Jae Crowder Leads the NBA in Three-Pointers Defended

This is the three-point era. NBA teams are utilizing versatile players and small ball lineups to attempt a higher percentage of three-pointers than ever before.

Due to the sharp increase in threes, some even believe that a four-point line should be implemented. This truly is the era of Steph Curry.

As teams rely increasingly on the three-point shot, the importance of defending the three-ball increases accordingly.

But closing out on perimeter shooters requires extraneous effort. It takes a special kind of player to consistently protect the three-point line.

Jae Crowder is special. In addition to locking down opposing scorers on a nightly basis, he currently leads the league in three-pointers defended with 4.9 three-point contests per game.

Charlotte’s Michael Kidd-Gilchrist ranks second in the category with 4.7, while Al Horford is a distant second-best on the Celtics with 3.3 per game.

Despite faltering against an underrated Detroit Pistons team last night, the Celtics have a 7-3 record when Crowder plays. His focus and determination facilitate defensive stops, which transition into fast break opportunities.

Furthermore, Crowder's unique blend of size, quickness and toughness makes him crucial in limiting opponents’ offensive production.

When Crowder went down with an ankle injury, the Celtics' physicality waned and they lost five out of eight games.

Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart may be relentless when it comes to harassing opposing ball handlers, but they lack the height to cover sharpshooting forwards and centers.

To overcome recurring size discrepancies, Crowder claims that the Celtics "have to get a little more nastier on the defensive end," to prevent opponents from feeling comfortable.

Crowder was understandably frustrated after the Pistons outrebounded the Celtics 52-33, while Boston uncharacteristically yielded more than 100 points for the third consecutive game.

But the energetic 6’6’’ combo forward is doing everything he can to combat the problem, utilizing his energy and versatility to defend both the perimeter and the post.

Crowder's passionate defensive play partially explains his +35 plus-minus rating for the season, which is second-best on the team. Only Horford has a better rating, with an astounding +59.

But in addition to defending three-pointers, Crowder is knocking them down.

Crowder has converted 38% of his three-point attempts this season, noticeably better than his 34% mark last year. He is astonishingly one of seven Celtics players shooting at least 37% from beyond the arc.

In contrast, only Kelly Olynyk and Jonas Jerebko accomplished that last season.

Shooting percentages typically fluctuate over the course of a long season, so while the Celtics have demonstrated flashes of brilliance, they clearly still have room to improve.

Nevertheless, fierce competitors like Crowder enable the Celtics to contend against the league's top teams.

As the Celtics continue to progress from early season injuries, they will develop into a dynamic and cohesive unit that challenges the Eastern Conference elite.

Crowder has grown into a veteran leader and a lockdown defender for this young Celtics team.

Watch for him to set the defensive tone early on Friday night, by putting the clamps on Rudy Gay, leaving DeMarcus Cousins to fend for himself when the hapless Sacramento Kings come to Boston.

Marcus Smart’s Defense is Destabilizing Opponents

The Celtics' defense has struggled mightily against both big men and sharpshooters in the absence of Jae Crowder and Al Horford. After losing three consecutive games, coach Brad Stevens shook up his temporary starting lineup by inserting Marcus Smart for Jaylen Brown.

Smart leads by example and plays with a ferocity that exemplifies Celtics basketball. The energetic three-guard starting lineup featuring Smart, Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley has scrapped together three wins in four games. During all three victories, the Celtics held their opponents under 100 points.

Smart's aggressive "KG-like" intensity exasperates opponents. It has also been crucial in reestablishing the Celtics’ reputation as a defensive-minded team that wins games through hustle and hard work.

During last Thursday’s 115-87 flogging of the New York Knicks, Smart's defense proved too overwhelming for Carmelo Anthony, who was ejected during the second quarter for excessively cursing at referee Tony Brothers.

This marked the second consecutive game that Smart’s physical play facilitated the ejection of the opposing team’s best player, after Washington’s John Wall was previously tossed for earning a flagrant 2 foul.

Had Smart started in Washington, it is unlikely that the Wizards would have battered the Celtics 34-8 in Boston’s worst first quarter in franchise history. It is even less likely that Otto Porter would have scored a career-high 34 points.

