On this episode of Still Poddable, Jay King, Brian Robb and Sam Packard go through the Celtics roster and search for areas of improvement. Player by player, the guys find one thing that they would like to see improve in the 2024-25 season. With training camp right around the corner, could these be the points of need the team needs to focus on? That, and much more!
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00:00:00Still Potable, Still Potable, Positive, Still Potable, Still Potable
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00:00:38Oh yeah!
00:00:45I just had to go to the bathroom
00:00:47Welcome back to Still Potable, the best Celtics podcast here on the Lord's Internet
00:00:54I am Sam Jam Packer, joined as always by
00:00:58Brian B. Rob, Rob of MassLive.com
00:01:01As well as J. King from The Athletic
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00:01:31But we are here for you every single day, Monday through Friday
00:01:36That is Patreon.com slash Still Potable
00:01:39Now boys, last time we were together
00:01:43We drafted some teams
00:01:45We drafted the best teams
00:01:47Teammates of Jalen Brown and Jason Tatum
00:01:51It was a fun time
00:01:52We did it out on the streets of Cambridge
00:01:54Lovely thanks to the Druid for hosting us
00:01:58But we may have had a slight oversight while drafting
00:02:04J., I think you're the most to blame
00:02:07Why am I the most to blame?
00:02:09Because you drafted Aaron Baines as center over this guy
00:02:13And you needed a center
00:02:15You needed a starting center
00:02:17And you didn't draft Time Lord Robert Williams
00:02:20I drafted Terry Rozier over him
00:02:23I think that's defensible
00:02:24Me, I drafted Will Hardy over him
00:02:27Which I think is also defensible
00:02:28But you drafted Aaron Baines
00:02:30Wait, who was your center, Packard?
00:02:33Porzingis?
00:02:34Porzingis, yeah
00:02:35Okay, yeah, yeah
00:02:36He would have fit great next to Robert Williams, honestly
00:02:41Too tall, you can't have too tall guys
00:02:44Just look at the Timberwolves
00:02:47Gafford and Porzingis was a pretty solid duo for the Wizards
00:02:51You're just trying to deflect from the fact that you took Aaron Baines over Robert Williams
00:02:55I have no excuse
00:02:57I somehow blanked on Robert Williams' existence
00:03:01We collectively did, though
00:03:03We collectively all forgot
00:03:04How was that possible?
00:03:06So I did think of him towards the end, but
00:03:11No, you didn't
00:03:12I did, no, I swear to God
00:03:13You would have brought it up
00:03:14No, no, no, no
00:03:15I didn't want you guys
00:03:16I did not want you guys to take him
00:03:17You guys are throwing out Tice, Baines
00:03:19And obviously
00:03:20We were in a Tice-Baines mood
00:03:22You were in a Tice-Baines mood
00:03:23You didn't want us to take him, but then you didn't take him?
00:03:25I'm glad to think I can take Hauser
00:03:27I'll defend you, Jay
00:03:28Rob Williams was phenomenal
00:03:31But if you're booking for a guy that's going to be on the court when you need him
00:03:35I would have absolutely picked Robert Williams
00:03:37Yeah, I get it
00:03:40You're going to take him
00:03:41Especially with the rest of my roster
00:03:43The rest of my roster was Derek White, Kyrie Irving, Jalen, Tatum, and Kemba
00:03:50Like we needed just someone to represent everything at the rim
00:03:53And hand up
00:03:56Yeah
00:03:57I fucked up
00:03:59I fucked up, but you fucked up, and he fucked up
00:04:01We fucked up, collectively
00:04:03Collectively, but that's what it's all about
00:04:05It's about accountability, and it's about
00:04:09How did you forget Robert Williams' existence?
00:04:13I don't know, but don't tell Forsberg
00:04:15Forsberg will be upset with us
00:04:18You gotta call out the mistakes
00:04:21And that's how you get better moving forward
00:04:23Because next time we do this draft, which hopefully won't be for another year
00:04:28We're not going to forget Robert Williams
00:04:30And we're not going to forget any players
00:04:32And that's how you get better
00:04:33And that's how you be a true growth mindset
00:04:35That's how you be a Kaizen mental alpha
00:04:38It's that continuous improvement
00:04:40And you acknowledge the mistakes
00:04:41You own up to your mistakes
00:04:43And then you correct them moving forward
00:04:45And in that grand spirit of continual improvement
00:04:49On today's podcast
00:04:51And probably tomorrow's podcast, if we're being likely
00:04:54We are going to go through the Celtics roster
00:04:57And try to identify the thing that each player needs to get better at
00:05:01How can they continuously improve?
00:05:03Because they already set the bar
00:05:05They won the championship
00:05:06But having a growth mindset is about continuing to grow
00:05:09Continuing to get better
00:05:10And each of these players are going to go into the offseason
00:05:13Or have been in the offseason working on a bunch of stuff
00:05:15For Jalen Brown, it's aquatics
00:05:19Basic aquatics skills
00:05:21Which wouldn't be on my list of things he needed to improve upon
00:05:25But apparently that's helping him out
00:05:27So we're going to go through the roster
00:05:29I don't think the three of us need to have individual things
00:05:32We'll just talk amongst ourselves and try to figure out
00:05:35What's the thing that's going to make this team better
00:05:38In each of these individual players
00:05:40Jay, you told me we were going to do this alphabetically
00:05:43I went on Basketball Reference
00:05:45Sorted by alphabet
00:05:47O'Shea resets first, so get him off the list
00:05:50And the first guy we have is Jalen Brown
00:05:53Seems like you need to check on an updated roster
00:05:57I'm on the 24-25 Boston Celtics roster
00:06:00That doesn't sound like you are
00:06:02I'll send you the link, brother
00:06:04O'Shea is holding on for dear life that he's still on this roster
00:06:07Is Luke Peterson still on it?
00:06:09So Jalen Brown is first alphabetically
00:06:14Internet security
00:06:16Internet security is the biggest thing he needs to work on
00:06:19Because he got hacked today
00:06:21He definitely needs to work on some internet security
00:06:24Those tweets, it's like hours and hours after they went up
00:06:28They're still there
00:06:30Give me the highlight
00:06:32Give me the spark notes
00:06:34It's too much
00:06:36Bitcoin stuff, it's a lot of nonsense
00:06:40Nothing good
00:06:42Occasionally telling some people to fuck off
00:06:44But nothing too scandalous
00:06:46Just mostly nonsense
00:06:48Yeah
00:06:50There was nothing great
00:06:52It started off by saying fuck Nike
00:06:56Or that was one of the first tweets
00:06:58And so they started off actually trying to sound like him
00:07:02And then it quickly deteriorated into not sounding like him at all
00:07:06If you guys could hack any one person's account
00:07:10And send a tweet
00:07:12Whose account would it be?
00:07:14And what would that tweet be?
00:07:16I've never spent a second thinking about this before
00:07:22Yeah, that's a trap question
00:07:24Think about it now
00:07:26Spin those mind grapes
00:07:28Create some beautiful wine
00:07:30It'd probably be
00:07:32It'd probably be like a fake Shams tweet or something
00:07:34It'd be like Nick Freeman's been the new coach in Los Angeles
00:07:38Something to raise the pub with my boy
00:07:40Get the publicity going for him
00:07:44That'll help his credibility
00:07:46That'd be pretty funny actually
00:07:48I'm in, I'm in, I'll help
00:07:50Alright
00:07:52Collectively we can all work on that
00:07:54You know Shams, Jay
00:07:56You probably worked on a couple stories with him
00:07:58Yeah, I'll see what I can do
00:08:00But the problem is
00:08:02He's got like 23 hours of screen time a day
00:08:04So there's not much time
00:08:06It would be down like that
00:08:08There's no staying power with that one
00:08:10You think he has like a four factor authorization too?
00:08:12Not two or three factor
00:08:14Just straight to four
00:08:16Just straight to four
00:08:18I don't even think he needs it
00:08:20He's just constantly on there
00:08:22He is his own authentication
00:08:26Alright
00:08:28Back to the nature at hand
00:08:30Jaylen Brown, what does he need to improve upon
00:08:32Coming off
00:08:34The matter at hand even
00:08:36Yeah, what did I say?
