Picked out all the quotes and interesting bits from this Athletic article by Alex Schiffer.
**Kyrie, on balancing his role:**
“It’s natural out there for me to press a little bit, especially when K is not in,” Irving said. “Me and JV have found a balance throughout the season. And now we just have to find a balance within the structure of this team that we have right now without Kev. I think I said a few days ago, it’s gonna be more of an all-around game. So we just have to be efficient with the basketball and value possessions that we do get to do the little things. So we lost the little details battle tonight.”
**Vaughn, on shot selection:**
Before the game, Vaughn said his team’s shot selection would have to change without Durant because of the 6-10 forward’s ability to make a bad possession look like a good one and clean up multiple offensive errors. He wanted more 3s. Instead, his team had 50 shots within the arc compared with 34 3s.
“I love that we had 34 3s up; I don’t like that we were 12-for-32 from midrange,” Vaughn said. “That piece we talked about, that’s just inefficient. With Kevin, taking 32 midrange, we can roll with that. But the other guys, that’s not the basket that we want to fit in. We take 10 more 3s or 15 more 3s, I love it. But those shots are inefficient. You end up being 12-of-32, that’s why you have 16 points in the fourth.”
**Vaughn, on Ben’s performance:**
“I look at it as more than the scoring piece,” Vaughn said. “I thought, I always look at, what does the possession render. So I think he got guys shots throughout the course of the night. My thing is going to be on the defensive end with Ben. The impact that he has to have without Kevin being on the floor. We’re asking Nic to do a lot, be at the rim to protect the rim. Ben’s got to protect the rim. Ben’s got to be able to be a force for us on the defensive end of the floor so that we can play small, play three guards out there so we can have shooting around him. We’ve got to be more up to having force on the defensive end of the floor and then hopefully we can make some shots.”
**Ben, on his performance:**
“I think I’m giving the ball up way too many times when I know who I am, I know I need to get to the rim and get buckets,” Simmons said. “And that’s also going to help my teammates and get them going. … I wouldn’t call it pressure, I would just say it’s something I need to do to help this team.”
**Vaughn, final comments:**
“We talked about this to our group as we hopefully give you every avenue to play extremely hard,” Vaughn said. “I’m taking that on my responsibility that you’ve got juice coming into the game, now you’ve got to play with that juice. It’s going to be multiple efforts. That’s just where we are. Got to accept that.”
ExcellentJuice4729
I dunno if JV noticed but the Celts are excellent at running us off the line. They don’t fly by either and give us a chance to escape dribble sideways, so we sometimes have to dribble inside and shoot.
I don’t like that neither acknowledged Kyrie takes really bad hero shots. Kyrie also needs to attack more because we’re losing those 6-10 FTs that KD would routinely draw. Believe it or not, I wouldn’t mind some Kyrie post up action. He’s a triple threat and can hit the middie better
overgrownpizzabox
first game without kevin and they held their own for the most part against a top team, especially defensively. just gotta hope we can go at least 500 without him, and based on yesterday, i’d say that’s possible
but please get cam or morris in the rotation. kyrie looked gassed last night
swapan_99
The worst possessions for me came when we had the lineup of – Ben/Kai/Royce/Joe/Clax in.
Kai got held up on one side of the floor, and I had to see Royce and Joe isolate on a few possessions. Team severely lacks shot creation and making. Literally, outside of TJ, Seth and Kai, noone else on our regular 9 man rotation can.
Oh wait, there is a guy who can, he’s just buried on the bench. I need Cam Thomas in the rotation. JV needs to understand now that more than ever, teams are going to target Kai on the defensive end and get him gassed so he has no legs left to get his shots up. Additionally, we need a lot of production out of all of our shooters and at that point you’re just hoping that on that particular day Seth, Joe, Yuta etc. Are hot.
If you make the rotation this:
Ben/Kai/TJ/Royce/Clax as the starting lineup, to give you two ball handlers and shotmakers, and still plenty of Length on the defensive end.
Then you bring Yuta/Cam/Seth/Joe off the bench, but always make sure you have some combination of two ball handlers and shotmakers on the floor at all times.
Rotations have to better. Some lineups were just dreadful. Especially the one to end the first half when we were up like 9-10 points before Ben picks up his 3rd foul, after that we just got destroyed.
And he has to make Ben understand that he can’t pick touch fouls anymore. You don’t have Kevin freaking Durant to clean up possessions, mistakes and make bad lineups work. You’re working the edge here.
Knomp2112
The whole game is plan is different without KD in the floor.
He can hit 3’s, make mid-range shots look easy and can drive the rim with ease.
​
You just can’t replace that
Kwilly462
We’ve had the same result with the Celtics the past 6 games we’ve played em.
We keep up with them the first three quarters, then run out of fuel by the 4th. They turn it up and we turn it off.
Downashland
Cam for shot creation
Sumner for the consistent rim attacker and on ball pressing defense
Morris for a big who can hit consistent midrange jumpers when teams trap Kai
BonusChico
I really enjoy reading through JV’s analysis. He breaks things down in a way I don’t recall Nash ever doing. If he can communicate this way with press, I’d imagine he’s a great vocal leader for the team.
First game without KD, I can forgive the loss against a good team. First 3 quarters they seemed to have a good handle on the game for the most part. Gotta figure out the 4th. I trust JV to make the necessary adjustments.
