Author Topic: Grade each Celtics player for their performance so far this season  (Read 3397 times)

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Offline CelticsElite

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Halfway through   the season so thought it was good To do this

Kyrie, A: he's been much better at defense than expected. Top 3 in MVP running

Tatum, A Didn't think we got the league leader in 3 pters when we drafted him, nor did I See he is proficient at defense

Morris, C+/ B-: he's shown up at critical times. Been pleased with his performance

Smart, C+: his offense hasn't improved . His defense good as usual. With the bench scoring droughts being to blame for a lot of losses
I'll finish my grades when I get the chance lol
« Last Edit: January 21, 2018, 11:29:01 PM by CelticsElite »

Re: Grade each Celtics player for their performance so far this season
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2018, 01:32:50 AM »

Offline keevsnick

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Irving, A: Hard to argue with what he's given you this year. Elite offense with at least passable defense and much more effort on that end to.

Brown, A-: Made a lot of improvements, better team defender, shooter improved. His handle is better, and he's even shown an advanced dribble move here and there which will make him even better going to the rim. Shown a little passing recently. Needs to be more consistent and hit is free throws. Its gonna be really interesting to see if he can make a similar jump going from year 2 to 3.

Tatum, A-: Would have been an A but he's slowed down a little recently. Excellent all around game at only 19. Not quite ready to take over on a consistent basis but has been better defensively than I thought he would be. Needs to improve his one on one defense and passing. ALSO HE SHOULD SHOOT MORE. But that will come with experience.

Horford, B+: Really struggled with this one, he's been so efficient and has improved his rebounding. Was dominant defensively early on. Yet he can also disappear at times. Will admit I'm grading him on a bite of a curve since I think he's a better player than Tatum or Brown but I judge a vet max player differently than young guys. 

Morris, Incomplete: Just need to see more of him, missed a lot of time via injury. Like his scoring ability but man that guy can be a black hole. When he gets it you know he is gonna shoot.

Baynes, B: Solid for what he is, which is a defense first big  who will be big and do big things.

Rozier, B-: Has some big games but man he can absolute torpedo your offense by shooting terribly and not passing when he gets in a mood. That said he brings a lot of energy, can get shot, is athletic and can even rebound a little. Nice bench  guy.

Smart, C+: We know what he is, awesome defesne historically bad offense at times. Would like to keeep him but not offering more than 10 million a year. I have come to believe that his biggest problem is lack of explosion off one foot. When he has time to load up he can jump but going to the basket he can't beat anyone and often looks like he's moving through pudding. That beings said he rips the ball out of peoples hands at leats twice a game and makes defensive plays I've never seen before.

Larkin/Theis (Pass): Grading the pass fail becasue they are back bench guys and their playing time can fluctuate alot. They pass. They can be useful to spell the main rotation players, have helped with a game or two and were nice pick ups.

Nader/Yabu (Fail): Grading pass fail haven't seem enough to think Nader is even an NBA player. Doesnt really do anything well. Yabu hasnt gotten a shot, partly becasue hes not very good. Have more faith in Yabu tho as at least he seems to show a flash now and then.

Semi, B-: Again he hasnt been better than Smart but graded on a curve he is a second room pick who has worked his way into the rotation and gotten some minutes based on defense. Cant hit a shot to save his life.



Re: Grade each Celtics player for their performance so far this season
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2018, 02:53:24 AM »

