Starting five on opening night.

[Jvalin]

PG: Smart
SG: Brown
SF: Nesmith
PF: Tatum
C: Theis

[Csfan1984]

Hard to tell with the injuries. Theis had minor surgery and TT had a sore hamstring so maybe one starts over the other based on who feels more healthy.

Currently I'd say

Smart, Brown, Tatum, Theis, TT


Don't think Thompson came here to be a bench player. Feel he left Cavs because of that. He has an opt out to try and boost his value then get paid.

This also means GW would be lead PF backup and RW would be lead C backup for those who like those players.

[footey]

Timelord needs to be an impact player/starting player. This is Year 3 for him?

From a developmental standpoint, it is year two.  He missed over half the games his first two seasons rehabbing injuries.

[footey]

Smart
Brown
Tatum
G Williams
Theis

[Vermont Green]

I am also expecting:   Smart, Brown, Tatum, Theis, Thompson

I don't share the enthusiasm over Grant Williams.  I remember that Ojeleye played well in the playoffs a few years back and there was hope he would make the leap.  I still like GWill, but as a versatile player off the bench (primarily as the back up to Theis), not as a starter.  And I like RWill to play more regularly as a decent back up to Thompson.

For this lineup to work (at least at the level that the Celtics are aspiring to), Theis has to both adapt and improve his game over last season.  He needs to improve on the 33% 3pt shooting from last season (he was 39% in 2018-19) and bring a little more hall handling and passing.  I don't think this is a huge leap though.  I think he can do it and be a decent PF on this team.

In the end, this line up, with Smart over a healthy Kemba Walker, may not have enough offensive punch.  I don't think adding Teague in for one of the bigs would help all that much.  It is what it is.  I think we are solid still but we have taken out Walker (to start due to injury) and Hayward and added Teague and Thompson.  It will be a lot better when we get a healthy Kemba Walker back.

[Surferdad]

I love having a unique guess, so I can say "TOLD YOU SO":

Teague
Smart
Brown
Tatum
Thompson

[boscel33]

Teague, Brown, Tatum, GWill, TT.

I want smart coming off the bench leading the second unit.

[PAOBoston]

Smart
Brown
Tatum
G Williams
Theis

I have a very time believing CBS starts Theis AND TT. 1. Both those guys are coming off injuries and may or may not be 100% for opening night and 2. Spacing is an issue with that lineup.

[Vermont Green]

Floor spacing?  Of the players still on the team and not injured for the start, here are the top 3pt% from last season:

Tatum      40.3%
Brown      38.2%
Ojeleye    37.8%
Smart      34.7%
Theis       33.3%

Grant Williams was 25%.  There seems to be an impression that Grant Williams is more of a floor spacer than Theis or Ojeleye.  Theis was actually 38.8% in 2018-19 so his 33% for last season was actually a down year.

For the new guys, Teague was 33.3% with ATL and 37.9% with MIN.  Tristan Thompson was 9 for 23 or 39%.  Kemba, when he comes back, will bring a 38.1% from last season and a career 36%.

Anyway, my point is that people tend to pigeon hole Theis as a non floor spacer but statistically he is much better than Grant Williams.  Ojeleye had his best season last season and is a career 34% (about the same as Theis' career percentage).  Theis has proven to be a much better all around player than GWill or Ojeleye and is a better 3pt shooter than either.  I admit that it would be great to be able to upgrade PF but you are not going to do that by putting Grant Williams ahead of Theis.

For Theis or GWill, shot selection for taking 3s is key to keeping the % up.

[PhoSita]

Grant Williams was 25%.  There seems to be an impression that Grant Williams is more of a floor spacer than Theis or Ojeleye. 

Grant went 5-39 from three the first three months of his rookie season, then 16-46 the next three.

In the playoffs, he was 10-17.


Small sample size theater all around, but I think there's good reason to think Grant is already a solid outside shooter and will only improve.  Biggest issue with Grant, I think, is having him take the shot frequently and willingly enough to make the other team respect him.

That's my biggest problem with Theis as a floor spacer -- he can shoot, but he's so reluctant to take a shot that it often doesn't matter.  The opponent plays way off him.

[Celtic Fan Forever]

Floor spacing?  Of the players still on the team and not injured for the start, here are the top 3pt% from last season:

Tatum      40.3%
Brown      38.2%
Ojeleye    37.8%
Smart      34.7%
Theis       33.3%

Grant Williams was 25%.  There seems to be an impression that Grant Williams is more of a floor spacer than Theis or Ojeleye.  Theis was actually 38.8% in 2018-19 so his 33% for last season was actually a down year.

For the new guys, Teague was 33.3% with ATL and 37.9% with MIN.  Tristan Thompson was 9 for 23 or 39%.  Kemba, when he comes back, will bring a 38.1% from last season and a career 36%.

Anyway, my point is that people tend to pigeon hole Theis as a non floor spacer but statistically he is much better than Grant Williams.  Ojeleye had his best season last season and is a career 34% (about the same as Theis' career percentage).  Theis has proven to be a much better all around player than GWill or Ojeleye and is a better 3pt shooter than either.  I admit that it would be great to be able to upgrade PF but you are not going to do that by putting Grant Williams ahead of Theis.

