This team need a real coach....

[Celtics4ever]

Who's the great rim protector for Phoenix?  Alex Len?  Who were the great rim protectors for the Bulls in the 90s?  Luc Longley?  Bill Wennington?

I'm not saying rim protection is unimportant but  the idea that it's the only problem we have is ridiculous.

Mike

The game has changed a lot since those days.  Phoenix has not won a title but they are good enough to beat us, I bet half the teams in the NBA are and a lot of them have good big men.

Bill Russell won more than MJ and he was a great rim protector.   I would bet you, I can name more teams who won it with a shotblocker than you can for teams without one.  The 80s Laker teams had Kareem, Celtics team in 60s Russell, Celtics teams in 80s Parrish and McHale, Celtics teams in 70's had Cowens.  Rockets had Hakeem, Shaq was a rim protector for a few Laker Champions.  Duncan Spurs.   I can go on and on and on. 

The Bulls had guys who would knock you on your butt too.

That is over 25 titles.  Your left with the Bulls and Heat what is that like 9 titles.  Not a good ratio, get the picture now.

[MBunge]

get the picture now.

And if this team was going for a championship and didn't have a big guy to block shots, I'd be as concerned as anyone.

But to look at this team and its defense and make excuses by saying "they don't have a rim protector" is nonsense.  Having that guy would almost certainly help but he's not going to be a magic wand.

Cleveland has three guys currently averaging 1.2 blocks per 36 or more, and their defense is pretty terrible.  How many rim protectors does LeBron need?

Mike

[Pvictor11]

Protecting the rim does not mean just blocking shots. if you make your opponent change his shot at the rim, you did the job. If you have a sheriff down low like perkins in his good days, opponents think twice about driving straight up to the rim. Right now, we don't have a player that can make our opponents few a little fear about driving to the hoop.
We don't need just a pure shot blocker, we need a guy that imposes a little respect under the rim, that can keep the opponents away and make them settle for a jump shot over going for a layup.

[Donoghus]

This team needs a helluva lot more than simply the magical "rim protector".

[eugen]

Another game lost not being able to manage the lead...I am repeating that this coach can not manage a professional team...

[BitterJim]

Another game lost not being able to manage the lead...I am repeating that this coach can not manage a professional team...

Exactly, we just got blown out by one of the worst teams in NBA history.  Stevens is clueless! We have one of the best team ever assembled and we lose to a bunch of scrubs?  What a joke.

[eugen]

Another game lost not being able to manage the lead...I am repeating that this coach can not manage a professional team...

Exactly, we just got blown out by one of the worst teams in NBA history.  Stevens is clueless! We have one of the best team ever assembled and we lose to a bunch of scrubs?  What a joke.

Well..maybe you made a reference ...we just got blown out by one of the worst teams in NBA history=reserves of OKC without KD and Westbrook(2 weeks before...remember...?!@HOME )

[BitterJim]

Another game lost not being able to manage the lead...I am repeating that this coach can not manage a professional team...

Exactly, we just got blown out by one of the worst teams in NBA history.  Stevens is clueless! We have one of the best team ever assembled and we lose to a bunch of scrubs?  What a joke.

Well..maybe you made a reference ...we just got blown out by one of the worst teams in NBA history=reserves of OKC without KD and Westbrook(2 weeks before...remember...?!)

Maybe it's just me, but I wouldn't call Serge Ibaka and Reggie Jackson "reserves", and certainly wouldn't call that team "one of the worst teams in NBA history", especially considering that they aren't even the worst team in the NBA RIGHT NOW (that "honor" belongs to the truly disgusting 76ers)

[Future Celtics Owner]

I'm actually very pleased. We are in the race for Karl Towns and our guys are putting up league leading points per game.....if your a fan that wants a great draft pick in this loaded center draft, and also want the team to maximize it's assets , then you can't ask for more.

[greece66]

Stevens is a good coach.

[eugen]

Another game lost in Stevens way...

[D.o.s.]

Coaches can't be that much better than their players.

[SHAQATTACK]

Coaches can't be that much better than their players.

I tend to agree.  He does an outstanding job preparing the team .  Practice .A

He still has a ways to go on game night ....... Probably c+

Most of his problem is lack of elite go to player .....and a starting pro calibre center to defend the pant .

So we are waiting , like Brad ...for DA to do something.

[MBunge]

Coaches can't be that much better than their players.

Stevens isn't supposed to be Mark Jackson.  He's supposed to a high basketball IQ guy.  He's supposed to be the Butler guy who wins with less talent.

Have you ever seen a dumber coaching decision than Stevens taking Rondo out in the middle of the third quarter as Atlanta was in the midst of their comeback?  And doing it after seeing the team implode in the second half so many times before?

And I don't care how much you want to blame the players, bad coaching is obviously part of the reason Boston's defense is so pitiful.

Is Brad Stevens the JR Giddens or Joe Forte of coaches?

Mike

[Rondo9]

Coaches can't be that much better than their players.

Stevens isn't supposed to be Mark Jackson.  He's supposed to a high basketball IQ guy.  He's supposed to be the Butler guy who wins with less talent.

Have you ever seen a dumber coaching decision than Stevens taking Rondo out in the middle of the third quarter as Atlanta was in the midst of their comeback?  And doing it after seeing the team implode in the second half so many times before?

And I don't care how much you want to blame the players, bad coaching is obviously part of the reason Boston's defense is so pitiful.

Is Brad Stevens the JR Giddens or Joe Forte of coaches?

Mike

I've read that Stevens took out Rondo in the first quarter while he had 7 assists.