One point you hit on re: Eddie House. It isn’t so much about him not being able to handle well. It is about having someone who can really set up the rest of the unit on the court….and give Rondo a real rest without losing too much.

Again, we will see.

thanks,
T

That is not to take anything away from the Hawks. They are looking better and better. But the Celtics bench could use some reinforcement, or at least some improvement in order for this team to be able to confidently compete for a title this season. ** (Tom)

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Indeed. Here is some “calculator scrabble” . For those, and I’d guess those are many-and growing, who think Coach does not use his bench near enough , last nights Hawks game out of the whole 48 minutes, for the bench players of both teams total bench minutes, well, the Hawks bench was in the game approximately 50-some percent of the time, and our bench was in 40 percent of the time.

Now, the Hawks bench put up almost twice as many shots, as the C’s bench . Since opportunity governs as a dynamic, as to if and when a player gets to shoot, one has to decide
more than one thing. Never can we leave out the importance of “athletic ability”, in all these parameters. Also in this parameter we have to add in the quality of defense being played, which again, has to go to the factor of athleticism. Thus, one has to conclude that part of the issue here, in getting and taking shots, has already been answered. Also, age (and lengthy league careers), figures into the athleticism. My opinion is the Cs have not NEAR done all the building of their bench, as is mandatory. Naturally, adding into this “my” fave thing to offer here, is, the need for the backup (to Rondo) point guard. Its the play making guard (another example of athleticism) , who often can see to it about players getting good shot opportunities.
Adding another thought about athleticism, in basketball, is length (how the player is ‘built’, and how well his skills are with speed, footwork, vertical playing, leaping, aggressiveness , etc).

In this game the Hawks bench made shots for a percentage was 50+ % group average, with the Cs bench made shots 34%, for same. AND about free throws, the Hawks bench went to the line twice as many times as the Cs bench. Right here, read that there is some portion of skill which again will correlate in a certain way to athletic skills, in the consideration of who plays, with also plays, with shooting but also with “getting fouled, when shooting”. (Read here -a player like Paul Pierce, Ray Allen , for career)..

(EARLY spring trading acquisitions for improving the Cs bench (plus others), just better happen, in my opinion, BUT this is tough, when one figures “who” (plural maybe), does “some other team” want ? Plus-which athlete do we want . There has to be a solution, here)

Joe
(mustyceltic)

I do hold out hope of an enlightenment, but like everyone else, I see the play this season as disconcerting up to this point.

Unless there is a dramatic turn-around in how we approach and play the game, this season is lost. It would be very sad to have to so soon start yet another rebuilding project.