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The lesson here, I think, is to build the team with IT, but not around him as the centerpiece that he currently is. They need to be able to score consistently without him in the lineup, so against certain teams they aren't stuck with the defensive liability at the end of games. Fultz sounds like a great way to make that transition.
My 2 cents:
Without tiny Isaiah......aka .......the biggest defensive liability in the NBA, the Celtics could now defend all 5 Cavaliers without having to swing a 2nd defender to help out IT. It wasn't lockdown defense tonight but no question it was better defense. Without a 2nd consistent scorer, this team needs to make stops. Thankfully, several Celts stepped up tonight offensively and it was great to see some confidence in these guys. Boston just earned another home game....which is a fantastic accomplishment.
this might have shown that IT isn't all what we thought he was to the team..unfortunately cuz i like him and maybe...just maybe...Smart is just better as a starter rather than coming off the bench
I think the point about defense without IT is a valid one - better matchups all around. But consistently scoring 100+ points a game will be a challenge - and it will take that to have a shot.