There are few things that we in the sports words biz love to do: Make puns in headlines, take victory laps when we’re right (and ignore when we’re wrong), and make numbered lists (especially if we can connect them to something else).
We’ll save the victory laps for later in the season. For now, here are 26.2 thoughts about the Boston Celtics so far on this unique October Marathon Monday.
1. The guys are listening
In fact, Ime Udoka has said they might be listening too much, as evidenced by the frazzled passing in the first game of the preseason. But on top of that, we watch the guys calm it down in the second game and actually accomplish their goals.
The new coach has their attention.
2. Jayson Tatum’s leap just might be coming
There are a couple of elements that stand out about Tatum’s game so far: He’s being aggressive, and he’s looking to move the ball. That doesn’t just mean more assists, that means that him moving the ball is a chance for opposing defenders to turn their heads and follow it. That means an increase in chances for cuts or relocations for open shots. That means a hesitancy to double team.
He averaged 26.4 ppg last season. If he adds a few more free throws and gets a few more open looks, he’s looking at averaging 30-plus. Tack on those extra assists, his usual rebounding, and some defense and all of sudden we’re looking at a potential first-team All-NBA player.
3. Al Horford isn’t here to just be team grandpa
When asked about whether he wants to start this year, Horford said “For me as a competitor, I want to be in the position that I'm playing when it matters most, that I do like to start. That's just the reality of me as a competitor and me trying to feel like I can contribute and be a great asset. To answer your question, yeah.”
We didn’t know what we were getting with Horford this year, but he’s come in spry and ready to step into a big role for the Celtics.
We’ll see what circumstances dictate, but Horford isn’t just here to be another late-career Vince Carter.
4. Robert Williams has the most to learn
He’s being asked to do a lot and play next to another big, which isn’t something he’s used to. He looks a step slow, mostly because he seems to be thinking about what his job is rather than just reacting to what he’s seeing on the floor.
That's something that should change with time and repetition. But there’s no doubt that he’s being asked to do more and adjust to more than anyone in that starting unit.
5. It’s going to take a little while for the Celtics to figure everything out
Along that same vein, everyone has a lot to learn right now. The four preseason games are nowhere near enough, which means the learning will stretch into the regular season.
“I think it’s a continuation from the preseason and some of the things we’ve done but you start to see pretty quickly what works for you, what lineups and what schemes as well, both defensively and offensively,” Udoka said. “You always want to get off to get off to a good start ... but at the same time, we have to find out what works for us to win games.”
We’ll see how much of this leads to regular-season issues.
6. There is a serious competition for minutes, and it’s going to be Ime Udoka’s biggest challenge
Watching Romeo Langford and Grant Williams play well early on, as well as some good stretches from Payton Pritchard and Aaron Nesmith, makes me wonder how the hell Udoka is going to keep all these guys happy with minutes.
“As we formulate the lineups during the season it’s more who plays well together and complements each other,” Udoka said. “It’s challenging for the others in the rest of the preseason to step up and show what they can do. That’s the case with Romeo, Aaron, Payton, some of those young guys as well. We’ve given them this open competition and challenged them throughout preseason and they’ve responded, but we also know we have veterans like Dennis and Josh coming off the bench. Competition has been great, and we look forward to that the last two games.”
Someone will spend a good chunk of the season pissed off.
How Udoka handles this might be one of the keys to the season. Piss off the wrong guy and the season could get derailed if it splits the locker room. Cater the wrong ego and he could lose the team.
It feels that scenario is doubtful, but guys want playing time and not getting it is the easiest way for a problem to pop up.
7. I’m still not convinced we won’t see a surprise G League assignment
To that end, I still think one of these guys who plays well enough to earn minutes but who gets squeezed out could end up in the G League, at least for a few games.
Game reps are important, so don’t be shocked if one or more of these guys takes a quick trip to Portland for a week when the C’s staff envisions a lack of playing time in the offing. And don’t consider it a demotion if it happens.
The G League can be a useful tool to keep young guys sharp. The Celtics should use it as such in situations like this.
8. Miami Josh Richardson might not come back
I’m not making any final determinations, but I’m just saying that getting a look at his jump shot form up close does not fuel much optimism that his shot can return consistently.
Right now I’m prepared for some streak shooting; the occasional hot night or two followed by some struggle fests.
9. Grant Williams is the short turnaround poster boy
This offseason, Williams identified a problem and set about trying to fix it. It was his first chance to do so in the NBA.