Offline CELTICSofBOSTON

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Kyrie- B+
 I’m a tough grader I guess.  He has been great but not as good as IT last year. Overall the trade was fantastic and Kyrie is proving to be a legit franchise player.  Really impressed and encouraged that he is showing nice effort on defense.  I love the quote he had recently about learning from this losing streak instead of pointing fingers and this proves to me that he is a great leader.  I predict that he will have a legendary playoff run this year. 
Tatum- A
Tatum has been terrific for a rookie on both sides of the ball.  Defensively, he has been beyond a pleasant surprise and his shooting has been down right shocking.  He has shown flashes of super stardom and is already well respected in the league.  I predict that he will be the best player on the Celtics within 5 years.  Really cannot ask more of him thus far (except maybe taking more shots).  He is a quick learner and has been better at practically ever category so far in his career such as defense, spot up shooting, playing off ball, and is even more athletic than advertised. I was in love with Fultz and was very mad when Ainge traded the #1 pick.  Boy am I an idiot for doubting Danny.
Brown- B+
I admitted I was wrong about Tatum but now it’s time to brag a little.  Brown was my guy in the 2016 draft once I knew we had pick #3 (although I preferred Ingram at the time). I was happy with the selection and saw some nice flashes during his rookie year.  He was not as good a shooter last year but I saw a beautiful stroke and figured he would make a major leap this season.  He is a good drive in a straight line, is shooting the ball well from 3 and mid range and is second on the team in scoring.  He has to improve his handle, free throw shooting, and finishing with touch.  I believe he will make a handful of all-star teams and be the perfect sidekick to Tatum going forward.  Brown is already a pretty good with nice production and contributions on both ends.  He has terrific body control, athleticism, and solid shooting so there is plenty to like about his upside offensively even without great handles. This grade is based on making the leap in his second year.
Al - B+
Al has been incredible on the defensive end this year.  The recent thread about trading him for Dedmond left me speechless.  Al is the key component to this team and is the second biggest reason for our success up to this point (if not the single biggest).  It would be nice if he was a better scorer because that would take the team to the next level but that is what Hwayward was for.  I’m very happy with the way Al is playing and all signs point to him aging incredibly well.
Smart- C+
This grade may seem harsh but I promise you that I am not a Marcus Smart hater.  He is a very valuable member of our team and I hope we keep him around.  With that being said, he has been even more aggravating than usually lately with his turnovers, horrid shot selection, and even more horrid shooting efficiency.  Smart has been a major contributor to our last 3 teams which made the playoffs including this one.  There is no doubt in my mind that we would be a worse team without Smart because of his playmaking, defensive impact, toughness, and incredible knack for making big plays when we need them.  He has been atrocious lately and has not made the leap I had hoped so his grade reflects that.  If I graded him 10 games ago he would have probably gotten a B-. Lately he’s been hurting us. He gets the low grade mostly due to his inconsistency.
Terry- C-
Terry has had his moments this year but he has had more bad games than good ones.  He is inconsistent as well and is also has awful percentages.  I like what Terry provides when he is playing well but I think we may need to upgrade our backup scoring guard position.  Reliable scoring from our bench is our biggest weakness and unfortunately Terry is to blame.  Marcus gets cut some slack here because of his Impact defensively and far superior passing and playmaking. He probably would have gotten a D+ but he did have a recent streak which was the best of his career (which isn’t really saying much).  Terry is still on his rookie contract so I think he’s going to stick around which means that if one of the inconsistent and inefficient bench players goes, it’s probably Smart who is a free agent this season.  Having one is okay, but top bench guards who can’t consistnetly score really really hurts the team.  Perhaps Gordon would fix this by being staggered with the bench unit but like Insaod before, this issue firmly rests on Roziers shoulders and he has dissappointed.
Baynes- B-
Baynes is way better than I thought.  He is weirdly great on defense despite his lack of mobility.  He is an unorthodox rim protector due to his incredible use of verticality inside.  He also makes a short jumper every once in a while.  Obviously he isn’t great offensively and I would love if he didn’t miss so many layups but he was a pretty good signing for Danny.  Baynes probably doesn’t stick around long term but in the short term he has done his job and is an underrated reason for our shocking defensive play so far.
Theis- A
Theis Theis baby.  He has done his job so far despite inconsistent minutes.  He is very solid and fundamentally sound on both ends.  Very sneaky signing for Ainge and has helped us tremendously this year.  He rarely makes mistakes, always plays within himself, and has been a pretty good option in pick and rolls where he has good hands, bounce, and a short jumper.  This A grade is based on exceeding expectations coming in and being such a value contract.
Semi- D
Holy cow is Semi terrible offensively or what?! Goodness gracious this guy can’t dribble, can’t throw a rock in the ocean, and is so incredibly stiff.  Defensively he is pretty solid and slides his feet like a ballerina mixed with the strength of the Hulk.  Defensive IQ and awareness is not great but he has the tools to be an elite modern NBA defender who can literally guard everyone.  Unfortunately, he is going to have to make shots to be on the floor more and so far this season he has missed approximately 1 million wide open threes.
Mook- D+
Mook is definitely not as good as I thought.  He completely kills our ball movement from the moment he checks in.  Isn’t quite a knockdown shooter and prefers to take long 2s off the dribble (usually heavily contested).  I thought he would be more valuable defensivley. So far he has been solid on that end but typically seems to hurt us overall because of his selfishness offensively and lack of ability to play off the ball more effectively.