8 Comments
Picked out all the quotes and interesting bits from this Athletic article by Alex Schiffer.
**Kyrie, on balancing his role:**
“It’s natural out there for me to press a little bit, especially when K is not in,” Irving said. “Me and JV have found a balance throughout the season. And now we just have to find a balance within the structure of this team that we have right now without Kev. I think I said a few days ago, it’s gonna be more of an all-around game. So we just have to be efficient with the basketball and value possessions that we do get to do the little things. So we lost the little details battle tonight.”
**Vaughn, on shot selection:**
Before the game, Vaughn said his team’s shot selection would have to change without Durant because of the 6-10 forward’s ability to make a bad possession look like a good one and clean up multiple offensive errors. He wanted more 3s. Instead, his team had 50 shots within the arc compared with 34 3s.
“I love that we had 34 3s up; I don’t like that we were 12-for-32 from midrange,” Vaughn said. “That piece we talked about, that’s just inefficient. With Kevin, taking 32 midrange, we can roll with that. But the other guys, that’s not the basket that we want to fit in. We take 10 more 3s or 15 more 3s, I love it. But those shots are inefficient. You end up being 12-of-32, that’s why you have 16 points in the fourth.”
**Vaughn, on Ben’s performance:**
“I look at it as more than the scoring piece,” Vaughn said. “I thought, I always look at, what does the possession render. So I think he got guys shots throughout the course of the night. My thing is going to be on the defensive end with Ben. The impact that he has to have without Kevin being on the floor. We’re asking Nic to do a lot, be at the rim to protect the rim. Ben’s got to protect the rim. Ben’s got to be able to be a force for us on the defensive end of the floor so that we can play small, play three guards out there so we can have shooting around him. We’ve got to be more up to having force on the defensive end of the floor and then hopefully we can make some shots.”
**Ben, on his performance:**
“I think I’m giving the ball up way too many times when I know who I am, I know I need to get to the rim and get buckets,” Simmons said. “And that’s also going to help my teammates and get them going. … I wouldn’t call it pressure, I would just say it’s something I need to do to help this team.”
**Vaughn, final comments:**
“We talked about this to our group as we hopefully give you every avenue to play extremely hard,” Vaughn said. “I’m taking that on my responsibility that you’ve got juice coming into the game, now you’ve got to play with that juice. It’s going to be multiple efforts. That’s just where we are. Got to accept that.”
I dunno if JV noticed but the Celts are excellent at running us off the line. They don’t fly by either and give us a chance to escape dribble sideways, so we sometimes have to dribble inside and shoot.
I don’t like that neither acknowledged Kyrie takes really bad hero shots. Kyrie also needs to attack more because we’re losing those 6-10 FTs that KD would routinely draw. Believe it or not, I wouldn’t mind some Kyrie post up action. He’s a triple threat and can hit the middie better
first game without kevin and they held their own for the most part against a top team, especially defensively. just gotta hope we can go at least 500 without him, and based on yesterday, i’d say that’s possible
but please get cam or morris in the rotation. kyrie looked gassed last night
The worst possessions for me came when we had the lineup of – Ben/Kai/Royce/Joe/Clax in.
Kai got held up on one side of the floor, and I had to see Royce and Joe isolate on a few possessions. Team severely lacks shot creation and making. Literally, outside of TJ, Seth and Kai, noone else on our regular 9 man rotation can.
Oh wait, there is a guy who can, he’s just buried on the bench. I need Cam Thomas in the rotation. JV needs to understand now that more than ever, teams are going to target Kai on the defensive end and get him gassed so he has no legs left to get his shots up. Additionally, we need a lot of production out of all of our shooters and at that point you’re just hoping that on that particular day Seth, Joe, Yuta etc. Are hot.
If you make the rotation this:
Ben/Kai/TJ/Royce/Clax as the starting lineup, to give you two ball handlers and shotmakers, and still plenty of Length on the defensive end.
Then you bring Yuta/Cam/Seth/Joe off the bench, but always make sure you have some combination of two ball handlers and shotmakers on the floor at all times.
Rotations have to better. Some lineups were just dreadful. Especially the one to end the first half when we were up like 9-10 points before Ben picks up his 3rd foul, after that we just got destroyed.
And he has to make Ben understand that he can’t pick touch fouls anymore. You don’t have Kevin freaking Durant to clean up possessions, mistakes and make bad lineups work. You’re working the edge here.
The whole game is plan is different without KD in the floor.
He can hit 3’s, make mid-range shots look easy and can drive the rim with ease.
​
You just can’t replace that
We’ve had the same result with the Celtics the past 6 games we’ve played em.
We keep up with them the first three quarters, then run out of fuel by the 4th. They turn it up and we turn it off.
Cam for shot creation
Sumner for the consistent rim attacker and on ball pressing defense
Morris for a big who can hit consistent midrange jumpers when teams trap Kai
I really enjoy reading through JV’s analysis. He breaks things down in a way I don’t recall Nash ever doing. If he can communicate this way with press, I’d imagine he’s a great vocal leader for the team.
First game without KD, I can forgive the loss against a good team. First 3 quarters they seemed to have a good handle on the game for the most part. Gotta figure out the 4th. I trust JV to make the necessary adjustments.