I don’t know what his career will ultimately be, but it’s pretty clear the short turnaround between last season and the bubble didn’t give him enough time to adjust for a new role with a new mix of teammates.
“I remember the first year I got here, I had to gain weight to play the five and I never lost it,” Williams said. “Going into the next season I was playing the four, sluggish, playing inconsistently so I gained weight throughout the season. So myself, Brad, everyone, we knew we kind of wanted to get back down to where I was, so I lost about 12-15 lbs. already and I'm going to still go down another 8-10 during the season as time goes on.”
Maybe he’ll carve out a role this year, maybe he won’t, but he’s clearly giving himself a chance. When we look back at the challenges guys faced in the short turnaround, Williams is a really good example of how getting caught by surprise hurt everyone’s preparation.
10. Marcus Smart might be getting the message about 3-point volume
He’s taken five 3-pointers in two games, and has routinely attacked closeouts rather than put up shots. Hopefully this will translate to the regular season and he will be more judicious.
11. Smart’s time at point guard will probably be different than a lot of point guards
The first couple of games have shown us that between pushing the ball in transition and Jayson and Jaylen Brown playing grab-and-go with rebounds, Smart might spend a lot less time actually running set plays. Add to that the minutes he’s on the floor with Dennis Schröder and Payton Pritchard, plus the few times Horford brings the ball up himself, and Smart-as-initiator seems to be a little less pronounced.
We’ll see how it goes when the rotations settle down and the games come more frequently.
12. Jaylen Brown is better when he’s lighter
Brown’s wrist surgery kept him out of the weight room for much of the offseason, leading to him being noticeably slimmer.
He still has plenty of muscle, but he’s a little more lithe, which will serve him better as a shooting guard/small forward. A sight reduction in weight will help alleviate any knee issues similar to the ones that bothered him last season, too.
I think it will ultimately help him.
13. Enes Kanter will be unplayable if Udoka insists on switching with him defensively
The Celtics have gone to full immersion therapy with their switching defense, which means everyone is doing it all the time, even Kanter.
Udoka is a reasonable, intelligent person who has paid pretty close attention to the league, so there’s no chance he feels like he’s finally the one who can unlock something in Kanter that allows him to be effective in switches onto guards.
Please tell me that.
We know there will be other coverages. He’s said so. It’s clear to everyone that asking Kanter to switch brings quick basketball death.
I’m going to tell myself that Udoka is just compiling the evidence to show Kanter why he’s getting DNP’s. Like when Kanter asks him about it, Udoka will just text him the link to the supercut of guards torching him in the preseason.
14. Dennis Schröder might have his best season
Contract motivation
A coach who wants speed and ball movement
Horford as a running mate
Defenders who can create transition chances
We might only see him around here for one season, but I think Schröder is in line to have, perhaps, his best season in the league.
The only question is whether Brad Stevens will let Schröder’s season play out if it’s that good, or try to sell high to a team for at least something at the trade deadline.
15. Udoka is doing things his own way (without overdoing it)
He doesn’t seem to be coming in and going out of his way to make his mark on the team. He’s just doing it.
He has a plan for the team in his mind, and he’s not going to rush the implementation of anything until the team is ready for it. He seems to be working with his players to figure out what they need but also demanding certain things from them.
It’s hard to put my finger on it exactly, but I can see it taking shape. I can hear it in how the guys talk and see it in how they play.
16. The dynamic between Udoka and his staff is fascinating
I’ve never seen any assistant coach get up to talk to the head coach during the game as much as I’ve seen Will Hardy do it. Udoka has put together a staff of people he’s known for a long time and trusts, so it’s not like he interviewed some assistant for another team and just liked how the conversation went. I think that’s leading to some more intense discussions where people feel more free to contribute. That’s just a first impression, and something I’ll be watching closely.
17. Romeo Langford could be a surprise
I try not to put too much emphasis on shots falling being the primary reason for good/bad analysis, but it’s a little different for Langford because his shot has been so inconsistent. If he can demonstrate a consistency on the floor while playing the style of defense Udoka wants, then he might start stealing minutes from someone else.
18. I still don’t see a role for Jabari Parker
Yes, he made a few buckets in the fourth quarter against Toronto but I still don’t think he’s going to stick ... especially if Langford stands out. Versatility on defense is a priority and he’s not going to provide that.
19. The road is going to teach us a lot
Including their next two preseason games, Boston will play on the road in six of their final eight games of October. They kick off November with a home game against Chicago and then a three-games-in-four-night stretch in Orlando, Miami, and Dallas.
