Kemba and Jeremy tonite vs Celts

[gtcam]

7:30 PM
Should be fun watching Kemba and IT going head to head
Hopefully Lamb gets some decent PT

 

[InKembaITrust]

This will feel so bizarre to watch. Won't find a bigger Kemba or Celts fan then myself. I'll be happy with Kemba dropping 50 in a 2 pt loss...

 

[gtcam]

This will feel so bizarre to watch. Won't find a bigger Kemba or Celts fan then myself. I'll be happy with Kemba dropping 50 in a 2 pt loss...

I feel the same way
Go Celts
Go Kemba and JLamb

 

[Scoe]

Huge game for Kemba he needs to string together some solid 5-10 games in a row to get back into all star game consideration.

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

J Lamb is out tonight with foot soreness FYI

 

[gtcam]

Kemba with 18 at half

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

Hornets started off really promising but have since been on quite a slide.. they really need a solid big man, frank, cody and hibbert arent the answer

 

[superjohn]

Hornets started off really promising but have since been on quite a slide.. they really need a solid big man, frank, cody and hibbert arent the answer

Worst big man rotation in the league, Hornets are fading.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

Worst big man rotation in the league, Hornets are fading.

its awful

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Not to beat a dead horse but I think we can definitely say Isaiah is better than Kemba this season

 

[superjohn]

Not to beat a dead horse but I think we can definitely say Isaiah is better than Kemba this season

He's better than anyone not named Harden, Westbrook and LeBron this season.

 

[Scoe]

Kemba should still be in the Allstar game IT should start alongside Kyrie. Unfortunately Kemba is playing in a ridiculously stacked era of pgs, not to mention he is the whole team so he can never afford to get a breather, so it was only human nature that he was gonna tail off in some games.

 

[nomar]

I read that IT's Q4/OT PER is something like 40. FORTY.

He's 5'9" (yeah right) and can only use his left hand. Yet he averages 10 ppg in the fourth quarter (most for any player since 1996). Crazy.

Kemba's had a great season, too.

 

[Dogdeacon]

He's better than anyone not named Harden, Westbrook and LeBron this season.

Agree on offensive side of ball, Isaiah's 4th Q stats put him with or atop those guys.
He does finish with either hand a lot more this year, that + smarts/savy & 3pt shooting is what has upped his game.

It'll be really interesting if he can keep it up and if this vaults Isaiah into true star category. I.e. ESPECIALLY given his contract they should be able to trade Isaiah straight up for a 'superstar' like DeMarcus Cousins or Jimmy Butler. In terms of his NBA stock Isaiah is still considered 3rd tier, not a superstar (LeBron & Co) and not All-league but among 20-30 best players in the league. Besides keeping it up, next step is to do it in playoffs - and after recent performances I think Isaiah could dominate a series offensively against anybody in the east other than Cavs..

That trade (Isaiah for Marcus Thornton & Cavs #1 pick ) is quickly becoming biggest steal in quite awhile. Pick was Skal Labisierre, but Phoenix turned that & pick #13 (Georgis something) into Marquese Criss. So Marcus not Bootsy Thornton & 50% of Criss.

 

[champs99and04]

Isaiah is one of the very worst defensive players in the league. He's a tricky player to rank because he's had such an absurdly good season offensively, but I disagree pretty strongly with @superjohn that he's been the fourth best player in the league. Not close. Give me a compelling reason to believe he's better than somebody like Mike Conley. I could be wrong, but I want to see it.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Isaiah is one of the very worst defensive players in the league. He's a tricky player to rank because he's had such an absurdly good season offensively, but I disagree pretty strongly with @superjohn that he's been the fourth best player in the league. Not close. Give me a compelling reason to believe he's better than somebody like Mike Conley. I could be wrong, but I want to see it.

Give me a break, Isaiah is a significantly better player than Conley. I also disagree that he's the 4th best player this year but he is top 10, Conley is maybe top 30.

 

[superjohn]

Isaiah is one of the very worst defensive players in the league. He's a tricky player to rank because he's had such an absurdly good season offensively, but I disagree pretty strongly with @superjohn that he's been the fourth best player in the league. Not close. Give me a compelling reason to believe he's better than somebody like Mike Conley. I could be wrong, but I want to see it.

Thomas is averaging 28.5 points and 6 assists, he's shooting over 90% from the stripe, turns it over less than 2.5 times per game and is by far the best 4th quarter scorer in the league. Kemba is having a better season than Conley and Thomas is having a far better season than both of them.

 

[Dogdeacon]

With Thomas on court Celt's offense is recently scoring 117.5/100 possessions, not sure what they give up, but simply put Thomas is putting the team on his back offensively. Conley might be a more complete player, but he's never done what Isaiah is doing right now on offense - scoring or assists. Granted it was a home game and he had a better supporting cast, but very clear Isaiah was the star last night v Kemba, and I was rooting for Kemba to outshine but lose.

See article from Mass Live. Doesn't mention what the defensive splits are. FWIW Isaiah did play good D on Kemba in 4th Q last night, I think when he's got a guy similar size he's not terrible.

Problem with putting Isaiah in top 10 is it could be a hot streak and there is no one until 20+ that you'd say Isaiah is better than or would trade straight-up for Isaiah (otherwise Ainge would), even with Isaiah's puny salary. LeBron, Durant, Harden, Westbrook, Curry, ADavis, Giannis, Love, Irving, CPaul, BGriffin, KLeonard, DLillard, Lowry, DeRozan, Cousins, Draymond, KThompson, MGasol & Paul George rounds out my 20 more valuable. And lots of guys on upside swing like Porzingis, Embid, Towns etc.. that most would also place above.

