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Celtics Basketball => Celtics Talk => Topic started by: nickagneta on September 21, 2018, 01:26:36 PM

Title: Zach Lowe's 6 most intriguing players...Boston's Big 5
Post by: nickagneta on September 21, 2018, 01:26:36 PM

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/24736975/zach-lowe-andrew-wiggins-boston-celtics-lineups-most-intriguing-players

Quote

Boston's Big Five
Forget the buzz about LeBron playing center, or DeMarcus Cousins lumbering into the Warriors' starting five. This quintet is the most exciting group since Golden State stumbled into the Death Lineup: Kyrie Irving, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward and Al Horford. The level of shooting, playmaking, and switchability on defense (minus Irving) is outrageous.

Think of all the switch-proof pick-and-roll combinations! Irving can roast bigger guys on switches; Brown, Tatum and Horford are well-versed at backing down smaller defenders on the other end of those switches. (Bully ball is the last piece missing in Hayward's game; he worked on it a ton going into last season.)

The Celtics were reluctant to go small with Horford at center and Brown and Tatum splitting power forward duty; Marcus Morris was their crutch. But when they did, the results were scary. Counting only lineups that logged at least 10 minutes and featured Horford at center alongside any four of Irving, Brown, Tatum, Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier, Boston outscored opponents by 75 points in 276 total minutes -- equivalent to about 13 points per game. None of those lineups featured Hayward.

I suspect we will see a lot of this group, and that it will start its fair share of games. Remember: It was Brad Stevens' opening night starting five last season, before catastrophe struck. Aron Baynes may start against beefy centers, but reserving Horford a large slice of power forward minutes will make it hard for Stevens to find enough time for all his perimeter players.

We should probably start preparing nicknames for this lineup. I am bad at nicknames. The best I could do off the top of my head was "Irish Exit." Suggestions?

Interesting stat regarding the lineups from last year. This year's starting 5 of Horford, Tatum, Brown, Hayward, and Irving is going to be off the charts.

So any nicknames? I like the Big 5.

Title: Re: Zach Lowe's 6 most intriguing players...Boston's Big 5
Post by: LilRip on September 21, 2018, 01:32:10 PM

I’m so excited for next season to start!

Mmm nicknames? How about 5 Fingers of Death 😜

Title: Re: Zach Lowe's 6 most intriguing players...Boston's Big 5
Post by: smokeablount on September 21, 2018, 01:34:18 PM

I've seen The Shamrock 5 floated around.

Title: Re: Zach Lowe's 6 most intriguing players...Boston's Big 5
Post by: Fan from VT on September 21, 2018, 01:57:32 PM

5 leaf clover?

Title: Re: Zach Lowe's 6 most intriguing players...Boston's Big 5
Post by: KGs Knee on September 21, 2018, 01:59:37 PM

Nickname?

They don't need no stinking nickname. But after this season you can call them champions.

Title: Re: Zach Lowe's 6 most intriguing players...Boston's Big 5
Post by: libermaniac on September 21, 2018, 02:53:18 PM

Quote from: Fan from VT on September 21, 2018, 01:57:32 PM

5 leaf clover?

That's a good one.  Very clever ... tp.  Although, it doesn't exactly instill fear in opponents.