Re: Grade each Celtics player for their performance so far this season
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2018, 07:44:51 AM »

Online celticinorlando

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Kyrie B+..Has to carry the load way too often on offense
Tatum B..Pretty good for a rookie
Brown C-...misses way too many at the rim and his outside shot is just not good enough yet.
Baynes-B..he plays his role
Horford B-...steady as always but at times disappears

Smart-D+...too many dumb mistakes, too many dumb turnovers...too many dumb shots
Rozier---C-..shows flashes then morphs back into who he was
Morris-D...Injured but he does not defend like I expect and does not rebound. He seems lazy at times
Semi--F...no motor..cannot make any shot from anywhere
Theis-B...see Baynes


Re: Grade each Celtics player for their performance so far this season
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2018, 09:08:13 AM »

Offline Bankshot

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Kyrie B- Extremely disappointed in his playmaking, doesn't set teammates up for easy scores and sometimes dribbles too much instead of moving the ball
Tatum B..seems to have hit the rookie wall, but that is expected
Brown C-...terrible ball handling skills, misses way too many bunnies and free throws
Baynes B.. Decent but has trouble finishing around the rim
Horford B+..appears to be the best playmaker which is disappointing considering we have Kyrie
Smart C- takes too many shots for how bad he shoots and too many turnovers lately
Rozier C-..too inconsistent, can't finish regularly
Morris D...too selfish an offensive player
Semi D..looked decent at first but now can't hit a shot
Theis A..like everything about him
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Re: Grade each Celtics player for their performance so far this season
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2018, 09:58:12 AM »

Offline Big333223

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This is all going to be relative to their role.

Irving  A-
I feel like he's still finding his way but he's starting the all star team and has had some spectacular games.

Horford  B
The early rebounding numbers gave me some false hope. He's basically right where he was last season which is good, not great.

Brown  A
At his age, I want to see growth and he's shown a lot.

Tatum  A
I couldn't reasonably ask more from a 19 year old.

Smart  C+
Remember Skinny Marcus? Contract Year Marcus? He's still one of the best defenders in the league and he's a reliable backup PG running the offense but it's year 4 and his eFG% is still below 45%.

Rozier  C+
Inconsistent.

Morris  B
A little inconsistent but he's been hurt.

Baynes  B+
Can't quite with him an A but he does his job and plays hard. No complaints.

Theis  B+
Similar to Baines, no real complaints.

Ojeleye  B
He's had some nice minutes for a second round pick but nothing that makes me think he's a future starter.
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Re: Grade each Celtics player for their performance so far this season
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2018, 10:33:15 AM »

Offline RockinRyA

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My rankings do not reflect who is the better player but rather also takes into account expectations and roles.

Kyrie A
Solid production, good attitude so far and improved on D.

Brown B
Nice leap for a 2nd year, still has some glaring weakness and inconsistencies he can work on.

Tatum B+
Exceeds my expectation, however has hit rookie wall late, a bit concerned but hopefully its just a rough stretch.

Horford B+
Has been mostly good for the year, recent slide aside. Probably most important player for Celtics. I feel like he has the most dropoffs between our wins and losses.

Baynes B+
Pretty Solid signing, can hit jumpers, does the dirty work.

Smart B
Its easy to overlook some of his solid games when he played really bad like last game. One of the rare games where the problem isnt his shooting but elsewhere.

Rozier C+
Maddingly inconsistent, has shown flashes but would like him to stay solid for long.

Theis B+
Very underrated signing, probably my new Jerebko. Solid guy who does a bit of everything you can trust to do fine on the floor. Looking more and more comfortable as the season goes on.