For Theis or GWill, shot selection for taking 3s is key to keeping the % up.

Grant Williams had a historically bad 0-25 start and clearly had a mental block he needed to get over. Once he hit his first one, he was shooting 34% from December onward- and was 10-17 in the playoffs. So I think that needs to be taken into account.

[Vermont Green]

Grant Williams was 25%.  There seems to be an impression that Grant Williams is more of a floor spacer than Theis or Ojeleye. 

Grant went 5-39 from three the first three months of his rookie season, then 16-46 the next three.

In the playoffs, he was 10-17.


Small sample size theater all around, but I think there's good reason to think Grant is already a solid outside shooter and will only improve.  Biggest issue with Grant, I think, is having him take the shot frequently and willingly enough to make the other team respect him.

That's my biggest problem with Theis as a floor spacer -- he can shoot, but he's so reluctant to take a shot that it often doesn't matter.  The opponent plays way off him.

You are correct that sample size for both Williams and Theis is low.  I don't think either is ever going to be a real high level 3pt shooter but I think both can shoot well enough to be a serviceable PF and stay on the floor.  My main point is that Theis seems to be penalized as not a floor spacer which to me, really isn't fair as compared to what we have seen from GWill.

Beyond pure shooting (which I score a draw at best), Theis does everything else better, at least based on what we have seen so far.  Now Grant Williams may take a dramatic leap and come back and shoot better and play better (but he isn't going to come back any taller).  He just turned 22 so has plenty of potential upside.  Don't get me wrong, I like GWill, and am happy to have his versatility on the bench.  I just think Theis is equal or better in all facets, including height/length, and will stay ahead, at least for this coming season.

[liam]

Grant Williams was 25%.  There seems to be an impression that Grant Williams is more of a floor spacer than Theis or Ojeleye. 

Grant went 5-39 from three the first three months of his rookie season, then 16-46 the next three.

In the playoffs, he was 10-17.


Small sample size theater all around, but I think there's good reason to think Grant is already a solid outside shooter and will only improve.  Biggest issue with Grant, I think, is having him take the shot frequently and willingly enough to make the other team respect him.

That's my biggest problem with Theis as a floor spacer -- he can shoot, but he's so reluctant to take a shot that it often doesn't matter.  The opponent plays way off him.

You are correct that sample size for both Williams and Theis is low.  I don't think either is ever going to be a real high level 3pt shooter but I think both can shoot well enough to be a serviceable PF and stay on the floor.

Beyond pure shooting (which I score a draw at best), Theis does everything else better, at least based on what we have seen so far.  Now Grant Williams may take a dramatic leap and come back and shoot better and play better (but he isn't going to come back any taller).  He just turned 22 so has plenty of potential upside.  Don't get me wrong, I like GWill, and am happy to have his versatility on the bench.  I just think Theis is equal or better in all facets, including height/length, and will stay ahead, at least for this coming season.

Grant Williams is much stronger than Theis and can hold his position better in the low post. Williams is also better at taking charges,or at least gets the call more. I also think that Grant has quicker feet.

[RodyTur10]

I start Smart, Brown, Tatum, G.Williams and Theis. I think that’s a tough starting line up and I like G. Williams spreading the floor and being a load on the defensive end. You can switch everything with this line up.

Smart/JB/JT/GWill/Theis

Smart
Brown
Tatum
G Williams
Theis

You guys are going to be winners! TP's in advance.

Of course Brown and Tatum start. At every opportunity where the Celtics were a player down last year Stevens put Smart in, so I have no doubt he'll start him as well. Theis was the undisputed starting center and will be that until he gets regularly outplayed. The fifth starter could be anybody, but putting in Teague will make the bench very unbalanced with Pritchard, Waters, Edwards, Nesmith, Green as unproven and inexperienced options. Therefore Stevens will choose a swing/big who can stretch the floor and that will be Grant Williams (I think he has won the trust over Ojeleye). So:

Smart/Brown/Tatum/G.Williams/Theis, first of the bench: Teague/Ojeleye/Thompson, deeper bench: Pritchard/Nesmith/R.Williams

If it were up to me, I'd do it differently. I'm looking for combinations. With the guards you want a small ball handler being covered by a strong defender. Therefore I'd start Teague/Brown and bring Pritchard/Smart of the bench (don't worry Smart will get his minutes). With the frontcourt I think the worst combination is Thompson/Timelord. Thus I'm pairing both of them with a guy who can stretch the floor a bit. I like the Smart-Timelord connection to bring energy of the bench and because Theis is better and more proven than Grant Williams, he starts with Thompson as a result. For the back-up SF the chance is there for Nesmith. In contrast to last year I'd like to build a bench unit that's able to handle itself without Tatum (or Brown) to carry all the scoring responsibility. I feel that if we would constantly rely on them we'd push them to play too many minutes: 35-37 a game. Below my main rotation until Walker is back.

Teague/Brown/Tatum/Theis/Thompson, bench unit: Pritchard/Smart/Nesmith/G.Williams/R.Williams

[keevsnick]

Smart-Brown-Tatum-GWill-Theis

Best mix of spot up shooting and defense.