New Year’s resolutions for the Boston Celtics (Part 1)

December is coming to shut, and with it ends a busy yr of Boston Celtics basketball. From a shocking midseason turnaround to NBA Finals heartbreak to a red-hot begin of a revenge tour, 2022 introduced just a little little bit of every part to the Celtics and their followers. The top of the yr at all times brings a while for self-reflection, and as the remainder of us common Joes plan to eat higher or hit the gymnasium, let’s see if we are able to set some objectives for every member of the group as we flip the web page into 2023.

JD Davison: Develop an NBA-caliber jumper

Davison is, nearly by default, the most effective prospect on the Celtics’ roster at this time second. A 6-foot-3 hyper athlete on the level guard place with a penchant for audacious dunks and a few high quality playmaking chops, he’s a simple sort of participant to dream into an future NBA contributor.

There’s work to be finished earlier than Davison is able to assist an NBA roster, although. Specifically, he must develop his leap shot. As we’ve seen time and time once more, it’s tough for guards to seek out success and not using a moderately dependable jumper, and capturing stays the largest gap in Davison’s sport. After connecting on simply 30% of his three-pointers throughout his lone collegiate season, he’s at the moment capturing roughly the identical mark from NBA distance within the G-League.

Davison is a methods away from contributing to the Celtics or another group. Fortunately, he has a worthwhile alternative to develop his abilities with common reps in Maine. Fleshing out a workable jumper must be on the high of the checklist.

Mfiondu Kabengele, Justin Jackson: Keep prepared

It will not be probably the most thrilling of duties, however for gamers like Kabengele and Jackson, probably the most worthwhile attribute to carry to this Celtics roster is readiness. At current, Kabengele occupies one of many group’s Two-Approach contracts, and has appeared in only one NBA sport whereas spending most of his season beginning for the G League Celtics. Jackson, in the meantime, sits on the finish of the massive league group’s bench, having been restricted to 14 temporary rubbish time appearances up to now. When absolutely — and even simply principally — wholesome, the Celtics don’t have room to play both.

One factor each have of their favor: they’re just a little extra seasoned than your common end-of-bench NBA participant. Of their offseason acquisitions, Brad Stevens and the entrance workplace prioritized journeyman gamers of their athletic prime with some expertise on the NBA stage. At 27 years previous, with 269 NBA appearances (61 begins) underneath his belt, Jackson matches that invoice. Two years youthful, Kabengele hasn’t performed fairly as a lot (52 complete appearances, zero begins), however he’s spent 4 years round NBA programs and has had vital taking part in time within the G League throughout the previous two years. In different phrases, they’re each barely extra identified portions, which could be a profit when it comes to depth.

If both finally ends up pressed right into a extra sizeable function, the Celtics will very doubtless have larger issues to fret about. However each are affordable bets as end-of-bench contingency plans, and the most effective factor both can do proper now’s be ready in case their second arises.

Noah Vonleh: Convey one other talent to the desk

After a little bit of offseason buzz as considered one of Stevens’ reclamation venture acquisitions, Vonleh has shortly discovered himself out of the combination within the Boston rotation. He’s largely been resigned to the again of the bench because the begin of the common season, with Blake Griffin and Luke Kornet taking over most of the reserve frontcourt minutes after the core items (particularly previous to Robert Williams III’s return).

The distinction between Vonleh and people bigs? Versatility. Although neither are what you’d name optimum, 30-minutes-per-night sort of gamers, they’ve carved out helpful niches which have earned them minutes on the court docket. Griffin is a artful veteran who supplies a cosy match on offense, pulling down some threes, transferring the basketball and offering a little bit of dimension and toughness. Kornet, in the meantime, is a big, with some rim safety worth and his signature unorthodox shot contests that assist him contribute on the defensive finish of the court docket.

Vonleh wants to seek out his area of interest. He’s a giant physique and a tricky rebounder, however such gamers are a dime a dozen, and he hasn’t distinguished himself sufficient past that to justify a lot taking part in time. Including one other talent to the toolbox may go a good distance in direction of getting him again on the court docket. One risk: piecing collectively a serviceable three-point shot, which he’s flashed at occasions (on admittedly low quantity) since his one-and-done season at Indiana.

Payton Pritchard: Amp up the scoring

This can be simpler stated than finished for the Celtics’ third-year guard. You possibly can solely count on a lot development from a participant with such an inconsistent function on his group. With the trio of Marcus Sensible, Malcolm Brogdon and Derrick White wholesome, there simply isn’t room for Pritchard to see the court docket with any regularity. Discovering a rhythm in such a circumstance is understandably difficult.

