2021 NBA Offseason Thread

inliner311 said:

I think the problem with the Celtics is Brad Steven's system. Its something that can be broken down in a 7 game series. There is clearly a certain set of rules and if a good defensive team can break down those rules, they can easily push the ball to someone like Marcus Smart. Smart took 22 shots last night. Kemba took 15.

The Cavs were able to break down Steven's system every year. They have better pieces now but it's too system based. I think Kemba or Tatum can put a team on their back but it only seems like they allow that to happen when injuries pile up and they need to rely less on the system.

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They really have trouble when their options are taken away. Good post

Keep hoarding those assets Ainge.

After ripping Brooklyn off in one of the worst trades ever, you're going to be looking up at them in the standings starting next year.

Ainge had the chance to get Kawhi, George, and others, but clung to those assets like an old man gripping his last Werthers Original.

Doc had to go.

I can't think of another coach who would get to blow two different 3-1 series leads with a team, not make the conference finals one time, and get to keep his job.

Particularly when he's had such expensive rosters. He's underachieved his entire time in LA.

I think the Celtics just could not figure out how to stop the Heat, while the Heat clearly was able to get stops when they wanted to..

With the Lakers heat series it will be interesting to see if the Lakers can shut them down.. there are a lot of weapons on the floor, and when they are all clicking I don't think it's obvious who you choke out..

LBJ will have a field day with robinson, herro, dragic guarding him. Even Butler had difficulty guarding LBJ. Lakers can switch every handoff and pnr because of their length.

Cavatt said:

They really have trouble when their options are taken away. Good post

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I believe there are very specific rules to Brad Steven's system to what a player is suppose to do based off the defenders reaction. It's either based on the position they are playing or the spot on the floor they are at in the set. A good defensive team and coaches tend to be able to figure out exactly how these rules work in a 7 game series. After that the Celtics are basically done because teams just start making the offensive decisions for them.

SuperSurge said:

Keep hoarding those assets Ainge.

After ripping Brooklyn off in one of the worst trades ever, you're going to be looking up at them in the standings starting next year.

Ainge had the chance to get Kawhi, George, and others, but clung to those assets like an old man gripping his last Werthers Original.

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Boston should try to do a CP3 for Kemba swap.

Really think it’s actually a solid trade for both OKC and BOS. CP3 isn’t in OKC’s long term plans and he might be enough to push them through in the East.

Boston might need to throw in some small assets, but with CP3’s contract it’s kind of a push.

Hell, they could probably get Adams too if they really wanted him.

I can't recall an off-season when so many big name coaches changed jobs. Gotta think this is going to lead to a ton of personnel changes on those teams.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Cavs get involved for some veteran type.

Boston is really young and all of their primary players are essentially under team control for years.

No need to do something silly like trade for a 35 year old Chris Paul making 40 million a year.

Sir'Dom Pointer said:

The issue with KEmba funnily enough was his defense. He was a huge negative. Offensively, the defense zerod in on him, so that opened up the game for everybody else. But defensively he really hurt them.

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Yeah this was obvious watching the game but it seems pretty hush hush in the post game reactions. Boston had the Heat bottled up with Brown swallowing up Hero and then in comes Kemba and boom that elite defense they were playing goes out the door.

If he was sensational on offense it would have negated it but he wasn't and Boston fell apart with him on the floor. They should have gone with Grant Williams/Hayward/Tatum/Brown/Smart and just switched everything on D but Stevens couldn't pull the trigger

It's funny how many playoff teams could have used TT. So many teams went small ball but then against playoff teams with good bigs suddenly teams had trouble guarding them and the rebounding caused enough of a change that small ball teams couldn't get enough possessions to expose the big. Plus the bigs deep in the playoffs are guys like Davis and Bam who can switch onto little guys well on the PnR.

Clippers couldn't match up with Jokic and died with Harell getting roasted on defense
The Celtics had to play freakin Grant Williams to match up with Bam
Houston had no answer for AD

TT on either the Clips or Celts and I think they advance

Pioneer10 said:

It's funny how many playoff teams could have used TT. So many teams went small ball but then against playoff teams with good bigs suddenly teams had trouble guarding them and the rebounding caused enough of a change that small ball teams couldn't get enough possessions to expose the big. Plus the bigs deep in the playoffs are guys like Davis and Bam who can switch onto little guys well on the PnR.

Clippers couldn't match up with Jokic and died with Harell getting roasted on defense
The Celtics had to play freakin Grant Williams to match up with Bam
Houston had no answer for AD

TT on either the Clips or Celts and I think they advance

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Shit TT on the Cavs and we might push for the 8 seed

Rich said:

Boston is really young and all of their primary players are essentially under team control for years.

No need to do something silly like trade for a 35 year old Chris Paul making 40 million a year.

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That's kind of the point. I think Boston is in need of some leadership. Kemba's not the guy to do that. Also, Kemba makes $35 mill. Paul only has two years left vs. Kemba's three, which means Paul would be off the books when Tatum's extension kicks in and will be left with a ton of cap space.

I just don't think Kemba's going to get it done for them, and trying to change things up might be worth a shot. They aren't taking on some additional crazy short-term or long-term money given Kemba's contract.

inliner311 said:

I think the problem with the Celtics is Brad Steven's system. Its something that can be broken down in a 7 game series. There is clearly a certain set of rules and if a good defensive team can break down those rules, they can easily push the ball to someone like Marcus Smart. Smart took 22 shots last night. Kemba took 15.

The Cavs were able to break down Steven's system every year. They have better pieces now but it's too system based. I think Kemba or Tatum can put a team on their back but it only seems like they allow that to happen when injuries pile up and they need to rely less on the system.

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Explain more? The Celtics don’t seem so rigid on the court but I’m sure I’m just not seeing it

cavsfever said:

Explain more? The Celtics don’t seem so rigid on the court but I’m sure I’m just not seeing it

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So this is only from me watching the Celtic against the Cavs and in random playoff series. To me it seems like players have specific rules based off of where they are in a set on the floor. The decision making is built into the system so players can move from playing position to position without much changes. So if a player is playing SF and in the corner in a set, they will know when to drive, shoot, or pass base off of the defender. The decision isn't really up to them and if they can get pass a defender or if they think they can shoot over someone.

I noticed it with really when the Cavs played them and once the cavs figured it out, they could push the ball to certain players and basically get them to shoot. It's also how the Celtics can easily plug players in and change from one position to another. Also when Crowder and IT came to the Cavs, you realize they weren't anywhere as quick to make decisions. They were clearly thinking if they were making the right decision in the Cavs lack of a system vs knowing they were making the right decision based off of the celtics system.

Kyrie also said he couldn't grow in their system and wanted out. I think Kyrie wanted to be able to make more decisions in his own and not have to play by Brad's rules.