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Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Review: Thunder 99 at Celtics 100 Game #71 3/20/18

I've watched this game over again and it was just as exciting as it was the first time I watched it.  Here is Alex Goldblatt's review of the game.  He's got some good points.  Larkin really is a spark plug and he is a good on ball defender, even though he gives up height to every one of them.  I wouldn't be quite as hard on Nader.  He really hasn't had much NBA experience in spite of being D-League player of the year last season.  Having Brown back will be good.  Having a healthy Smart and Kyrie back would be even better. 



Definitely one of the most exciting games of the season - going against the team with the 6 games winning streak, but more importantly being totally healthy and having 3 all-stars in the lineup. Will not be focusing on how the C's fought their way back, or the winning shot by Morris - all that can be easily found on any web site or publication, but rather would like to talk about possible playoff lineup and the fact that the C's have just 11 games to sort out playoff rotation.

"The Game Changer"
Was really torn between Tatum and Larkin: both delivered big time on both ends, and I'm yet again amazed by the fact of how great on-ball defender Larkin really is. Nevertheless - this game was all about Tatum. From the #68:
"- Layups and drives: his layup at the end of the 1st OT is exactly what he's got to start doing:much more often: Brown learned now to use his body to protect the ball, and how to go into the defender not to be blocked. Now it's Tatum's turn to start doing the same, and to play though contact. Most of the time, it looks like he's trying to avoid the contact and to use his length - but it doesn't work like that in the NBA.
- Decision making: still shaky. He made at least 3 terrible entry passes to Monroe resulting in TOs, especially the one that almost put a dagger in the 2nd OT. Same applies to his jumpers: too much of reliance on his crossover, needs to start posting up much more! Good things happen when he take uncontested fadeaways because of his lengths and quickness! "

Boy, how HUGE of the change it is - and in how little time it took to adjust with JB not being around!! Biggest difference in Tatum's game:
- looking for contact, and playing through the contact
- using his terrific first step vs. abusing crossover
- efficiency and ability to pick up on best mismatch
- BS running tons of plays for him
- Al and TRoz (less) looking for Tatum as the #1 option instead of Morris
- Tatum's ability to collapse the D at ease - instead of relying on Morris or TRoz with their iso or contested 3ptrs

Tatum slowly becomes a complete 2-way player, and I just hope that having JB back will not stop this momentum: the C's need him to be a major contributor as it gets come playoffs. He can open up terrific spacing for everybody else, especially for KI.

"The Best Lineup"
BS tried a lot of different combinations to match OKC small lineup, and I think the best was
Al, Ojeleye, Tatum, TRoz, Larkin
Was interesting to see super-big vs. small like Moose, Al, Tatum, Nader, Larkin - but the only problem was having Nader on the floor... Cannot wait to have JB back...

Game:
1. Tempo still matters...
OKC is an interesting team: while playing small, in reality it's a not an uptempo team. Melo hates running, PG13 is not a fastbreak guy either. Only Westbrook with his physicality really matters - and poor transition D by the C's was on the full display. Nevertheless, they have no Rondo-like true PG - everything is created by 1:1 mismatches rather than team plays. OKC look like a bunch of disjointed players - and I think Melo has got to go... He does not fit, nor does he want to play any D as usual. Having Smart in the lineup easily would put the C's in the 20-point win...

2. Nader:
I think I'm done with him... And not his problems on both sides of the floor - but his mental instability and lack of focus. EVERY mistake on the O side - results in even bigger mistake on D on the very next possession. That was the case the last game (huge dumb foul right after missed 4 FTs in a row), and that was the same pattern now. I understand that BS has no choice, but he does not belong in the NBA.

3. Stats:
36-87 FGs (41.4%), 13-36 3pt (36.1%), 52 (!!) boards, 22 ast, 17 TOs

Starters:
24-53 FGs (45.3%), 10-25 3pt (40%), 17 ast, 12 TOs

Not a good picture - but still much better spacing and ball movement. The fact that Tatum was allowed to collapse the D was of course primarily driven by the fact that OKC have no low post presence or shotblockers: despite being one of the top D and rebounding teams in the NBA, they still look like a poor man's GSW that needs to be outscored rather than defended properly. I still think that BS had a better chance of winning if keeping super-big lineups on the floor for extended time, rather than playing small. But - yet again - everything will change with JB being back in the lineup. Biggest change will be not playing Morris at the 3 with the starters, and getting rid of Nader ...

So, playoffs:
Looks like we might have KI and Smart by the 1st round. I'm pretty confident we can easily deal with Miami even without both - but the Bucks and the 76rs might be a serious head ache. If Tatum will continue his improvement, and just having JB back over the next couple of games - I see no reason for panicking whatsoever. I believe with Smart alone - the C's will make it to the East finals, and then it all will come down to having KI back. He will need a few games to knock the rust off, so hopefully he'll be able to get a couple of last games of the season.

AG

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