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.
Defending without fouling has become a much bigger concern for a Boston (33-25) team that returns home from a three-game road trip having lost two of those three games.
“It’s frustrating,” said Celtics head coach Brad Stevens of the high number of fouls called against his team. “It’s very frustrating.”
The Celtics average a league-high 22.7 fouls committed per game this season.
During the last three games, they have been even worse with a 27.7 fouls committed per game average that not surprisingly, is also the worst mark in the league.
CSNNE – Celtics foul trouble ‘very frustrating’ for Stevens
The issue is the Celtics have two of the top 33 players in fouls: Marcus Smart is tied for sixth (despite averaging just 27.2 minutes a game), and Jared Sullinger, who has battled foul troubles his entire career. In addition, Avery Bradley has been prone to the bizarre or overaggressive foul, such as a reach-in on Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton in the final second Feb. 9 that cost the Celtics a chance at OT.
In February, the Celtics have allowed opponents to reach the free throw line a whopping 33.1 times, second to last in the NBA behind the lottery-bound Suns. Opposing teams have also shot 46.9 percent against the Celtics (13th) and scored 108.5 points (seventh). The defense has suffered and the fouling has cost the Celtics games against Minnesota and Milwaukee.
Globe – Celtics’ foul problems cross the line
In the second half of their loss at Minnesota, the Celtics were outscored 26 to 8 at the foul line. A few of those were from intentional fouls to stop the clock, and some of it was on the refs (Isaiah Thomas had zero free-throw attempts). Still, that margin is much too big.
The point that comes across in these articles is simply: the Celtics must be more intelligent on defense. And, in my opinion, that especially applies to Marcus Smart.
There’s no doubt Smart is a defensive stud, on his way to being a perennial all-defense selection. His positioning, physicality, awareness, anticipation and, umm, smarts, enable him to pull off jaw-dropping stuff like his claw-like steal in Minnesota.
Smart goes out of his way to create contact with opponents, and he usually makes that work to his advantage. Not so in the last four games, where he fouled out once and picked up five fouls three times. It’s a pattern that needs to be stopped. And while I don’t mean to single out Smart, it’s easy to see a problem: he tries too hard to fool the refs. For example:
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No offensive foul was called on that play, even though the dribbler pushed off, because Smart oversold his reaction. When trying to draw a charge, he has a habit of going down violently, as if a train hit him. It’s so obviously fake that the officials are reacting by ignoring legitimate charges. It also seems like the refs are punishing Smart by giving him little leeway, even on mundane plays like this, this and this.
Every NBA great has had pet moves that are maybe illegal, but subtle enough to get the benefit of the doubt from the officials. If Smart can develop some finesse, he should be able to get that same treatment, and become the defensive stopper we know he can be.
Related: CSNNE – Is Marcus Smart’s flopping becoming a problem? (Podcast, download and fast forward to 8:55 for Smart segment)
On Page 2: Down the stretch they come
The Celtics, recent stumble aside, project well based on the home-friendly nature of their schedule, but Stevens will remind them that none of that matters unless they actually perform on the court.
According to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, Boston currently forecasts at 47.9 wins, two wins more than both Miami (45.9) and Indiana (45.5). It’s an even bigger projected cushion over teams like the Hawks (44.1), Hornets (43.6), Bulls (43), and Pistons (41.4). BPI still pegs Boston’s most likely land spot as the No. 3 seed, forecasting the Celtics with a 47.5 percent chance to finish there.
ESPN Boston – Celtics enter home stretch with favorable schedule
Hard to believe the Celts have only 24 games remaining on the schedule. It seems like the regular season is flying by, although it’s been a long time (two weeks) since they played in Boston.
The Cs are now at home for the next five games, seven of the next eight, and 14 of the total 24. They have just five more back-to-backs and one more West coast trip. Those are offset by five breaks in the schedule of either two or three days, allowing for rest and practice time – two things that Brad Stevens no doubt welcomes.
During this final stretch, we’re all hoping – even expecting, perhaps – that the Celtics will lock up the third seed in the East. But we should take anything for granted. Brad certainly isn’t.
Before Monday’s loss in Minnesota, Stevens noted how, in the crowded East, Boston remains as close to being out of the playoffs as it does to being the No. 2 seed.
“We’re as close to ninth as we are to second,” he said. “That’s real. That’s what it is. … Outside of Cleveland and Toronto, everybody else you can throw in a hat. We just happen to be able to put together some wins here, but that stuff is going to go up and down. You’re going to have to play these last 25 games as well as you can. You’re not going to feel safe, that’s for sure.”
Related: CSNNE – Celtics look to take advantage of long homestand
And, finally: Despite what Seinfeld said, we don’t root for laundry
Do C’s fans fall in love with their own players when things are going well, as they are with the club sitting third in the East with wins in 11 of 15? No question. Celtics fans are a patient bunch, even sometimes to a fault. They’re willing to watch this rebuild unfold and don’t “need a superstar yesterday.”
Boston.com – Jae Crowder is both underrated and overrated
This is a good piece about Crowder that covers a lot of the now familiar ground about him – the steal of the Rondo trade, glue guy, etc. – but the key point was that many Cs’ fans didn’t want to lose him in a hypothetical trade for Kevin Love.
The quoted paragraph above jumped out because it’s so true. In my observation, Celtics fans don’t just root for our guys, we bond with them. And sometimes that means we overvalue them. Guilty as charged. Not apologizing for it, either.
That is all.
The Rest of the Links:
Boston.com – The Celtics made no additions, but they still add up to a winning and admirable team
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