Celtics (0-1) at Hornets (0-1) Preseason Game #2 10/6/16

[SHAQATTACK]

Brown keeps improving , we need his energy and  fire power scoring,  will be hard to keep him on the bench. 

[Eddie20]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQaByRmXTVM


Every basket made by both teams. For those that missed it.

[GratefulCs]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQaByRmXTVM


Every basket made by both teams. For those that missed it.

thanks eddie!

TP

[Surferdad]

Marcus needs to handle the ball more than Rozier in the second unit. He doesn't have the decision-making for a point guard.

Rosier seems to excel when he feels its his team. He's a volume scorer and Im not certain he fits this team. He's an excellent trade chip until he can be consistent with rotation players.

Exactly. He's best when he's the main guy out there and can worry about creating for himself. But he's not very good at involving others.

I just can't believe how brutal some of the people on this forum are, really!

Rozier has a total of 410 minutes of NBA experience and is playing what is arguably the hardest position in the game to learn. 

He's already earned the respect of the coaches and of some of the more experienced guys on the team - I think he deserves to be cut some slack!

I think you're taking me wrong. I've really come around to like Rozier, but I just don't think he's an actual point guard. I think Smart needs to handle the ball more often, and Rozier can be the secondary ball-handler that primarily gets his own offense and occasionally offense for others.

I think he could be a good off-the-ball player for us in the second unit, too, because his shot is actually lightyears ahead of where it was advertised to be. As long as Rozier doesn't get too ball-dominant and focused on creating for himself, I really like the backcourt of him and Smart, though Rozier has to pick up his D. He was burned quite a bit today on gambles and being out of position.

Does it seem like Rozier struggles handling the ball?   He only has 1 turnover in 48 minutes of preseason basketball.   What do you mean when you say he can't be a real point guard?  Traditional point guards aren't necessary in these days.  Definitely not necessary in Brad's system.  As long as a guy can handle the ball and hit shots, he can be a effective at that position.

If he can hit shots consistently, that will be huge.  His shooting percentages over the first two games have been very good.  I wonder if they are experimenting with him playing off the ball, because Smart commands less attention when he doesn't have the ball?  Coming off the worst shooting season ever (and so far 0-6 from three) means that teams probably aren't really respecting Smart's shot and it might mess with spacing.  It's the ol Rondo conundrum.  Guy can't shoot - so give him the ball.  Whereas, if Rozier can keep this up defenses will need to respect him regardless of whether he's got the ball in his hands.

They are experimenting with him off the ball because his distribution skills have been lackluster the first 2 games. He is a score first point guard and the ball is sticking when he has it. There has to be at least 3 possessions where he dribbled for 10 seconds prior to taking his own shot. The thing is, I wouldn't want him to play any other way because thats who he is. I just don't think that works well for the rest of the team. Things will be more clear when KO and GG return.

What we are seeing here with Smart/Rozier is Brad's "positionless basketball" approach to offense.  Either guy can initiate the offense or take the shot, depending upon what is available.  IMO, traditional 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 designations are needed more for defensive side of the ball where you have to match up with the other team.

[BaronV]

He's come into the game trying to be unselfish, trying to move the ball, and trying to be a PG.  The problem is that other then Jaylen Brown (surprisingly enough) there's nobody on that second unit who has been even remotely capable of actually putting the ball in the basket.  Jerebko can only hit wide open threes, Zeller looks lost, and Marcus Smart makes Rajon Rondo look like Steph Curry.

So after 10-15 minutes of trying to be unselfish (and seeing that it's gonig nowhere at all), he's making the adjustment in the second half, taking over the game, and making things happen.

Scal even made a comment in the first half of the first game, criticizing Rozier for not being aggressive enough and for playing too passive - he's trying to find the balance and learn when to be unselfish, when to take over.

From what I've seen so far it seems that when he wants to take over, he can do so pretty much at will.  So when he's taking 3 or 4 FGA in the entire first half it's not because he can't get the shots off, it's just because he's trying to be a team player and play unselfishly.

Moral of the story - if you want Rozier to play unselfishly, then put him on the court with some guys who can actually make shots.  Smart's shooting is depressing beyond words.

It's also worth remembering that these are pre-season games, so essentially practice.  We as fans don't know what the coaching staff has told any particular player to work on, or for the veterans, what they've decided to work on.  So in Rozier's case, maybe the coaches told him to try and be a facilitator in the 1st half, and then told him to shoot more in the 2nd half.  Or in the 1st game the other night, people were concerned that IT was passing more than shooting.  It's likely that he was doing that deliberately, both to work on his passing game, but also to avoid hard contact at the basket in a meaningless game.  He already knows he can make those shots, and so does everyone else.  No reason to do it in practice.  As we get closer to playing meaningful games, I'm sure we'll see a lot of these guys playing more like we expect them to in the regular season. 

-V

[Surferdad]

Unrelated to anything said here post-game:  Were you watching what Brad did with the rotations?  As compared to the Philly game, he brought in bench players more gradually and generally kept a few starters on the floor at all times.  He did his best to minimize the negative impact of Zeller and Mickey.  I think he is also trying see how certain guys (like Jaylen) play with the starters but also simulate his real rotations a little better.  The bench still played more in the 4th quarter than they will in the regular season, but I expect to see regular minutes from the starters for at least the last couple of pre-season games.