Picks 'n Pops: Avoiding punishment, outlandish numbers, and a triumphant return

Every week I gather some thoughts about the Celtics, the NBA, and beyond and dump them here. Because the Grammys still refuse to recognize daily podcasting as a "spoken word album". 

- Jaylen Brown was not fined for what he said after officials didn’t call Keyonte George’s slip-and-trip this week. 

Not only did he blast the refs in the locker room after the game, he then went on Twitch the next day and spent an extended amount of time expanding on his thoughts. 

I guess the league thought he had a point since the Last Two Minute Report agreed that the foul should have been called. 

I grew up in the David Stern era and he didn't care if a player was right or wrong. Brown would have been fined pretty strongly for not only cursing during a postgame interview about the refs, but diving into some conspiratorial stuff online after the fact. I’m surprised … and I’m pretty sure Jaylen is as well … that there was no punishment at all. 

- I’m still not sure what Crew Chief Kevin Scott was talking about after the game in the pool report. He’s supposed to review the call after the game, but this exchange makes me think he didn’t. 

QUESTION: During live play that was your view. Did you have a chance to look at it? Is that still your view of it?

SCOTT: That’s still my view after being on the floor in live play.

He didn’t answer the question about reviewing the play, which, to me, is an egregious error for an official. Scott has officiated an NBA Finals game, so he’s been trusted in the biggest moment. It’s just odd to me to see an official stand by a call in a pool report like that, only to have the league say it was wrong. I’d rather see him own up to the mistake afterwards.

- The Celtics have Josh Minott on a pretty cheap deal right now. He makes $2.4 million this season and the team holds an option at $2.6 million next season. 

But there are already questions about whether two seasons of Minott will be all Boston can afford after he has burst onto the scene here as a new starter for the Celtics. They won’t have Bird Rights on him after two seasons, which limits how much they can give him without dipping into one of their extensions. 

Of course, it’s only been nine games (well, eight if you don’t count his one DNP-CD). It’s way too early to be thinking about this kind of stuff. I guess a guy setting career highs with 21 points in one game and 15 rebounds in another will get people thinking. 

- If the Celtics are truly contenders next season with Minott, Neemias Queta, and Hugo Gonzalez as meaningful contributors to the rotation, then consider it a massive win for Brad Stevens. If he hits on one guy off the scrap heap, one internal development guy, and one drafted player, then that's a front office trifecta with a big payoff. 

- A Congressional committee met with NBA officials about their betting scandal, which is understandable because they don’t have anything else more pressing to deal with.

- Kevin Durant on Jayson Tatum after the Rockets game: 

“You don’t see a limp, For somebody who just had an Achilles surgery in the playoffs, he looks amazing. Hopefully, continue to progress and he gets better and get back on the court soon. The game misses him, the NBA misses him, just, you know, all world talent, man, so looking forward to have him back on the floor.”

People use Durant as the standard when they say Tatum shouldn’t come back this season, but Durant is telling everyone how amazed he is at the recovery and how there are medical advancements since his injury. 

So maybe don’t take my word for it, take the word of someone who has gone through it. Tatum is making incredible progress. 

- First it was Gonzalez making a big impact off the bench, then Baylor Scheierman had a little run, and now Jordan Walsh is taking a turn as the ninth or tenth guy who suddenly changes the energy of the game. I feel like that's just how this season is going to go, and that none of them will actually take full control of that spot. 

- Minott is exactly what the Celtics wanted Walsh to become. 

- I was speaking with a scout before a recent game and he agreed that Gonzalez has the potential to be a good NBA player. He also agreed that some time to spread his wings on offense in the G League might be helpful, just so he can play with the ball in his hands in a low-pressure situation. 

My hope for him remains the same: Get all the NBA reps in his current role, but sprinkle in some G League games to push the development along. There is a perfect opportunity on November 14 for Gonzalez (and maybe others) to go to Portland for a game. The Celtics have three days off after their November 12 home game against Memphis and a home game on Sunday the 16th against the Clippers. The 14th is a great chance to let Gonzalez spread his wings a bit.

- Shave your head, Jaylen Brown. 

- I mentioned this after the game, but Brown’s ability to draw fouls on jumpers is a really nice skill to develop. Being able to initiate contact, bait the defender into using his arms to defend, and then rising up for a jumper through that contact is the easiest way to get to the line. 

I got a question about this kind of play from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who is now being derided as a foul merchant. Guys know the rules and then use them to their advantage. Defenders have to learn how to defend with their hands up and how to challenge shots without fouling. 

And I know this kind of upsets people, but we also have to let the game adjust. Defenders will learn how to deal with it. This dance between scorers and defenders has been going on forever. They’ll figure it out. 

- The Queta on/off numbers are incredible. According to Cleaning The Glass (which filters out garbage time stats), the Celtics are 31.1 points per 100 possessions better with Queta on the floor. 

Welcome to Small Sample Size Theater, everyone! 

If Queta stinks against a big, strong Orlando team, that +31.1 will shrink in a hurry. But let’s look at why that number is so big. 

Not only is Queta Boston’s only rim-protecting shot-blocker (apologies to Derrick White, the best shot-blocking guard in the league), there is no one behind him on the bench who can come even close to having that impact. So not only is Queta pulling Boston’s defense in a positive direction, his backups are pulling it in a negative direction. 

Also, Queta has been benefiting from Brown’s All-NBA performances as the Celtics have stormed out to big leads. Queta has been on the floor for Boston’s big runs and been off the floor for a lot of the bad stuff, but I have rarely thought to myself, “Oh, Queta would stop this mess right now.”

Queta has had a positive impact, for sure. I still don’t think he’s Boston’s starting center next season. I think he’s fine as a backup, but I don’t think he’s starting for a good NBA team. 

-  One kid in particular was very excited to see Drake Maye at the Celtics game this week. 

- Marcus Smart, doing Marcus Smart things: 

- Joe Mazzulla and Sean McVay have become friends. 

“I think he's one of the best minds in coaching,” Mazzulla said this week. “He's young. He's had success early in his career, and has handled it with faith and humility, and got a lot of respect for him. So, you know, he's another guy that gives you a sense of wisdom, sense of perspective and humility and just like learning from those guys. So you know, he's been great. He’s a good dude.”

Of course Mazzulla wants McVay to learn martial arts. Mazzulla’s love language is fighting. If he doesn’t want to fight you, he doesn’t like you. 

- Donovan Mitchell shouts out a kid who “inspired” to have a 46-point performance this week. 

The Cavs should hire this kid to play Mitchell in 2K every night. 

- I’d heard Walker Kessler’s shoulder injury was serious, but I didn’t expect season-ending surgery this week. Kessler’s name is a favorite to be thrown around in trade talks. Maybe the Celtics can poke around and pick up a distressed asset on the cheap for next season. 

- Welcome back Red Panda!

She broke her wrist falling off her unicycle during a performance, so this was her return performance. 

As with every niche NBA halftime performer, I always wonder how the hell they figured out they can do what they do. 

- We don't get a lot of repeat winners in this section, but I don't see how I can pick anyone else. Josh Minott set another career-high with 21 points and he has people wondering if he's going to be too expensive to keep. Even if that's an overreaction, playing well enough to draw those overreactions out of people is enough to make this his Best Week Ever!

- Here's my latest podcast, if you're bored.