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.
The only player in the last 20 years to average more points per game on the second nights of back-to-backs is one of Thomas’ idols, Allen Iverson, who averaged 34.9 points during the 2004-05 season.
“I know the thing about back-to-backs, you just have to lock in a little bit more,” said Thomas. “It’s more mental than anything because you’re tired. You’re obviously tired from playing the night before. I just try to stay locked in, try to take advantage of my opportunity, and make the plays my teammates need me to make.”
The Celtics are 8-3 in the second game of back-to-backs this year thanks in large part to Thomas. In his last seven games on the tail end of back-to-backs, he’s averaging 39.1 points per game, which included a 52-point outburst against the Miami Heat in late December. Thomas set a franchise record by producing a 29-point fourth quarter that night.
While Isaiah Thomas has received endless praise for his fourth quarter dominance, his high-scoring performances include historic numbers on the second night of “back-to-back” games. The Celtics are 8-3 in such games, much thanks to Thomas and his 34.2 point scoring average. And over the past seven “back-to-backs,” he’s averaging a remarkable 39.1 points per game. I assure you these stats are not made up.
The Celtics under Brad Stevens have generally played well on zero days rest. They were 12-7 last season and 13-5 the year prior. Only four more times this season will the team play on the second night of a back-to-back.
Coaches have increasingly rested players on back-to-back games since Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich popularized the trend. As the Celtics have one of the younger rosters in the league, we haven’t seen the team employ this strategy over the past few seasons, but with heightened playoff expectations, I would not be surprised if Brad Stevens started resting players towards latter parts of the season.
PS – With Toronto’s loss yesterday to the Magic, the Celtics now sit alone in 2nd place in the Eastern conference.
Page 2: Waiting for Avery Bradley to Continue his Career Year
Pause a moment and appreciate the steps Bradley has taken in this, his seventh season. After averaging 11.5 points in his first six years, he’s scoring 17.7 a game in 2016-17. His overall shooting has gone from .438 to .475, and on 3-pointers from .360 to .409. His rebounds are up from 2.6 to 6.9.
If it’s a more recent comparison you seek, he shot .447 last year (.361 on treys) with 2.9 rebounds.
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“Isaiah’s having a spectacular year, and I think that’s a little bit overshadowed how great of a year Avery’s having,” said president of basketball operations Danny Ainge. “Isaiah is a more charismatic personality than Avery, because Avery doesn’t seek that limelight and enjoy that as much as Isaiah does. They’re just different personalities. But Avery is so critical to our success.
“Listen, he is our best defensive player, and he’s our second-best offensive player. And that’s a rare combination for a player.”
The Celtics are an admirable 6-4 since Avery Bradley was sidelined with an achilles injury. His per game averages of 17.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, along with his 40.9 percent three-point shooting, are all career highs. His expanded offensive arsenal allows him to feel comfortable running a pick-and-roll, driving to the rim consistently, and shooting off the dribble.
Danny Ainge hit the nail on the head when saying Bradley’s good season is getting overshadowed by Isaiah’s. Ainge has staunchly defended him in the past. In addition to proclaiming Bradley would have been a top-10 pick if he stayed another year in college, Ainge never sought to move him during the post KG/Pierce roster makeover, and offered him a 4 year/$32 million contract despite questions about his health. The confidence has payed major dividends this season, as Bradley is unquestionably on one of the best contracts in the league.
Amidst his offensive improvement, some believe Bradley’s defense has suffered. Boston’s defense has underperformed all year, ranking 21st in defensive efficiency. The stats say Bradley is part of the problem — the defense allows a horrid 111.9 points per 100 possessions when he’s on the floor, but they improve to 107.2 points per 100 possessions when he’s not playing. He ranks 77th out of 99 qualified shooting guards in ESPN’s defensive real plus-minus (RPM).
Despite the lack of empirical support for Bradley’s defense, his impending return should solidify the rotation and improve the team defense. With a healthy rotation and half-season sample size of lineup data, Brad Stevens will continually search for the optimal defensive parings. The Celtics will not finish with the league’s best defense like many predicted — the team must focus on simply getting to the top half of the league.
The Rest of the Links:
Boston Globe: Knicks Send Scouts to Evaluate Celtics Players
NESN: Nikola Vucevic Trade Rumors
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