00:08:38I just kind of talk at some point
00:08:40The nature at hand
00:08:42Well let's get the nature and matter
00:08:44That's all of the physical existence
00:08:46Is nature and matter
00:08:48So Jaylen
00:08:50Jaylen improved a lot of his stuff
00:08:52This past season
00:08:54And really
00:08:56Took strides in so many areas
00:08:58Defensively
00:09:00Decision making wise
00:09:02All around
00:09:04Got in great
00:09:06He's always been in great shape
00:09:08Got in some of the best shape of anyone in the NBA
00:09:12The one part of his game
00:09:14That sort of slid a little
00:09:16Drawing free throws
00:09:18And
00:09:20To me
00:09:22He should be the best on the Celtics at that
00:09:24He should be drawing a ton of free throws
00:09:26He should be getting the line
00:09:28He can get to the cup
00:09:30He's become a smarter decision maker
00:09:32Once he gets there
00:09:34That's probably the reason why
00:09:36His free throw attempt slipped
00:09:38However
00:09:40The Celtics were 25th
00:09:42In free throw attempt rate
00:09:44And
00:09:46That's one of the one blemishes
00:09:48On them statistically
00:09:50He's one of the people who can change that
00:09:52And
00:09:54I don't want him to sacrifice
00:09:56He should not sacrifice any of the
00:09:58Additional like
00:10:00Poise that he's shown
00:10:02So if he has to do that to draw more free throws
00:10:04Forget about it
00:10:06But if he can keep that
00:10:08Hold on to that
00:10:10Still spray the ball around the perimeter
00:10:12Still keep his assists up
00:10:14His turnovers down
00:10:16And just get back to getting the free throw line a little bit more
00:10:18I'm going
00:10:20Defensive rebounding
00:10:22For Jalen
00:10:24Worst defensive rebound rate of his career
00:10:26At 13.4
00:10:28And
00:10:30Heading into next year
00:10:32With Porzingis out
00:10:34I think they're going to need some help in that department
00:10:36With
00:10:38Tatum does a great job rebounding
00:10:40Al does
00:10:42And I think Jalen
00:10:44They didn't need him to do it last year
00:10:46And I think
00:10:48They're going to need him to do more of that
00:10:50So maybe it's less of an improvement
00:10:52More of a need for the team
00:10:54Isn't that sort of just a factor of
00:10:56The role they use him in defensively though
00:10:58Like he's guarding
00:11:00The best player on the other team
00:11:02Often at half court
00:11:04Often picking up full court
00:11:06Often just very far away from the basket
00:11:08Whereas Jason Tatum
00:11:10Like guards centers so that he can
00:11:12So that he's always around the basket
00:11:14True but I mean Tatum
00:11:16Is like one of the best rebounders
00:11:18Period in the league for forwards
00:11:20I think Jalen is an average rebounder
00:11:22Even when he's away from the hoop
00:11:24Fair
00:11:26I think if there's one
00:11:28But I think that's one area where he needs to
00:11:30Get in there get his hands dirty
00:11:32When he is not away from the hoop
00:11:34So that's where I'm going with
00:11:36I thought we were going to try and come to
00:11:38Consensus and we were all going to try
00:11:40To select one thing
00:11:42I mean
00:11:44You don't have to pick your own thing
00:11:46You can add on to ours
00:11:48This is just a conversation
00:11:50This is a podcast
00:11:52You're the host here
00:11:54Okay okay the host you say
00:11:56I think it's something
00:11:58He's gotten a lot better at
00:12:00But I still think there's room for
00:12:02Improvement in his game and it's still just playmaking
00:12:04I think his turnovers came down
00:12:06And he
00:12:08Had an ability to kind of make
00:12:10A little bit extra passes
00:12:12But it wasn't as consistent
00:12:14I think if the ball is going to be in his hands
00:12:16As much as it is
00:12:18I think he just has room for
00:12:20Improvement as
00:12:22A passer as setting other guys up
00:12:24I think he did a really good job
00:12:26Of taking steps towards
00:12:28Limiting those turnovers but in terms of
00:12:30Just like seeing the floor
00:12:32Especially as well as Tatum has
00:12:34And making the right plays that way
00:12:36I think we saw a big leap with
00:12:38Last year but I think he can get even
00:12:40Better of that and that just makes him so much more dynamic
00:12:42Of an offensive threat
00:12:44And if anyone
00:12:46On this team can add three
00:12:48Major things to their game
00:12:50It's going to be Jalen Brown I've just been
00:12:52Kind of consistently impressed with his ability to get
00:12:54Better every single year
00:12:56But I think statistically
00:12:58Both Jay and B-Rob you're both right
00:13:00Lowest defensive rebounding rate in his career
00:13:02And second consecutive year
00:13:04His free throw rate had gone down
00:13:06It's weird
00:13:08To be like say do all this kind of like
00:13:10How they need to improve because they just
00:13:12Want a championship but that's what's having
00:13:14The growth mindset and the Kaizen approach
00:13:16Is all about you have to continuously improve
00:13:18And so hopefully
00:13:20Jalen will be listening to us after he cleans up his
00:13:22Twitter
00:13:24You know he'll be in the gym
00:13:26How much of the water
00:13:28Aerobics and workouts do you think is
00:13:30Working towards any of these goals
00:13:32Uh
00:13:34It surely helps his
00:13:36Physique I would imagine
00:13:38Which could probably help with
00:13:40Trying free throws could probably help
00:13:42With blocking out and getting rebounds
00:13:44Could probably
00:13:46You know everything
00:13:48Maybe it helps maybe it helps his
00:13:50Focus and clarity and therefore his
00:13:52Decision making
00:13:54Yeah well I appreciate the sincere
00:13:56Response to what was a very dumb question
00:13:58Um moving on
00:14:00We're not going to do J.D. Davidson
00:14:02We're not going to do Tristan
00:14:04Or Ron Harper Jr.
00:14:06So next person actually in the rotation
00:14:08This is alphabetically by last name
00:14:10Sam Houser
00:14:12B-Rob what do you think Sam Houser
00:14:14Needs to improve upon or
00:14:16Think he needs to work on most this offseason
00:14:20Oh there's just so much
00:14:22I mean
00:14:24This is actually a tough one
00:14:26I guess
00:14:28He's only shooting 55%
00:14:30From 2 point range on those 1.2
00:14:32Attempts per game
00:14:34And I want to see more dunks from Houser
00:14:36Or just you know come on
00:14:38If you're shooting you're getting to the lane
00:14:40And you're dunking or laying it up
00:14:42Um so you should be shooting
00:14:44Better than 55% from 2 dammit
00:14:46Because if those are jump shots those should be
00:14:48Threes
00:14:50Team high 83% uh 3 point
00:14:52Attempt rate like the large majority
00:14:54Of his shots are coming from 3
00:14:56And I'm with you though I do think
00:14:58We saw a little bit of it like
00:15:00Someone in the postseason
00:15:02To do that pump fake and do like a dribble
00:15:04Pull up or like to go to the rim
00:15:06I think
00:15:08The thing that immediately pops into mind is like Duncan Robinson
00:15:10Has kind of added something similar to his game
00:15:12That's just what I was going to say
00:15:14I feel like we've had this exact conversation
00:15:16Multiple times about Houser
00:15:18During the playoffs it's just like
00:15:20That's the next elevation or next
00:15:22Point of the go to
00:15:24Is to just have that little
00:15:26If they're just trying to run you off the line
00:15:28Have that counter and I don't think
00:15:30Houser has that in his bag just yet
00:15:32He needs to take the Duncan Robinson
00:15:34Playmaking leap
00:15:36Which is like Duncan Robinson
