This is the wrong type of roster for CBS

[wdleehi]

This roster is fine for what it is missing.


The only thing I dislike is when CBS wants to start smaller, it destroys the big men off the bench rotation.   



As for the current games, almost every team slumps at some point mid season. 

[RJ87]

This is an awful panicked take.

This team has displayed tons of toughness and fire over the course of the year. An elite defense and tons of huge comebacks.

Bigtime wins over teams like GSW, Houston and Toronto.

Every year we do this. Legitimately every year for the past 3 years weve done this. The team has a slump and everyone moans about how last years team competed harder. They didnt. This team has played above its talent level for most of the year. They are slumping right now. They are still on pace to win more than last years team despite losing Hayward.

100% agree. Last year's team wasn't really that much better in this regard. I recall going down 0-2 in the first round and the board-wide wailing that happened. And if the ITs, Crowders, ABs, and Olynyks of the league were the epitome of mental toughness, maybe 3 of those guys wouldn't have already been flipped to new teams.

This is a team that was counted out after Gordon went down but is still right there in the conversation for the #1 seed. If that's not mental toughness, then I don't know what is. This team, despite its shortcomings, despite losing a significant player, still finds ways to grind out wins. If this team was soft, they would've folded when Gordon hit the floor.

There's a lack mental toughness around here, not sure its the players though.

[Roy H.]

Sure, we could use some more fiery leader types. I don’t think the roster necessarily lacks passion or toughness, but we could use some vocal guys who will get up in teammates’ faces.

[jay]

This roster is fine for what it is missing.


The only thing I dislike is when CBS wants to start smaller, it destroys the big men off the bench rotation.   



As for the current games, almost every team slumps at some point mid season.

I agree. I really think Horford should be on the floor with Baynes as much as possible. I want to see more of Theis and Monroe together going forward. Leave Morris as a backup behind Tatum at the 3. When Smart comes back, maybe go small in stretches with Tatum at the 4, but thats it.

[PhoSita]

I just want to reiterate that I couldn't disagree any more strongly with the OP's premise.

All you had to do was watch the game against the Blazers to see how much the young guys on this team look up to Al Horford.

Between Al Horford and Brad Stevens, there is no lack of leadership on this team.  It may not be the archetype of leadership you're thinking of -- screaming in your face, clapping, pawing the parquet -- but it's leadership all the same.

[green_bballers13]

Sure, we could use some more fiery leader types. I don’t think the roster necessarily lacks passion or toughness, but we could use some vocal guys who will get up in teammates’ faces.

I think Jaylen is a guy that will step into a leadership role as he matures. He's not fiery like KG, but he plays passion, and his electric dunks can get a bench riled up.

[Chris22]

This roster is fine for what it is missing.


The only thing I dislike is when CBS wants to start smaller, it destroys the big men off the bench rotation.   



As for the current games, almost every team slumps at some point mid season.

Baynes takes a charge that knocks Lebron out of the game, and Brad sits Baynes down and never plays him again.

[Vermont Green]

If in fact this is somehow the wrong type of team personality to work with Stevens coaching personality, then Stevens needs to coach differently; not radically differently but make the adjustment that he needs to make.  Stevens gets plenty of deserved accolades when the team is over-achieving but he should also be held accountable when the team is under-achieving, which I think they are doing lately.

I don't think there is any foundational type of problem or anything like that.  Getting Smart back will help right the ship some this season and getting Hayward back next season (plus Brown and Tatum being a year older) will be major changes.  Monroe is going to help some this season too.

[kozlodoev]

I thought Stevens was the second only to Popovich in the NBA. Now you're telling me that the roster (which he helped to hand-pick, by the way) is giving him trouble? Come on, man...

[celticinorlando]

The roster is dominated by rookies as well as guys like Kyrie who is not as vocal as KG, Pierce, LBJ, etc.

In addition, the roster needs a guy that makes 3s on a regular basis. The Cs fall in love with the 3 and ofter just settle for it

[Tr1boy]

If in fact this is somehow the wrong type of team personality to work with Stevens coaching personality, then Stevens needs to coach differently; not radically differently but make the adjustment that he needs to make.  Stevens gets plenty of deserved accolades when the team is over-achieving but he should also be held accountable when the team is under-achieving, which I think they are doing lately.

I don't think there is any foundational type of problem or anything like that.  Getting Smart back will help right the ship some this season and getting Hayward back next season (plus Brown and Tatum being a year older) will be major changes.  Monroe is going to help some this season too.

I agree.....its either or

No excuse for what happened last night , on televised tv and with all of those Celtics legends in the stands. 

CBS after the game - We struggled defensively but give credit to the Cavs...

ridiculous

[Green-18]

I thought Stevens was the second only to Popovich in the NBA. Now you're telling me that the roster (which he helped to hand-pick, by the way) is giving him trouble? Come on, man...

The Celtics have won at a historic rate relative to other teams of the same age.  People are overreacting because Brad got so much out of this group early in the season.  The criticism against him would probably be less if we had been on pace to be a 45 win team from the beginning.  The Hayward injury would have been the defining narrative.  Instead he is getting bashed because we were on pace to win 70 games more than one quarter into the season.

[ZoneD]

Keep in mind that this team is missing Hayward who is a significant part of the overall plan. The fact that this team has managed to achieve the record it has shows that it is not poorly constructed. It's struggles due to a lagging offense should come as no surprise. This team will look dramatically different next season.

[Green-18]

Keep in mind that this team is missing Hayward who is a significant part of the overall plan. The fact that this team has managed to achieve the record it has shows that it is not poorly constructed. It's struggles due to a lagging offense should come as no surprise. This team will look dramatically different next season.

Well said.  People underestimate the importance of a scorer who can create off the pick & roll/pop.  Hayward can legitimately run an offense while Kyrie moves off the ball.  All of a sudden this makes Jaylen and Tatum much more dangerous.  Horford will also be able to facilitate for all of them.  Hayward could be the difference between a mediocre and elite offense.

[kozlodoev]

I thought Stevens was the second only to Popovich in the NBA. Now you're telling me that the roster (which he helped to hand-pick, by the way) is giving him trouble? Come on, man...

The Celtics have won at a historic rate relative to other teams of the same age.  People are overreacting because Brad got so much out of this group early in the season.  The criticism against him would probably be less if we had been on pace to be a 45 win team from the beginning.  The Hayward injury would have been the defining narrative.  Instead he is getting bashed because we were on pace to win 70 games more than one quarter into the season.

No, he's getting bashed because his team stopped playing defense (you know, actual defense that includes rotating under the basket and challenging jump shots), and  because he's refusing to rein in an offense that has degenerated to people running around like headless chickens until someone (usually Marcus Morris) decided to jack up a low-percentage jumper.

Effort and offensive strategy are things you can fix with coaching. But Brad has never held any of his players accountable for being loose cannons on any end of the floor, so there's no use to act all surprised now.