On Monday night in New Orleans, Smart drew an offensive foul against Solomon Hill, who dunked and flexed his arms to the crowd, oblivious to the fact that he was celebrating his own turnover as Smart sat on the ground laughing at him.

During last night’s 90-83 victory against Dallas, coach Brad Stevens implemented a rebounding strategy that focused on crashing the boards with Smart and Boston’s other athletic guards.

The result: the Celtics outrebounded the Mavericks 53-32, their best rebounding margin since November 5, 2014.

Crowder and Horford’s pending return will strengthen the Celtics defense even further, but in the meantime, Smart has seized a leadership role in his third season.

With elite defensive skills, awareness and unrelenting intensity, Smart could join Bradley on the All-NBA Defensive team. Both guards have blossomed into dynamic two-way playmakers and young leaders for a legitimate Eastern Conference contender.

Smart's focus and passion are infectious to his teammates. He inspires them by playing fearlessly against stronger opponents and revels in the challenge of defending taller players. As Terry Rozier told reporters in September,

"You need a guy like that... That’s one of the guys I’ll always take on my team, a guy like Marcus Smart, because he’s always going to make it tough on the opposing team and you always know he’s got your back and he’s always going to play hard."

After missing the first three games of the season, Smart has returned to form as one of the NBA’s premiere defenders. His versatility enables him to cover three different positions, sometimes even four when necessary.

Smart is constantly improving and has eagerly embraced his expanding role as an indispensable leader and a difference-maker for the young Celtics.

Boston's Gift to Milwaukee

'Tis the season of giving and the Celtics sent an early Christmas present to Milwaukee on Saturday night: an undefeated but physically exhausted Warriors team.

After the grueling double-overtime battle against the Celtics on Friday night, the Warriors sputtered to their first loss of the season on Saturday against the decent yet inconsistent Milwaukee Bucks.  The Warriors entered Milwaukee with an NBA-record 24-game winning streak to start the season, but could not recover from tired legs and a sluggish first half.   

The Celtics unfortunately came up short of ending Golden State’s historic streak, but battled valiantly and gave the Warriors a massive scare.  The Bucks should be thanking coach Brad Stevens and his Celtics for physically draining the Warriors players, as Stephen Curry and Draymond Green played a combined 97 minutes against Boston. 

The Warriors, who are arguably the greatest team of the decade, were not their usual dominant selves on Saturday night.  

They surrendered 108 points to a Milwaukee team that only managed 83 points in their previous game against Toronto. The typically-explosive Warriors were moving uncharacteristically slow and finished with a season-low 95 points.

It would be irresponsible to take all credit away from the Bucks.  Their standout center Greg “Moose” Monroe dominated the paint against the Warriors’ small ball lineups with 28 points and 11 rebounds.  Their 7-foot wingman Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded a triple-double and their 6’6’’ point guard Michael Carter-Williams came off the bench to make a huge impact on both ends of the floor.  Milwaukee’s size advantage proved lethal against the fatigued Warriors, who notoriously utilize small ball to dispel the notion that size matters on the basketball court. 

Like the Warriors, the Celtics also played the second game of a back-to-back last night.  But unlike the Warriors, the Celtics were able to bounce back from their tired legs and a sluggish first half to knock off an inferior opponent. 

Isaiah Thomas recorded 21 points and dished a career-high 13 assists while Avery Bradley led all scorers with 23 points to help the Celtics defeat the sharpshooting Charlotte Hornets.  

With the victory, the Celtics have now won 10 consecutive games in the second night of a back-to-back when on the road.  This impressive streak dates back to last season’s All-Star break.

Boston’s recent strong showings against Golden State and San Antonio, as well as their convincing win over Chicago, have earned the Celtics some much deserved national media attention.  After Boston’s courageous performance on Friday, it has become evident that the Celtics have the ability to hang with any team in the league. 

But the Celtics have no interest in moral victories and Stevens believes that there are no such things as good losses.  Jae Crowder and the other Celtics players were visibly upset on Friday night after the tough loss, so it was encouraging to see them immediately bounce back for an important win against an underrated Charlotte team.

