Our friend Jeff Clark who runs the powerhouse blog CelticsBlog.com was kind enough to give the NetsDaily readers his thoughts on Jason Terry, both past and present.
We already know enough about Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, but what should Nets fans expect from Terry, who will turn 36 this season. I asked him to touch on, specifically, Terry as a backup point guard, if needed, his thoughts on Terry's 2012-13 campaign and why his shot attempts were down last season, as opposed to years past.
Here are Jeff's words on Jason Terry.
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Jason Terry could play some backup point guard in a pinch, but it isn't the best way to utilize his talents. We asked him to play that role too much early in the year and it distracted him and got him off his rhythm. At least that was the excuse for his poor shooting early on. He was streaky at best all year and at times ice cold.
I think part of the problem was the system. He was never supposed to be a
Ray Allen replacement (he was signed before Ray left and the
Celtics envisioned them playing together) but that's essentially what he became. He had to learn how to run through screens and catch and shoot like Ray did for years in Boston. The transition was hard for him and I think he lost some confidence. He also started sharing time with another struggling shooter
Courtney Lee. When one went particularly cold, the other stepped in and tried to stay lukewarm and vice versa.
The thing is, he seems to be better getting the ball in good position and either taking the shot or moving to an open space and then shooting. Basically what he was doing back in Dallas. I'm sure you've thought of this already, but it occurred to me yesterday that if anyone is going to get him back into his Dallas groove, it will be his old running mate and point guard that happens to now be his new coach.
Another thing I can say about Terry is that he's a real fun guy and a positive presence in the locker room. In fact, before he was traded away (and after Doc left) the Celtics had tabbed him to be an assistant coach for the team's summer league. He's talked about as a future coach himself (shoot, maybe he'll join Kidd's staff in a few years). Like Crash, he has a habit of holding himself (harshly) accountable for losses. But he's always got a smile on his face and positive words of encouragement for his teammates.
Oh, and in case you missed it, he's got a knack for the big moments. After a year of struggling as a Celtic, he picked the playoffs to shine the brightest. One game he single-handedly sent to overtime and helped win. I don't remember what his overall numbers were, but he was clutch when we needed him. So remember that when he's on a cold streak. You never know when he'll step up and he'll never shy away from the big moments.
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Thanks again to Jeff for his words on Terry. Make sure you check out
CelticsBlog -- again, one of the absolute best NBA blogs on the Internet -- and follow them on Twitter at
@CelticsBlog.
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