00:15:38I mean you don't really
00:15:40You wouldn't really call him a playmaker right
00:15:42But
00:15:44He increased from
00:15:46One
00:15:482 point attempt 1.1 2 point attempt
00:15:50Per game to 3
00:15:52He increased from 1.1 assists per game
00:15:54To almost 3 2.8
00:15:56And so he had a playmaking leap
00:15:58And it's just like
00:16:00Because of how much gravity he has
00:16:02As a three point shooter
00:16:04It doesn't take much to just get by someone
00:16:06Get in the lane
00:16:08Make a little something happen
00:16:10And Sam Houser has similar gravity at the three point arc
00:16:12All like Duncan Robinson
00:16:14One of the best three point shooters in the game
00:16:16I think there's another layer to his game
00:16:18That we haven't seen yet
00:16:20I think he's capable
00:16:22Of adding just the slightest
00:16:24Off the dribble game
00:16:26And if he does that
00:16:28Then it's a way to keep
00:16:30The ball movement
00:16:32It's a way to just take advantage
00:16:34Of the advantages he creates
00:16:36Capitalize on the advantages he creates
00:16:38And
00:16:40Yeah Duncan Robinson playmaking leap
00:16:42Because the defense got good
00:16:44The defense got good
00:16:46People attacked him
00:16:48I feel like he also reached his
00:16:50Upper limit of defense
00:16:52Like I don't know how much more of a defense
00:16:54You talk about Kaizen
00:16:56And then you say here
00:16:58That was a very closed mindset approach to me
00:17:00I took
00:17:02You're right Jay
00:17:04More accountability I appreciate that
00:17:06So you think Sam Houser can get a lot better as a defender
00:17:10Why not
00:17:12Touche
00:17:14Touche my friend
00:17:16Next up
00:17:18This one I actually was thinking about earlier
00:17:20And I don't have a great answer for
00:17:22But
00:17:24True Holiday
00:17:26Just eliminate
00:17:28Like the two
00:17:30Insanely dumb things
00:17:32No that's key to his game
00:17:34You can't take the nonsense
00:17:36Out of True Holiday's game
00:17:38He's won the lottery
00:17:40It's not how it works
00:17:42Everything else falls apart if he takes those away
00:17:44Marcus Smart thrived on nonsense
00:17:46Marcus Smart
00:17:48You think True Holiday doesn't thrive on nonsense
00:17:50True Holiday does not thrive on nonsense
00:17:52True Holiday just does nonsense from time to time
00:17:54Like he
00:17:56Thrives on being like Mr. Solid
00:17:58Mr. Dependable
00:18:00And then every once in a while he just short circuits
00:18:02And does some stupid shit
00:18:04Yeah but sometimes he short circuits
00:18:06And takes a very weird transition 3
00:18:08That goes in and is quite useful
00:18:10Like you kind of want him to still be aggressive
00:18:12And still like looking for a shot
00:18:14If anything I think you should shoot more 3's
00:18:16I like the wild card element
00:18:18When you're 43% 3 point shooter
00:18:20From 3
00:18:22You can buy
00:18:24One of those a game
00:18:26But I get it
00:18:28Big picture that you're right
00:18:30There are 4 of those
00:18:32You're like what the hell are you doing
00:18:34But when he doesn't get enough touches
00:18:36That's a way of maybe appeasing himself
00:18:38So I don't
00:18:40I see
00:18:42It has something to take out
00:18:44But I wouldn't mind the wild card nature of it
00:18:46I do think you can call
00:18:48I love the insane 3 point attempts
00:18:50I think there are some times
00:18:52True Holiday will throw a pass
00:18:54That has no business being thrown
00:18:56And
00:18:58Looking at the stats
00:19:00Looking at his usage rate
00:19:02He had way more turnovers
00:19:04I think he was 3rd on the team in turnovers
00:19:06And had like the 6th highest usage rate
00:19:08But that's what I feel like they were
00:19:10When I looked at them 15 minutes ago
00:19:12In basketball reference
00:19:14So I somewhat agree
00:19:16Sometimes he just throws some ridiculous passes
00:19:18That are just like
00:19:20But I'm also with you B-Rub
00:19:22I just kind of want that wild card
00:19:24I want that crazy True Holiday moment
00:19:26Those moments are fun
00:19:28You guys are pure sickos
00:19:30The other thing I was going to throw in
00:19:32He is turning into Al Horford
00:19:34At the free throw line
00:19:36Not a problem
00:19:381.1 free throw attempts per 36 minutes
00:19:40Not great
00:19:44A slight uptick there
00:19:46Would probably be a good thing
00:19:48For the team's
00:19:5025th overall
00:19:52Free throw rate
00:19:54I do wonder
00:19:56If that's him
00:19:58Or just
00:20:00He was learning how to be
00:20:02The 5th option
00:20:04Because
00:20:06In Milwaukee he had the ball in his hands all the time
00:20:08Before that
00:20:10Usually had the ball in his hands a lot
00:20:12If not all the time
00:20:14And I think we saw
00:20:16In the playoffs
00:20:18At times they used him
00:20:20In an attacking role
00:20:22And they had him go after Donovan Mitchell
00:20:24To try to tire him out
00:20:26And he still had it
00:20:28He could still get to the cup
00:20:30And overpower people
00:20:32He's totally fine playing his role
00:20:34So I agree
00:20:36He's never been a big free throw guy
00:20:38I'm just like
00:20:40The most he averages for a game
00:20:42Just looking at his free throw rate
00:20:44He's such an anti-grifter
00:20:46Such an anti-grifter
00:20:48He doesn't try to take charges
00:20:50He's just like an ethical man
00:20:54So maybe less
00:20:56Chaos
00:20:58More
00:21:00Less ethics
00:21:02Less chaos, less ethics
00:21:04Yeah
00:21:06Basketball, ethics
00:21:08Business
00:21:10You just mentioned him B-Rob
00:21:12Al Horford
00:21:14Now
00:21:16Slight tangent of a story
00:21:18I've been in Philadelphia three days
00:21:20I think I've worn Celtics gear
00:21:22All three days
00:21:24When I'm walking around the city
00:21:26You know
00:21:28Trying to provoke the locals
00:21:30Just trying to get them to say something
00:21:32So I can be like
00:21:34Oh, can't hear you over the radio
00:21:36Today I wore my Al Horford is good t-shirt
00:21:38Which I think was like
00:21:40If I was going to get a reaction
00:21:42That would be the one that would be the most provoking
00:21:44Because he was not good for Philadelphia
00:21:46And I feel like they have like a special
00:21:48Place of hatred in their heart
00:21:50I've not gotten one comment
00:21:52From any Sixers fan
00:21:54They don't care about the Sixers in this town
00:21:56It's a basketball town
00:21:58No one shows up to the game
00:22:00They don't care about the birds
00:22:02But speaking of birds
00:22:04I was wearing my Al Horford is good t-shirt
00:22:06And then a bird
00:22:08Took a shit on my shoulder
00:22:10So the birds of Philadelphia
00:22:12Have more heart than the Sixers fans
00:22:14Is that a boo bird?
00:22:20That is good luck though
00:22:22Is it?
00:22:24Hi bird
00:22:26There you go, allegedly
00:22:28We'll find out
00:22:30What does Al Horford need to do to get better?
00:22:32I've got to go to
00:22:34Absolutely nothing
00:22:36Al Horford is the perfect
00:22:38Just continue aging
00:22:40Continue aging
00:22:42Continue to look like you're 30 years old
00:22:44Like just
00:22:46Maintain
00:22:48Stay out of
00:22:50Stay out of traffic
00:22:52Right
00:22:54Maybe just take
00:22:56Take it easier more
00:22:58Don't get too
00:23:00In too much trouble in the paint
00:23:02Yeah
00:23:04That's the perfect guy
00:23:06At age 38 now
00:23:08And it's just keeping him in a bubble wrap
00:23:10As he was last season
00:23:12They need him
00:23:14Two years ago he was ninth in defensive player of the year voting
00:23:16Three years ago?
00:23:18Who knew?
