Okay, here's your opportunity to offer your feedback on the game. If you want to participate in our ongoing MVP and rating scorecard, please do so at the beginning of your post. Then, provide any comments you wish. Feel free to copy the following as a "voting template" to complete and paste in the "comment" box. Just type each answer or rating at the end of the "............" (Don't worry that it looks squished when you cram it into that box. As long as you don't try to reformat it, I think it will reformat automatically when it appears on the thread.)
If you just want to comment without voting, simply type in the comment box as usual.
Thanks,
Sam
________________________________________________________
Your game MVP (Celtic or other)............
Rate the Celtics' performance on each of these factors...any rating from 0 = awful to 10 = perfect. (If you don't want to rate a given factor, just leave it blank. Rating scale clarified below.)
Very
Awful --Poor-- ---Fair--- Avg. Above avg Good Good Perfect
F D D+ C Minus C C+ B- B B+ A
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
(These are the ratings)
YOUR RATINGS (0 TO 10):
Overall Celtics performance.......................
A Offense/plays/shooting/spacing/timing..
B Defense/strategy/stops/disruption,.........
C Rebounding/blocking out.......................
D Passing/ball distribution/outletting........
E Ballhandling/ball control.......................
F Intensity/hustle/first to the ball...............
G Chemistry/fluidity/teamwork.................
H Tempo/control of the pace.....................
I Killer instinct/clutch performance..........
J Coaching/substitutions/timeouts............
___________________________________________________________
Your comments here:
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
EDITING YOUR POSTS
There's no neat function for editing your posts. But I suggest the following makeshift approach:
1. Copy your post (with the error or errors in it).
2. Delete the post by clicking on the little trashcan at the bottom and following the instructions.
3. Re-paste your post (with the error or errors in it).
4. Correct the error or errors.
5. Publish the post. The version with the error(s) will be gone, and the replacement will appear.
Sam
1. Copy your post (with the error or errors in it).
2. Delete the post by clicking on the little trashcan at the bottom and following the instructions.
3. Re-paste your post (with the error or errors in it).
4. Correct the error or errors.
5. Publish the post. The version with the error(s) will be gone, and the replacement will appear.
Sam
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
New Feature: Omnibus Thread For October 6-7, 2009
So far, a lot of the threads on this blog have followed a pattern of my delivering some thoughts and your commenting on them. Frankly, that makes me uncomfortable. I realize a blog, unlike a message board, tends to be centered around the original blogger. And it's true that I appreciate having control of the "civility factor."
The fact is that the structure of the blog makes me the only member allowed to initiate threads. But that doesn't mean I have to initiate the topics on those threads. So, every day, I'm going to post a new "Omnibus Thread," which will remain completely blank unless you fill it up with whatever CELTICS-RELATED (for the most part) topics you wish to talk about. I'll moderate it. I'll still feel free to chime in. And, from time to time, I'll initiate threads of my own.
But my goal is to make this as close to a message board as it can be without actually being a message board. That means democracy in action. So please accept this as the first Omnibus Blog of Sam's Boston Celtics Fan Site (which will cover Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 6 and 7). Please go to it and talk. Change the subject; there's no such thing as "off topic," as long as you debate civilly and remember that this is, first and foremost, a CELTICS blog.
Have a good time.
Sam
_______________________________________________
The fact is that the structure of the blog makes me the only member allowed to initiate threads. But that doesn't mean I have to initiate the topics on those threads. So, every day, I'm going to post a new "Omnibus Thread," which will remain completely blank unless you fill it up with whatever CELTICS-RELATED (for the most part) topics you wish to talk about. I'll moderate it. I'll still feel free to chime in. And, from time to time, I'll initiate threads of my own.
But my goal is to make this as close to a message board as it can be without actually being a message board. That means democracy in action. So please accept this as the first Omnibus Blog of Sam's Boston Celtics Fan Site (which will cover Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 6 and 7). Please go to it and talk. Change the subject; there's no such thing as "off topic," as long as you debate civilly and remember that this is, first and foremost, a CELTICS blog.
Have a good time.
