Time for Kemba to Pick it Up! | The Boneyard

Time for Kemba to Pick it Up!

Sadly in 3 of the 7 games vs Toronto he played very poorly, including game 7. But he can step it up in the ECF vs Miami which would be a great start in eventually getting to number 2 Husky in the NBA all time.
 
Last night was the first time I was really disappointed with Kemba. Expected more from him on a big stage like that. Just as Chuck said at half time, the Celtics needed UCONN Kemba to show-up. Yes, they won, so he’ll have more opportunities, but ooof, not a great performance (two big games in a row.)
 
He didn’t play well in those 3 games but I’m not worried about how he will play against Miami. In the first half of games 6 and 7, Nurse was playing a box and 1 on kemba which is the ultimate sign of respect. Was kemba supposed to force shots or let his teammates get wide open looks? This is why Charles Barkley is the worst analyst despite being funny and entertaining. I don’t think he actually watches the games or understands modern basketball.
 
could tell he was playing very tentatively towards the end. presumably because his shot wasn’t falling. he was deferring to tatum to be the guy. not the kemba we all remember.

if they’re gunna reach the finals he needs to step it up and start playing more assertively.
 
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Tatum is the guy. He’s a tall, athletic shot maker. Kemba has to work extremely hard to get the quality of shots that Tatum can get easily. Same with Brown. But kemba is an all star and a leader on the team and I think he will play better against miami. Lowry and Van Vleet are so good, crafty and annoying...a nightmare to play against.
 
Kenny11 said:
Tatum is the guy. He’s a tall, athletic shot maker. Kemba has to work extremely hard to get the quality of shots that Tatum can get easily. Same with Brown. But kemba is an all star and a leader on the team and I think he will play better against miami. Lowry and Van Vleet are so good, crafty and annoying...a nightmare to play against.
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Exactly
Kemba is a winner and he knows they can win it all if he puts those guys in position to score. Tatum is a monster that needs to be fed.
 
What the Celtics need from Kemba is mostly leadership (and holding up on defense when opposing teams try to stalk him on switches). Making the right reads and scoring when it's right for him to do so. He doesn't need to be UConn Kemba. He doesn't need to force things.

And he did that. His pass to Grant Williams that fouled out Lowry was the right read.
 
Kenny11 said:
Tatum is the guy. He’s a tall, athletic shot maker. Kemba has to work extremely hard to get the quality of shots that Tatum can get easily. Same with Brown. But kemba is an all star and a leader on the team and I think he will play better against miami. Lowry and Van Vleet are so good, crafty and annoying...a nightmare to play against.
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I feel like Dragic is a much easier matchup for Kemba than those two. Brown and Smart will be occupied with Butler, so I think we will need Kemba to pick up some scoring slack in this series.
 
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kobebeanbryant said:
could tell he was playing very tentatively towards the end. presumably because his shot wasn’t falling. he was deferring to tatum to be the guy. not the kemba we all remember.

if they’re gunna reach the finals he needs to step it up and start playing more assertively.
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tatum is the guy
 
LIuconn said:
Could it be a lingering knee?
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Yeah I hate to say it but this is what it seems like to me. He is really not himself. His game is being the fastest on the court and putting pressure on the defense with his speed. There were a couple instances on the break last night where you could see him give it up early instead of attacking.

Really wishing him health asap. If it is the knee, he's got to be devastated to not be close to 100% when he's finally in the playoffs.
 
He was really good in the first round against the Sixers. I think it was a combination of the knee, fatigue from not being 100% in shape and being on a minutes limitation during the final games of the regular season, and Toronto selling out defensively to take him out of the game (which definitely affected his psyche). If the Celtics could have made a few open shots they win this in five games.
 
Van Fleet and Lowry drives all guards crazy because they are bulldogs
Kemba will be fine vs Miami
Tatum is a great young player but his untimely TOs and decision making are worrisome
Brown is beyond expectations as is Tice
 
Kemba vs Miami this year

Dec. 5, 112-93 W - 31 minutes, 28 points on 9-17 shooting (6-11 from 3, 4-4 FT), 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 turnover, 2 steals, 1 block

Jan. 27, 109-101 W - 38 minutes, 16 points on 5-19 shooting (3-13 from 3, 3-5 FT), 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 turnovers, 1 steal

Aug. 5, 112-106 L (without Butler for the Heat) - 27 minutes, 15 points on 4-9 shooting (4-7 from 3, 3-4 FT), 4 assists, 1 turnover, 1 rebound

If Dec. 5 Kemba shows up. I think the Celtics takes this in 6 games.

