Oh you wanted more?
This position seems well manned. While Jeff Green didn’t emerge as a dominant star as hoped, he is an above average small forward and plays adequate defense and inconsistent offense with occasional scoring outbursts. It seems unlikely to expect these outbursts more frequently but there are a couple of areas in which coach Stevens should demand more output. If the backups prove adequate, Green should provide consistently high defensive effort which would be an improvement. Like the pit-bull effect we are hoping/expecting to see from our guard complement this season, a strong defensive effort from our three’s would reduce the demands made on our unproven and previously shaky interior defense. Green has had some outstanding nights limiting some of the league’s most potent small forwards. He can do this more consistently and at least play determined defense every night.
Green also needs to contest for rebounds better. He had the athleticism to excel in this area but needs the mind set to pursue and claim the ball. He also needs to recognize that his shooting and driving create open shots for his teammates. If he would be more aware of the whole court as he handles the ball, his offense would become a multiplier. Like much of the team he needs to sharpen up his passing. Too many times his passes are delivered late and/or sufficiently off target to put a crimp in the flow of the offense. Jeff is probably the most athletic player on the team but he has several areas in which he could, and should, improve. The final deficit of note is his off-ball movement. If the motion offense is to succeed it will require all the players to move more, and more shrewdly, in order to maximize return. This is an area in which Green should really excel but too often in the past he has been too willing to loiter at the three-point line and thus fail to occupy his defender. This should never be the case. I find myself a bit surprised at how many areas, beside scoring, Green could improve in spite of (or perhaps because of) his being 6’9” and our most imposing physical specimen.
The candidates for backup are a much different story. None is taller than 6’7” and none of them are at the top of their game. Gerald Wallace is on the down hill slope of his career and is coming off knee surgery. Last year he was pretty limited and at 32 it seems unlikely that surgery will improve his game. Still he offers solid professionalism and enthusiastic defense if little else. Evan Turner is coming off his rookie contract and a year in which two teams basically just got rid of him. I actually have pretty strong hopes that he can and will revive his career by playing smarter and better, by accomplishing more by doing less, and by subverting his ball dominant one-on-one game to excel in blending his talents within a team offense. He will be the highest picks (#2 overall) on the team and it will be interesting to see if he can shed the expectations and become a better player within the Celtics team concept.
Other potential three’s are the banished Bogans and the hustling 3-and-D specialist Chris Johnson. I’d love for the C’s to clear a spot to keep Johnson but think he is better suited to play the two where he is less physically over matched. When the Celtics are playing teams with a power three, say LeBron or Josh Smith, Brandon Bass might slide down to the three for spot minutes.
Finally there is the rookie James Young. He is only 6’7” and lacks the muscle development to compete against the three’s in the NBA this year. Perhaps in the future this may be his position, but this year if he sees court time he would fare better at shooting guard. In a pinch even Marcus Smart or Avery Bradley could defend the three by getting in their grill and denying them the ball. Heck Rondo even took on LeBron for a few trips down the floor and gave him a difficult time even though the television picture looked like some episode of Mutt and Jeff.
Overall, the Celtics have the small forward position pretty well covered. It would be good if they had every position so well stocked.
Only 19 days until training camp.[Discuss on CG Forums!]
Players have been known to emerge from their state of hibernation in their contract years.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I'm expecting Evan Turner to thrive under Brad Stevens and to earn that next contract. I also would love to see Chris Johnson stick. I love his hustle but the cards are stacked against him barring a 3 for 1 trade of some type. James Young has a lot of people excited, but it's going to take him a year or two to make an impact. He's just so, uh, young.
ReplyDeleteI always liked the small forward who played each play until the very end...either points or turnover. This style of play demands a lot of movement and awareness from the position, not to mention always able to among the first to transition if things go wrong. The small guys may not get the attention of the big guys, but the position always impressed me more.
ReplyDeleteGood post.
I feel like the comedian whose audience starts laughing before he gets to the punch line. As I read your comment I immediately thought of a posting that is about half constructed in my mind but so far the only thing entered is the title "Chris Johnson Needs to Watch John Havlicek Tapes."
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