00:23:20The man
00:23:22Is so necessary
00:23:24To them in the playoffs
00:23:26Like just so crucial
00:23:28Especially now
00:23:30Because I think the 76ers are going to be better
00:23:32And the Bucks are going to be better
00:23:34And he's the guy against Embiid
00:23:36And he's the guy against Giannis still
00:23:38To this day
00:23:40In 2024, presumably 2025
00:23:42So
00:23:44Yeah, just
00:23:46Stay healthy
00:23:48Stay
00:23:50Physically fit
00:23:52Stay as mobile as you can
00:23:54And
00:23:56Because especially if Kristaps Porzingis
00:23:58Struggles physically
00:24:00Which seems likely based on his history
00:24:02Al Horford is still
00:24:04Going to be really really important
00:24:08I think he needs to take more threes
00:24:10He took a bit of a dip last year
00:24:12His three point rate went down a little bit
00:24:14No need for him to get
00:24:16I don't care
00:24:18I don't want him having any physical contact inside the paint
00:24:20He should be
00:24:22Defensive
00:24:24Yeah, he'll have to be in the paint on defense
00:24:26But just hang out, pick and pop threes
00:24:28And just be healthy
00:24:30And survive until Kristaps gets back
00:24:32And then just coast
00:24:34I think that's the beautiful plan for Al Horford
00:24:36He needs to do nothing better
00:24:38Because he's already perfect
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00:25:56Another big man who is actually
00:25:58I think is going to need to step up
00:26:00Especially in the early
00:26:02Parts of the season with ChrisTaps out
00:26:04Luke Cornett
00:26:07Does he
00:26:09Is this the year he starts chucking threes
00:26:11Jay I know you hate the idea of him chucking threes
00:26:13You say never chuck a three Luke Cornett
00:26:15Is what you've said in the past
00:26:17I don't hate the idea of him
00:26:19Chucking threes
00:26:21However I do hate
00:26:23The idea of him chucking threes if he
00:26:25Continues to be
00:26:27Like a 34%
00:26:2932% career
00:26:31Three point shooter
00:26:33He just wasn't a good enough three point shooter
00:26:35To do it and force the defense
00:26:37To react to him
00:26:39And so now he's shelved that idea
00:26:41He's become a
00:26:43Dominator inside physically
00:26:45From time to time
00:26:47His offensive rebound rate was great
00:26:49His block rate was great
00:26:51Probably had the best season of his career
00:26:53So I'm going to surprise you here
00:26:55I'm going to say
00:26:57He's got to push that three point
00:26:59Percentage up just a little bit
00:27:01Just a little bit
00:27:03Don't launch them
00:27:05Don't shoot them as much as you used to
00:27:07But every once in a while
00:27:09Just let it fly
00:27:11But keep in mind
00:27:13That you really
00:27:15Really earn your money around the rim
00:27:17You really really earn your money
00:27:19By being a deterrent
00:27:21To the other side
00:27:23And
00:27:25Being a really smart guy
00:27:27And being someone who allows other people around you to flourish
00:27:29You don't have to flourish all the time personally
00:27:31Although last year he did
00:27:33More than he ever has
00:27:35But yeah, I think he's just got to
00:27:37Up the three point percentage just a little bit
00:27:39So that he can
00:27:41Statistically shoot those
00:27:43And it'll help out
00:27:45His win share numbers were
00:27:47Absolutely nuts last year
00:27:49He had an unreal year
00:27:51.248 per 48
00:27:53It's crazy, probably the best on the team
00:27:55To Jay's point
00:27:57And it's kind of wild that after that
00:27:59I imagine he probably had offers
00:28:01For a little bit more elsewhere
00:28:03Elected to come back
00:28:05But yeah, I like Jay's
00:28:07Taking some threes, especially with
00:28:09Pushing us out
00:28:11Take more than one
00:28:13Take more than one
00:28:15To be honest
00:28:17And here's the other thing I want to see from Cornette
00:28:19Cornette Contest
00:28:21It's a little old now, it's a little dated
00:28:23Let's think of something else here
00:28:25Let's flank a variation of the Cornette Contest
00:28:27Like maybe it goes backwards
00:28:29Like some type of, yeah
00:28:31YMCA
00:28:33Something there, something fresh
00:28:35To throw him off balance
00:28:37Because he's going to get a lot of minutes early in the year
00:28:39And we know Joe
00:28:41Is not the biggest fan of the Cornette Contest
00:28:43So I'll be curious to see what he has up his
00:28:45Sleeve for there
00:28:47Why didn't Joe like the Cornette Contest?
00:28:49Because Joe feels like he likes anything that is
00:28:51He does not believe in it
00:28:53Didn't believe it contributed
00:28:55Should I put him in a position for rebounding probably?
00:28:57Is my guess, I don't know
00:28:59I never talked to Joe about it
00:29:01But that would be my guess
00:29:03I have one thing I think Luke Cornette should work on
00:29:07And that's doing more podcast appearances
00:29:09On Still Potable
00:29:11I feel like he could really take his game up
00:29:13Maybe a weekly, maybe a monthly
00:29:15Appearance on Still Potable
00:29:17He's got a lot of personality
00:29:19He's a smart guy, he's a well-read man
00:29:21I feel like he would deal with my nonsense
00:29:23Questions pretty well
00:29:25I could throw him some curveballs
00:29:27Take him opposite field
00:29:29Drop him in right field for a single
00:29:31It would be a good time
00:29:33So I think Luke Cornette can branch out more
00:29:35As a media personality
00:29:37Because I think he's a fascinating guy
00:29:39And he always has a home here on Still Potable
00:29:43He also needs to be ready to
00:29:45Play more minutes
00:29:47Because
00:29:49Porzingis is going to be out a while
00:29:51Horford
00:29:53You're going to want to minimize
00:29:55The risk of him getting injured or worn down
00:29:57During the regular season
00:29:59And Cornette
00:30:01I think 16 minutes a game-ish
00:30:03Is his career high
00:30:05Let me check that
00:30:0717 minutes per game is his career high
00:30:11Will he be right around that?
00:30:13Will he be above that?
00:30:15Prepare his body
00:30:17For more of a minute load
00:30:19Because I believe he got hurt twice
00:30:21In non-game action last year
00:30:23I think he got
00:30:25Hurt in warm-ups at one point
00:30:27He did have some tough warm-ups
00:30:29And then it happened in practice again
00:30:31One of my buddies in college
00:30:35He
00:30:37This poor frick
00:30:39So he had to sit out for half the season
00:30:41For NCAA eligibility
00:30:43While they determined whether he was eligible
00:30:45And
00:30:47The NCAA finally finished up his case
00:30:49He was ready to play
00:30:51And
00:30:53Pretty sure it was his first game back
00:30:55We were in layup lines
00:30:57And he landed on a fucking loose basketball
00:30:59And sprained an ankle
00:31:01And was out another few weeks
00:31:03It was the worst luck I've ever seen in my life
00:31:05He had a little Luke Cornette in him
00:31:07So yeah, Luke's got to
00:31:09Luke's got to stay healthy
00:31:11During layup lines
00:31:15Landing on basketball is just as ugly
00:31:17I don't care for that image
00:31:19Yeah, it was tough
00:31:21Drew Peterson
00:31:23Is not on the team
00:31:25He's a Pelican
00:31:27So next up is Chris Tapps
00:31:29Porzingis
00:31:31And this is a tough one because my initial reaction
00:31:33Is just to like be healthy
00:31:35But he's not going to be healthy
00:31:37For at least until 2025
00:31:39And so
00:31:41I would say the obvious one is just like
00:31:43Let's try to think outside the bun
00:31:47Keep working on his screen game
00:31:49The screens
00:31:51Like for him
00:31:53Being able to
00:31:55Read the screen
00:31:57And whether it's dive to the hoop
00:31:59Or pop
00:32:01Or just keep a guy on his hip
00:32:03He can just
00:32:05Totally fuck up the other team
00:32:07When he's screening
00:32:09Just because of how much attention you have to pay to him
00:32:11If you switch it
00:32:13How he can kill a switch
00:32:15Because he's so big
00:32:17And so skilled
00:32:19And so productive
00:32:21You just have to always be worried about him
00:32:23So the more decisions
00:32:25He makes right on screening
00:32:27The better
00:32:29Do you think that
00:32:31I feel like as the season progressed
00:32:33His post-ups on switches got farther and farther
00:32:35Away from the basket
00:32:37Do you think that was a product of like
00:32:39Just teams being more physical with him
00:32:41Or not making the right screen decision
00:32:43Or was I just seeing things out there
00:32:45I think part of it was probably
00:32:47The change in officiating
00:32:49But I'm not really sure
00:32:51I haven't really studied
00:32:53Whether it was farther out
00:32:55I know his post-up efficiency
00:32:57Dipped for a little while before it kind of
00:32:59Popped back up
00:33:01But
00:33:03He had a ridiculous year
00:33:05Like just posting up
00:33:07What he adds to their offense is so
00:33:09So good
00:33:11But sometimes he can get knocked off a screen
00:33:13Sometimes
00:33:15It's just like
00:33:17Not as crisp as you'd like
00:33:19And I think the better he is on that
00:33:21Like he just opens up everything
00:33:23When he does it right
00:33:25And when he does it right
00:33:27It's like not sure there are answers
00:33:29To stopping the Celtics
00:33:31Yeah I love that one
00:33:33The angles on the screens
00:33:35And I do think a lot of it will come with
00:33:37Getting familiar
00:33:39More year two of these guys
00:33:41Knowing how they like to position themselves
00:33:43We know he had the chemistry of Jalen out of the gate
00:33:45But if that
00:33:47He can work with that with Derek
00:33:49With Tatum or with Drew
00:33:51Like Jada that really turned out
00:33:53What Thornton created a good offense
00:33:55Into even more impossible to contend
00:33:57If he's able to hold those well
00:33:59And create even more separation
00:34:01One thing I have for him
00:34:03Is consistency
00:34:05On the defensive end
00:34:07And I feel like it's something Jalen highlighted last year
00:34:09Where he'd be like sometimes
00:34:11Chris Stapps is like one of the more dominant
00:34:13Rim protectors
00:34:15And he's like very very engaged
00:34:17On the defensive end of the court
00:34:19And then sometimes he's not
00:34:21And our entire defense kind of suffers
00:34:23When he's not fully there
00:34:25And I don't know if this is a product of
00:34:27Like being physically ready to do it
00:34:29Or if it's like a mental kind of focus thing
00:34:31But
00:34:33And obviously they kind of survived without him
00:34:35In the playoffs
00:34:37But him being on the court
00:34:39Being like very much locked in on the defensive end
00:34:41Makes them just that much more dominant
00:34:43Of a team and I feel like we got some
00:34:45Moments of Chris Stapps
00:34:47Very good defender and then some moments of where
00:34:49You didn't really feel Chris Stapps presence defensively
00:34:51So I think it's just like consistency
00:34:53On the defensive end from him
00:34:55On a night-to-night basis
00:34:57Which I think it might be a tall ask
00:34:59That's a good one though
00:35:01Because some nights it was like
00:35:03Man, Chris Stapps
00:35:05Is he going to struggle against
00:35:07Big physical guys?