Sam
_______________________________________________
Post-game Threads and an Ongoing "Celtics Evaluation Scorecard"
It's my intention to start a post-game thread after each game, so that we may discuss the game, our observations, some broader implications for the Celtics, etc. I will NOT start this thread until after the game because I don't want to impose on the always-entertaining "Game-on Thread" of Boston.com (which I hope to join as often as possible).
I don't want this thread to be a lot of Sam's opinions, so I just plan to make the thread available; and I hope you'll comment on your thoughts about the game. I'll chime in as appropriate. If there's a lull, I may try to get things going with a few remarks.
There is one part of this thread that I'm tentatively hoping to make a constant for every game...a vote for the game MVP and your ratings (from 0, meaning awful, through a perfect 10) on each of the following facets of the game:
Very
Awful --Poor-- ---Fair--- Avg. Above avg Good Good Perfect
F D D+ C Minus C C+ B- B B+ A
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
A Offense
B Defense
C Rebounding
D Coaching
E Intensity
F Chemistry
G Passing
H Ball-handling/ball control
I Tempo/control of the pace
J Killer instinct/performance in the clutch
I hope to keep track of your ratings over time so we can look for trends as the season progresses. I'll even strain my Excel skills to try to maintain breakouts of the data according to:
Home games
Away games
Games against .500+ teams
Games against Eastern Conference teams
Games against Western Conference teams
And, of course, a running tabulation of the MVP selections
If you're going to provide ratings, please put them at the beginning of your post. Then feel free to make any comments you wish—either beside the ratings or following the list of ratings.
To make it quicker for you to give your ratings, I'll just ask you to use the following format (without typing out all the ratings categories). Remember, these are NOT rankings (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.). They're RATINGS (from awful to perfect in each category. A rating of zero means awful; a rating of 10 means perfect. Or use any rating between zero and 10. (The ratings in the example below are hypothetical of course.)
MVP: KG
A 10
B 5
C 7
D 4
E 9
F 7
G 4
H 0
I 7
J 8
If you want to make comments, they go here OR beside the ratings (your choice).
Simple as that.
Let's see how it works. If it's a bomb, I'll scuttle the idea. And, if anyone can think of other ratings categories that should be added, we can do so as we go along.
Thanks, and I'll start the first post-game thread after Wednesday's game against Houston. GO CELTS.
Sam
I don't want this thread to be a lot of Sam's opinions, so I just plan to make the thread available; and I hope you'll comment on your thoughts about the game. I'll chime in as appropriate. If there's a lull, I may try to get things going with a few remarks.
There is one part of this thread that I'm tentatively hoping to make a constant for every game...a vote for the game MVP and your ratings (from 0, meaning awful, through a perfect 10) on each of the following facets of the game:
Very
Awful --Poor-- ---Fair--- Avg. Above avg Good Good Perfect
F D D+ C Minus C C+ B- B B+ A
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
A Offense
B Defense
C Rebounding
D Coaching
E Intensity
F Chemistry
G Passing
H Ball-handling/ball control
I Tempo/control of the pace
J Killer instinct/performance in the clutch
I hope to keep track of your ratings over time so we can look for trends as the season progresses. I'll even strain my Excel skills to try to maintain breakouts of the data according to:
Home games
Away games
Games against .500+ teams
Games against Eastern Conference teams
Games against Western Conference teams
And, of course, a running tabulation of the MVP selections
If you're going to provide ratings, please put them at the beginning of your post. Then feel free to make any comments you wish—either beside the ratings or following the list of ratings.
To make it quicker for you to give your ratings, I'll just ask you to use the following format (without typing out all the ratings categories). Remember, these are NOT rankings (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.). They're RATINGS (from awful to perfect in each category. A rating of zero means awful; a rating of 10 means perfect. Or use any rating between zero and 10. (The ratings in the example below are hypothetical of course.)
MVP: KG
A 10
B 5
C 7
D 4
E 9
F 7
G 4
H 0
I 7
J 8
If you want to make comments, they go here OR beside the ratings (your choice).
Simple as that.
Let's see how it works. If it's a bomb, I'll scuttle the idea. And, if anyone can think of other ratings categories that should be added, we can do so as we go along.
