Jeff Green was one of the few bright spots from the
Celtics' preseason opener in Istanbul.
I must say that the most entertaining part of this game was the fact that the Red Panda acrobat was the halftime entertainment in Istanbul. Huge fan.
All kidding aside, this was not an impressive performance by the Boston Celtics. But let's keep a few things in mind before jumping off the Tobin Bridge. Fenerbahce is a good team. How good? Well, according to many basketball experts (including Comcast SportsNet's Brian Scalabrine), they may be the best team in all of Europe. Their point guard, Bo McCalebb, is thought to be the best player in Europe, although his performance proved otherwise. Not to say they're the best team in the world, but Boston did not lose to a bunch of misfits. This team is legit.
However, the final score should be the least of the Celtics' worries. There were three main things the Celtics needed to accomplish: make sure everyone came out healthy, have the guys break a sweat, and create a foundation to build off. To me, this team did just that. Let's see if it can continue on Sunday in Milan.
Some positives and negatives from today's game...
The good:
The best thing that came out of this game was the performance of Jeff Green. We all know Green's story by now. In an interview with Comcast SportsNet's Mike Gorman, Green said he's at about "80-85% right now." He looked a lot better than that. Green scored 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting and grabbed 4 rebounds in 27 minutes. Green showed versatility as Doc Rivers put him at the small and power forward throughout the game. He was very active, including a put-back dunk right before halftime.
Another bright spot was the play of Rajon Rondo. Rondo picked up right where he left off, putting in 13 points and tallying 9 assists. Rondo appeared relaxed and in control when he was on the court, exactly what the Celtics have come to expect from their point guard.
Rookie forward Jared Sullinger was superb, matching Green in the scoring department with 16 and almost in field goal percentage (Sullinger went 7-of-11). He also snatched 8 rebounds, 5 offensively, an area that needs significant improvement if the Celtics want to raise banner 18. He asserted himself on both ends of the floor, and hopefully he can build off this performance.
Darko Milicic also provided some quality minutes off the bench. He grabbed 6 rebounds (2 offensively), and blocked 2 shots. His defense was exceptional, especially on the pick and roll, something Fenerbahce ran frequently. His highlight of the day? It came during the second quarter: an offensive rebound that he tapped back out towards mid-court as he was falling to the ground, keeping the possession alive. A definite Tommy point.
The Celtics out-rebounded Fenerbahce 37-32, another quality sign and another positive to build off. Rebounding was the number one issue for this team last season; they ranked dead last in the league in rebound per-game. If they can continue to improve and use today as a measuring stick, they'll be fine.
The bad:
Today was the Celtics debut for Courtney Lee. Apparently, he didn't know that. Lee was nonexistent, a complete non-factor in today's game. Granted, it was the first game, but Lee was nowhere to be found on both ends of the floor. But let's cut him a break -- being a new guy inserted into the Celtics' lineup is not exactly the easiest position to be in. There's a reason they tried valiantly to get him and sign him to an extension this summer, so let's not panic. Lee will be fine. But for the first time out, he underperformed.
Turnovers, turnovers....turnovers. 25...really? Unacceptable. Enough said. It's the first time out, all these new players, chemistry needs to develop, I get it. So, let's give it some time. But 25? Really?
With a score of 55-45 at the half, it was clear that offense dominated today. Where was the Celtics' trademark defense that has made them so successful over the past five seasons? Who knows. But knowing Doc, KG, and the rest of the squad, I am fully confident that they will get it turned around. But today, it was discouraging.
What's next for the C's? A trip to Milan to take on Milan Milano. Stay tuned.
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