Through 42 games, the Boston Celtics are 25-17 and are fifth in the seeding in the East, last season through 42 games your Boston Celtics were 32-10 and in first place in the East.
Last season Kyrie had played in all but two games out of the first 42 so our record was 31-9 with Kyrie.
I don't recall anyone suggesting through the first half last season, that the Celtics were better off without Kyrie, (although several members perhaps half or even more were against the trade).
Last season Hayward only played in one of the Celtics games.
This season Hayward began the season in the starting lineup. The Celtics original starting lineup of Horford, Hayward, Tatum, Brown, and Irving as a lineup have NETRTG of minus 3.8.
The new starting lineup of Horford, Morris, Tatum, Smart, and Irving have a NETRTG of plus 12.6.
The Celtics may have one of the best four man units in the league.
For units that have played 300 minutes or more together, Morris, Tatum, Smart, and Irving, has the best NETRG in the NBA with plus 19 points. Their OFFRTG of 119.7 is the best in the league for any foursome, and they have the best TS% of 62.8.
Anyone that wants to argue that the Celtics fearsome foursome is not the best. I will gladly concede the point, most of the collective play time has occurred during a soft stretch in the Celtics schedule, which included some significant blowouts, and the ever present need to adjust West versus East in statistical calculations.
Where ever you want to rank the C's lead quartet, they have been playing well, this includes the road. Almost 2/3's of the unit PT 192 out of 300 minutes has been as visitors. While the rest of the team leaves their heart in Boston this unit travels.
If Morris, Tatum, Smart, and Irving are the present of the team. Then at ages 20, 24, and 26, Tatum, Smart, and Irving can be thought of as the long term future too (of course the big if is re-signing Kyrie and I am not taking any position on Morris, that will be discussed in great deal in a number of posts in the coming weeks).
Getting back to the present, how have the fifth wheels played with the core four?
|
LINEUPS |
GP |
MIN |
OFFRTG |
DEFRTG |
NETRTG |
AST% |
AST/TO |
AST RATIO |
OREB% |
DREB% |
REB% |
EFG% |
TS% |
PACE |
PIE |
|
Horford (MM, JT, MS, KI) |
22 |
196 |
116.2 |
103.6 |
12.6 |
56.6 |
2.1 |
19.0 |
24.0 |
72.1 |
49.5 |
59.6 |
61.9 |
102.07 |
56.2 |
|
Baynes (MM, JT, MS, KI) |
9 |
52 |
128.9 |
95.8 |
33.2 |
55.6 |
2.1 |
19.1 |
28.3 |
81.8 |
54.4 |
61.5 |
66.0 |
107.77 |
63.3 |
|
Theis (MM, JT, MS, KI) |
6 |
22 |
104.1 |
78.4 |
25.7 |
50.0 |
2.5 |
16.7 |
5.0 |
91.7 |
52.3 |
58.8 |
60.4 |
110.26 |
69.2 |
|
Williams (MM, JT, MS, KI) |
3 |
16 |
131.4 |
77.1 |
54.3 |
53.3 |
2.0 |
16.3 |
40.0 |
78.9 |
61.8 |
60.0 |
66.9 |
104.87 |
82.4 |
|
Rozier (MM, JT, MS, KI) |
1 |
8 |
160.0 |
127.8 |
32.2 |
11.1 |
0.0 |
3.8 |
50.0 |
55.6 |
52.6 |
55.3 |
67.1 |
107.82 |
65.1 |
|
Hayward (MM, JT, MS, KI) |
5 |
4 |
118.2 |
123.1 |
-4.9 |
33.3 |
1.0 |
8.3 |
0.0 |
100.0 |
16.7 |
57.1 |
67.4 |
150.52 |
32.0 |
All of the Celtics "Bigs" have played well with two Marcus's, Tatum and Irving.
To me a consistent Hayward on the road, (and the return of Baynes) is the key to the Celtics. Hayward has been awful on the road, he has not been able to score efficiently, nor create for others. His TS% on the road is .480, awful.
It really doesn't help the Celtics to win by 20 at home, then turn around and lose by 2 on the road. For all their other good qualities Tatum, Brown, and Rozier really aren't good shot creators and getting into exclusively three point shooting offense seems a recipe for long scoring draughts. Playing with a weak defender at the 5 and either Hayward and Tatum at Power Forward gives the opposition the ability to control the rim on both ends.
The hope the Celtics turn around their road woes and begin a climb in the standings seems to be a bet on Hayward, after reviewing the last two Florida games, I am not too sure I feel good about that bet.
