Author Topic: Celtics and Lakers headed opposite directions (about the 3 point shot)  (Read 3449 times)

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Offline gift

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Philosophically, the two teams approach the 3 pt shot very differently. From this Sports on Earth article about the NBA preseason: http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/99181564/2014-15-nba-preseason-recap

"16. The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers are heading in opposite directions.

By refuting the importance of three pointers, Byron Scott has declared war against common sense, math and reality. It's probable he loses, and in the meantime between now and the day Lakers management replaces him with a more reasonably-minded leader, Los Angeles will suffer. The team is averaging 8.4 three-point attempts per game, an unfathomably low figure that's obviously lowest in the league, and about half of what the 25th ranked Memphis Grizzlies are throwing up.

It's not as if the Lakers would make the playoffs either way -- and apart from Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Nick Young and Jeremy Lin, there aren't many three-point shooters on the roster anyway -- but that's besides the point. It's disturbing for a head coach in 2014 to approach offense the way Scott plans to. Remember when the Lakers fired Mike Brown after five games? Scott should.

Meanwhile, 3,000 miles away in Massachusetts, Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics are stuffing tasty sandwiches filled with logic and intelligence into their mouths. The Celtics are launching 29 threes per game (tied with Cleveland for second in the league, behind only the Dallas Mavericks), which is the exact same number the Houston Rockets led the NBA with during last year's preseason. Jared Sullinger, Kelly Olynyk, Bradley, Smart and Marcus Thornton all have a very green light, and even mid-range maven Brandon Bass was seen hoisting a corner three on Sunday against the Brooklyn Nets. What upgrades this information from juicy to important is the fact that Boston is also the seventh most accurate three-point shooting team in the league right now. It's unsustainable for a variety of reasons, but that doesn't make it any less hopeful in the big picture.

As with the Lakers, the Celtics aren't a very good team, with glaring problems throughout the roster. But coming off a year in which they were slightly below average in three-point attempts per game, the length they've gone to embrace the shot this preseason is impressive. Whether either coach's drastic attitude toward offense carries over into the regular season is unknown, but from what we've seen, these two proud franchises appear to be headed in two very different directions. "
« Last Edit: October 23, 2014, 04:28:47 PM by wdleehi »

Re: Celtics and Lakers headed opposite directions
« Reply #1 on: October 23, 2014, 03:46:30 PM »

Offline Lucky17

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After reading the thread title, I was surprised by the ensuing discussion of the three pointer.
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Re: Celtics and Lakers headed opposite directions
« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2014, 04:26:11 PM »

Offline greece66

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After reading the thread title, I was surprised by the ensuing discussion of the three pointer.
What else did you expect from a thread that begins with the word "philosophically". Only analytic chaos can follow from that.

Re: Celtics and Lakers headed opposite directions (about the 3 point shot)
« Reply #3 on: October 23, 2014, 04:30:07 PM »

Offline wdleehi

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I edited the the title to reduce the confusion



but philosophically, I would mind believing this would be about the rise of the Celtics and the fall of the Lakers.

Re: Celtics and Lakers headed opposite directions (about the 3 point shot)
« Reply #4 on: October 23, 2014, 04:32:20 PM »

Offline D.o.s.

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Someone else on here (I forget who, sorry!) put it best. 2014 Celtics to follow in model of 2002 Celtics.

As long as we don't end up as boring as the current Houston Rockets, I'm ok with that.
At least a goldfish with a Lincoln Log on its back goin' across your floor to your sock drawer has a miraculous connotation to it.

Re: Celtics and Lakers headed opposite directions (about the 3 point shot)
« Reply #5 on: October 23, 2014, 04:54:16 PM »

Offline Lucky17

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but philosophically, I would mind believing this would be about the rise of the Celtics and the fall of the Lakers.

Oh, that's what I was expecting.

Seems like the Lakers' eschewing the 3 is a hot topic lately. I think this is third article today I've read about it.
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Re: Celtics and Lakers headed opposite directions (about the 3 point shot)
« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2014, 05:12:51 PM »

Offline Fred Roberts

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"As with the Lakers, the Celtics aren't a very good team, with glaring problems throughout the roster."

Couldn't agree less with this one sentence in the analysis. Is a All-Star level PG (Rondo) a glaring weakness? Are two pitbull defenders at SG (Bradley, Smart) weaknesses? Are our wings a real weakness (Green, Turner, Wallace)? They seem to be league average or better and very deep. Interior defense and youth are weaknesses, but outside of that I see much more upside on this roster, especially in contrast to the Lakers.

