One way each of the core Celtics can improve

“Irrespective of how good you get you may at all times get higher, and that’s the thrilling half.” — Tiger Woods

Striving for steady progress is one in all many issues that may assist distance elite athletes from the remainder of the pack. The perfect gamers don’t relaxation on their laurels or the varied pre-existing instruments of their bag. As a substitute, they’re at all times seeking to superb tune completely different abilities and add new dimensions to their recreation.

In any case, should you’re not continually evolving, you’re falling behind.

That assertion rings very true within the NBA. Whereas the Celtics enter the 2023 season with among the best rosters within the league, every of the squad’s core gamers has one or two issues they might work on.

New addition Kristaps Porzingis will likely be excluded, just because he must deal with getting wholesome and subsequently becoming in alongside the Jays as an alternative of a particular space of particular person enchancment. Al Horford can even be excluded, as a result of you may’t actually ask a 37-year-old to drastically regulate his recreation, particularly when he matches the system completely and shot a career-high 44.6% from three final season. Simply hold doing all your factor, Al.

That leaves 5 members of Boston’s “core.” With out additional ado, let’s get into it.

Jayson Tatum — Three-point capturing

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Tatum is coming off the perfect season of his profession, averaging 30.1 factors, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per recreation. The younger star improved nearly all the pieces followers had been clamoring for him to work on in 2022; he drove extra, obtained to the free throw line at a considerably greater charge, utilized his dimension to turn out to be quietly among the best rebounders within the league, and took his total scoring to the subsequent stage.

Nonetheless, one space that stands out is his lack of effectivity from behind-the-arc. Tatum shot precisely 35% from three final yr, which isn’t horrible, but it surely was barely beneath the 2022 league average of 36.1%.

Nonetheless, if you’re taking 9.3 threes per recreation — which was the fourth-most long-range makes an attempt per contest throughout the whole league final yr — ideally you ought to be hitting them at not less than a league common charge. Whereas Tatum’s two-motion shot type works for him, it does create extra room for error than a typical one-motion we see utilized by most NBA gamers, which results in an absence of repeatability and can lead to decreased effectivity. That mentioned, he’s proficient sufficient to bump that long-range share up, and if he does, it’ll take his manufacturing to a different stage.

Jaylen Brown — Resolution-making

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Most of you have been in all probability on the lookout for “dribbling left” on this part. Sorry to disappoint.

Brown’s downhill dribbling is clearly an space that he must work on, but it surely falls beneath a bigger umbrella of decision-making. Should you’re on the lookout for a particular deep-dive into his left-handed turnover woes, take a look at this text by The Athletic’s Jared Weiss.

As Weiss factors out, out of Brown’s 66 turnovers within the postseason, 25 of them occurred as a result of he misplaced the ball whereas dribbling left. That’s clearly regarding, however in actuality, a majority of Brown’s turnovers — together with these ones — come as the results of a poor choice.

Whether or not it’s dribbling right into a double-team as a result of he believes he can nonetheless get a shot off or forcing the difficulty on a quick break when he doesn’t have the numbers, Jaylen merely makes too many performs per recreation that go away us questioning precisely what was going by means of his head.

Plenty of that may be chalked as much as tempo of play and easily attempting to do an excessive amount of. Opposite to what Twitter trolls could inform you, Brown is an extremely expert offensive participant. Nonetheless, everybody has limits to their skills, and he tends to push his too constantly.

If Jaylen can sluggish his tempo of play down and course of extra of the equation whereas sticking to his strengths, the variety of foolish turnovers will likely be drastically lower down.

Derrick White — Being extra assertive

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There have been numerous instances final yr when White was far too passive. To be honest, he was working because the off-ball guard more often than not. Nonetheless, now that Marcus Good is gone and White is getting into the full-time place to begin guard function, passivity won’t be acceptable. His fingerprints must be throughout Boston’s offense for a bunch of causes.

Firstly, White is an exceptional decision-maker. His processing velocity is extremely fast, and also you not often see him make the incorrect alternative with the ball in his palms. You need these kinds of guys working as major playmakers, which is why I’m excited to see what he can do in an expanded function this yr.

Secondly, bumping White’s utilization will permit Tatum and Brown to relaxation extra, which can hopefully hold them more energizing for the postseason. Final yr, Jayson’s utilization charge was 32.6% (fifth-highest within the NBA) and Brown’s was 31.4%, which ranked ninth throughout the affiliation. Ideally, Boston can lower each of these percentages for the Jays through the common season.

The ball doesn’t simply must be in White’s palms extra. He must WANT the ball in his palms extra.

Robert Williams — (Additionally) being extra assertive

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Within the phrases of Crew Rocket (sure, we’re quoting Pokémon now, that’s the stage of the offseason we’ve entered), “put together for hassle, make it double!”

And by “hassle,” I naturally imply Boston’s extra passive gamers turning into extra assertive.

The whole thing of Boston’s crew has expressed its want to see Williams take a extra aggressive offensive strategy, at instances even getting indignant on the huge man when he passes up a very good look close to the rim.

When he does shoot, Williams’ effectivity is thru the roof, as he boasts a profession 73.2 FG%. It’s honest to imagine that quantity will lower as he begins taking extra photographs, however based mostly on the comparatively restricted pattern dimension, it’s straightforward to see why the Celtics need him placing up extra makes an attempt.

It’s not like I’m asking Rob to begin taking contested middies and even create his personal shot constantly, however he must be extra of a risk offensively to maintain opposing defenses trustworthy.

Malcolm Brogdon — Playmaking

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Brogdon’s relationship with Boston’s entrance workplace continues to be possible not on the perfect phrases, and there’s at all times an opportunity Brad Stevens offers the reigning Sixth Man of the 12 months earlier than the season begins. Nonetheless, if we’re to take Stevens at his phrase — which isn’t at all times a sensible technique in terms of public feedback by any entrance workplace govt — then the crew plans on bringing Brogdon again into the fold as a serious contributor as soon as once more for the upcoming marketing campaign.

Assuming that’s how this example performs out, then the veteran guard must tackle a considerably bigger function as a playmaker. With Good in Memphis and Payton Pritchard working as extra of a scorer, that leaves Brogdon and White as the one two rotational guards able to distributing at a excessive stage on Boston’s roster.

Brogdon was extra of a score-first sixth man final season, however he’s able to working an offense. Earlier than he landed with the Celtics, he averaged 6.3 assists per recreation over three seasons with the Pacers. After taking part in a career-low 26.0 minutes per contest in 2022, that quantity will possible creep again up in direction of 30 this season. When Brogdon is on the ground, he’ll have to constantly set his teammates up.