Celtics legend Bill Russell, who won 11 championships during his Hall of Fame career as a player and 13 more as coach, ripped the team after they were swept by Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Finals. Russell was critical of their defense against LeBron James that proved to be their downfall. He also cited Rajon Rondo’s injury-plagued season is further evidence that Boston needs an upgrade at point guard next year regardless if Isaiah Thomas returns or not.
The “recent celtics trade rumors” are the latest in a string of trades that have created an uncertain future for the Boston Celtics. The team has been struggling this season and recently traded away their star player Kyrie Irving. One of their legends, Bill Russell, doesn’t think it’s going to get better anytime soon.
Getty Boston Celtics’ Marcus Smart
Despite the fact that the Boston Celtics ended their losing skid against the New York Knicks on December 8, one thing remains: the club is in desperate need of a genuine point guard.
Marcus Smart has been a fantastic deputy and has progressed into a starting spot this season. Most teams would give everything to have Dennis Schroder as their sixth man. When rival teams shut down the perimeter, though, the Celtics’ lack of an elite-level playmaker becomes glaringly apparent, and it has lost them multiple games in the first half of the 2021-22 NBA season.
Ime Udoka wants Boston to play a fast-paced style of basketball in which the ball reaches the paint many times per possession. He wants his players to flow off the ball, screening for one another, and forcing defenses to crumble in order to create high-quality shooting chances. Even yet, if the Celtics don’t have a guard who can thread the needle, no amount of player movement will help.
“Processing speed” is a term used by sports scientists to describe a player’s ability to detect possibilities or actions, analyze what they need to do, and then respond appropriately. It’s no wonder, therefore, that the NBA’s best players have excellent processing abilities. We frequently refer to this in different ways, such as “the game is slowing down” or “this year they can identify a pass better,” which all imply the same thing.
This year, Smart and, to a lesser degree, Schroder have improved their processing speeds, but one Celtics legend claims that none of them has yet achieved the requisite level.
Boston’s Need for a Guard, according to Bob Cousey
When you play for the Celtics, you don’t simply inherit a fierce crowd or a tough media presence. You also take on the responsibility of honoring the great who have worn that shirt before you, which may be a hefty burden at times.
We experienced firsthand what some of that pressure may be like earlier this week when legendary point player Bob Cousey spoke on the Celtics’ dearth of guard skill during a CBS Sports interview.
“I hate to bring it back to a point guard, but… you don’t have that control,” Cousy said. “It doesn’t appear like we’re going to be hanging banner No. 18 any time soon.” When we had a 6-8-point lead, that’s when I’d take it home. I just could not let us lose the lead.”
Many fans believe that Boston has to find a clear-cut playmaker to help lighten the weight on Tatum and Brown’s shoulders, and Cousy seems to be echoing those sentiments in his interview.
Cousy stated, “At that point, you need a penetrating point guard who is a danger, and then he passes off to the [Jayson] Tatums and the [Jaylen] Browns.”
Pass-first point guards are in scarce supply these days, with the contemporary guard serving as a scoring focal point rather than an offensive initiator, which is why the point-forward position has become increasingly popular. Guards from all across the league, on the other hand, meet the requirements and might help the Celtics significantly down the stretch.
Tatum & Brown Are Developing as Playmakers
Brown had 11 assists in a game against the Knicks on December 8th. Surprisingly, Brown has come under fire in recent weeks after failing to impress during Tatum’s COVID-induced absence during the last week of December.
Both of the Celtics’ All-Star wings must develop into positions that enable them to start and assist offenses if the team is to be successful as it presently stands. Brown and Tatum, on the other hand, must both lead the team in scoring and set the tone defensively, meaning their plates are already overburdened; adding playmaking to the mix would only add to their task.
Tatum, for one, has been quite consistent as a ball-handler above the break, making the correct reads at the appropriate times. However, if a passing lane does not open up and Tatum is forced to generate his own offense, he is reprimanded for apparent selfishness. Brown is also having to learn that lesson the hard way.
While the Celtics straightened things out against the Knicks and are hoping to go on a winning streak soon, Cousy is accurate. The Celtics want a point guard who can steady the ship and relieve Brown and Tatum of some of their responsibilities. Only then will we be able to see the whole potential of this core.
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The “celtics draft rumors” is a topic that has been floating around for a while. The Boston Celtics have yet to make any trades or signings, but the team’s legend Bill Russell took it upon himself to rip into his former team and state of their PG spot.
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