If Jan. 27 or even Aug. 5/ Toronto Kemba shows up I think the Celtics lose the series and the Heat win in 6 or, at best 7 games.

Hoping something similar to Dec. 5 Kemba shows up.
 
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A good defensive team threw a junk defense at him; one he probably hadn't faced since high school. It worked and failed. It neutralized him, but didn't defeat the Celtics. Miami might do the same thing in key moments. Kemba will be fine.
 
Kemba was 5-16 against Butler in the NC game.

Kemba was 7-21 against Pitt before breaking McGhee's ankles.

Kemba just won two NBA playoff series. He doesn't need to "pick it up."
 
Travelman32 said:
Kemba vs Miami this year

Dec. 5, 112-93 W - 31 minutes, 28 points on 9-17 shooting (6-11 from 3, 4-4 FT), 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 turnover, 2 steals, 1 block

Jan. 27, 109-101 W - 38 minutes, 16 points on 5-19 shooting (3-13 from 3, 3-5 FT), 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 turnovers, 1 steal

Aug. 5, 112-106 L (without Butler for the Heat) - 27 minutes, 15 points on 4-9 shooting (4-7 from 3, 3-4 FT), 4 assists, 1 turnover, 1 rebound

If Dec. 5 Kemba shows up. I think the Celtics takes this in 6 games.

If Jan. 27 or even Aug. 5/ Toronto Kemba shows up I think the Celtics lose the series and the Heat win in 6 or, at best 7 games.

Hoping something similar to Dec. 5 Kemba shows up.
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August 5 Kemba? The one on a minutes limitation? August 5 Kemba with 37-38 minutes will be just fine.
 
what pisses me off is when chuck and stephen a try to poop on kemba without bringing up the type of defense that was being used against him. the filthy causal who watches the game because he took the money line probably has no idea what a box and 1 is. imagine being a 6' guard in the nba trying to play against giants in a man-to-man defense thats followed up by a zone if he gets by his man? i hope the heat dont use it because i want my favorite basketball player to not only win, but SHINE.
 
Toronto sold out to stop Kemba and take him out of his rhythm, and hoped that the rest of the Celtics would miss enough open jump shots to keep things close. It almost worked. They clanged an insane number of wide open 3s after Game 2.
 
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gtcam said:
Van Fleet and Lowry drives all guards crazy because they are bulldogs
Kemba will be fine vs Miami
Tatum is a great young player but his untimely TOs and decision making are worrisome
Brown is beyond expectations as is Tice
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Tatum averaged 2.3 turnovers per game in the regular season and is averaging 2.5 per game in the playoffs. He made some really bad decisions in crunch time this series, and I think he has another step or two to take as a playmaker. But I wouldn’t call his decision-making worrisome based on small sample size of games against an elite defense.
 
Toronto played a box and one and you guys are bitching about Kemba?
Kemba drove to the bucket with game 6 on the line, got fouled but no call
Kemba drove the bucket, game 7 on the line passed the ball this time and got his teammate to the line which indirectly led to the game clinching rebound by Tatum
Kemba was good, not great but again given the box & 1 on a ten year vet I think his performance was excellent. They took away his quickness advantage, and rather than try to out-scheme that, the Celtics and Kemba used Tatum and their other guys to socre.
Kemba easily coulda Russell Westbrooked his way into multiple 20+ shot games at <33% but instead he played team ball and consistently competed against tough strentgh matchups on D.
 
Brad Stevens is looking for Kemba to perform well vs Miami..He appreciates Kemba's team-first attitude..With the talent around him that he has..Doesn't have to play hero ball and force things..
 
Once they played the box and 1 on him he wasn’t as aggressive and too passive in the first half. He’ll be fine
 
I'm not sure the defense from the Heat guards will be nearly as problematic as the Toronto box and one proved to be. Kemba has a great opportunity to shine in this round.
 
jaylen brown is the problem. he’s the least effective of the big 4

it’s like he lacks confidence. if he has 1/2 the confidence of tyler or duncan, now kemba is wide open
 
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