This is getting so old, this team is like a car stuck in mud....not going anywhere, at anytime soon.
 |
| . |
|
This is getting so old, this team is like a car stuck in mud....not going anywhere, at anytime soon.
Guess what
Denver, OKC and Portland all lost and clippers should too
Clippers looking good so far. I'd kill for Lou Will on this teamOriginally Posted by AusPel
If he came here he would turn to ******** like everyone else.
Wow, Lou dropped 50 on great %'s. And now they're only 1 game from catching us for the 8th seed.
Is it bad that I want Pels to be out the playoff picture by the trade deadline if it means they'll trade Cousins? But even then, they still might be set on not trading him. Still hope for a sign-n-trade in the off-season I guess. Or maybe Solomon's return and new trade players will be the magic elixir to set the team right...
Right now the Clippers deserve the 8th seed. Seems like they want it more than the Pels.
Let's see if we can actually put together a winning streak.......not holding my breath. I've been burned too many times.
They play Boston, in Boston. Forget it.
I feel like we actually match up with Boston relatively well, not because we should best them (we probably won't) but they have no one on the inside for AD and Boogie and Kyrie can't defend Jrue.
Basketball.
Fify
Sure would be awesome to win this game to hush all the 'AD's team sucks, needs to go to Boston to win' chatter.
True, my mistake
We on the other hand have noone to defend their big wings and guards and will have a hard time keeping up with the pace. Boston also is the way deeper team, allowing their Stars to rest, while AD and Cuz need to play heavy minutes to keep the team afloat.
Nonetheless the game should be a good measuring point for the question, how the two big man approach matches up against a true "switch it All" pace and space team.
While in theory it should be possible to beat them inside, it remains to be seen, if we actually are able to find our bigs inside for easy buckets, without turning IT over against their swarming defense.
Im hoping for a win, but im expecting a massacre, especially if Gentry wants to outrun them and wants AD and Cuz to beat their defender from the outside.
Pels actually play at a much faster pace (99.6 = 6th) than the Celts (95.7 = 20th).
Celts strength is of course their defense, not anything on offense. They have the #1 DRTG in the league. Notably they have really shut down both Embiid (averaging 13pts 12rebs on 10-33 FGs against them) and Porzingis (averaging 6.5pts 5rebs on 3-25 FGs) in 2 matchups each. Obviously the Pels can't afford any of that kind of nonsense today, and hopefully this will be a case where having two towers to focus on rather than one can make a difference.
Well you are right, when you focus on the pace factor. Nonetheless I think it's pretty obvious the Celtics are the team with the quickness advantage, especially in lineups where Horford makes the transition to center and Tatum plays PF.
With this lineup the Celtics are able to get up and down the floor very quickly, allowing them to defend in transition very well, while also making it tough to score from the 3point line. Actually the Celtics are 3rd in Opponents fastbreak points per game (9.1), while the Pelicans allow 13.8 fastbreak points per game (ranked 27th). Horfords only advantage against Boogie is his footspeed. And while AD might be able to keep up with Tatum, I personally wouldn't bet on guys like Moore, Clarke, Rondo or Miller to beat freak athletes like Brown or Rozier in a free flowing high speed game.
When met with the Celtics "small" lineup, the Pelicans should try to exploit the Tatum vs AD matchup inside the paint. Easier said than done, but when we are able to take advantage of that matchup we force the Celtics to play Baynes a lot more, allowing Boogie to play closer to the basket on D and more in his comfort zone, while at the same time taking away some space for Irving to drive to the basket.
If we do the Celtics a favour and just settle for 3 pointers and contested 2's (AD is very guilty of that against smaller defenders), we simply play right into the hands of Stevens.
One of the reasons the Celtics have the league's best defense is versatility. That applies both to just about every guy on their roster having the ability to guard multiple positions, and being able to put various lineups on the floor to match up to any opposition. Brad Stevens is terrific at this.
New Orleans is unique with their two highly skilled big men. It will be interesting to see how Boston's non-star big guys Baynes and Theis are used in an attempt to stymie them (both are excellent defenders). Or maybe they'll go small, which would create mismatches for both teams.
Kyrie actually has been playing defense this year. Not great, but pretty good at times as he's trying hard on that end.
The Celtics have a habit of falling behind in games, but are very good at big comebacks. They are 5-4 when trailing by 17 points or more.
Last edited by Gant-; 01-16-2018 at 07:37 AM.
Theis is around 6'9 and weighs maybe 215lbs. I'm extremely biased, when it comes to him, because I'm from Germany and I absolutely love watching hard working, hard nosed guys, but when matched up with Cousins he gives up around 60lbs and 3 inches. When Cousins pins him in the paint and makes a clean catch, Theis shouldn't stand a chance.
HE will obviously try to rough Cousins up and to get physical, because that's simply in his DNA. HE will try to deny the ball, to front and to make every catch a tough one, so it all comes down to the Pel's guards and wings to hit our bigs with good entries and like most games it will come down to the refs and their way to call physical play. Will they allow the Celtics more mobile but smaller bigs to get physical with Cousins and Davis? Will they allow Cousins to retaliate and to use his superior weight and strength, or will they once again fall for flops and punish Cousins as soon as he starts to bully the smaller opponents?
I'm really looking forward to this game.
Big Wings? Jaylen Brown 6'7 & Tatum a 6'8 rookie. Jrue will guard Kyrie . I see the mismatch in our favor . Who's going to guard AD & Boogie? Horford & Tatum? Horford & Morris? Pels will have Moore, Jrue, Miller & Cunningham. They will be fine.
I would imagine with the Pelicans' size, the Celtics will continue to start Baynes; putting Baynes on Cousins, and Horford on Davis to begin. But Brad Stevens changes that lineup on certain match ups, so you never know.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote