Series Report Card - Celtics vs Hawks

Here are the Celtics grades based on all six games of their series with the Hawks.

Like you, I was disappointed. Poor shooting seems to be our biggest weakness. Guys like Brandon Ingram or Jamal Murray just can’t get here fast enough..here we go:

IT2 = B. His 42-point performance in game 3 raises his average from what should’ve been a C. Anyone else as sick and tired as I am, of watching Isaiah stop and take pull-up 3-pointers in transition? 90% of the time he misses them, and 90% of the time he wastes what should’ve been an easy lay-up.

Turner = C. By now, Turner should realize that he’s not a capable 3-point shooter. When Turner shoots a 3, his form resembles a 4th grader heaving a shot from half-court. During this series, Turner had no handle on the ball, either. I closed my eyes every time he tried to spin his way into the paint. And crying to the officials every time he thought he was fouled became a common sight, a sight in Atlanta’s rearview mirror, as the Hawks raced back and beat us in transition while Turner often stood still and complained to the refs.

Crowder = C. Who cares how good you are on defense if you can’t hit an open shot to save your life? Crowder’s inability to hit a wide open shot often set the tone for us during a few forgettable 1st quarters. If he’s our starting SF next season, teams are going to start going RONDO on him, and let him take all the shots he wants. This could become a major problem for the rest of our offense.

Jerebko = C. Good energy and hustle. Good defense. But when we desperately needed someone to start making shots, Jerebko wasn’t the answer. Sure, I know he had his moments, I realize he did hit a few big shots- but they just didn’t happen often enough. Jerebko is not a shooter that we can rely on.

Amir Johnson = B+. Although I still don’t think we got our money’s worth from him, he did elevate his game from the regular season. He provided a rim-protecting presence, he scored when he got the opportunity, and his defense was solid. Since the C’s were usually playing from behind, Stevens went small, and Johnson’s minutes decreased…which is a shame, I thought Amir was playing really well.

Smart = B+. Smart began the series playing really poorly, and like IT2, he had one great game to raise his average. There’s no doubt about it, the C’s played their best when Smart was on the court. But Smart’s poor shooting in games 1 and 2 is the reason he doesn’t get an A. Like Amir, Smart elevated his game for the post-season. Smart’s versatility on defense and passing/play-making on offense was the reason why we didn’t get swept.

Olynyk = D. I want to give Kelley an F, but with his shoulder injury, I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt. He was completely useless during his brief stints on the floor. If you’re that injured, or if you’re feeling that uncomfortable, please do us a favor and stay on the bench.

Sully = F. Until this series, Sully was one of my favorite Celtics. However, it looks like he gained 10 or 15 pounds right before this series started. He was so slow!! Sully didn’t do anything well- he could hardly even jump.

 
Rozier = B. Terry, despite zero experience, stepped up and became an important contributor. Terry totally diffused Dennis Schroeder, which was certainly very pleasing to our home fans. Terry played conservatively, didn’t commit too many turnovers, while managing to take care of his rare scoring opportunities, a lot like Amir did. Rozier would’ve got a higher grade here had he been more aggressive on offense. When the C’s were desperate for scoring, it would have been nice to see Terry attack the basket more often..although, to Terry’s credit, I’m sure that’s not what Stevens was asking him to do.

Hunter = F. Hunter got his chance and he blew it. Like Sully, he did nothing well. Had Hunter even earned a C right here, the C’s may have advance to the second round. No one expected Hunter to play defense even half as well as Avery Bradley, but the pressure was on him to make some baskets. Hunter was so bad that he struggled just to take a shot, let alone making one. Hunter’s release was too slow, his defense was too slow, and mentally he was nowhere near being ready. Enjoy playing in Maine next season with James Young.