Thanks, and I'll start the first post-game thread after Wednesday's game against Houston. GO CELTS.
Sam
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We welcome everyone who recognizes that this is, first and foremost, a Celtics support site. Earnest comments about other teams will be welcome, as will fans of other teams. But excessive gloating, baiting, inciting, taunting, bending, folding, spindling, and mutilating will result in pretty quick zapping. As for what constitutes "excessive," the "Sam Test" will apply. It's understanding and reasonable, but firm. Members will be blocked for repeated infractions (but with warnings beforehand).
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Enjoy this Boston Celtics site. We ask only that all users remember the strict civility code. Healthy debate is encouraged, but every single comment will be moderated. Comments reflecting deliberate attempts to antagonize, taunt or bait will be zapped (usually very quickly). In fact, if all is going smoothly, Sam may zap himself once in a while, just to keep in practice. (Not a pretty sight.)
And, don't forget. If you want to contact me off this blog, please feel free to do so at:
SlipSamCelt@aol.com
Best regards, and GO CELTICS!
Sam
If you're a reader of this site, we sincerely hope you'll consider making comments as well. There is no charge. Your will be able to protect your real identity at all times. Your comments will be very much appreciated and treated with the respect they deserve. And, most of all, we'll all have some fun and comaraderie within a common bond. What's not to like?
We welcome everyone who recognizes that this is, first and foremost, a Celtics support site. Earnest comments about other teams will be welcome, as will fans of other teams. But excessive gloating, baiting, inciting, taunting, bending, folding, spindling, and mutilating will result in pretty quick zapping. As for what constitutes "excessive," the "Sam Test" will apply. It's understanding and reasonable, but firm. Members will be blocked for repeated infractions (but with warnings beforehand).
On to the fun:
FIRST YOU HAVE TO "SIGN IN" TO ESTABLISH YOURSELF ON THE BLOG. THIS WILL TAKE LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES, AND IT IS A ONE-TIME PROCESS.
We're all in this together, with equal status. But, since it's Sam's blog, Sam's starts the threads, and the blog calls the rest "followers" (hate that word!) who (along with Sam) make comments on the posts. ANYONE has the ability to start a post any time, simply by entering it as a comment on any thread and asking Sam to start a thread with it. Sam will do so (by cutting and pasting) and will associate the thread with your blog identification.
TO SIGN IN:
1. Press the “Follow” button on the main site page.
2. You can sign in by:
(a) Establishing a new Google Account;
(b) Using an Existing Google Account,
(c) Using an existing AIM Account (AOL Instant Message), or
(d) Use an existing Yahoo Account.
3. Choose one of the following;
a. To establish a new Google Account-
1.Press the Google Button
2.On the right hand side you will see a box marked; “Create
an Account Now”.
3.Click on “Create an Account Now”
4. Fill in the boxes:
√ “Your current email address”
√ “Choose a password”
√ “Re-enter password”
5. Enter your location in the box
6. Fill in the security code that is shown
7. Click the Accept the “Terms of Service” button
8. Fill in the appropriate (optional) Profile Info- You can paste
an Avatar in the box if you wish.
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TO POST YOU MAY.....
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(With this method, you post in the box provided and
sign in on that page)
b. If you already have a Google Account:
1. Click “Follow” Box on the main site
2. Click the “Google Box”
3. Enter the “Sign in” email and password info.
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TO POST YOU MAY.....
√ .....click "Sign in" in the top right corner OR
√ .....click "Post a comment" at the bottom of a
given page of comments
(With this method, you post in the box provided
and sign in on that page)
c. If you have an AIM Account:
1. Click “Follow” Box on the main site
2. Click the AIM Box
3. Enter the “Sign in” email and password info.
YOU ARE NOW READY TO RETURN TO SAM'S SITE.
TO POST YOU MAY.....
√ .....click "Sign in" in the top right corner OR
√ .....click "Post a comment" at the bottom of a
given page of comments
(With this method, you post in the box provided
and sign in on that page)
d. If you have a YAHOO Account:
1. Click “Follow” Box on the main site
2. Click the “Yahoo” button
3. Enter the “sign in” info
YOU ARE NOW READY TO RETURN TO SAM'S SITE.
