Celtics Title Town

These days it seems as if everyone has taken some kind of blame in one way or another. Bass had to say this after the Hawks demoralized the Celtics last night.

ESPN Boston

"I mean, at the end of the day, you want to do better than you did last year or the same," Bass said after Thursday's loss. "So, it's a little bit frustrating. But, it's a team game. You've just got to keep working and hope everything works itself out."

When asked about his production, Bass suggested fewer minutes have played the biggest role.

"I mean, if you consider my numbers down, you've got to look all around," Bass said. "So if you see my numbers down then you see my minutes. If my minutes are down, OK, that plays a role. Then you look at how many opportunities I get -- that plays a role. And you get what you get."

Asked if he's satisfied with the season he's having, Bass was very direct: "No, I'm not satisfied."

Bass' basic stats aren't the only ones that pale in comparison to last season. Per Basketball-Reference, Bass' usage rate of 15.6 this season is down considerably from 19.8 last season (and 19.2 for his career), which suggests he's not being utilized as much on the offensive end. His shooting numbers fall in line with that, as he's taking nearly four fewer shots per game this season, and he's even seen a decline in field goal attempts from some of his most common shooting areas on the floor. Per HoopData, Bass' attempts from 10-15 feet are down from 2.1 last season to 1.5 this season, and from 16-23 feet his attempts are down from 5.1 to 3.2.

Doc on the other hand continues to keep his head in the fire.

“I keep saying it, I gotta keep pushing,” said Rivers. “It’s me. I’ve got to figure out a way to figure out the buttons with each individual. Right now we’re trying to coach a group. Maybe we’ve got to coach each individual. We’re just going to keep searching.”

Yes, I've been rough on Doc this season, but I'm starting to see his side, and I think the talent pool is not what he needs to win. How did it work last season? I keep going back to it. Every player had an intangible. From Pietrus, Dooling, and Marquis. Those players played within the team. Plus those three guys were better defensive players. Simplicity was a key thing last year.  Just like the Lakers, bigger names, or better talent doesn't always give satisfactory results. Bass was even a different player last season.