Still, it is undeniably frustrating to watch Golden State’s historic streak come to an end, largely thanks to an arduous endeavor that the Celtics ultimately started but could not finish.  Stevens should be receiving a gift basket as a token of gratitude from Bucks’ head coach Jason Kidd any day now.

Boston’s Backcourt Bandits

The Celtics backcourt defense is fierce.  They routed the Houston Rockets 111-95 on the road yesterday, just 24 hours after stifling the Thunder in OKC.  With these wins the Celtics improve to 6-4 and have their first three game winning streak of the young season.  Based on the way their backcourt defense is playing, this winning streak may be the first of many.

Prior to these high-octane matchups against elite scorers like James Harden and Russell Westbrook, the Celtics kicked off their streak with a commanding 106-93 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.  In all three wins, the Celtics limited typically-high scoring opponents under 100 points.  

The Celtics are now 6-1 when holding their opponents under 100, with the only loss coming against the San Antonio Spurs and their #1 ranked defense.  But while San Antonio may have the best overall defense, nobody has a better defensive backcourt than the Celtics.  

The trio of Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder constantly apply aggressive ball pressure that leads the Celtics to a whopping NBA-leading 11.8 steals per game.  These “Backcourt Bandits” lead by example.  Their relentless effort on defense inspires other Celtics role players to step up and play tough defense of their own.  As a result, the Celtics have won five of their last six games.

Crowder also leads the NBA with three steals per game – but the steals statistic does not encapsulate all the plays in which tenacious defense leads to turnovers.  Right now, the Celtics force an average of 19 total turnovers per game – the best mark of any team in this category since the 1997-98 Boston Celtics.

Furthermore this year’s Celtics already rank fourth in defensive efficiency, but their 94.2 defensive rating continues to drop as they win games.  They are still ranked behind the Spurs, Heat and Warriors, but with their ability to shut down top scorers, they could easily surpass the Heat and the Warriors on the defensive efficiency leaderboard by the end of November.

Smart is the team’s defensive MVP.  The Celtics’ winning streak began when Smart was reinserted into the starting lineup alongside Isaiah Thomas.  In the OKC game, Smart thoroughly outplayed Westbrook.  Not only did he contribute 26 points and eight rebounds, but he limited the Thunder’s superstar guard to just 5-20 shooting from the field.

On the very next night, Smart was tasked with guarding Harden and his blanket coverage left Harden scoreless on 2-point field goal attempts.  Smart did not allow Houston’s elite scorer anywhere near the rim, causing Harden to finish with just 16 points on 4-10 shooting and all four of his buckets coming from 3-point range.  

Harden is an artist at drawing contact and he perennially leads the league in free throw attempts. But against Smart and the Celtics backcourt defense, Harden attempted just four free throws.

The Celtics actually trailed the Rockets by 15 points in the second quarter before Brad Stevens called a timeout to rally his team.  The defense quickly tightened up, especially on Harden, and the Celtics stormed back to tie the game by halftime.  By early in the fourth, the Celtics found themselves up by nearly 30 points.

The backcourt’s ability to frazzle opposing ball handlers may feasibly enable the Celtics to maintain forced turnover numbers that have not been generated in nearly two decades.  The 19 forced turnovers per game is legitimate; the statistic is not being boosted by any outliers.  In comparison, the defensive-oriented 2007-08 championship Celtics forced just 16 turnovers per game.

Creating turnovers leads to fastbreak points for the young athletic Celtics, but more importantly, it leads to an increase of wild plays, frustration and technical fouls from exasperated opponents.  

Opposing ball handlers visibly lose confidence in either themselves or their teammates after several turnovers have been forced.  Once that happens, the turnovers begin mounting in a snowball effect of frustration and excessive dribbling against unrelenting pressure.  

Some coaches are great at getting their team to regroup and settle down; but a lot of coaches aren’t. As a result, the Celtics will frequently force 20+ turnovers in certain favorable Eastern Conference matchups.  

