Jazz (0-4) at Celtics (0-4) Game 5 11/6

[ACF]

I haven't said this in a while:

TP for the GT - Go Celtics!

[D.o.s.]

I'm sticking by 26 wins for the season.

And I think this will be the first.

[Surferdad]

I think Utah is ripe for the picking.

Their PG rotation is John Lucas III and Jamaal Tinsley. Neither one of which should be playing regular minutes in the NBA. Their big man duo of Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter is pretty solid but they have no depth behind them. I mean Rudy Gobert is their main backup big. Gordon Hayward is a strong player on the wing but after Hayward they are relying on Richard Jefferson and Alec Burks. Both are good backup quality wings and question marks as starters.

There is some young talent there to be developed for the future but in the here and now there isn't a whole lot of talent on that Utah Jazz squad. I think they are going to be something like a 25 win team this year.

Maybe, but you can make a similar argument about the C's.  Our starters are all bench players except perhaps Green.

[Quetzalcoatl]

Favors / Kanter / Hayward are three legit NBA starters.  They are all second banana types, but if/when they hit in the lottery this year they should get good pretty quick.

We on the other hand just have Rondo and Green, plus maybe Vitor, and guess what?  Rondo ain't playing.  Our team is garbage until he gets back and we add a top 5 lottery pick to the line up, plus a good FA

[Who]

I think Utah is ripe for the picking.

Their PG rotation is John Lucas III and Jamaal Tinsley. Neither one of which should be playing regular minutes in the NBA. Their big man duo of Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter is pretty solid but they have no depth behind them. I mean Rudy Gobert is their main backup big. Gordon Hayward is a strong player on the wing but after Hayward they are relying on Richard Jefferson and Alec Burks. Both are good backup quality wings and question marks as starters.

There is some young talent there to be developed for the future but in the here and now there isn't a whole lot of talent on that Utah Jazz squad. I think they are going to be something like a 25 win team this year.

Maybe, but you can make a similar argument about the C's.  Our starters are all bench players except perhaps Green.

In a different way ...

Celtics have a lot of quality rotation players but lack high end talent.

Whereas Utah have some talent but a serious lack of depth.

[manl_lui]

I say we will start to see a better set rotation after 10 games. It's starting to take shape. Though I rather see Sully in the starting lineup over Bass

PG (I hope pressey), Bradley, Green, Sully, Vitor

Of course when rondo comes back, I hope

Rondo/Pressey (from Brad Stevens, doesn't seem like he'll play Pressey anytime soon)
Bradley/Crawford
Green/Wallace
Sully/Bass
Vitor/Humphries

[nickagneta]

Another bad team on the docket tonight?

The C's may have had the softest 5 game start of the season of any team and yet might start the season 0-5.

I think that says a lot about just how poorly constructed this team is(purposely, of course).

[LarBrd33]

Let's keep rolling with the losses.  Ender Wiggin or bust.

[LarBrd33]

Another bad team on the docket tonight?

The C's may have had the softest 5 game start of the season of any team and yet might start the season 0-5.

Agreed... once we start playing competent teams we're going to see some blowouts.

[Who]

I think Kanter is a top 20 center in the league (or thereabouts). So middle of the pack starter or slightly below. A below par defender + defensive rebounder. A good but unexceptional offensive player and strong offensive rebounder.

Still very turnover prone offensively. So that 17.8ppg comes on 14 FGAs with only a small number of FTAs (3) and a large number of turnovers (3.5) which scores him about 0.922 points per possession. Not much of a passer yet either. His lack of explosive athleticism limiting him in one-on-one situations (turnovers, lack of FTAs).

Derrick Favors is a solid starting PF. A below average but solid starter. A very strong defender + rebounder but one of the more limited offensive threats in the league at the starting PF role.  A weak passer, a limited jump-shooter and not much of a post game. Value wise, Favors is pretty close to someone like Taj Gibson.

I think there is a lot of potential there but let's not confuse that with their current value (on the court). They are good players but not high end ones. Not dominant players. Not players who can lead a team. Good players who would be well suited to being the 4th-6th best player on title contender.

[D.o.s.]

Another bad team on the docket tonight?

The C's may have had the softest 5 game start of the season of any team and yet might start the season 0-5.

Agreed... once we start playing competent teams we're going to see some blowouts.

Aside from the Grizzlies?

Who, I guess, don't win games with high volume scoring, so that's fair.

[LarBrd33]

Another bad team on the docket tonight?

The C's may have had the softest 5 game start of the season of any team and yet might start the season 0-5.

Agreed... once we start playing competent teams we're going to see some blowouts.

Aside from the Grizzlies?

Who, I guess, don't win games with high volume scoring, so that's fair.

I'm proud that we hung in there.  I hope all of them are hard-fought losses.  The grizzlies should be a playoff team this year... I figured that would have been our first blowout.

[thirstyboots18]

Join us in the CelticBlog Chat Room after the game (10:00 p.m. EST for interactive conversation with the hosts of CLNSRadio's Post Game Podcast.  Host Brandon Paul will be joining us in chat, so get your questions or comments ready. 

You can also call in directly at &347)215-7771, to talk on air (or just to listen).

[Q_FBE]

Need to bust out my lucky charms for this one and get that 1st victory. The over under of 27.5 is going to be way under if Rondo misses most of the season and a trade is not made. If there is a tank quality to this season it is that Rondo is taking the Derek Rose approach to getting back on the court.

[D.o.s.]

Another bad team on the docket tonight?

The C's may have had the softest 5 game start of the season of any team and yet might start the season 0-5.

Agreed... once we start playing competent teams we're going to see some blowouts.

Aside from the Grizzlies?

Who, I guess, don't win games with high volume scoring, so that's fair.

I'm proud that we hung in there.  I hope all of them are hard-fought losses.  The grizzlies should be a playoff team this year... I figured that would have been our first blowout.

Me too, actually. Was surprised to tune in and see us keeping up.

Anyway, we can beat the Jazz. We should beat the Jazz. If we keep winning 20% of our games we'll be right around the 16 wins you need for a top 4 pick.