That stated, whether or not resulting from lack of alternative or in any other case, it’s honest to say we haven’t seen Pritchard at his finest fairly often this season. He’s capturing career-lows from throughout the ground, together with a 33% mark from behind the arc that lags far behind 40%+ charges in every of his first two years. Other than a four-game stretch in mid-November by which he averaged 10 factors per sport on 57% capturing from the sphere, he hasn’t actually moved the needle as an offensive presence this yr — which he must do, as an undersized guard with an inherent cap on his defensive impression.

Pritchard has had an atypical expertise relative to most first-round picks within the NBA. He excelled out of the gate as a rookie, however has seen his taking part in time dwindle increasingly more over his younger NBA profession because the group’s burgeoning depth and more and more pressing championship hopes have squeezed him out of a rotation spot. It’s attainable — if not going — that the most effective basketball of his profession received’t include the Celtics. For the current second, although, all he can do is make the most effective of his current circumstances, and getting again to his accustomed ranges as an offensive presence will give him probabilities to contribute because the common season wears on.

Sam Hauser: Conquer the stoop

The ascension to the standing of full-time rotation participant has inevitably introduced Sam Hauser to one of many realities of taking part in frequently within the NBA: going by — and breaking out of — a stoop.

December was a tricky month for the 25-year-old. Throughout 14 appearances, he shot simply 33% from the sphere, together with a 28% mark from the behind the three-point arc — his main base of operations on this roster. Hauser has typically acquitted himself nicely on the defensive finish, even within the face of heightened consideration from opposing offenses who’ve sought to focus on him because the de facto weak spot within the Boston protection.

However these threes are essential. Three-point capturing is his pre-eminent NBA talent, and whereas he’s not ineffective in different facets of the sport, it’s his means to interrupt defenses from lengthy vary that places him on the court docket. The Celtics want him pulling down these threes to maximise his usefulness on the court docket; this 28% capturing model of him is sort of a bit tougher to justify.

Hauser has a protracted observe file of success as a sharpshooter. He’s succeeded as a three-point shooter at each stage, together with a four-year profession as a starter in faculty that noticed him join on 44% of his threes on vital quantity. It’s a testomony to his talent that, even after a full month of poor outcomes as a shooter, he’s nonetheless connecting on 40% of his threes for the yr.

There’s no cause to assume his poor December was something greater than a chilly spell. It’s as much as Hauser to seek out the reset button and begin off 2023 on a greater observe than he completed its predecessor.

Blake Griffin: Hold these previous bones contemporary

Some of the nice surprises of the primary half of the season has been the play of Griffin, who signed late within the offseason to assist fill the void left by Robert Williams III’s restoration from knee surgical procedure. A real disciple of Brad Stevens, interim coach Joe Mazzulla has deployed Griffin on a part-time foundation in situations the place he’d prefer to protect the group’s rotations. Al Horford wants an evening off on the second evening of a back-to-back? Merely plug in Griffin, who has began eight video games this season, with the Celtics successful six of them.

Griffin’s task for 2023 could also be so simple as “preserve doing what you’re doing.” He’s carved out an incredible area of interest for himself as a part-time rotation participant, stepping up and filling holes within the lineup with out overexerting himself within the course of. He’s capturing 50% from the sphere, together with 63% on the rim (with three dunks!). Age and a prolonged harm historical past have insured that Griffin’s days as an NBA star are lengthy over, however this new, reinvented model has proven he can contribute to successful basketball.

Luke Kornet: Can the three-point shot be rediscovered?

Like Griffin, Kornet has finished a pleasant little job filling in as a reserve large for this group. Mazzulla and the Celtics have coaxed the most effective season of his profession from contained in the arc, as he’s capturing practically 70% on his two-point makes an attempt this yr (on miniscule pattern dimension, after all), and he’s had a good sufficient impression as a defender.

I’ve at all times been (maybe unduly) intrigued by Kornet’s potential as a shooter, although. It’s been years since we’ve seen it deployed with any regularity or effectiveness, however he spent his first two NBA seasons as a roughly common three-point shooter on stable quantity for a few ill-fated New York Knicks groups. Maybe the jumper has been gone for just a little too lengthy to be a practical hope, but it surely seems like a Daniel Theis stage of “in a position to knock it down when left open” could possibly be attainable for the jumbo-sized large.

That may do it for Half Certainly one of our Celtics New 12 months’s resolutions; we’ll be again in 2023 to speak in regards to the core rotation of the group. Within the meantime, what do you assume the Celtics’ reserves must be engaged on within the second half of the season? Tell us your ideas within the feedback under.