Look for the Celtics to continue this trend of stellar play and elite defense as they steadily carve out a top-5 spot in the Eastern Conference.  This young Celtics team is undeniably exciting and their fierce backcourt defense is just one of many reasons why they are arguably one big trade away from becoming immediate contenders this year.

RJ Goes Buck Hunting; Celtics Face Pacers Tonight

The Celtics trailed by 12 in the first quarter but Brad Stevens quickly rallied his Celtics to bounce back and trounce the Milwaukee Bucks 99-83 on Tuesday night.  Isaiah Thomas started once again for the injured Marcus Smart, contributing a game-high 20 points despite shooting just 1-10 from 3-point range. 

This was an impressive victory.  The C’s clearly still have some issues to sort out in the frontcourt, but fortunately Greg Monroe and the Bucks’ massive size advantage was overshadowed by the performance of the Celtics high-powered bench.  The Celtics bench once again outscored their starters 50-49, even with Thomas in the starting lineup.

Depth proved to be a critical factor in this game, especially when Avery Bradley went down with a lower leg bruise.  Rookie R.J. Hunter was thrust into meaningful rotational sets for the first time in his young career and the potential future face of the franchise did not disappoint.

Hunter knocked down 3-5 jump shots for seven points, but more importantly showed off an ability to contribute in a multitude of ways.  He pulled down seven rebounds in just nineteen minutes, while David Lee, Kelly Olynyk, and Jonas Jerebko collectively gathered seven rebounds in a combined 58 minutes.

Hunter also showed active hands and incredible tenacity on defense.  His lateral footwork could be better, but he showed resilience in fighting through screens and sticking on his assignment.  He had a nice steal and a beautiful block from beyond in the second half, all contributing to an impressive + 19 plus/minus.  

Despite not registering any assists, Hunter passed the ball very effectively, further emphasizing his high basketball IQ.  Stevens showed a lot of confidence in the rookie by making him the direct beneficiary of Bradley’s injury minutes.  If Bradley is out for an extended period, then Hunter might see a huge increase in playing time; if he keeps playing like this, then those are minutes that he might never give back. 

Stevens is already drawing up plays specifically designed for Hunter, such as this one.  

Hunter's sharpshooting and versatile skillset makes him an extremely effective weapon in the Celtics offense.  Bradley is one of the best on-ball defenders in the league, but Hunter might already be the better overall shooting guard.  R.J.'s untapped scoring potential makes me giddy.  Regardless of Bradley’s health, there is no question that Hunter deserves regular rotational minutes.  He is far ahead of the rookie curve and rapidly developing into a great NBA player.

Now There's a Tommy Point!  In the game’s final minutes, Hunter was visibly exhausted after making a series of hustle plays. He had already been on the court for almost the entire second half and Stevens decided to pull Hunter out of the lineup to let him rest with the game essentially in the bag. But Hunter wasn't feeling the bench.  Within sixty seconds, he was back up at the scorers table, eager to check back into the game. This kid loves to contribute whenever and however he can.  When you watch him play, it is easy to visualize the great player that he will become.  Hunter will soon become a Tommy Point machine.  

Hunter has all the talent and all the intangibles to become a great player, especially on a Celtics’ team that needs an identifying face of the franchise.  I cannot wait to bust out my #28 jersey for the first time at the TD Garden later this month.  With Hunter’s impressive play, the team on the upswing, and the potential first overall pick in next year’s draft thanks to Brooklyn, the future is starting to look very bright in Boston.

The C’s are back in action tonight in Boston against an inconsistent Indiana Pacers team.  The Pacers play a ton of small ball, led by Paul George and Monta Ellis.  They will be looking to run, so the game should be fun because both teams flourish in fast-break situations.

The Celtics get the edge thanks to their depth, speed, and disruptive backcourt defense.  The Pacers defeated the Celtics by two points last week, but the Celtics have played drastically better since then and should be able to come away victorious tonight. 

Prediction: Celtics win 98-95.  The Celtics are the better team, but back-to-backs are never easy and George and the Pacers play with a ton of passion and physicality.  The Celtics should be able to maintain control and dictate the pace, but the game will be close.  Look for Thomas to score around 30 points in this small-ball oriented matchup.  If Bradley cannot play, look for Hunter to continue impressing while clawing his way towards the top of the depth chart.