00:35:09Is he going to struggle against the best athletes?
00:35:11And you're like is he soft?
00:35:13And then other nights
00:35:15Jokic put him through the basket both times
00:35:17Jokic is
00:35:19I know but you'd want him to put up
00:35:21Some more resistance
00:35:23There was some times like
00:35:25Is Chris Stapps kind of a liability right now
00:35:27And Bede had his way with him early in the season
00:35:29But like
00:35:31Then other nights you're like
00:35:33No, nobody's going to
00:35:35Beat him with physicality
00:35:37He's just a monster
00:35:39And so there were definitely like
00:35:41Two versions of Chris Stapps
00:35:43Like Jalen kind of alluded to
00:35:45And when he was a good one
00:35:47There weren't many people who could score on him
00:35:49Or score on the Celtics
00:35:53Next up
00:35:55We've got P-Rabbit
00:35:57FastPP
00:35:59Got married this summer
00:36:01So kudos to him
00:36:03What do you
00:36:05What do you think Peyton Pritchard needs to work on
00:36:07Heading into next season
00:36:09It's tough
00:36:11I'll say
00:36:13This is an improvement but
00:36:15This would be very tough for him to sustain
00:36:17His shooting at the
00:36:19Rim last year was insanely good
00:36:21Compared to his career
00:36:2376%
00:36:25Within three feet in his first three years
00:36:27Were 63, 62, 61%
00:36:29So Peyton Pritchard can continue to be
00:36:31Like we know he gets his nose in there
00:36:33For offensive rebounds
00:36:35But his
00:36:37He had the first step to get by guys
00:36:39If he can sustain his finishing which was
00:36:41Meh early in his career
00:36:43And keep building on that while getting to the rim more and more
00:36:45Like that's a huge
00:36:47That tears him from being like oh
00:36:49That's a fun backup guard to being like oh
00:36:51That is a
00:36:53An eventual starter for a really good team down the line
00:36:55If he can sustain that as part of this game
00:36:57Just looking at his shooting splits
00:36:59He was so fucking good last year
00:37:01Yeah there is
00:37:03Career year and just like
00:37:05At all distances went from
00:37:0749% to 59%
00:37:09Um better from
00:37:11Three point range
00:37:13I mean he wasn't 41% the way
00:37:15He was his first two years but just like
00:37:17A real just
00:37:19Played 82 games just a
00:37:21Phenomenal year for Peyton Pritchard last year
00:37:23This is a tough one I don't know
00:37:25Jay do you have answers for what he can improve upon
00:37:27Uh this is gonna
00:37:29Sound
00:37:31Like weird
00:37:33No
00:37:35I would like to see him
00:37:37Become
00:37:39A little more ambitious
00:37:41Like one of the
00:37:43Things that set him apart last year was
00:37:45His assisted turnover ratio he never made
00:37:47Mistakes he shot
00:37:49An insane efficiency at the rim
00:37:51Like he was great
00:37:53Great backup guard
00:37:55I feel like there is more
00:37:57I feel like he could
00:37:59Drag out a little bit more off the
00:38:01Dribble game I feel like he
00:38:03Could be a little bit
00:38:05More daring and I
00:38:07Know they are probably like telling him
00:38:09That the decision making
00:38:11Is huge and the assisted turnover
00:38:13Ratio is super important
00:38:15But like
00:38:17I just feel like sometimes
00:38:19He should just be a little more reckless
00:38:23So you don't
00:38:25Like it when Drew does it but you want more of it
00:38:27From Peyton Pritchard
00:38:29Yes
00:38:31Alright I just can't see it
00:38:33He plays so like such a controlled
00:38:35Game I just don't
00:38:37Even know and he
00:38:39Gets reckless in shooting like deep threes
00:38:41Do you just mean like more attacking toward like going
00:38:43Towards the basket
00:38:45Yeah mostly going towards the basket
00:38:47Like if you look at he played
00:38:49He shot
00:38:51Insane percentages like B-Rob said
00:38:53At the rim he took
00:38:55Just about the same
00:38:57A little less
00:38:59Two point attempts per 36 minutes than he did
00:39:01The previous year
00:39:03And it's like he's gotten really good
00:39:05At that and he's become great
00:39:07At like getting his shoulder into a guy
00:39:09And kind of pushing him off and finishing
00:39:11Like just
00:39:13Do a little more of it I think
00:39:15There's more there that he can kind of
00:39:17Dig deeper for
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00:40:47Game time
00:40:49Moving on to the pride of Portugal
00:40:51And Utah State University
00:40:53Nini
00:40:55Nimaes Keita
00:40:57I think the obvious one is
00:40:59To stop goaltending
00:41:01Just don't goaltend every single time
00:41:03You play a basketball game
00:41:05Is there a place on basketball
00:41:07Reference I can look up number of goaltends
00:41:09Because I think he's averaging one per game
00:41:11But do you guys
00:41:13Have anything better than that?