TO POST YOU MAY.....
√ .....click "Sign in" in the top right corner OR
√ .....click "Post a comment" at the bottom of a
given page of comments
(With this method, you post in the box provided and
sign in on that page)
NOTE- YOUR ACTUAL EMAIL IS NOT SEEN BY THE PUBLIC UNLESS YOU PUBLISH IT
Enjoy this Boston Celtics site. We ask only that all users remember the strict civility code. Healthy debate is encouraged, but every single comment will be moderated. Comments reflecting deliberate attempts to antagonize, taunt or bait will be zapped (usually very quickly). In fact, if all is going smoothly, Sam may zap himself once in a while, just to keep in practice. (Not a pretty sight.)
And, don't forget. If you want to contact me off this blog, please feel free to do so at:
SlipSamCelt@aol.com
Best regards, and GO CELTICS!
Sam
Monday, October 5, 2009
Monday, October 5
Nice to return to a full computer screen and, most important of all, keys that fit my fingers (after several days with the BlackBerry). For those who are interested, it was a great trip. My daughter and her boyfriend were surprised (shocked in fact), but they insisted on spending about half their short time with me, and we had a blast! Stayed out so late that the time change never became a problem.
Anyway, they reran that Celtics Training tv special so many times that I got to see most of it. Very interesting; very encouraging, although I thought the scrimmages looked sort of helter skelter (I guess to be expected; I'm not sure when it was filmed). The thing that most impressed me was their togetherness of purpose.
In contrast, I read the following squib by Mark Murphy in the Oct. 4 Boston Herald:
(Quote)
An accomplished big man coach may be back on the market now that young Lakers center Andrew Bynum has apparently decided there’s not much else he needs to learn from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The rift appears to have been caused by Bynum’s decision to spend his summer traveling through Europe - and, in Jabbar’s view, at the expense of working on his game. He also stayed out of touch with Jabbar.
(End Quote)
So apparently a new era of self-proclaimed greatness has dawned in L.A., and we can now call Kareem "Mr. Irrelevant." I wonder what would happen if Russ were hired to work with Perk. Different story, I know, because of the valued presence of Clifford Ray. But somehow I would envision a radically different scenario. Just another testament to the transcendent greatness of the Celtics tradition that many people simply don't have a prayer of understanding.
*****
Interesting that, at the same time, Doc was talking about the importance of recapturing the Celtics' spirit of Ubunto, which may have taken a hit last season. I'm not certain he was pointing to any single player (I know people have been wondering about Rondo), but he clearly indicated that young guys, in particular, can have a tendency to go off in different directions when severe adversity hits. (He mentioned contracts, so I assume that at least Baby was included as well).
So, when one gets right down to it, Doc may really have been talking (at least between the lines) about the importance of team leadership in difficult times. I guess there are different types of leaders. There is the "Get on my back boys" type—Pierce, Max, etc. And there is the "It all flows from the team" type—KG, Russ, etc. (I wanted to include Larry in one of these, but he may have been an exceptional combination of both. Havlicek too.)
Moreover, notwithstanding all we hear about "locker room presence," leadership is probably a whole lot more effective when exerted by example on the floor than when wearing a suit in the locker room. I expect that KG realized he was not cut out to be a sideline cheerleader, which is probably why he stayed in the locker room so often. I doubt it mattered either way. They really needed him driving them on the floor.
*****
Now that the preseason games are about to start on Wednesday, I assume today will be their last in Newport. I'd be interested to hear people's impressions of what kind of camp it has been and what the implications may be for the season.
*****
This site was initiated (in part) to facilitate a civil "post game" discussion of each game. I have no desire to intrude on the Boston.com "game-on" thread and hope to participate myself (although that site just seems to become more and more contentious). But, since a blog like this, by definition, has one "poster" and (hopefully) a lot of "commenters," here's how I suggest we do it.
Toward the end of each game, I'll start a post called "Reflections on Game of (DATE)." That post will be an open opportunity for civil discussion of the game. Just comment and comment and comment to your hearts' content. If no comments are forthcoming after the game (and assuming I'm not slumped over a table in some bar), I'll chip in with some observations of my own.