Five Takeaways From Last Night’s Preseason Game

The Celtics showed off their depth and versatility last night with a commanding victory over the Brooklyn Nets.  Boston defeated Brooklyn 109-105 however the Celtics never trailed and they firmly controlled the game from start to finish. 

Boston led by as much as 18 before inserting non-rotational players such as Corey Walden and James Young into the lineup for the entire fourth quarter.  Overall, the Celtics were undeniably impressive in their first taste of NBA preseason action.  Here are five key takeaways from last night’s victory.

1. The Celtics defensive backcourt wreaks havoc.  As expected, the Celtics displayed high levels of energy and were incredibly active on defense.  They contested nearly every single opposing shot in the first half and frequently harassed opposing ball handlers with tight defensive pressure.  The Celtics recorded 12 steals and 9 blocks, frustrating Nets players and causing them to lose their cool and play errant basketball.  Brooklyn point guard Jarrett Jack was ejected in the second quarter for tackling Jonas Jerebko after Jack had turned the ball over to Jared Sullinger.  

The Celtics use hustle, resilience, and tenacity to create chaos for opposing offenses.  It was very impressive that the Celtics could keep their defensive intensity level high even with three of their best on-ball defenders missing the game.  Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley, and Terry Rozier are combo guards that bring explosiveness and tenacity to their backcourt defense while often producing subsequent fast-break points.  The Celtics scored 18 fast break points last night and that number will only go up when those guards return from their respective ailments. 

2. The Celtics defensive frontcourt still lacks paint presence.  This is an issue that has plagued the Celtics for five years.  While the Celtics can outrun almost any opponent and can produce offensively in a variety of ways, they still lack an interior defensive anchor.  The Nets played poorly last night but they still out-rebounded the Celtics while managing to score 50 points from inside the paint.  The Celtics big men need to do better.  

Amir Johnson is a slight upgrade from last season in terms of defensive presence, but without a commanding force that truly deters opponents from frequently attacking the rim, Johnson and the other bigs must learn to work together more effectively.  It is worth noting that David Lee also did not play last night, however majority of Lee’s contributions will come through his offensive versatility and veteran leadership rather than his defense.

3. The Celtics have ridiculous depth.  Before the game, I wrote about the depth on the Celtics roster and that depth is what enabled them to dominate the Nets even when four important Celtics players were sidelined.  

The Celtics theoretically have enough talent to field three NBA starting lineups, so opposing second units will always be overmatched against Boston's bench.  The Celtics backups exhibit zero drop-off in both production and intensity. 

 There is no rest for the weary against the Celtics, who attack their opponents with intensity and fresh legs by mixing in so many different hard-working defensive-oriented players into the lineup.  Many teams find themselves struggling to field a passable roster during the middle months of the long NBA season, but the Celtics have the talent to always be productive, regardless of what combination of players is on the court.

4. I’m going to keep saying it - R.J. Hunter may be the future face of this franchise.  Deep down, we can all see that this kid is special and there is no ceiling on his potential.  Hunter was stroking it from three-point range in the first half last night and then filled up the rest of his stat sheet in the second half.  He works hard and has the ability to score like crazy.  Obviously he’s just a rookie and can’t be trusted yet as a reliable volume scorer in the NBA, but that hasn’t stopped him from finding countless other ways to contribute.  

His length and basketball IQ often help him intercept passes and he recorded a team-high 4 steals against the Nets.  He also contributed 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists in his first game against NBA opposition while showing no hesitation when pulling up from three-point range.  His jump shot will only become more lethal as he gradually becomes more comfortable in the NBA.

5. Sullinger looks very out of place.  He’s clearly uncomfortable about his uncertain role in the rotation and he honestly looks like he belongs on another team.  After all the offseason hype about Sullinger finally getting in shape, he predictably failed to do so.  Furthermore he shot 1-8 from the field last night, chucking up erroneous long range jumpers.  It is hard to watch Sullinger launch three-point attempts when everybody knows that he should be using his gigantic backside to post up defenders.  

