The Celtics are trying to reconnect with their defensive pedigree, and in the case of Saturday’s opponent, well, the Lakers aren’t the team of choice for ironing out problems.
But as evidenced by Brad Stevens’ desperation choice of using a zone in San Antonio, the team certainly needs to get something right.
Being forced to play a zone has all of the wrong connotations for a prideful one-on-one defender like Marcus Smart.
Asked if he’s at all bothered about having to resort to one, Smart said, “Not totally, but to a certain extent it does because we try to pride ourselves on being one of the best defensive teams in the league, and we just haven’t been up to par on that this season.
“So we’re definitely disappointed in ourselves and the fact that we have to go zone, not out of more of a necessity, but more because it’s a simple fact — we just can’t guard,” he said. “And it’s nothing that the other team’s doing, it’s just us. We didn’t give ourselves a chance. I’m not saying that San Antonio wasn’t a good team. They definitely put the pressure on. But we gotta give a better effort than that. It’s definitely frustrating, but the good thing about this league is you get to turn around and redeem yourselves. So we’ve got another game tonight coming up against the defending champs, and what better way to do it, to get back on track, than tonight.”
Smart does believe, though, that the fix shouldn’t be that complicated. Paying attention to the scouting report may be part of the solution.
“Just our attention to detail. We let guys do what we talked about prior to the game, not letting them get into their bags and really getting to their spots and really getting to what they love to do,” he said. “And then effort. Our effort just isn’t there. We’re dying on screens, me included. We’re a step slow. We’re confused. And we gotta fix it. There’s no way we shouldn’t be able to guard guys man-to-man and we have to go to a zone because we can’t guard. It’s definitely going to be fixed, but it’s going to take us to fix it.”
Stevens familiar with GOATs
Stevens has been asked a lot this week about the enduring excellence of LeBron James, and how the Lakers star may still be getting better at the age of 36.
The Celtics coach couldn’t help comparing this conversation to another that’s especially happening in this part of the country.
“I’ve learned not to doubt the greats of all time,” said Stevens. “Everywhere I turn right now everybody wants to talk about Tom Brady here in New England. He’s 43 and going to another Super Bowl. The bottom line is if anything, LeBron has continued to improve. You see it in so many different areas and so many different ways. I thought he was fantastic in the bubble. And I think he’s picked right up off of that. There’s not many guys who can play like that, this well, this late, but there weren’t many guys like him before he got to this point.”
So is Smart
Smart was asked for his most vivid memory and it didn’t take much for a response. He still remembers guarding James in the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals.
“For us, just a couple years ago in that Game 7 here where LeBron took us on and pretty much put the daggers in us himself,” said Smart. “Just remember him on me, late down in the shot clock, I’m up in his grill, and he takes a 30-footer fadeaway, shot clock running down and hits it. It just showed the type of player that he is, playmaker that he is. It doesn’t matter what moment of the game, he’s always going to make those big plays.”
Go west, young men
The Celtics returned home from San Antonio just long enough for the Lakers game. They fly to San Francisco on Monday for the start of a five-city western road trip.
“It doesn’t really feel like we’re home, this is just a pit stop in a sense, it does feel like a road game, because we’re only here for a few days then back out,” said Smart. “This (stretch) has been tough. Tough on us physically, tough on us mentally. I think that’s anybody. Coach, you’ve heard him, this whole season talked about hitting curveballs, and we’ve had a lot of curveballs. We’ve had guys that went into the COVID protocol and missed a few games, and then they have to come back and try to get a rhythm, and there’s a lot that goes into it. But we’re doing the best we can to manage it. We have each other, we’ll lean on each other, and we’ll come out and try to make the best of our opportunity.”
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January 31, 2021 at 07:45AM
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Celtics Notebook: Smart wants better team play on defense - Boston Herald
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