Boston Celtics Must Focus on Improving Shooting
By Derek Mcvay
The Celtics need to become a better shooting team if they want to take the next step towards a title
Two things have become abundantly clear for the Boston Celtics after back-to-back first round playoff exits. One, the regular season and postseason in the NBA are completely different beasts. Two, the team desperately needs more scoring help, specifically in the form of shooters. The Celtics have other ancillary needs to address, but none rank higher in importance than shooting.
The primary objective this offseason is to find a legitimate scoring option – whether he be a number one or number two – to pair alongside Isaiah Thomas. I love Thomas as a player and for what he has brought to the Celtics, but as Boston has learned these past two postseasons, if he is your primary scoring option, it’s going to be a struggle.
It’s not that Thomas is limited in his abilities, it’s his size. Though he can shoot, Thomas is at his best when he’s attacking the basket and getting to the free-throw line. However in the playoffs, defenses have keyed in on him, forcing other Celtics to step up, which they have failed to do consistently.
The lack of another scoring threat makes life difficult for Thomas. He still tries to attack the basket, but two things happen. One, bigs clog the paint to protect the rim and Thomas just isn’t big enough to finish over them. Two, the defense collapses on him, sending one or two extra defenders, forcing him to pass it to a teammate. By doing so, other Celtics are left with open looks, but it’s a gamble teams have been willing to take because of the inconsistency in which Boston has converted.
Another shooter would go a long way this off-season.
Yes, the Celtics need a rim protector, but how important is that piece to building a championship-caliber team? It’s a good thing to have, but by no means should that be a top priority for Boston this off-season. It doesn’t take an elite rim protector to win a championship. That’s the kind of piece that can be filled in after the fact.
The Golden State Warriors won a title – and are contending for another – with Andrew Bogut in the middle. Has he been effective? Absolutely. Is he elite? No. Is he the reason they are winning games? No.
At the end of the day, it’s about making shots. It doesn’t matter how stingy your defense is, if you don’t have anybody on the other end who can put the ball in the hoop.
Obviously, good defense is important and most championship-caliber teams will defend well, but there is a necessary balance. The last team that really won a championship because of how it defended was the 2003-04 Detroit Pistons, well over 10 years ago.
Look at the Utah Jazz, a team that has finished second and first in opponent’s points per game the past two seasons, yet have failed to make the postseason in either one. Why? Because while their defense ranks near the top, their offense finished in the bottom five in points per game each season.
Boston could also use a post player, but with the way the game has evolved, and is still evolving, there are very few traditional post players left in the league .
The NBA now-a-days is about spacing the floor on offense and scoring in transition. It’s very rare that a team generates a majority of its offense from the post. It’s about ball movement, or driving and dishing to an open shooter.
Look at the participants in the NBA Finals. The Warriors, the best-shooting team on the planet, and a Cleveland Cavaliers team that is averaging over 13 made three’s per game, and setting all kinds of three-point records this postseason. How often do you see either of these teams throw it into the post? What good are two-pointers, if your opponent answers with a three?
That’s why you are seeing more and more big men work on their ability to step out and knock down the outside shot. Some of the better post up players in the league are now taking an increasing number of outside shots.
The Celtics haven’t had a legitimate post threat since Kevin Garnett. While they could certainly benefit from one, they would be better suited trying to add a shooter first. If they are going to acquire an elite big, the caliber of DeMarcus Cousins, I’m all for it; just spare me adding another Amir Johnson-type player. Johnson was a solid player for the Celtics last year, don’t get me wrong. However, a move like that this offseason doesn’t do much to help the team moving forward.
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The question becomes, what shooters are available? Boston could go the draft route and look at guys like Buddy Hield and Jamal Murray with the third pick, but the Celtics would be better served targeting proven commodities.
There are free agents out there that may not be the most attractive to Celtics’ fans, but they would certainly improve the team. Free agents this summer include proven shooters like Ryan Anderson, Jamal Crawford, and Nicolas Batum. While they may not make Boston championship contenders, it does make them better than they were last year.
Another shooter would help create space and open things up for Thomas. A spot up shooter would be great. A guy who can create his own shot would be even better.
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The bottom line is that on the list of Boston’s priorities this off-season, shooting should be number one. In this day’s NBA, without shooters, you aren’t going to get very far.