There was a time when Sullinger was one of the best young players on this team, but with a measly two rebounds, three points, and four fouls in 12 minutes of action yesterday, it is hard to envision him receiving meaningful playing time this year.  The offseason acquisitions of Johnson and Lee make Sullinger entirely expendable, but truthfully there are no teams right now that would be interested in trading for a young player that isn't showing any improvement either from a skills or a conditioning standpoint.

Sullinger will likely be relegated to a bench role, and that’s probably for the best if Stevens wants his team to be as fast, active, and aggressive as possible.  Sullinger could be a starter for many NBA teams but he is holding himself back from reaching his full potential.  He will only play significant minutes this season when Lee is resting or when another big man gets hurt.

Deep Impact

The Celtics were surprisingly productive last season, and after upgrading in the offseason, they are ready to turn heads once again.  Evan Turner, Avery Bradley, David Lee, and other Celtics players have not been shy in talking about the team’s remarkable depth at every position.  This team expects to be playoff-bound for the second straight year, and for the first time since 2010, the roster features fifteen legitimate players – all non-busts – who are ready to compete. 

Yes, the Celtics still lack a star scorer (let alone three like the 2008 Championship team) but Danny Ainge has fashioned an undeniably impressive foundation of young hard-working players.  R.J. Hunter may eventually grow into a bigtime scoring role, but in the meantime, the Celtics will operate with fifteen different guys (arguably sixteen if you count James Young) with unique skillsets and excellent work ethic.  They have fifteen different players that could potentially be starters in the NBA if they were not all crammed together on one roster.  Ainge has quietly transformed the Celtics into the deepest team in the East.

Check out the box score from their preseason exhibition win against Olimpia Milano.  Every single Celtics player contributed.  Turner, who led the team with three triple-doubles last season, was out due to a knee injury.  Fourteen of the remaining fifteen players scored points. (way to go James Young – perhaps you would have gotten on the board too if you were more concerned with consistency on the basketball court rather than consistency on the dance floor.)

The roster can be broken down into three logical rotations.

PG: Marcus Smart	Isaiah Thomas	Terry Rozier
SG: Avery Bradley	Evan Turner	R.J. Hunter
SF: Jae Crowder	Jonas Jerebko	Perry Jones
PF: David Lee	Amir Johnson	Jared Sullinger
C: Tyler Zeller	Kelly Olynyk	Jordan Mickey

*SG James Young is not listed on these rotations because he’s clearly still not ready for meaningful minutes.

Defeating Milan is obviously no big deal.  However it is extremely encouraging to see that all fifteen Boston players who touched the court in their first preseason game registered positive plus/minus ratings.  In other words, the team played well from start to finish, regardless of which combination of players was on the court. 

These preseason trips to Europe inherently build a great deal of chemistry and comradery for NBA teams.  Many of these players have a chip on their shoulder from being cut or traded by previous teams, and many of them have a chip on their other shoulder from being told by many Celtics fans to tank for a lottery pick last season.  

Ainge promised each and every one of these players an opportunity to contribute for the Celtics and they all bought in, working hard under Brad Stevens to silence the doubters and surge to a playoff spot in the second half of the season.  This roster is full of hard-working talented players and that is no accident. 

These like-minded individuals often form a brotherhood during these kinds of trips and a passionate culture becomes infectious.  The 2008 championship squad traveled to Italy in the preseason and bred a powerful winning culture known as “Ubuntu” to unite the team, while priding themselves on hard work, defense, and faith in a coach that identifies with and speaks to the players. Sound familiar?

This team may not yet have the star power to win a championship, but they have everything else they need to become a top-four team in the East.  With a team-wide focus on defense and three productive players at every position, this team is incredibly well-equipped to handle the grind of a long NBA season.  Better yet essentially every player is capable of playing multiple positions, so the possible lineup combinations that Brad Stevens will dabble with are endless. 

These Celtics are multidimensional with an ability to play big or small.  They will often look to outrun opponents – but they can also work the middle with newly acquired veteran big men, Lee and Amir Johnson.