Semi C
Bad scoring, bad motor, only reason he isnt D atm is because he has shown good 1 on 1 defense.

Larkin B-
Some good games, some so-so. Decent end of bench guy, but has limited use.

Hayward F
Ugh please come back 100% healthy soon!

Re: Grade each Celtics player for their performance so far this season
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2018, 11:06:21 AM »

Offline Rosco917

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Kyrie- B+ Definitely a better defensive presence than IT. He has normal size and he works at D most of the time. He's not as much of a prolific scorer as IT, but then again he already has the Brinks truck.

Horford- B, No decline in his play, excellent passing big man, who can stretch the floor and score inside when he has to. Average, to below average rebounder. Good defender for an undersized center.

Brown- B, he won't be a superstar, but including his stellar defense, he'll be a valuable asset for years to come. Someday he'll average 19-20 a game. He needs to address free throw shooting.

Tatum- A, I'm sure being a rookie he's feeling the effects of the long NBA season, but he's showing star potential. His ability to hit the 3, and get to the rim as a 19-year-old is uncanny. Potential top 10 player.

Rozier-C, still wild and out of control at times. He looks like a player that will tease you for years to come.
He's not starter material, at times he'll shoot you in and out of the game.

Smart-B-, he is what he is, he takes poorly thought out shots, he shoots when he thinks it's time for him to score. He is a defensive pit bull, capable of big plays, every team needs a Marcus Smart for the right salary. 

Morris-B, injuries have slowed him, he scores better than I thought he would. Not a good rebounder for his position. Very nice player to have around.

Theis-C, an undersized center, with some decent skills. Good rebounder too...very important on this Celtic team.

Baynes-C+, no more do the Celtics get cheap shots from opposing team bullies. Baynes is an equal opportunity distributor of pain. He hurts whoever is near him, (ask Kyrie.)  He can hit the open jump shot at times, he's a fair rebounder and an average to slightly below average NBA center.

Ojeleye-C+, he's a strong defender, that alone will keep him employed, for what he's being paid he's a plus. How he develops in the offseason offensively will be the key to his future value.

Hayward-I, I have to wonder what this team would be like if he were healthy and doing his thing. We would have a legitimate number two scorer. He would make Kyrie's life much easier that's for sure.


Re: Grade each Celtics player for their performance so far this season
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2018, 11:08:18 AM »

Offline Moranis

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Everyone gets an A
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Re: Grade each Celtics player for their performance so far this season
« Reply #9 on: January 22, 2018, 11:08:44 AM »

Offline Who

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Starters

Kyrie = C = doing alright but lighting the house on fire. Top scorer on the team but still a middling passer, defender and rebounder. Needs to improve his non-scoring contributions to be a top player. Instead seems content to settle for where he is now. Capable of a lot more but that has been the situation for several years now.

Jaylen = A = strong improvement over last season. Transitioned from a bench player to a full time starter. Best perimeter defender in starting lineup. Best wing defender on the team. Good rebounder. Shooting a strong percentage for outside. Scores a lot of scrappy points that most other players wouldn't be able to get. Contributes well on both ends of the court.

Tatum = A = better than expected. Contributing right away. Consistent performer. Above average defense. Good rebounding. Much better all-round game than expected. Playing well as a team offensive player despite concerns of individualism from time at Duke. Not comfortable as go-to scorer yet but doing everything else well.

Horford = A = makes everything work on the team. Best big man defender on the team. Decent rebounder. Great passer and ball-handler for a big man. Gives the team some inside scoring and is a major outside threat. Arguably the best high post big man offensively in the league and one of the most versatile defensive big men in the league.

Baynes = A = more than expected. Slotted in well as a starter despite limitations. Strong interior defense. Strong rebounder. Bit of a jump-shot. Non-passer and limited defensively away from the basket but does enough in the strong-points of his game to be a valuable role player for the team.

Bench

Rozier = B = steady improvement year-to-year. His defense has come a long way since his rookie season. His rebounding is phenomenal. Still a streaky shooter and a bad floor general. Has to improve offensively to be a full-time starter.