00:41:15Just not getting lost
00:41:17On defense as much
00:41:19I guess that kind of like
00:41:21He did an admirable job when he got
00:41:23Spots but there are also games where
00:41:25You're just a few times
00:41:27He turned into a bit of a mess when picking
00:41:29Real defense which happens with guys
00:41:31Like his size
00:41:33When they have to come out to the perimeter at times
00:41:35But
00:41:37Yeah, I think defense first and foremost
00:41:39That's the area where they
00:41:41If he's consistent there
00:41:43If he's solid there
00:41:45If he minimizes the mistakes and that
00:41:47That's when he's going to be able to
00:41:49Maybe
00:41:51Build some consistent minutes
00:41:53Together when
00:41:55Porting is an hour out
00:41:58Jay
00:42:00Your thoughts on Cato
00:42:02Yeah, I think it's just the
00:42:04Defensive positioning
00:42:06Like
00:42:08He really hasn't played very many
00:42:10Minutes in the NBA
00:42:12And he's been around the league for years now
00:42:14But I think there's still
00:42:16A level of rawness to his game
00:42:18Some of it
00:42:20Comes out in stuff like the goaltending
00:42:22Which is just like he had some
00:42:24Unfathomable goaltends
00:42:26Some absolutely outrageous
00:42:28Goaltends to the point where
00:42:30I think someone asked
00:42:32Joe if it was like
00:42:34Patrick Ewing when Patrick Ewing
00:42:36Used to want to get goaltends to like
00:42:38Demoralize people
00:42:40And intimidate people
00:42:42And that was asked in a post
00:42:44Game press conference or pre-game press
00:42:46Conference and Joe was kind of like no
00:42:48I just don't want him to give up free baskets
00:42:50Like I would prefer him
00:42:52Not to give up free baskets
00:42:54But that's part of it
00:42:56Like
00:42:58There's a lot there
00:43:00Like there's just
00:43:02He does so many good things
00:43:04And he does so many good things instinctually
00:43:06He almost reminds you of
00:43:08Robert Williams who we do remember
00:43:10Exists now
00:43:12And in the way that
00:43:14He can just like pile up good things
00:43:16When he's on a basketball court
00:43:18He can make good passes
00:43:20He can block shots
00:43:22And it's like wow
00:43:24But it's just the little things
00:43:26Like positioning and stuff holding him back
00:43:28And I think if he gets some of that
00:43:30A little bit more then
00:43:32Maybe there's a place for him for
00:43:34Rotation minutes every once in a while
00:43:36So I thought I found
00:43:38A goaltending
00:43:40You know some stats on it
00:43:42I went to P by P stats
00:43:44And it's the 20 it says 23 24
00:43:46And it has leading and goaltending
00:43:48Violations but it has Daniel Tyson
00:43:50Still on the Celtics
00:43:52And so I don't think this is the most
00:43:54Accurate it doesn't even have
00:43:56Years you keep finding
00:43:58It says 23 24
00:44:00He's still he's still on the team
00:44:02In spirit that's fine
00:44:04According to these stats
00:44:06McGee led the league for the
00:44:08Lakers with 33 of them. Okay, that
00:44:10Might be
00:44:12Made from 22
00:44:16Are we gonna skip
00:44:18Taylor here
00:44:20Or I'm not familiar enough with this. Yeah
00:44:22I don't I
00:44:24Can he improve
00:44:26From his
00:44:28Performance. Yeah hit more shots
00:44:30Yeah, we'll skip him onto
00:44:32Jaden Springer. We go another
00:44:34Guy not too familiar
00:44:36With his game at the NBA level
00:44:38I think just continuing to
00:44:40Find a role the
00:44:42Stuff that I saw in the one summer league game that
00:44:44He played just the
00:44:46Point guard stuff
00:44:48I didn't know that he had
00:44:50That and
00:44:52I feel like if there is a place
00:44:54For him in the NBA
00:44:56Long-term
00:44:58Just keep harnessing that
00:45:00His defense
00:45:02Is already a weapon
00:45:04His athleticism is like
00:45:06Very rare and fast twitch
00:45:08But he needs
00:45:10To find an offensive role
00:45:12And
00:45:14Maybe it is as a point guard
00:45:16He did look really good as a point guard
00:45:18Doing some point guard stuff in summer league
00:45:20But he didn't play
00:45:22Long obviously
00:45:24And you want to see him do it against NBA
00:45:26Competition not as the
00:45:28Fourth-year guy in summer
00:45:30League just kind of beating up on guys
00:45:32Who haven't been around
00:45:34Professional basketball as long as he has
00:45:38Yeah, it's a really good like
00:45:40This team has the
00:45:42Players to put around him in theory
00:45:44To make that work
00:45:46On certain nights where
00:45:48They're down two or three guys
00:45:50And then you have to make a decision
00:45:52Okay, do we want to go small
00:45:54And have Springer unleash him defensively
00:45:56But in order for that to work
00:45:58He has to be competent on offense
00:46:00What that looks like on this team
00:46:02Who the hell knows
00:46:04But
00:46:06Trying that role as you laid out
00:46:08Is the key
00:46:10The next week
00:46:12I'm going to be
00:46:14Working with
00:46:16A couple of guys
00:46:18Who have been around for
00:46:20Three or four months of this group
00:46:22Huge training camp for him coming up
00:46:24To see
00:46:26Especially with just how
00:46:28You know
00:46:30He's making four plus million dollars on a team
00:46:32And costing this team
00:46:34Three or four times out of the tax stuff
00:46:36So either he's contributing
00:46:38for a few months.
00:46:39And maybe point guard isn't even the route for him.
00:46:42In what world is he going to really handle the ball?
00:46:45I know I said he looked very intriguing as a point guard.
00:46:49And because of the lack of three-point shooting
00:46:51that he's shown so far, it feels like having
00:46:53the ball in his hands is good.
00:46:55But what variation of a Celtics lineup
00:46:57would have him with the ball in his hands a lot?
00:47:01Derek White, Juvade, Jason Tatum, Jalen Brown.
00:47:05You're down the list of ball handlers,
00:47:08basically no matter who you're playing with.
00:47:10So, yeah, just find a way to contribute offensively
00:47:15so that your ball pressure, defense,
00:47:17and your ability to just playmake defensively
00:47:21can get you on the court.
00:47:25I'm still working on the goal-tending thing.
00:47:26I have nothing to say about James Baker.
00:47:30Keep working, baby.
00:47:31Oh, I got the updated one.
00:47:34What do we got?
00:47:36He's not in the top 30 in terms of goal-tending.
00:47:40But Al Horford is on there.
00:47:41He had eight goal-tens last year.
00:47:45Daniel Tice is also on there.
00:47:47He also had eight goal-tens.
00:47:50So I'll keep looking for the specific CATA stat,
00:47:54but I did realize I had to press the update button
00:47:57to get the more...
00:48:00Oh, here he is.
00:48:0020 CATA, six goal-tens in 333 minutes.
00:48:07That's magical.
00:48:08That's more than...
00:48:11That's just magical.
00:48:12One goal-ten every 65 minutes.
00:48:14He played 28 games and he had six goal-tens.
00:48:18That's impressive.
00:48:20Hero.
00:48:23Moving on from Jaden Springer to Jason Tatum.
00:48:29Three-point shooting.
00:48:32Four three-point shots.
00:48:36Jumpers.
00:48:38Be efficient.
00:48:39Return to becoming a sharpshooter.
00:48:43That's it.
00:48:44He doesn't even need to be a sharpshooter.
00:48:46He just needs to be not low 30s.
00:48:50Or high 20s like he was in the playoffs.
00:48:54Well, I guess he doesn't have to be that
00:48:55because they won a title
00:48:57and absolutely blitzed their way to a title
00:49:00with him in the high 20s.
00:49:02Partly because he did everything else
00:49:03at an obscenely high level.
00:49:05But it would be nice for the Celtics
00:49:07if he could get back to just splashing three-pointers.
00:49:11I'm even surprised he shot 37% last year.
00:49:17I feel like that was higher than I would have expected.
00:49:19He was 35 when he scored 30 points a game.
00:49:23The funny thing about him
00:49:25just totally making no shots in the playoffs
00:49:29is that the second half of the season
00:49:31he actually shot really well.
00:49:37He was fantastic during the second half of the season.
00:49:40And then it just went away
00:49:42the second that the playoffs arrived.
00:49:44After the All-Star break he shot 40.9%
00:49:49over 22 games on three-pointers.
00:49:52He was 70 for 171.
00:49:55I mean, keep doing that.
00:49:58Just work on his streakiness.
00:49:59Just be sustainably great for an entire season.
00:50:02I mean, it's not that hard.
00:50:05Cut and dry.
00:50:07He also, I mean, could become a better Olympics player.
00:50:10Olympics player, yeah.
00:50:11Yeah.
00:50:13Work on his honesty.
00:50:14Don't say you're gonna come off the bench
00:50:15and then not come off the bench.
00:50:17Yeah, do you think he got punished by Kerr
00:50:19because he said he was gonna come off the bench
00:50:20for the Celtics?
00:50:21And then they're like, I'll show you coming off the bench.
00:50:23Yeah, that would be,
00:50:26or just maybe he comes off the bench.
00:50:27He should come off the bench against the Warriors
00:50:30in Boston.
00:50:31That would be the move of all moves.
00:50:35And then go for like 50.
00:50:35Show people who doesn't care.
00:50:37Yeah.
00:50:39That would be pretty popular.
00:50:40That would be some really spicy stuff right there.
00:50:45Is there anything beyond the shooting that,
00:50:48well, let me ask you guys this question.
00:50:49Was last year, Jason Statham's best year
00:50:53as an NBA player?
00:50:53Yes.
00:50:54Easily.
00:50:55Yeah.
00:50:56I would say without a doubt.
00:50:59And so how does he get-
00:51:00Certainly his best playoffs.
00:51:02How does he get better than that?
00:51:04By shooting.
00:51:05He hits the threes, yeah.
00:51:06There's gotta be other stuff he's working on.
00:51:08There's gotta be other things he can do.
00:51:10Not really, like go through his numbers.
00:51:12I mean-
00:51:13I'm looking at them.
00:51:14I'm searching.
00:51:15Everything in the playoff,
00:51:16like the rebounding is phenomenal.
00:51:18His assists are going up.
00:51:19His turnovers were going down in the playoffs.
00:51:22He's guarding five positions.
00:51:25Yeah, it's really-
00:51:27Maybe like have the driving mindset
00:51:30that he had against Dallas all year round.
00:51:33Yeah, I guess.
00:51:34Cause he averaged something like 20 drives per game
00:51:37in the finals.
00:51:38And I think he's capable of doing that all the time.
00:51:41It's really hard to play like that,
00:51:43especially if you're 6'10
00:51:45and however many pounds he is,
00:51:48but he has the force.
00:51:51He has the handle.
