Oct 15, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce (34) during the first quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wachovia Center. The Sixers defeated the Celtics 107-75. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

In the four games played so far this preseason, turnovers have been a major concern, and last night was no different. The Celtics have always been known to have a high number of turnovers per game, but so far this preseason, it’s the types of turnovers that should concern many fans. Tommy Heinsohn on CSNNE suggested that the sloppy play had to do with the lack of chemistry on the court. This may be due to all the different lineups that Doc Rivers is experimenting with.

Last night, turnovers were the main cause of a fourteen point deficit going into halftime. I’m not taking anything away from the 76ers, but turning the ball over thirteen times in a half gave Philadelphia the opportunity to run on the fast break and get more offensive possessions. Miscommunication and careless passes consecutively on the offense took Boston right out of rhythm, and it was easy to tell that some of the players weren’t on the same page.

As I suggested, it could be due to all the different lineups Doc Rivers is going with. One lineup that should have worked offensively was one that consisted of: Jared Sullinger at center, Brandon Bass at power forward, Jeff Green at small forward, Paul Pierce at shooting guard, and Rondo playing point guard. That lineup didn’t work that well, and maybe their turnover woes have something to do with Kevin Garnett not playing last night.

In preseason games, this is usually the time to experiment, and it’s possible that Rivers is looking at what lineups work best. But last night, it wasn’t just the second unit that turned the ball over, the starters didn’t help either, with Pierce and Rondo combining for eight turnovers.

Lack of defense

Turnovers weren’t the only reason why Boston got blown out. Lack of defense allowed the 76ers to dominate the paint. Just like with careless passes, lack of communication on the defense resulted in wide open shots for Philadelphia. Spencer Hawes found himself open on a number of occasions, which was just one of the instances in which Boston failed to rotate off screens. When leaving big men open, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Philadelphia had 52 points in the paint.

It’s only the preseason, but last night raises a lot of concern heading forward. The preseason is halfway over and by now, some of the issues should be already addressed and almost resolved.

There really wasn’t much to be optimistic about after last night’s game. Hopefully, it was just one of those nights that Boston wasn’t really up for the game. In the first half, Paul Pierce didn’t even look like he cared and when your captain isn’t into it, the rest of the team will usually reflect how the leader carries himself.

Personally, none of the players who are going to get significant playing time during the season played hard, and they could just be coasting through the preseason. Doc Rivers even stated that he doesn’t care about the score or the outcome of the games played, he’s more concerned about opening night when they face the Miami Heat. It’s been expected that the Celtics will rest some of their starters in a few of the remaining four games.

In the next two weeks heading into the regular season, I’d like to see the Celtics operate better both offensively and defensively. Throughout the preseason, Boston has tried pushing the tempo, but maybe going back to a half court offense will limit turnovers, give the Celtics time to set up the offense, and give Rondo time to make better decisions instead of rushing passes. Defense is something that will get better with chemistry. Not playing as a cohesive unit will surely end up with the opponent making wide open shots and uncontested layups.

Sep 29, 2012; Waltham, MA, USA; Boston Celtics power forward Jared Sullinger (7) reacts during practice at the Celtics training facility. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE

The first preseason game is in the books, but the result probably wasn’t what most Celtics fans expected. Seeing that this was the first preseason game, and has already been playing, it would be hard to analyze this game like you would in the regular season. One thing is for sure, you could easily nit-pick at some of the things the Celtics didn’t do or struggled with.

Clearly, switching on screens is something Doc Rivers will have to address with the team before the season starts. Play after play the Celtics got beat in the pick and roll game resulting in uncontested layups. Lack of communication on defense didn’t help, and Boston is known for having one of the most vocal and animated defenses in the league. There are a lot of new players learning the system, so it’s understandable that the first game didn’t go well. But I have to say though, Fenerbahce Ulker’s offense is quick, and I truly believe that they could beat a lot of teams in the NBA.

Turnovers and rebounding were another issue. Twenty-five turnovers by the Celtics would be unacceptable for a regular season game, but again, this is a completely different team with new players. Offensive fouls contributed to the turnover count, and some of those calls were questionable. Basically, miscommunication was the highlight tonight for the Celtics when it came to their turnover woes.

Rebounding is definitely going to be a problem with this team, especially when they take on a team like the Lakers, and possibly the 76ers. There were multiple times when the opponent would get offensive rebounds, and the Celtics had a hard time boxing out. Jared Sullinger was the only bright spot when it came to rebounding. He accumulated five offensive rebounds and was active on the glass.

There were a lot of positives that we could take away from this game, and Jeff Green was one of the bright spots tonight. Green took over the entire fourth quarter, and almost single handedly lead a comeback. Down the stretch he was aggressive, taking the ball to the hoop, drawing fouls, and making difficult shots. Brian Scalabrine, the newest member of CSNNE as a Celtics analyst, compared Green to James Worthy. I can say for myself that I never saw Worthy play, but it’s way too early to make such a comparison.

Apr 19, 2011; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jeff Green (8) warms up prior to game two of the first round of the 2011 NBA playoffs against the New York Knicks at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-US PRESSWIRE

In my last article on Jeff Green, I expected him to be somewhat out of shape early in the season, but he surprised me today. The aggressiveness and assertiveness by Green was a great sign of where he is mentally and physically. If he can play like he did today throughout the season, he is going to be an important piece when the Celtics go to the playoffs. It’s obvious, if Jeff Green had been healthy last year, Boston would have gotten back to the Finals.

Green wasn’t the only player to surprise. Jared Sullinger lead the team in rebounding and had a team high in scoring with 16 points. It’s only the first game of the preseason, but I can’t remember the last time the Celtics had a rookie who put up numbers like that, this early in his career. He looked comfortable and was ready for most of Rajon Rondo’s passes. Throughout the last few months I’ve compared Sullinger to Glen Davis, but he may be more productive in his first season than Davis was.

Lastly, Jason Terry finished the game with 12 points and was 3 for 3 from the three point line. I’m really not too surprised, but one thing I liked is that Terry created his own shot a few times, one thing Ray Allen couldn’t do.

All in all it was a good game. If the Celtics had started the game like they finished it, Boston would have come away with a victory. But it’s preseason, and now is the time to fix any kinks in the system before they become major problems in the regular season.

Back in 2007 when the Celtics went to Italy, the team got to know each other very well. Being in a foreign country without friends or family, they only had their teammates to hang out with and talk to. By doing this, the team’s chemistry was probably a lot tighter than it would have been if they had training camp at the Celtics practice facility.

If the Big 3 decide not to return, a new nucleus will have to be formed. Its possible that the Celtics may have 2 or more rookies joining the team next year. Having the chance for them to get to know their new teammates could very well be a good thing in helping them adjust to the NBA.

I can’t stress enough that next season could possibly be the beginning of a new era. An era in which Rajon Rondo is the leader of the team. Giving Rondo a few weeks to get to know the rookies and vice-versa, could have a positive impact on the team moving forward to the regular season.

On this trip, the Celtics will be playing two teams from the Euro League. October 5th, they will be taking on the five-time Turkish Champions, Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul. Then, two days later, the Celtics will travel to Milan to face team EA7 Emporio Armani.

When I heard about a month ago that the Celtics were selected to go to Europe, I immediately thought back to the championship team of 2008. This time, the overseas trip may have more importance due to new faces, and the possibility of the Big 3 no longer on the roster.

Next season is going to be interesting, there is a lot that needs to happen and questions need to be answered before preseason starts. This trip could either be what helps fuel the old, veteran team to winning another championship, or being the trip that helps the new, very young team to become a cohesive unit and learn how to play as a team together.