There is a plethora of three point shooting ability that will help their offense regardless of whether they play fast-paced or decide to slow it down.  Working the ball inside and using Lee to establish a an inside-outside presence was very effective during their preseason games in Europe. 

   

Something interesting to watch out for – Lee and Bradley have formed an unlikely scoring duo in the starting unit.  The two of them have combined for 57 points in two preseason games.  Isaiah Thomas obviously continues to be the offensive lightning rod as their sixth man, but Lee’s veteran leadership seems to be rubbing off on Bradley, who at 24 years old is the longest tenured Celtic. 

I wrote about Hunter’s bright future in Boston and mentioned that Bradley’s inconsistent jump shot is one of the reasons that Hunter will have the opportunity to shine as a sharpshooting volume scorer.  However Lee’s presence, as well as the battle for playing time, has seemingly motivated Bradley to “fix” his jump shot.  Thus far in the preseason he is 7-8 from three-point range while playing his usual tenacious defense, and while his long range buckets came mostly on wide-open looks, it does appear that Bradley has removed a hitch from his jump shot that hurt him last season. 

Many of Bradley's three-pointers were also assisted by Lee, who was scoring effectively and frequently drawing double-teams in the paint.  The veteran leadership that Lee is demonstrating is very valuable to a team with so many young players.  Coming off a championship season with the Warriors, Lee knows what it takes to be successful and has frequently drawn comparisons between the Celtics and the Warriors.  Bradley seems to love having him on the court and in addition to helping him because more effective as a player, hopefully Lee teaches the young veteran a thing or two about being a leader as well.

The Celtics get their first taste of NBA action tonight in Brooklyn against the Nets.

Don’t be surprised if the Celtics are out there running way too hard for a preseason game.  It’s not like they have to worry about fresh legs.

Faith in R.J.

This is my R.J. Hunter jersey, ordered online three months ago on the night of the NBA draft.  I was one of the first people on the planet to own this jersey and I’ll be proud to say so as the stands at the TD Garden gradually overflow with them over the next several seasons.

In many ways, Hunter may be the perfect fit, the missing cog, and the future star of a rebuilding Celtics’ franchise.  Is that too much praise for a 21 year old rookie swingman that might start his first NBA season in the D-League?  Perhaps.  But if you are a Celtics' fan, then there are a lot of reasons to have a lot of faith in R.J.

The Celtics have lacked a prolific scorer, or even a reliable volume scorer, since trading Paul Pierce to Brooklyn two seasons ago.  It is no coincidence that Danny Ainge targeted Hunter with the 28th overall pick, selecting a player whose biggest asset is scoring ability rather than athleticism or "NBA-readiness."

Analysts such as ESPN’s Jay Bilas claim that Hunter’s “range is as soon as he gets in the building,” a statement that was backed up by Hunter’s performance in three record-breaking seasons at Georgia State as well as a solid performance in the NBA Summer League.  It doesn't take a basketball guru to recognize that Hunter is already the best pure shooter on the team.

Hunter’s unconventional jump shot is comparable to Stephen Curry’s because they share a quick release, inestimable range, and deep accuracy in off-balance and tight coverage situations.  Listed at 6’6’’ with a freakish 6’11’’ wingspan, Hunter is incredibly difficult to contest when he pulls up to shoot.

He is also already showing improvement as a playmaker and drives effectively to the hoop against smaller defenders, often drawing contact to get to the free throw line where he shoots almost 90%.   As Georgia State’s all-time leader in career points, 3-pointers, and free throws, Hunter raised his scoring average from 17 points per game as a freshman to 19.7 as a junior.

Hunter grew up in Indiana just like another former Celtics' great, and after he was selected by Boston, Hunter said "Hopefully I'll be their best shooter since Larry Legend."  While neither sharpshooter was the most athletic player in their respective draft classes, they were both dominant college scorers for lesser known schools.

Hunter shoots accurately off the dribble and needs only an inch or two of separation from his defender to find his shot.  His leaning mid-range jumper was one of his biggest weapons in college.  Deadly from long range and accurate from seemingly any location and any angle, Hunter has one of the highest ceilings of any guard in his draft class.  Two or three seasons under Brad Stevens may transform Hunter into a premiere NBA scoring threat.