Smart = B = excels on defense and hustle plays. Heart of the team. Leader. Tough as nails. Embodies identity of team and transmits this onto others. One of the great glue guys in the league. A solid ball-handler and setup guard. A good passer. His shooting is still letting him down though. If he could just get his 3 PT% up to 33%, he'd be a top 10 SG in the league because of the strength of his non-scoring contributions.

Ojeleye = B = done well as a 2nd rounder to contribute as a rookie. Does well on defense but his shooting has hurt him. Looking forward to that improving next season and Ojeleye establishing himself as a one of the better 3+D bench forwards in the league. Reminds me a lot of a young Jared Dudley.

Marcus Morris = B = good defense and shot creation on offense. Contributes on both ends. Provides important matchup & lineup flexibility (in creating advantages for team, or negating opponents advantages). Very useful bench player. Injuries have limited his impact but I think he can have a big second half to the season and get that grade up to an A.

Theiss = A = done very well on defense (versatile defensive big man), rebounded the ball well and has been efficient on offense. Superb signing from Europe.

Larkin = A = first time in his career he has actually helped a team rather than hurt them

Nader = F = not an NBA player

Yabusele = F = not an NBA player today but has talent and should be nurtured. This was to be expected so I am not down on him. Looking forward to his future. Shows good offensive potential but his defense is a train-wreck.
« Last Edit: January 22, 2018, 11:15:34 AM by Who »

Re: Grade each Celtics player for their performance so far this season
« Reply #10 on: January 22, 2018, 11:11:01 AM »

Offline drogbagarnett

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Irving A+
Brown B+
Tatum A+
Horford B-
Baynes B-
Rozier A-
Smart B+
Theis A-
Morris B-
Semi B+
Larkin B+
Yabu  C+
Nader C+

Re: Grade each Celtics player for their performance so far this season
« Reply #11 on: January 22, 2018, 11:25:00 AM »

Online Roy H.

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Expectations factor into grades:

Tatum:  A. Way better than I expected as a rookie. He’s a better shooter as a pro than in college, which is quite impressive.

Brown: A-. He made a bigger leap than we could have asked for. He went from inconsistent bench player to good starter overnight.

Kyrie: A- / B+. The scoring is amazing, but after a good start his defense and distributing have declined.

Horford: B+. Another guy who has declined since early season, but still a vital cog.

Baynes: B+ / B. Solid contributor.

Theis: B. For a rookie he looks like he belongs.

Smart: C+ / C.  We all hoped for more. He’s made little progress, but he contributes to winning.

Rozier: C+ / C. He shows flashes, and has made improvements lately, but I don’t trust him.

Morris: C-.  He doesn’t look comfortable and plays inconsistently on both ends. Relative to expectations, he and Smart are the two biggest underachievers.

Other bench guys: D. Overall, none of our deep bench guys have stepped up. Larkin is the best of the rest, and he’s a borderline NBA player.



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Re: Grade each Celtics player for their performance so far this season
« Reply #12 on: January 22, 2018, 11:47:31 AM »

Offline Moranis

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I'm confused as to why people expected Smart to not be basically the player he was last year.  He has shown only very slight growth from year to year, I just don't get why people thought he would be something different than he is.  To me, he is exactly what I expected him to be. 
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Re: Grade each Celtics player for their performance so far this season
« Reply #13 on: January 22, 2018, 11:51:32 AM »

Offline colincb

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A+   Kyrie Irving
A+   Al Horford
A-   Jayson Tatum
B+   Daniel Theis
B   Terry Rozier
B-   Jaylen Brown
C   Marcus Smart
C   Aron Baynes
C   Marcus Morris
C-   Guerschon Yabusele
D+   Shane Larkin
D   Abdel Nader
D-   Semi Ojeleye

Re: Grade each Celtics player for their performance so far this season
« Reply #14 on: January 22, 2018, 11:53:37 AM »

Online Roy H.

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I'm confused as to why people expected Smart to not be basically the player he was last year.  He has shown only very slight growth from year to year, I just don't get why people thought he would be something different than he is.  To me, he is exactly what I expected him to be.

He lost a bunch of weight and worked on his shot form. There was a lot of hope in preseason.


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