. There’s so many good things and so many good vibes with these guys. Sometimes you bring in a player, and the players react like, ‘Man, that’s not fair. That kid’s been working hard. That kid’s earned his chance to play.’ I think it goes both ways. Names on paper and past performances don’t always make for, like, a perfect fit with the team that they’re coming to, especially if they don’t fit our style.”
Personally… I’m fine either way. I don’t think Mickey is a huge piece to the puzzle moving forward but I can also see the argument for letting the guy find his footing for one more season. Demetrius Jackson is also expendable, but he’s doing well in the D-League and we don’t know how much a trade will gut our guard situation (I’ll pause here for those of you laughing at the suggestion that Danny will ever make a trade). If the Celtics gut one of those end-of-bench guys to pull in a big that can help with the rebounding, I’m fine with it. If they don’t, that’s fine too.
I just don’t see the long-term impact of this move. I don’t see it mattering a whole lot, so I’m not spending too much time caring about it.
Page 3: Lonzo Ball already making a power play
Lavar Ball: "My son will only play for the Lakers."
— Michael Luke (@ironmikeluke) February 25, 2017
I’m already getting tired of the Ball family. Their dad is a huge shit-talker, saying things like this:
Last week, as a guest on an LA radio show, LaVar was asked if Lonzo has a chance to be as good as NBA superstar Steph Curry.
“Heck no,’’ LaVar said. “He’s going to be better than Steph.’’
“I think he’s better than Steph right now; he just doesn’t have the credentials,’’ LaVar said now, warming up his engines. “Steph is 6-2, 6-3. My boy is 6-7. ’Zo is faster than Steph and he jumps higher. If Steph had to guard Lonzo one-on-one, he couldn’t hold Lonzo. I can’t wait for the first game they play together in the NBA. Then, when my son beats him, then what?’’
And then there are the two younger brothers, both teammates at Chino Hill high school, who combined to take 65 of the team’s 85 shots in a playoff loss. It included this horrific bit of hero ball from LaMelo Ball on the last possession of regulation.
LaMelo’s the same kid who cherry-picked his way to a 92 point game.
Now… I’ve never me the Ball family so I don’t want to disparage them on a personal level, but their public displays have lacked a certain level of humility. However, as Jay King puts it:
After all, if Lonzo becomes a star, the team that drafts him will have three major advantages over other suitors in free agency. First, they control his destiny for four years. “My son will only play for the Lakers” is a pretty empty threat, unless your son will literally refuse to play for any other team that selects him in the lottery. Second, the team that drafts Ball will be able to offer him a max extension after his rookie contract worth a lot of money (an extension, incidentally, that the players’ agent will strongly encourage him to sign). And finally, under the new CBA, they will eventually be able to offer him an incredibly lucrative designated player max deal that other teams (like, just for example, the Lakers) wouldn’t be allowed to match.
I really, really, really hope the Lakers get the fourth pick in the draft. Their pick goes to Philly if it falls out of the top 3, which would mean Lonzo couldn’t be selected by the Lakers at all.
The other scenario that would be hilarious if it wasn’t the absolute worst case would be the Lakers getting a top-3 pick and NOT selecting Ball. If that scenario didn’t make the Lakers better, I’d be openly rooting for it just for the sake of comedy.
In the end, this is not a huge thing, but seriously though… shut up.
I’d rather have Fultz anyway.
And Finally…
The Little Ticket taking ✈️ (via @Isaiah_Thomas)☘ pic.twitter.com/TwRC2tVgJy
— KG's Area 21 (@KGArea21) February 25, 2017
Isaiah’s got some hops. Oh… and by the way, he was cleared in that stupid “gun gesture” investigation
The rest of the links:
Globe: Gary Payton, Isaiah Thomas, and lessons in fearlessness
Herald: Stan Van Gundy likes direction of Celtics, play of Thomas
CSNNE: Young getting on the floor more for Celtics
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