These Stevens-Celtics are now far-removed from the Celtics of the Doc Rivers era.  This team is young, exciting, and gritty.  They no longer rely on veteran leadership or complex offensive plays because admittedly without a big-name free agent signing they are still a couple seasons away from meaningful playoff games.  Nevertheless this is a fascinating Celtics' team unlike any that we've seen before.

After trading away Rajon Rondo last season, the role players that were left behind comprised a scrappy young core that prides itself on physicality, hustle, and resilience.  They lacked talent, but they were well-coached, eager to play, and eager to improve; that's all it takes to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.

Check out this picture that Adam Himmeslbach tweeted to visually grasp exactly how many draft picks the Celtics have over the next six seasons.  Regardless of whether they use all these picks, or trade away most of them away for an elite veteran who can help Stevens mentor Hunter and the other young Celtics, expect Hunter to be a major contributor when the Celtics find their way back into important playoff games.

The Celtics need a captain.  They need a Paul Pierce.  The Truth left some gigantic shoes to fill, but fortunately, Hunter does not need to take the entire franchise upon his back for a decade like Pierce did.  He only needs to shoot the lights out.  Hunter will quickly win over Celtics' fans with his gritty play, superior work ethic, and unconscious scoring ability from the guard position.  He will quickly move ahead of James Young on the depth chart if he hasn't already.

While I love Avery Bradley, one of the best on-ball defenders in the NBA, the Celtics cannot afford to continue relying on his felonious jump shot as a source of offense.  Bradley knocked down just 5 of 19 three-pointers when Cleveland swept them in the first round of the playoffs.  Many of those fourteen misses were wide-open looks and many of those wide-open looks were air-balls.

Enter: R.J. Hunter, with a skillset built for Stevens’ system as a scrappy young player who works hard and scores in bunches.

It is no coincidence that Stevens tried to recruit Hunter out of high school to play for him at Butler three years ago.  R.J. opted to go play for his father, Ron Hunter, at Georgia State instead.  Three years later, Hunter has emerged as an even better sharpshooter with intangible leadership skills and an incredibly high basketball IQ.  In summer league play, Hunter showed off his playmaking ability and situational awareness with stellar plays on defense and improved ball handling.  Hunter showed off an ability to effectively drive the lane while dishing out some nifty passes to open teammates, frequently connecting with fellow rookie Jordan Mickey for beautiful alley-oop assists.

Hunter will eventually become a primary scoring option, but in the meantime, he has already improved in other aspects and has demonstrated that he can positively impact games in many ways.  Even his fellow rookies have noticed the impact he can make, voting for Hunter in a rookie survey as the second biggest steal in the draft and the second best shooter in the draft.  

Hunter does not need a D-League stint to continue his development.  He works hard and he loves to win.  His ESPY-nominated performance leading Georgia State over Baylor was arguably the biggest upset of last year's NCAA Tournament.

Facing a twelve point deficit in the final minutes of the game, Hunter scored 12 of his team’s final 13 points, including this DEEP game-winning three pointer with two seconds left on the clock.  Hunter may not be the most athletic or physically gifted player, but this kid is the real deal.

By halfway through this coming season, Hunter will likely have carved out some consistent minutes for himself, and over time he will grow to become a reliable NBA scorer.  Even as a scrawny rookie, Hunter could become a very effective scorer in the second unit.  At some point, Stevens will likely dabble with a small three-guard lineup that features Hunter, Thomas, and Boston's other first round pick Terry Rozier.  It would be extremely difficult for opposing benches to keep up with them.

With basketball smarts, grit, and a remarkable jumper, I have no doubt that this kid was born to be a Celtic.  Hunter will become a centerpiece for this franchise as they seek to establish a new identity with a talented young leader.  I cannot wait to see who will play alongside him in the future.

The rebuilding stages are tough but they are going well.  With Hunter's help, this team will soon develop into a truly competitive force in the East.  Is this too much to expect from a 21 year old rookie swingman that might start his first NBA season in the D-League?  No - not if you like Boston basketball.  Not if you believe in R.J.  Now go get yourself a #28 jersey.