And, if anyone has suggestions of related features we could consider on an ongoing basis, please let me know. Voting for the game's MVP? (There's no "polling" feature on this site, so it would have to be done via comments.) Maybe a report card for the team on a number of dimensions of the game? (If so, what dimensions would you suggest? Something as simple as offense/rebounding/boards/coaching or something more in-depth to include more subtle things like chemistry, intensity, passing, ball-control, etc.? My goal is for the blog to be a democratic venture, so that all can have inputs not only as to content but also as to format. We can consider the "Reflections..." a work in progress over time. SUGGESTIONS ARE ALWAYS MOST WELCOME ON ANY MATTER.
*****
And, finally, I'm sorry about the no-edit limitation. I can edit my posts, which are a different category from comments. If you had the ability to delete your comments, you could just "cut" your comment, then delete it, then change it, then re-"paste" it. But I gather that's not available to you. There isn't even a spellcheck feature (apparently there used to be one). So all I can suggest for the moment is (1) proof what you've written—a hassle, I know—or (2) exercise mutual patience and understanding when it comes to typos. And, to Bob H., typing "not" for "now" is my most frequent error and causes me no end of embarrassment by often completely reversing what I'm trying to say. So I feel your pain.
Best regards and GO CELTICS,
Sam
Anyway, they reran that Celtics Training tv special so many times that I got to see most of it. Very interesting; very encouraging, although I thought the scrimmages looked sort of helter skelter (I guess to be expected; I'm not sure when it was filmed). The thing that most impressed me was their togetherness of purpose.
In contrast, I read the following squib by Mark Murphy in the Oct. 4 Boston Herald:
(Quote)
An accomplished big man coach may be back on the market now that young Lakers center Andrew Bynum has apparently decided there’s not much else he needs to learn from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The rift appears to have been caused by Bynum’s decision to spend his summer traveling through Europe - and, in Jabbar’s view, at the expense of working on his game. He also stayed out of touch with Jabbar.
(End Quote)
So apparently a new era of self-proclaimed greatness has dawned in L.A., and we can now call Kareem "Mr. Irrelevant." I wonder what would happen if Russ were hired to work with Perk. Different story, I know, because of the valued presence of Clifford Ray. But somehow I would envision a radically different scenario. Just another testament to the transcendent greatness of the Celtics tradition that many people simply don't have a prayer of understanding.
*****
Interesting that, at the same time, Doc was talking about the importance of recapturing the Celtics' spirit of Ubunto, which may have taken a hit last season. I'm not certain he was pointing to any single player (I know people have been wondering about Rondo), but he clearly indicated that young guys, in particular, can have a tendency to go off in different directions when severe adversity hits. (He mentioned contracts, so I assume that at least Baby was included as well).
So, when one gets right down to it, Doc may really have been talking (at least between the lines) about the importance of team leadership in difficult times. I guess there are different types of leaders. There is the "Get on my back boys" type—Pierce, Max, etc. And there is the "It all flows from the team" type—KG, Russ, etc. (I wanted to include Larry in one of these, but he may have been an exceptional combination of both. Havlicek too.)
Moreover, notwithstanding all we hear about "locker room presence," leadership is probably a whole lot more effective when exerted by example on the floor than when wearing a suit in the locker room. I expect that KG realized he was not cut out to be a sideline cheerleader, which is probably why he stayed in the locker room so often. I doubt it mattered either way. They really needed him driving them on the floor.
*****
Now that the preseason games are about to start on Wednesday, I assume today will be their last in Newport. I'd be interested to hear people's impressions of what kind of camp it has been and what the implications may be for the season.
*****
This site was initiated (in part) to facilitate a civil "post game" discussion of each game. I have no desire to intrude on the Boston.com "game-on" thread and hope to participate myself (although that site just seems to become more and more contentious). But, since a blog like this, by definition, has one "poster" and (hopefully) a lot of "commenters," here's how I suggest we do it.
