11.06.2009

More from #13, More on #13



Like I’ve said all the time, a good amount of players are good once they find the right fit. Take a look at Shannon Brown. He couldn’t play in Charlotte but he was good enough to play for (the Lakers) on an NBA championship team (last year). That just shows you.

--Sheldoon

He’s benefited a great deal from where he is.People haven’t seen Shelden, and I think he shot to the forefront of the league with this team. Now people want to know about him. People are hearing about his journey, and it brings his value up. It brings our value up.

--J.Shuttlesworth

He was a 12th man, an afterthought, someone Doc Rivers could bury at the bottom of his depth chart and hide at the end of his bench. Essentially, Williams' main purpose was to lie in waiting until injuries arose and his services were needed.

As it turned out, that time came a lot sooner than the Celtics were expecting. With the thumb injury that shelved Glen Davis less than two weeks ago, Williams became a key part of the Celtics' rotation overnight, and he hasn't shied away from the challenge. Suffice it to say that Williams has already surpassed the Celtics' expectations for him. And it's still early November. Through six games, Williams' per-game averages off the Celtics bench are very solid: 7.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.5 blocks. He's shooting 57.1 percent from the floor and 84.0 percent from the free-throw line. And he's only getting 17 minutes a night.

--NESN

He played well in the season-opening win in Cleveland, scoring four points and grabbing three rebounds in 13 minutes. As his time on the floor has increased, so has his production. He had 12 points, nine rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block in 22 minutes against Charlotte, and then put up a double-double effort in 24 minutes against the Bulls — 10 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two blocks.

In fact, Shelden Williams is a big part of why the Celtics are 4-0, part of a bench that has equaled — and at times surpassed — the starting unit in the early going. His defense has been big, even if he hasn't quite figured out the Celtics' help defense just yet.

"Pretty much where I've always been, you're responsible for your man, and that's something they don't stress here," he said. "Everybody has to jump back. That's something pretty much all my life I've been the last line of defense, and I've had to get the stops myself. I'm still at the point where I'm looking at my man, and I'm not looking to help. That's something I'm still working on."

--TIM WEISBERG

8 comments:

Lex said...

btw, Scal had a massive wrap around him from his waiste to his chest. I'm assuming he has back problems. But I haven't read anything.

Matty said...

I've been massivley impressed with shelden, i hope doc can manage the minutes right when bambino grande gets back, so that shelden doesn't miss a beat, but baby is happy...

do you think doc could play baby at the three?? and then have, squisy, house, baby, shelden, and sheed?? or would it be too slow???

also on another point, have we seen much of the triple tower of doom (kg, beast, sheed) that was talked about in the preseason???

FLCeltsFan said...

I've been very much impressed with what we have seen from Shelden so far. He is playing his role very well and seems to be getting better game by game. He's the kind of player who is better in a team concept as with a defined role rather than having to be the star and carry the team.

Lex said...

I was advocating baby at the 3 all summer. Now if he can stay in shape or get in better shape, it just might happen!

Matty said...

I think he can do it, he has got good footwork, and would be a wrecking ball for most threes to guard on the block, i think he could create some real mismatches.

Matty said...

plus, i just thought, with sheed stepping out to the arc all the time, there will be space on the block for baby too!

1111 said...

umm... Sheed, Baby ad Shelden togheter is not something that excite me: the opponent center will pick Shelden, then if Sheed hang on 3pts line they'll put SF on him, if he stay on the block the SF will pick Baby that's not that dangerous with the paint filled.

that's said i'm sure that if Doc belive in this lineup he'll find the right schemas to make it working...

Lex said...

I'm not sure who plays the 4 & 5, but I still like baby at the 3!!!