Despite moving 2022 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart and key reserve forward Grant Williams in separate summer trades, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla intends to employ similar defensive principles in 2023/24, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.
Himmelsbach adds that newly acquired big man Kristaps Porzingis has always been a solid defender around the rim, and can aid Boston at that end of the floor, too.
“With Marcus gone, we don’t want our defensive identity to go out the door as well, so we have to really emphasize that at the start of training camp,” Mazzulla said. “I think what Kristaps can bring to us defensively, and the additions some of our other guys can bring to us defensively, I want to make sure that’s where we hang our hats this year.”
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- As the Nets’ No. 1 option, small forward Mikal Bridges is striving to hone his play-making this offseason, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscriber link). “Yeah, you could do [drills] … but it’s more of a mindset, and having that mindset coming in and watching film,” Bridges said of how he intended to improve. “That’s the biggest thing, to have that mindset of playmaking.”
- The 2023/24 Knicks roster has been constructed with an eye towards the preferences of head coach Tom Thibodeau, under whom the team has had its most success in years, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post. Braziller notes that the trade addition of Josh Hart and the signing of Donte DiVincenzo, two defensively versatile wings, plus the subtractions of talented-but-raw forwards Cam Reddish and Obi Toppin, all seem to be in line with Thibodeau’s ethos to team-building.
- In an interview with Sportski zurnal (as translated by Eurohoops), new Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković explained how he has always had major goals in mind with regard to his coaching career. “Since the beginning of my coaching career, I have always been very ambitious, but at the same time I knew that a coaching career is not a 100-meter race, but a long marathon,” Rajaković said. “I have only just run half a marathon, I still have a long way to go. I am currently in my 27th year of coaching. of work and I hope that I will stay in coaching for as long as possible. I’m enjoying it and it’s nice.”
Too many think cause Smart and Williams are gone. Somehow Celtics will not play D anymore. Today D is about making stops. And good team D does that. Not just individual D. Celtics will adjust and still be a good Defensive team. And I agree KP size will help. Celtics are a team where he will play to his strengths. And I like him and Al pairing. I don’t believe they drop that much with their team D. And their offense just got way better. Celtics will need time to adjust. Imo they are a better team now. Definitely a contender.
Thibs has always been about team play. It’s nothing new. Cam is just not there. Plus he thinks he’s already made it. Just by having a contract. He was never a Thibs guy. Obi just had bad luck being behind Randle. He’s not a good example for this. Fournier would be a wiser choice.
Jimmy B is a guy Thibs helped mold. One of best 2way players of his generation. If you understand his game and rise to fame. Then you understand what Thibs is all about. He definitely has his handprint all over this team. It’s like I said from Day1 …….
“In Thibs we Trust”
Celtics D gonna be trash, they don’t have anyone that can direct the defense on the floor.
your troll jobs are getting worse by the post kurtis blows
I think you’re right about the Celtics. Another thing that happens when you have a “great defensive player” is his teammates can sometimes get a little lazy, especially with their help defense, and I think with Smart gone there will be a much bigger emphasis on team defense.
I think you’ll see Brown and Tatum take more pride in their defense, and they’ll take turns taking over the majority of Smart’s responsibilities as perimeter defenders. Then, they can funnel any driving offensive players down to either Horford, KP, or Robert Williams. All three of their bigs should be excellent rim defenders, and should help at least alter shots down low in the paint.
It shouldn’t be a difficult sell for Coach Mazulla, and if Tatum and Brown want their team to take a step forward, instead of backwards, then they’ll both set the tone for the rest of the team.
Also, Thibs has been one of the best defensive coaches in the NBA over the last two decades. Even in today’s NBA, where it is almost impossible to actually defend, Thibs cab set his team apart from all the others with the right blend of players.
With that being said, I think he’s finally been able to piece together the team he’s envisioned and wanted since he’s arrived in NY.
Alongside his associate head coach Johnnie Bryant, who learned under Quinn Snyder, and his group of assistant coaches, I think Thibs has created an extremely well balanced staff. They can and will assist him offensively, and that’s exactly what Thibs needs in order to really maximize the Knicks potential.
Agree. I expect Celtics D will be better.
As to Obi Toppin getting traded, I believe he has a good chance of being similar to Rui Hachimura & Lauri Markkanen & others who get traded and then really come into their own.
Hopefully he grows a couple of basketBalls because he looked like a coach who had no idea what was going on or was coaching darts
I don’t know what to make of Himmelsbach’s comment above: “…, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla intends to employ similar defensive principles in 2023/24.” I would hope not. I thought our “defensive principles” killed us last season. But at least Coach Joe then said he wants to “hang our hats” on defense. I hope we can defend threes better! Go Celtics!
The Celtics post defense should be elite, and it’ll help fighting against pick n rolls with them having so much length as well.
The one area I might be concerned with is their ability to guard the entire perimeter, especially when a team is doing a good job of spacing the floor.
They’ll be just fine if Tatum and Brown both put more of an emphasis on the defensive side of the ball, but it is going to be tough to take turns carrying the offense and then guarding the oppos8ng team’s best two guards or wings.
Brogdon will have a bigger role, and I think he can help somewhat make up for them losing Smart on both sides of the floor.
Really though, it is going to come down to their ability to communicate, their desire and dedication to being a more well-rounded defensive team, and it’ll come down to their bigs ability to stay healthy, especially with Grant Williams leaving.
Celtics management is trash