The Isaiah Thomas Files: Shooting like Stephen Curry, holding off the Charlotte Hornets, making a run at starting All-Star Game

 

[superjohn]

With Thomas on court Celt's offense is recently scoring 117.5/100 possessions, not sure what they give up, but simply put Thomas is putting the team on his back offensively. Conley might be a more complete player, but he's never done what Isaiah is doing right now on offense - scoring or assists. Granted it was a home game and he had a better supporting cast, but very clear Isaiah was the star last night v Kemba, and I was rooting for Kemba to outshine but lose.

See article from Mass Live. Doesn't mention what the defensive splits are. FWIW Isaiah did play good D on Kemba in 4th Q last night, I think when he's got a guy similar size he's not terrible.

Problem with putting Isaiah in top 10 is it could be a hot streak and there is no one until 20+ that you'd say Isaiah is better than or would trade straight-up for Isaiah (otherwise Ainge would), even with Isaiah's puny salary. LeBron, Durant, Harden, Westbrook, Curry, ADavis, Giannis, Love, Irving, CPaul, BGriffin, KLeonard, DLillard, Lowry, DeRozan, Cousins, Draymond, KThompson, MGasol & Paul George rounds out my 20 more valuable. And lots of guys on upside swing like Porzingis, Embid, Towns etc.. that most would also place above.

The Isaiah Thomas Files: Shooting like Stephen Curry, holding off the Charlotte Hornets, making a run at starting All-Star Game

Just talking about the season he's having, not if you think he's a top 10 or 20 player.

 

[champs99and04]

Thomas is averaging 28.5 points and 6 assists, he's shooting over 90% from the stripe, turns it over less than 2.5 times per game and is by far the best 4th quarter scorer in the league. Kemba is having a better season than Conley and Thomas is having a far better season than both of them.

The reason I wonder is because Thomas ranks pretty poorly in some of the defensive metrics. Perhaps I'm off the mark and he has made strides on that end, but I can't look at his numbers in a vacuum and declare him a top five player (even if we're talking about this season). I'm willing to be proven wrong on this one. I don't follow the NBA as closely as some others. From the cursory reading and watching I've done, though, it is awfully hard for me to believe that he's been better than a guy like Lowry.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Yeah, my posts are partially self or Celtics fan based cool our jets. Thomas has been amazing offensively, but it is still questionable whether he can do it in playoffs and definitely known that Isaiah can't be the #1 guy on a championship contending team. Not saying Isaiah couldn't be part of a 'big-3' or even 1-2 with someone equal like say Hayward (but is he also a defensive liability?!)
That said I wouldn't give up Isaiah for Chris Paul or Blake Griffin or Carmelo* due to age/injury.

*NY Post 'rumor' suggestion of Carmelo for Crowder, Amir Johnson, Jerebko. Crowder-better defensively and very arguably over next 5-7 years will put up more pts then Carmelo at far less money. Johnson - they need as only athletic rim protector rebounder even though he's not perfect & ABradley still leads team in rebounding. Plus although those guys would improve the Knicks if they trade Anthony they need to do it for more upside/youth.

 

[JSM1970]

Would do this immediately knowing we have likely top 3 pick this year and if they think Brown can emerge at some point then he would slot into the 3

They would need to split Johnson's minutes between Mickey and Olynyk unless they make another move

*NY Post 'rumor' suggestion of Carmelo for Crowder, Amir Johnson, Jerebko. Crowder-better defensively and very arguably over next 5-7 years will put up more pts then Carmelo at far less money. Johnson - they need as only athletic rim protector rebounder even though he's not perfect & ABradley still leads team in rebounding. Plus although those guys would improve the Knicks if they trade Anthony they need to do it for more upside/youth.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Would do this immediately knowing we have likely top 3 pick this year and if they think Brown can emerge at some point then he would slot into the 3

They would need to split Johnson's minutes between Mickey and Olynyk unless they make another move

Carmelo: -1.52 Defensive/plus minus (74th/80), +2.69 offensive 7th, 1.17 NET 16th
Crowder: 1.11 Defensive/plus minus (16th), +1.96 offensive 10th, 3.07 NET 9th
Top 5 in net are Butler, LeBron, Kawhi, Giannis, Durant = a legit stat

Five Thirty Eight Wins above replacement projects
Carmelo next 5: 4.9, 3.9, 2.4, 1.7. 0.5
Crowder next 5: 4.5, 4.0, 3.6, 2.9, 2.4
So you get a slightly better player this year - then equal for a year and then you're scalitoed.
Crowder $6M per year with 4 left, Carmelo $24M per year with 3 left.
Plus he went to Syracuse!!

 

[champs99and04]

I'd definitely stay clear of Melo if I were Boston. A guy like Millsap would probably be ideal, but doesn't look like he's available.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Celts are in position to either:
1. Get a superstar via draft lottery or
2. Celtics have the best draft pick trade options for teams looking to get something for that young superstar who will leave via free agency.
3. Simply sign a free agent almost-superstar (like Horford)
I think they'll sign Hayward and absent a deal for Boogie or Jimmy Butler roll the dice with the 2 x #1 Net draft picks.
Goal to emerge as title contender just as the LeBron window is closing