00:51:52He has the size and physicality
00:51:55to just get to the rim at will.
00:51:58And sometimes it would be nice to see more of that.
00:52:03That being said,
00:52:04like his ability to play within the team concept
00:52:06and submit to the team,
00:52:08like that's part of what elevated the Celtics
00:52:10to a level that nobody else could come close
00:52:13to touching this past season.
00:52:15But I would say like just constant attack, constant.
00:52:21I think there's one thing that you guys would benefit from.
00:52:26It's just some speediness after the game.
00:52:29Just like get in, get out, answer some questions.
00:52:32Like there's no reason to wait an hour and a half
00:52:36to two hours after a game.
00:52:38There's many people who are trying to do their jobs.
00:52:41And this is the most inside basketball,
00:52:43like nonsense.
00:52:45That nobody will care about.
00:52:47No, people might care.
00:52:47Other than the beat writers.
00:52:49Well, the beat writers are gonna continue to bitch about it.
00:52:52And so for the fans not to have to hear about it,
00:52:56everyone would be a little bit happier
00:52:57if Tatum just answered questions immediately
00:53:00and then go change and shower.
00:53:02You know, you don't have to just sit.
00:53:03It would change my life, honestly,
00:53:05if he answered questions in his jersey right after a game.
00:53:10And he's done it before.
00:53:10It would change my life.
00:53:11Didn't he do it in the playoffs?
00:53:13Yeah, when that game in Dallas, he did it.
00:53:15And everyone just like gave a standing ovation
00:53:17when he came in.
00:53:18Not really, but we fall in our heads.
00:53:21In our heads.
00:53:22Yeah.
00:53:23Along those lines,
00:53:24I think he could show more of his personality.
00:53:27Now that you won a championship, make some more jokes.
00:53:29Try to be, let's not speak entirely in cliches
00:53:32after the game.
00:53:33If you're gonna make us wait.
00:53:34Shit on Steve Kerr.
00:53:35Yeah, talk some shit, Jason Tatum.
00:53:37You won, you had the summer of your life.
00:53:41Talk more shit, Nia, in the media.
00:53:42I think that's fun.
00:53:45Moving on to the X-Man.
00:53:48Sir Xavier Tillman Sr.
00:53:52Gotta hit those corner threes.
00:53:55That's gonna be the name of the game for this man.
00:53:5826% in his career from three.
00:54:0124% last season.
00:54:02That's such an underrated moment from the finals.
00:54:05Yep.
00:54:06Game three was a blast.
00:54:07I'll just keep on remembering back to game three.
00:54:09Some of the most fun there was,
00:54:11just right until they almost blew the entire game.
00:54:13But before that was some of the most fun
00:54:16I've had watching basketball.
00:54:17But even that produced such a fine Deuce Tatum moment.
00:54:21Oh, yes, because he was absolutely right.
00:54:23We almost lost.
00:54:25This is a must.
00:54:25Forgot about that.
00:54:26Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
00:54:29They were like, shut up, Deuce.
00:54:31It was the perfect comedic timing, the perfect delivery.
00:54:35It was just amazing from Deuce.
00:54:38Just humor beyond his years in that moment.
00:54:43He was 22% on corner threes, just as B-Rub said.
00:54:4664% of his threes came from the corner.
00:54:49That's where he's gonna hang out.
00:54:50That's where he's gonna knock down shots.
00:54:54Or I don't know if he's gonna knock them down,
00:54:55but it'd be nice if he hit threes.
00:54:59Yeah, this one's tough.
00:55:04Just finding ways to contribute offensively.
00:55:08He was such an offensive zero when he was on the court.
00:55:13Wasn't finishing, wasn't...
00:55:19Their offense never looked worse than it did
00:55:22with Xavier Tillman on the court a lot of the time.
00:55:27And so maybe it was just he came in,
00:55:29didn't know how to find his way
00:55:32after coming in from Memphis,
00:55:34was kinda trying to figure things out.
00:55:37He only played 20 games,
00:55:38so I guess that's still a quarter of the season,
00:55:41but you're right.
00:55:43Yeah, but like,
00:55:46cause the defense is so good.
00:55:48The defense is so valuable.
00:55:51And I mean, he racks up steals, he racks up blocks,
00:55:54he can switch onto Luka or Kyrie.
00:55:58Like, it's crazy valuable to have a big man like that,
00:56:03two in the Celtics case without Horford as well.
00:56:07But you gotta do enough offensively
00:56:11to make it worth their while to have you on the court.
00:56:14And maybe he'll just stay a curveball,
00:56:17somebody who you call on if you really need
00:56:20some defensive, some switchability or whatever.
00:56:26But while Chris stops us out,
00:56:27there's a real opportunity for him to step in
00:56:30and become part of the rotation.
00:56:33But last year, Luke Cornett was just
00:56:35a much better offensive player.
00:56:37Like, he really was.
00:56:38He was a better finisher, he was a better offensive rebounder.
00:56:41Like, he knew how to play with the guys better.
00:56:44Like, there was just...
00:56:47So Tillman kinda has to just figure out a way offensively.
00:56:53And maybe it's just that he's a pretty
00:56:57like, limited offensive player.
00:56:59That's just who he is, he's just a defensive specialist.
00:57:03But maybe it's make more threes,
00:57:06maybe it's play more in the seams, I don't know.
00:57:11But there's gotta be another, like,
00:57:14you can't hurt the flow of the offense
00:57:16every time you're out there.
00:57:21Lonnie Walker.
00:57:24Scamp, just poise, poise in decision making.
00:57:30Be a little bit more appropriately aggressive, I would say.
00:57:36Learn about me.
00:57:37That is an aggressive, ambitious man.
00:57:40Get ready to learn down east, man.
00:57:44Jordan Walsh.
00:57:47Learned about me.
00:57:50Jordan Walsh, find something beyond...
00:57:53Find something that you do.
00:57:55Find out, figure out exactly what you do here.
00:57:58What exactly do you do here?
00:57:59No, I mean, defensively in theory,
00:58:01it should be what he does here.
00:58:03Find something.
00:58:04He only played nine games last year.
00:58:05That's not...
00:58:06He didn't do anything.
00:58:08And summer league would lead to believe
00:58:11that he probably won't be playing
00:58:12maybe many more than that this year.
00:58:16Yeah, just offensively,
00:58:19just find something he does competently.
00:58:21Like, I guess in the Jayden Springer mode
00:58:23of like, he obviously, pie in the sky,
00:58:26you want him to be a three and D guy.
00:58:29He did shoot okay in Maine.
00:58:31Obviously had a rough summer league.
00:58:34But now, you know, doing that in the preseason
00:58:39or just against NBA players is a whole different animal.
00:58:42And he's gonna be kind of short on time
00:58:46if he doesn't do it this year,
00:58:47because that contract won't be guaranteed next year
00:58:49and roster spots will be at a premium for this team.
00:58:53So it's really figure out what he does offensively.
00:58:58At a competent level.
00:59:00I think put on strength, get your body right,
00:59:05and become an absolute defensive monster.
00:59:08I think he could become
00:59:10like just a game changing defensive player.
00:59:15And eventually the offense will need to come around.
00:59:17Eventually he'll need to start making threes
00:59:20and finishing through contact, all that stuff.
00:59:24But for me first, it's just get strong,
00:59:28get physical and become a menace, defensive menace.
00:59:33I think he's capable of it.
00:59:35I think it's there, but obviously he's really young
00:59:40and they picked him knowing
00:59:42that he would need some seasoning.
00:59:45But that to me is like,
00:59:48that's the way he can get on the floors
00:59:50just by being an awesome, awesome defender.
00:59:55I still think even if he just does that
00:59:58and is still a nothing on offense, he's not.
01:00:01On this team, sure.
01:00:03But eventually they won't have an absolutely loaded roster.
01:00:08And there will be opportunity for somebody like that.
01:00:13Probably.
01:00:15All right, the last player on the roster.
01:00:19Another one I'm struggling with
01:00:21to figure out what he needs to improve.
01:00:24Derek White.
01:00:28Well, the first thing I get to kind of think of
01:00:29is just go to the finish at the rim more.
01:00:33He's got a decent float game.
01:00:35He's shot better from two point percentage last year.
01:00:39I think still was a little bit better,
01:00:40but he really doesn't get to the rim.
01:00:43He's not a high free throw guy.
01:00:45He's also just not the biggest dude out there.
01:00:46So I don't know if him attacking the rim
01:00:49is necessarily the right things
01:00:52if we're talking about rim reads,
01:00:54but I was just purely doing just a numbers dive.