The meat of the article is good though. Celts are adapting to the way the game is played, and will get the most out of their guys. Scott is in a tough spot out West. They are in for a good dose of humiliation this year.

Re: Celtics and Lakers headed opposite directions (about the 3 point shot)
« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2014, 05:53:23 PM »

Offline nicknorman

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Yeah I am all for the 3 as long as it is efficient. Sully last year shot 27% from behind the line. This preseason he is shooting 50%.

As long as he continues that I have no problem. But last year it probably was hurting the team more than helping.

Re: Celtics and Lakers headed opposite directions (about the 3 point shot)
« Reply #8 on: October 23, 2014, 07:16:12 PM »

Offline Who

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I agree with Scott that dribble penetration is priority over three point shooting.

Gotta be able to collapse the defense to create open (read: high percentage) shot attempts.

Re: Celtics and Lakers headed opposite directions (about the 3 point shot)
« Reply #9 on: October 23, 2014, 07:53:40 PM »

Offline mgent

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I agree with Scott that dribble penetration is priority over three point shooting.

Gotta be able to collapse the defense to create open (read: high percentage) shot attempts.

Are we sure that's the reason though?  Not because the Lakers don't have 3pt shooters?  I mean they basically lost everyone of their players that can shoot worth anything:  Meeks, Blake, Farmar, Kendall Marshall, Kent Bazemore, Kaman.  And added nobody, Nick Young is the only guy left.
Philly:

Anderson Varejao    Tiago Splitter    Matt Bonner
David West    Kenyon Martin    Brad Miller
Andre Iguodala    Josh Childress    Marquis Daniels
Dwyane Wade    Leandro Barbosa
Kirk Hinrich    Toney Douglas   + the legendary Kevin McHale

Re: Celtics and Lakers headed opposite directions (about the 3 point shot)
« Reply #10 on: October 23, 2014, 07:55:15 PM »

fitzhickey

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"As with the Lakers, the Celtics aren't a very good team, with glaring problems throughout the roster."

Couldn't agree less with this one sentence in the analysis. Is a All-Star level PG (Rondo) a glaring weakness? Are two pitbull defenders at SG (Bradley, Smart) weaknesses? Are our wings a real weakness (Green, Turner, Wallace)? They seem to be league average or better and very deep. Interior defense and youth are weaknesses, but outside of that I see much more upside on this roster, especially in contrast to the Lakers.

The meat of the article is good though. Celts are adapting to the way the game is played, and will get the most out of their guys. Scott is in a tough spot out West. They are in for a good dose of humiliation this year.
Our main weakness is that we aren't going to win many games, and neither are the Lakers.

Re: Celtics and Lakers headed opposite directions (about the 3 point shot)
« Reply #11 on: October 23, 2014, 08:01:01 PM »

Offline SHAQATTACK

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Lakers can 't have more shooters than Kobe will allow.    Three balls wiz zing over Kobe's head , instead of finding their way into his trigger happy little paws would be bound to agitate him to no end.

Re: Celtics and Lakers headed opposite directions (about the 3 point shot)
« Reply #12 on: October 23, 2014, 08:24:15 PM »

Offline GetLucky

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I agree with Scott that dribble penetration is priority over three point shooting.

Gotta be able to collapse the defense to create open (read: high percentage) shot attempts.

I think this is kind of a chicken-or-egg scenario because one could argue that dribble penetration opportunities would be hard to get without shooters spacing the floor.

Re: Celtics and Lakers headed opposite directions (about the 3 point shot)
« Reply #13 on: October 23, 2014, 08:43:30 PM »

Offline Celtics18

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I agree with Scott that dribble penetration is priority over three point shooting.

Gotta be able to collapse the defense to create open (read: high percentage) shot attempts.

I think this is kind of a chicken-or-egg scenario because one could argue that dribble penetration opportunities would be hard to get without shooters spacing the floor.

True.

Dribble penetrators help perimeter shooters get good looks, and perimeter shooters help open up the lane for dribble penetrators.

Can't wait to see Rajon Rondo jump into the mix with our new look floor spreading offense. 
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Re: Celtics and Lakers headed opposite directions (about the 3 point shot)
« Reply #14 on: October 24, 2014, 06:41:24 AM »

Offline greece66

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The difference is that we are tanking in a way that helps our players improve (by missing lots of 3's Smart is at least learning something), whereas LAL is simply tanking. Good luck keeping Kobe under control, his latest media announcements suggest he is ready to explode big time.