Playing professor: Post game grades for Celtics' failed comeback attempt against Memphis
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| AP Photo / Michael Dwyer |
Here are the grades:
Starters:
Jordan Crawford: B-
Stat line: 5 points (2-8 shooting), 7 assists, 2 TOs, 1 rebound. -9 +/-.
So apparently when Jordan Crawford's crazy shots don't fall, his play doesn't look as attractive. I will cut him some slack, 7 assists and only 2 turnovers are great on a night when all the Celtics looked like they dipped their hands in gravy (maybe they were hanging out with Big Baby?), but I would have liked 1) better shot selection (he killed the momentum in the final quarter with an unnecessarily deep 3, his trademark shot) and 2) some more defense from him (I mean, if you're letting Tony Allen score on you on his every single try, that's bad news) 7 assists and -9 +/- don't go together often, so that means something.
Avery Bradley: B-
Stat line: 16 points (7-13 shooting), 4 TOs, 2 blocks, +8 +/-.
Am I a strict grader? Maybe. But the perimeter defense was horrible in the first half, and I still can't get past that. It took Crawford's grade down, so it should take Bradley's down as well. Oh and then there are turnovers; Bradley really can't hold on to the ball. However, it was nice to see his signature cuts again, and he got on a hot streak in the beginning of the third quarter. He should become more efficient with his corner 3s though.
Jeff Green: A-
Stat line: 26 points (9-19 shooting, 1-5 3pt), 7 rebounds, 1 steal, 0 TOs, +3 +/-.
Jeeeef Greeeeeen. He played really well last night, almost scored at will, played above average defense on Prince... Why doesn't he get an A? Well, we lost, and he could have shot better from beyond the arc. But I'll take this kind of performance from him every night. Oh, and I loved that unexpected bank shot from midrange, if he successfully adds that to his portfolio, that can only mean good news.
Brandon Bass: A/A-
Stat line: 6 points, 13 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 TOs, awesome defense.
Holy cow. Bass was a beast on defense last night. I mean, Z-Bo was 2-8 against him, and more importantly he looked desperate out there. That's Z-Bo we're talking about. None of his blocks were easy as well, so Bass truly deserved all the hustle points. Why is he not getting a straight A? All his energy on defense turned into something weird on offense, and his turnovers burnt my eyes. Still, that kind of performance is what ups his trade value, so well done!
Jared Sullinger: A-
Stat line: 23 points (10-18 shooting, 2-3 3pt), 12 rebounds (5 offensive), 3 assists, 4 TOs, 5 fouls.
"Sullinger takes the shot and makes it! Another three! The Celtics cut the lead to 7!" Sounds like a line from a weird dream or a cheesy movie, right? Well, that's what happened last night. Sullinger was a beast on offense. I had predicted that he'd have one hell of a game against Koufos last night, and he did. He looked really tired towards the end though as he's not 100% yet, and his old habits of fouling made a comeback. Other than that, a pretty great night.
Bench:
Vitor Faverani: C+
Stat line: 7 points (3-8 shooting), 3 rebounds, 2 blocks against.
Yeah, not a really impressive night for Vitor. What I remember when I think of his performance last night is his desperate and unsuccessful attempts to put he ball in from really close range. He didn't sparkle on defense as well. 7 points and 3 rebounds in 13 minutes is not bad. I mean, he got the job done, but with such performances from Sullinger and Bass, he had to something extra to get more than a passing grade.
Gerald Wallace: D-
Stat line: 2 points (1-5 shooting), 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks against, -10 +/-
He doesn't get an F because he pulled an offensive rebound, but yeah, that's about it. He was almost invisible, was quite ineffective on offense (coming from a 17-point night against Charlotte), he didn't steal or distribute like he normally does. He should have done much more in 23 minutes.
Kris Humphries: B
Stat line: 8 points (4-10 shooting), 6 rebounds, 1 blocks.
His grade could have been lower, but I feel for this guy. He doesn't get a chance to play because he's not in the Celtics' future, but when he does, he gives his best. His efficiency from mid range reminded me of KG, and he pulled 6 rebounds in 16 minutes. His stats translate into 17 points and 13 rebounds per 36 minutes, which would have been very, very impressive. He gives you what he's advertised to, and if the Celtics were in a different position this year he would have contributed nicely.
Courtney Lee: F
Stat line: 9 minutes, 0-1 shooting, 2 fouls, 1 turnover.
Well, I guess that stat line says it all. I hope that his knee is doing fine, though. Get well soon, Lee!
Phil Pressey: D
Stat line: 5 minutes, 0-1 shooting, 1 rebound, 2 fouls.
He really didn't get the chance tonight, but he looked better than Lee out there. Well, and he pulled a rebound, so that ain't bad.
Coach:
Brad Stevens: B+
He lit a fire under this team when it looked like they'd lose by 30. That's no easy task. I'm a huge fan of Stevens, and one thing I especially admire him for is that he understands numbers and the importance of shooting 3s, something Doc never seemed to grasp. His focus on that paid some dividends tonight with Vitor and Sully shooting 3-5 from beyond the arc. He has also improved the teams PnR Roll Man defense. I would have liked it more if he gave Wallace less playing time and tried Pressey/Bradley instead of Bradley/Wallace, but in the end, the future is bright for this team.
That's it! Happy Thanksgiving!
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