Toward the end of each game, I'll start a post called "Reflections on Game of (DATE)." That post will be an open opportunity for civil discussion of the game. Just comment and comment and comment to your hearts' content. If no comments are forthcoming after the game (and assuming I'm not slumped over a table in some bar), I'll chip in with some observations of my own.
And, if anyone has suggestions of related features we could consider on an ongoing basis, please let me know. Voting for the game's MVP? (There's no "polling" feature on this site, so it would have to be done via comments.) Maybe a report card for the team on a number of dimensions of the game? (If so, what dimensions would you suggest? Something as simple as offense/rebounding/boards/coaching or something more in-depth to include more subtle things like chemistry, intensity, passing, ball-control, etc.? My goal is for the blog to be a democratic venture, so that all can have inputs not only as to content but also as to format. We can consider the "Reflections..." a work in progress over time. SUGGESTIONS ARE ALWAYS MOST WELCOME ON ANY MATTER.
*****
And, finally, I'm sorry about the no-edit limitation. I can edit my posts, which are a different category from comments. If you had the ability to delete your comments, you could just "cut" your comment, then delete it, then change it, then re-"paste" it. But I gather that's not available to you. There isn't even a spellcheck feature (apparently there used to be one). So all I can suggest for the moment is (1) proof what you've written—a hassle, I know—or (2) exercise mutual patience and understanding when it comes to typos. And, to Bob H., typing "not" for "now" is my most frequent error and causes me no end of embarrassment by often completely reversing what I'm trying to say. So I feel your pain.
Best regards and GO CELTICS,
Sam
Thursday, October 1, 2009
A Case for J.R. Giddens 10/1/09
First, I need to mention that I'll be away and without computer access until late Sunday evening. I hope you'll continue to use the blog to make comments during that time. Please don't be afraid to stray off-topic on any thread; it's definitely NOT a problem on this blog. If you encounter any comments by taunting interlopers, please do NOT respond. Leave me the pleasure of zapping them mercilessly upon my return. (It's so rewarding.) I will be monitoring the blog on my BlackBerry, but I can't "zap" with the BlackBerry, and my blog comments will be limited by oversized fingers trying to adapt to a tiny keyboard.
*****
The quest for the best record requires intense, unremitting focus by the coach. Doc has never been the type to relax the winning quest; and contending for the best record and championships has only reinforced that trait. It SOUNDS good to advocate playing young guys in December to rest older guys for the stretch run. But Doc knows that one dismal five-minute stretch in December, due to inexperience, could lose a game that would cost them the best record at the end of the season.
During the past two seasons, he has steadfastly insisted that young guys prove in practice that they were ready to be tested in prime time. He has not compromised a winning mentality. He obviously feels that, when a game is still on the line, it's not a time for the floor to become an experimental laboratory except at garbage time. Yes, there have been times when his hand has been forced by injuries and certain young guys (Gomes, Baby) have performed well when thrown to the wolves. But who can say they would have done as well if Doc hadn't held them back for seasoning as long as he did?
This guy knows what he is doing, and he has become a championship-level coach as a result. He's got a squad that's at least 11-strong with veterans, and that's no accident. He has confidence in veterans, and veterans do win championships.
BUT this season could be different. Despite the plethora of veterans on the team, the veteran depth is strongest in the so-called "power positions." Consequently there could be some wiggle room for J.R. Giddens to earn "prime time" minutes more quickly than some of his predecessors. With Tony a question mark (although he unexpectedly did go through the entire practice yesterday) and Walker out (at least for now), and with no open roster slots, the Celtics are thin at the backup SF, SG and PG positions.
Scal, Daniels and Eddie currently are the only veteran candidates to fill these three needs, and Scal (against the more agile SF) and Eddie (against the taller SG) have their limitations in terms of the types of opponents against whom they match up reasonably well. Yes, Doc can always extend the minutes of Pierce, Ray or Rondo to include some stints with the bench. In terms of endurance, Rondo might be a reasonable possibility, but we've seen what can happen if Paul and Ray are over-used. And Rondo would create a small trio in the shooting and point positions (most likely with Daniels and Eddie).
