CelticsStrong

Celtics Basketball => Celtics Talk => Topic started by: liam on December 07, 2017, 12:52:23 AM

Title: Shane Larkin is sparkin'!
Post by: liam on December 07, 2017, 12:52:23 AM
When Danny Ainge picked up Shane Larkin in the off season I remembered seeing him play with Brooklyn and thought he had some skills on the offensive side of the ball but everything Larkin took on offense he quickly gave back on defense. He did not play that side of the ball at all. This new Celtics Shane Larkin is at least hustling on defense. I guess Brad Stevens brings it out in players. He gets them to buy in and play hard on both ends. Larkin had a good night against Dallas last night and really helped spark the win and not just on the offensive side of the ball but he really got after it against The Mav's small guards. The next man up philosophy is in full effect for the surprising Boston Celtics!
Title: Re: Shane Larkin is sparkin'!
Post by: trickybilly on December 07, 2017, 01:31:19 AM
Switching with Dirk wasn't awesome..
Title: Re: Shane Larkin is sparkin'!
Post by: liam on December 07, 2017, 10:35:34 AM
Switching with Dirk wasn't awesome..

No but, the little dude has a lot of fight in him.
Title: Re: Shane Larkin is sparkin'!
Post by: hwangjini_1 on December 07, 2017, 10:46:06 AM
larkin is what, the 13th player on the team? already he has had a couple of good nights and last night his effort kept the celtics close enough to win the game.

this year's version of the celtics has a lot of talented role players, whom CBS is brilliant at deploying and getting the most out of.

i expect we will see "good shane" a few more times this season, and that is a good thing.
Title: Re: Shane Larkin is sparkin'!
Post by: jambr380 on December 07, 2017, 11:16:28 AM
Haven't been a huge fan of him this season, but he was certainly on from 3 and he had that great up and under. He came up big when we really needed him and I am glad to see his hard work paying off.

One thing that has been fairly consistent this season is his ability to stay with his man. It is probably his size, but he gets around picks without giving up the shot/penetration better than a lot of guards in this league. He is small, but he appears to be using his size to his advantage.

Another part of the game where I think he can excel is the PnR. Last night wasn't a great example of this as Dallas was daring him to shoot, but teams may start to respect his shot a bit more and he will get opportunities to hit a cutting big man rolling to the hoop.
Title: Re: Shane Larkin is sparkin'!
Post by: footey on December 07, 2017, 11:53:37 AM
I was totally non-plussed by his signing.

Wow, has he pleasantly surprised me.  He is like a poor man's IT for us.  Great situational guy to have as a spark off the bench, especially against smaller guards. 

Well done, Ainge.
Title: Re: Shane Larkin is sparkin'!
Post by: Fafnir on December 07, 2017, 12:02:21 PM
Eh Larkins been bad overall, glad he had one of his good games last night.

Even then his poor play defensively was one of the reasons Dallas went on one of their runs in the first half. There is a good reason he is a DNP if we're healthy lately.
Title: Re: Shane Larkin is sparkin'!
Post by: Surferdad on December 07, 2017, 12:35:33 PM
When Danny Ainge picked up Shane Larkin in the off season I remembered seeing him play with Brooklyn and thought he had some skills on the offensive side of the ball but everything Larkin took on offense he quickly gave back on defense. He did not play that side of the ball at all. This new Celtics Shane Larkin is at least hustling on defense. I guess Brad Stevens brings it out in players. He gets them to buy in and play hard on both ends. Larkin had a good night against Dallas last night and really helped spark the win and not just on the offensive side of the ball but he really got after it against The Mav's small guards. The next man up philosophy is in full effect for the surprising Boston Celtics!
Yup, during the game I was thinking Larkin vs. Barea was like watching middle school kids playing, lol.
Title: Re: Shane Larkin is sparkin'!
Post by: vjcsmoke on December 07, 2017, 12:47:40 PM
He adds a nice veteran presence to the second unit with some instant-offense as well.  DA's pickups have all paid off in some way or another.

