Finally, the Celtics received reprieve this past week. A hectic start to the season has taken its toll, and the boys in green were rewarded with only two games over the past nine days. Strange games they were; first, playing a wayward Clippers team that no-shows like they\u2019re paid to do it, and a Nets team hell-bent on losing. Like a truffle pig, I sniffed my way through the dank and the dark, and was rewarded with some fine nuggets.<\/p>\n
The Space Cadet<\/p>\n
A lot of this Celtics season will be defined by experimenting. With five brand-new players in the fold, Joe Mazzulla is going to have some ups and downs with the new faces. Anfernee Simons was the highest-profile arrival this offseason; the coaching staff raved about his potential. But it would appear some of the shine is coming off.<\/p>\n
Advertisement<\/p>\n
Through the first six games, Simons averaged 28.2 minutes per night, never dipping below 22. He was a key cog off the bench. In the nine games since, Simons has fallen to 22.2 MPG, dipping below 22 in four of those games. And it\u2019s not hard to see why.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not the worst thing in the world if you\u2019re a dynamic on-ball scorer who doesn\u2019t defend well on the ball. But the lack of on-ball effort and attention to detail is a different matter entirely. If he\u2019s a liability on the ball, you can work around that; a liability off the ball has few workaround when facing a smart offense.<\/p>\n
Results are showing in the stat sheet as well. Per Cleaning the Glass, Boston\u2019s defense is 8.0 points per 100 possessions worse with Simons on the floor. It\u2019s even worse when he plays alongside fellow newcomer to the bench, Luka Garza. With those two on the floor, Boston gives up 121.9 points per 100. That\u2019s 16th percentile amongst all lineups to play at least 100 possessions.<\/p>\n
Advertisement<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the opposite of a dynamic duo? The passive partnership? Apathetic associates? A dire dyad? Catastrophic companions? I\u2019m running out of synonyms. Point is, if Simons (and Garza, to a lesser extent) can\u2019t bring the effort, they\u2019ll play someone else who will. Accountability is another theme of the season. Jaylen Brown sat down for an extended stretch due to poor play. If Jaylen isn\u2019t above reproach, neither is Anfernee.<\/p>\n
Horned Up<\/p>\n