How to get Nate more minutes?

[footey]

What I have noticed ever since we got Nate is that there are alot of teams with back up 1's who are small enough for him to defend without being over matched.  He is not nearly the defensive liability that was projected.

[liam]

In 2008, the year we won it , Doc played all these guys in the playoffs: Ray Allen, , P.J. Brown, Sam Cassell, Glen Davis, Kevin Garnett, Eddie House, Kendrick Perkins, Paul Pierce, James Posey, Leon Powe, Rajon Rondo. I did not include TA and don't think he'll play this much this year either. Not all of them played big minutes or in every game but they all played a part in winning it all. That's 11 guys. I think we can play ten guys in the playoffs and win. In fact I think that's one of our big strengths. Our Bench this year has as much talent on it as the 2008 bench did.

[MaineBleedsGreen]

It is defensive size that ends that.



Crawford is big enough to defend SG while both he and Joe Johnson can run an offense.  It gives the Hawks more flexibility in the pairings they can throw out and allows Crawford to play so many minutes.


Plus, Bibby is on the steep part of the talent drop off due to age.  Rondo is still on the high climb.

+1

I would've reversed the order. I think it starts with Bibby's drop off and follows into the fact both crawford and johnson can play the 1/2, though neither are your traditional guard, it gives the teams a lot of options out there.

[Bahku]

He could get some of those roll-over minutes that AT&T throws away. 

But seriously, I don't think he needs more minutes ... until he gets used to the defensive assignments, where he's at is just fine.

[Vermont Green]

But seriously, I don't think he needs more minutes ...

That is my question also.  Why exactly do we need to "get" him more minutes?

I don't thing we will see a Rondo/Nate backcourt in the playoffs.  It is just not that good of a combination.  Nate is a fine back-up and that means (2), 5-8 minute stints each half.  He is also decent insurance if Rondo is in foul trouble or gets hurt.  That is about all we need to "get" Nate.

[mmbaby]

Wasn't Nates purpose to be our 'backup point guard'? We were looking for a back up for a long time and now we have him and he seems to be a truly great one. But Rhondo is our starter.

[Spicoli]

I understand that Nate's primary role is to be the backup for Rondo, but i created this thread because it's clear that even though Nate is undersized, he is our best bench player by far. Every team in the league has a guy on their bench who they can rely on, and who they can go to for extended minutes if need be. What's wrong with playing small ball with Rondo, Nate, Ray, Pierce, and KG at the 5? That's a lot of scoring right there. All i'm saying is, limiting this guy to 16 minutes a night, no matter the circumstances is absurd. There should be some games when he gets 30, due strictly to how hot he is. If he gets really hot, he might be able to win a game or two for us.

[More Banners]

I understand that Nate's primary role is to be the backup for Rondo, but i created this thread because it's clear that even though Nate is undersized, he is our best bench player by far. Every team in the league has a guy on their bench who they can rely on, and who they can go to for extended minutes if need be. What's wrong with playing small ball with Rondo, Nate, Ray, Pierce, and KG at the 5? That's a lot of scoring right there. All i'm saying is, limiting this guy to 16 minutes a night, no matter the circumstances is absurd. There should be some games when he gets 30, due strictly to how hot he is. If he gets really hot, he might be able to win a game or two for us.

For an assortment of reasons, now that I've been able to watch Nate on the C's for a little while, I have to disagree.

1) Nate is definitely a scorer, but mostly on a really, really bad team and in a run/gun offense.  He struggles to get shots off against taller (all) defenders from the perimeter in the half-court, and his size limitation makes it hard for him to take it to the rack effectively.

2) Nate's size limitation makes entry passes to the post a challenge at times, too, because it's harder to get an angle.

His strength is his ability to a) get the ball over halfcourt, which was a clear need for us, b) pressing defense, c) pushing the ball, though with the elderly Sheed and Finley the point is moot on the 2nd unit, and d) he can shoot well enough to keep defenders from leaving him open. 

In an actual team-oriented offense, he isn't exactly standing out.  That doesn't suggest he should be playing more.

So not only is he only deserving of 10-15 min/game as a backup PG, but is GROSSLY overpaid for the role he fills (by about double, getting $5 mil instead of around $2.5 mil max).