01:00:58I thought he could just take more shots at the rim,
01:01:01but I feel like I'm nitpicking there.
01:01:06He's a close to the Al Horvath category.
01:01:13What do you say about a guy who does everything well?
01:01:16Right.
01:01:18Get first team all NBA, get first team defense.
01:01:21Yeah, enough of this second team shenanigans.
01:01:24Second team.
01:01:25Be better.
01:01:27He had his best offensive season last year.
01:01:30It's really hard to figure out how he could be...
01:01:35I don't want to be a closed mindset guy,
01:01:36but can't Derek White be an even better
01:01:38offensive player than he was last year?
01:01:40Yes, but what skill exactly is-
01:01:46Shoot 40% from three instead of just 39%?
01:01:49It's just more volume.
01:01:51Everything is efficient.
01:01:53He's taking 11 shots per game,
01:01:54and maybe he'll get some of that with Porzingis.
01:01:56Maybe you need some of that Peyton Pritchard.
01:01:58Be more reckless.
01:01:59Yeah, a little more impetuous to steal from Jays.
01:02:02That might be it.
01:02:03That might be the...
01:02:04Whether it's getting to the rim or just...
01:02:06So I think it's not a Derek White thing,
01:02:13but I think the Celtics could probably stand
01:02:15to run more offense through Derek White in crunch time.
01:02:21Demand the ball, Derek.
01:02:22Demand the fucking ball.
01:02:24Like he should just be part of so much
01:02:26just because every time he's part of everything,
01:02:30just good stuff happens, often great stuff.
01:02:35So that's not even a Derek White thing,
01:02:37but it's hard to sit here and be like,
01:02:40what should Derek White improve?
01:02:41He was good at literally everything.
01:02:43We're not going to answer this question now,
01:02:45but I just want to put it out in the ether
01:02:47so we can think about it.
01:02:48Start thinking about it now.
01:02:49I saw this on Celtics Reddit.
01:02:52Who's more important to the Celtics now?
01:02:57Derek White or Marcus Smart?
01:03:00Maybe not important,
01:03:01but who should fans care about more?
01:03:04Derek White or Marcus Smart?
01:03:06Don't answer it.
01:03:07Don't answer it, Jay.
01:03:08We're going to debate it in the future.
01:03:11You're not a fan.
01:03:12You're one of these hoity-toity journalists
01:03:14who pretend as if they don't.
01:03:16I said, don't answer it now.
01:03:18Don't count.
01:03:19I don't care what your opinion is.
01:03:21You have bad opinions when it comes to this stuff
01:03:23about being a fan.
01:03:24You may love basketball, but you're not a Celtics fan.
01:03:27You care about the guy
01:03:28who just won you a fucking championship
01:03:30and is still on the fucking team.
01:03:31Do I have a multiple love and trust Derek White t-shirts?
01:03:36No, I do not.
01:03:38That's because everyone understands
01:03:39that you love and trust him.
01:03:40It doesn't have to be said.
01:03:44I don't have a Derek White bobblehead.
01:03:45I don't think it's as cut and dry as-
01:03:47It's because they gave out the bobbleheads
01:03:50before Derek White was part of the squadron.
01:03:56I'm just saying it's not as cut and dry as you say.
01:03:57I also said, Jay, we're not going to have the debate now.
01:04:01We have to have this for a future episode.
01:04:04And so moving on quickly, surprise.
01:04:06Final thing, person we need to evaluate, Joe Mazzullo.
01:04:13I think Jay-
01:04:14Is it timeouts?
01:04:15I feel like people are still going to be frustrated
01:04:17by the timeout things.
01:04:18What's the thing that people are still going to nitpick
01:04:20about Joe Mazzullo?
01:04:21I can promise you this, Joe Mazzullo's timeout philosophy
01:04:25is the most thought out thing you could think of.
01:04:28And if you think he should have called a timeout,
01:04:32you're probably the idiot.
01:04:34He turned it back around on you fans.
01:04:36You need to improve in your watching of the games.
01:04:38You need to get smarter.
01:04:40You're probably the idiot.
01:04:42He has explained it.
01:04:43That's what Joe Mazzullo needs to improve
01:04:45is he needs to make Celtics fans smarter
01:04:48by getting them to stop questioning him.
01:04:52All right, now we're cooking with gas here.
01:04:55It is very well thought out.
01:04:57Let's just put it that way.
01:04:59He has not, he's not just flying by the seat of his pants
01:05:03when he decides not to call a timeout.
01:05:05He knows exactly what the fuck he's doing.
01:05:09We may have been walking through it.
01:05:11Great to tell.
01:05:15The Derek White crunch time point that Jay made,
01:05:17I think is a good one.
01:05:19I think for the first, you know,
01:05:21before the playoffs happened,
01:05:22that was the nitpick all year long.
01:05:24And I think the numbers bear it out
01:05:27is just you don't have to call the play for him,
01:05:29but getting him involved in whatever you're trying to do
01:05:33in those moments has generally led to good results.
01:05:37And I think the more of that,
01:05:39the better since that will create good shots for him
01:05:44or Tatum or Brown or whoever else
01:05:46gets involved in those spots.
01:05:48This isn't, I guess this is a Joe thing,
01:05:52but it's not like targeting one attribute of his,
01:05:56but more so the challenge of the coming season.
01:06:00I just think there's gonna be a lot of, not issues,
01:06:04but like it takes a special mindset to repeat.
01:06:09It takes a special mindset to get to the mountaintop
01:06:14and no longer have all of the motivation
01:06:20that you had before and just do it again
01:06:24and have the same attitude, the same energy,
01:06:28the same enthusiasm every day that you did
01:06:31the previous year.
01:06:32So he has to kind of tackle that
01:06:35and find a way to get them to play such team first,
01:06:41like hard nose basketball on a daily basis all over again.
01:06:47And then I think with Jalen and Jason,
01:06:55not getting them back on the same page,
01:06:57but like making sure that what happened over the summer
01:07:01doesn't force them to do too much individually.
01:07:07Like the Celtics were as great as they were
01:07:10because those guys sacrificed themselves
01:07:13for the betterment of the team.
01:07:15And I think both of them thought, if I do this,
01:07:17I'm gonna get rewarded individually.
01:07:20And then Jalen did not make the USA team
01:07:24and Tatum got a DMPCD,
01:07:26kind of got embarrassed on the USA team.
01:07:30And so quickly they found out like all the love
01:07:35they thought they would get,
01:07:36all the respect they thought they were gonna get,
01:07:38it just didn't materialize or hasn't really materialized
01:07:42entirely the way they probably anticipated.
01:07:46So it would be easy to stray from what got them the title
01:07:48and go after that respect instead.
01:07:53And I think that's gonna be a challenge.
01:07:56Maybe it's not, maybe those guys are just so committed
01:07:58to winning championships and just doing it all over again
01:08:01that it won't matter and they'll still stay focused
01:08:05on all the right things like they did last season.
01:08:07But just from a human perspective,
01:08:10it would be so easy to just kind of try to do
01:08:14a little bit more individually
01:08:16because of the way people have discussed them
01:08:20and because of the way the Team USA experience
01:08:23went this summer.
01:08:26I agree.
01:08:27I don't know how Joe's gonna necessarily improve upon that,
01:08:30but I do think that's a factor
01:08:32in just refining new creative ways
01:08:35to galvanize the fellas and get that buy-in.
01:08:38Because I think the buy-in last year
01:08:40from Jason and Jalen especially was a major reason
01:08:45why they were just really kind of bought into his message.
01:08:49And I don't know if Joe Mizzoula can be more of himself
01:08:51than he was last year,
01:08:52but I think lean into being more Joe Mizzoula.
01:08:56Maybe if he wore a bracelet and said,
01:08:58what would Joe Mizzoula do?
01:09:00And be more Joe Mizzoula,
01:09:03that will help improve the Joe Mizzoula effect.
01:09:09Good podcast.
01:09:11Good place to stop.
01:09:14Press the button.
01:09:16I'm done.
01:09:17Still potable, folks.
01:09:19Still potable.
01:09:20Still potable.
01:09:21Still potable.
01:09:22Still potable.
01:09:23Still potable.
01:09:25Oh yeah.
01:09:28Oh yeah.
01:09:28Oh yeah.
01:09:29Oh yeah.
01:09:30Oh yeah.
01:09:31Oh yeah.
01:09:32Slow down from eating and drinking
01:09:33and all that wild stuff.