Azad Rosay joins CelticsBlog all the way from France. Despite covering the team six hours away in a different language, Azad is an avid fan and an analytics and Xs and Os expert. Check out his first piece on the Jays’ driving in the Finals.
What got you into basketball and the Celtics?
My relationship with basketball and the Celtics has been organic since I was 13 years old and has continued to grow since then. I played every Wednesday back in middle school in the French Alps. It was an easy way to get away from my small village and enjoy a fun sport with my closest friends. I played regularly until the end of high school, after which my focus shifted, and I didn’t play again until I moved to Amsterdam at 23 years old. Now that I’m back living in the Alps, I still try to play regularly. One thing I’ve understood about basketball: it has created and strengthened friendships throughout my life, and I am grateful for that.
As for who got me into the Celtics, I think it was my father, in a way. He loves video games and usually comes home once in a while with random games he finds for cheap. One day, he came back with NBA Live 2008. I still have no idea why he chose that game, but it changed everything. In 2008, the best team was… the Celtics. So, to learn how to play the game, I picked the Celtics… and a decade later, here I am, introducing myself as a writer for CelticsBlog. I’m grateful for that, too.
So to answer the question, “What got me into basketball and the Celtics?” I’d say it was love, luck, family, and friends.
What are your strengths and/or favorite topics as a writer?
That’s a tough question. I’d say that one of my strengths is my ability to understand and use statistics and data to better grasp what the human eye can’t see. On the other hand, I watch a lot of basketball, so my eyes can also capture what might not be reflected in tracking data. Once I find this balance between what I see and the numbers, I want to share it with people who might be interested.
I genuinely get excited when I share an analysis because I want it to be challenged by the real world. Once an article I write is out there, being challenged and commented on, I get to learn how to improve for the next one. Since I started creating content on the NBA in France, I’ve been fortunate enough to talk with NBA players, coaches, and writers. This has also helped me become a better writer and analyst.
As for my favorite topics, I love focusing on statistical and tactical analysis. I enjoy trying to understand what a team is attempting to achieve and how they’re trying to create an advantage. I’m also learning about player scouting — trying to capture the core values, abilities, and limitations of a player by watching films and analyzing data.
To sum up, I enjoy writing about what’s happening on the court and do my best to make it interesting for the people who read my work.
What is your bold prediction for the coming season?
“Luke Kornet will shoot 3-pointers again” feels like both an accurate and bold prediction for 2024. The reasoning behind this prediction is simple: it’s needed, and it’s possible.
Why is it needed? Because the Celtics will be playing without Kristaps Porziņģis at the start of the season. We don’t know exactly when he will be back, so Joe Mazzulla and his staff will need to adjust accordingly. When Porziņģis is on the court, the Celtics have better shot quality due to the spacing he provides. The Celtics’ ability to get to the rim was significantly better with the Latvian on the floor (Rim Frequency increased by 4.7% when KP was on the court).
Last year, Kornet was asked to bring a lot of energy to the offensive glass (+7.5% OREB% when he was on the floor). During a post-game interview with Celtics Files, he mentioned that focusing on offensive rebounds was one of the reasons he stopped shooting 3-pointers. Perhaps there’s a balance to be found here, where Luke Kornet can space the floor while still being aggressive on the offensive glass.
As for his shooting capabilities, I’m confident he could still hit threes with league-average efficiency. A great indicator of shooting ability is FT% — and Luke hits 81% of his free throws. On top of that, his first two seasons showed that in the right environment, he could shoot and make threes.
So, walk with me down this road, and let’s hope we witness Luke Kornet hit a couple of 3-pointers per game, followed by one of his iconic celebrations.