If Tony does not wind up in game shape (and possibly even if he does), there is potentially a golden opportunity for Giddens to provide a taller alternative to Eddie at SG. The second unit has already shocked doc in terms of rapidly developing chemistry. The situation could be nearly ideal for J.R. to experience rapid growth at backup SG within a veteran "womb." He wouldn't have to be the primary rebounder, the primary shooter, the primary floor general, the primary floor spacer, the primary slasher. He could seek his own "role level" in complementing the others on the floor...perhaps concentrating on the defensive end at first.
It will be interesting to track Tony's hopeful progress while ascertaining whether J.R. can hop on the fast track and become an exception to Doc's policies of the past.
And, by the way, the news on KG continues to very positive, as he went full-speed through yesterday's two-hour practice (although he described himself as "80%-85%" afterwards. He even survived a kick in the bad leg, shook it off, and returned to action. Apparently, martial arts are helping Baby gain muscle strength. Rondo was described by KG as "sharp." And Eddie missed something like one shot in practice. Maybe they're just keeping the bad stuff from us, but it all sounds good so far.
See you in a few days.
Best regards,
Sam
*****
The quest for the best record requires intense, unremitting focus by the coach. Doc has never been the type to relax the winning quest; and contending for the best record and championships has only reinforced that trait. It SOUNDS good to advocate playing young guys in December to rest older guys for the stretch run. But Doc knows that one dismal five-minute stretch in December, due to inexperience, could lose a game that would cost them the best record at the end of the season.
During the past two seasons, he has steadfastly insisted that young guys prove in practice that they were ready to be tested in prime time. He has not compromised a winning mentality. He obviously feels that, when a game is still on the line, it's not a time for the floor to become an experimental laboratory except at garbage time. Yes, there have been times when his hand has been forced by injuries and certain young guys (Gomes, Baby) have performed well when thrown to the wolves. But who can say they would have done as well if Doc hadn't held them back for seasoning as long as he did?
This guy knows what he is doing, and he has become a championship-level coach as a result. He's got a squad that's at least 11-strong with veterans, and that's no accident. He has confidence in veterans, and veterans do win championships.
BUT this season could be different. Despite the plethora of veterans on the team, the veteran depth is strongest in the so-called "power positions." Consequently there could be some wiggle room for J.R. Giddens to earn "prime time" minutes more quickly than some of his predecessors. With Tony a question mark (although he unexpectedly did go through the entire practice yesterday) and Walker out (at least for now), and with no open roster slots, the Celtics are thin at the backup SF, SG and PG positions.
Scal, Daniels and Eddie currently are the only veteran candidates to fill these three needs, and Scal (against the more agile SF) and Eddie (against the taller SG) have their limitations in terms of the types of opponents against whom they match up reasonably well. Yes, Doc can always extend the minutes of Pierce, Ray or Rondo to include some stints with the bench. In terms of endurance, Rondo might be a reasonable possibility, but we've seen what can happen if Paul and Ray are over-used. And Rondo would create a small trio in the shooting and point positions (most likely with Daniels and Eddie).
If Tony does not wind up in game shape (and possibly even if he does), there is potentially a golden opportunity for Giddens to provide a taller alternative to Eddie at SG. The second unit has already shocked doc in terms of rapidly developing chemistry. The situation could be nearly ideal for J.R. to experience rapid growth at backup SG within a veteran "womb." He wouldn't have to be the primary rebounder, the primary shooter, the primary floor general, the primary floor spacer, the primary slasher. He could seek his own "role level" in complementing the others on the floor...perhaps concentrating on the defensive end at first.
It will be interesting to track Tony's hopeful progress while ascertaining whether J.R. can hop on the fast track and become an exception to Doc's policies of the past.
And, by the way, the news on KG continues to very positive, as he went full-speed through yesterday's two-hour practice (although he described himself as "80%-85%" afterwards. He even survived a kick in the bad leg, shook it off, and returned to action. Apparently, martial arts are helping Baby gain muscle strength. Rondo was described by KG as "sharp." And Eddie missed something like one shot in practice. Maybe they're just keeping the bad stuff from us, but it all sounds good so far.
See you in a few days.
Best regards,
Sam
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