My only worry is Yabusele.  Although he gave quite a few nice assists against the Mavs.  Hopefully he wraps his head around the NBA soon.  Because as many have noted his body and physical strength are already quite good.
Title: Re: Shane Larkin is sparkin'!
Post by: SHAQATTACK on December 07, 2017, 03:15:58 PM
He is one of the better mighty mites Danny has signed over few years .   He can play at NBA speed and does not seem rattled under pressure .  Buys imto his role well.   
Title: Re: Shane Larkin is sparkin'!
Post by: Jiri Welsch on December 07, 2017, 04:17:36 PM
He adds a nice veteran presence to the second unit with some instant-offense as well.  DA's pickups have all paid off in some way or another.

My only worry is Yabusele.  Although he gave quite a few nice assists against the Mavs.  Hopefully he wraps his head around the NBA soon.  Because as many have noted his body and physical strength are already quite good.

Give him (Yabu) some time... He also isn’t really “needed” to be great this year and seems to be a good personality for the team. The guys cheered for him quite a bit when he made that 3 against Dallas.

Larkin is a nice statement player for Stevens. I love that he plays Shane when the team just can’t get things going!
Title: Re: Shane Larkin is sparkin'!
Post by: liam on December 14, 2017, 12:06:29 PM
He is one of the better mighty mites Danny has signed over few years .   He can play at NBA speed and does not seem rattled under pressure .  Buys imto his role well.

Putting Larkin into a game is like a changeup pitch in baseball. He comes in and plays at a different speed and temporally throws the other team off. He's a valuable weapon to have on the deep bench.
Title: Re: Shane Larkin is sparkin'!
Post by: More Banners on December 14, 2017, 12:33:04 PM
Getting excited over 3rd string, barely NBA players is one of the things I love about Celticsblog.
Title: Re: Shane Larkin is sparkin'!
Post by: Redz on December 14, 2017, 12:41:32 PM
I can think of 2 games earlier in the season that he definitely was the difference between a win and a loss.  Last night they might have been able to do it without his production, but be he sure as heck made it a lot easier (and enjoyable to watch!).

Title: Re: Shane Larkin is sparkin'!
Post by: Surferdad on December 14, 2017, 12:47:17 PM
To celebrate this thread, I think I'll go for some 'sparkin' myself tonight.   ;)
Title: Re: Shane Larkin is sparkin'!
Post by: liam on December 14, 2017, 08:43:29 PM
Getting excited over 3rd string, barely NBA players is one of the things I love about Celticsblog.

ME TOO!
Title: Re: Shane Larkin is sparkin'!
Post by: CelticsElite on December 14, 2017, 08:48:09 PM
Getting excited over 3rd string, barely NBA players is one of the things I love about Celticsblog.
honest question- how is he a barely nba player? He has been the main reason or a big reason of 3 wins . We're 30 games into the season. He was instrumental in 10% of our wins. That's big for a bench guy. He is an nba player
Title: Re: Shane Larkin is sparkin'!
Post by: liam on December 14, 2017, 08:53:22 PM
Getting excited over 3rd string, barely NBA players is one of the things I love about Celticsblog.
honest question- how is he a barely nba player? He has been the main reason or a big reason of 3 wins . We're 30 games into the season. He was instrumental in 10% of our wins. That's big for a bench guy. He is an nba player

You are right. I think if you are playing in the NBA you are an NBA player. I think that is the definition.
Title: Re: Shane Larkin is sparkin'!
Post by: GreenFaith1819 on December 14, 2017, 09:00:04 PM
Love the player but if I see one more "Shane" thread on here I'm going insane in the membrane.
Title: Re: Shane Larkin is sparkin'!
Post by: liam on December 15, 2017, 02:50:55 PM
To celebrate this thread, I think I'll go for some 'sparkin' myself tonight.   ;)

Nice! 8)