“Seven challenging (regular season) games, three games at home – if we have a good record after that, we’ll feel good going forward,” Udoka said. “I think being a road warrior, we’ve talked about that, having that mentality, and we’re looking forward to playing on the road. It’s only benefiting our young guys. We’ve got veteran guys as well that have been in every situation. So I look at it as a benefit to get out early and try to play well on the road.”
The team will undergo a bit of a baptism by fire here, but it could be a good thing. It’s almost like an extended remote training camp where the guys have to be around each other. They’ll have dinners and other team-building activities that could help speed up the process for Udoka.
20. ... except for the unvaccinated players
This isn’t about politics or whatever your opinion is about the COVID-19 vaccine. This is about the simple fact that unvaccinated players are excluded from team dinners and are not allowed to leave their hotel room except for team activities on the road. That means there are some number of Celtics (the exact number is unclear) who will not be able to participate in those dinners or other activities. They’re not going to participate in those team-building moments.
How will the Celtics navigate this? Will those players change their minds? This road trip is going to be an early test for the Celtics on and off the court.
21. Losing Jaylen Brown for however long is not ideal
Brown’s positive test is a setback. It shouldn’t bother him much, but it robs the Celtics of chances to see combinations against live opposition. We need to see Richardson, Schröder, and others get more minutes with Brown because he’s going to be one of the stars on the floor with them when his and Tatum’s minutes are staggered.
This extends the preseason into regular-season games. If there’s any saving grace, Toronto, Houston, Washington, and Orlando are very winnable games regardless and New York and Chicago are full of new players who will need time to figure themselves out. Miami and Dallas at the end of the trip will be the toughest games, but maybe by then the Celtics will have come together enough to challenge in them.
22. I wonder how much Horford regrets the past two seasons
He’s so happy to be back in Boston. I cannot stress this enough. He took the money and ran, which is a fair enough decision if Boston’s offer wasn’t close, but the Philadelphia and Oklahoma City situations were bad for him. Now that he’s in Boston, starting, and looking like he’ll be a big piece to a playoff team, it makes me wonder if, in an honest moment, he could take it all back.
23. Aaron Nesmith is still a complete maniac
Everything you need to know about Nesmith is summed up in this tweet by the Celtics
𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐎𝐔𝐑
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 7, 2021
**no players were harmed in the making of this photo pic.twitter.com/npO9uXL934
There are at least two or three plays per game where I audibly gasp at how Nesmith has launched himself into the air.
“I call it the art of falling - you have to know how to fall,” Nesmith said of his aerial acrobatics. If you don’t know how to fall, that’s when you get hurt.”
24. Jayson Tatum has a strong chance for a few triple-doubles
I’m calling it -- Tatum will get at least two triple-doubles this season. Not only is there going to be an emphasis on the ball movement, there’s an emphasis on wings crashing the boards and running off rebounds. Tatum will have a couple of nights where he gets a few easy transition assists that will help him get into the double digits.
25. I might be overreacting to everything
Keeping a level head in the preseason is very difficult. Orlando is not a good team and Toronto might not be either, so it’s possible some of the passes and cuts and everything else I’m seeing gets much tougher against different competition.
I think the ability to recognize these plays is universal, and cutting against a distracted defender is possible anywhere, but those opportunities present themselves less often, and the defensive reaction is better, against better competition.
Nothing like a “well also, maybe not” 3,000 words into a piece.
26. Theo Pinson is really trying to be a good teammate...
The Celtics bench is very active during games, and the celebrations are often led by Theo Pinson, who is in competition for the final roster spot.
( Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)“Staying ready and with the 14th, 15th spot, you want guys that are good teammates that are down there ready to play, cheering their teammates on,” Udoka said. “But when they're called upon, they're ready to go.”
Pinson has the good teammate thing down. He’s been fun to watch and he hasn’t played a second.
26.2 ... It might not matter, though.
“Shooting is always at a premium,” Udoka also said. “I think that we value that with those last few spots. Guys that can come in and always be ready. Consistency, injuries happen or a guy takes a night off or whatever the case may be, some of that we can plug in and we feel confident that we won't miss a beat.”
Pinson is not a shooter, so he has an uphill battle. The general consensus is that Garrison Matthews will get the final spot because he is a shooter and can, in an injury situation, come in and fill a spot-up role while someone ahead of him on the depth chart assumes bigger duties.