How can Doc defend Scal and dog Miles?

[BudweiserCeltic]

If I were Danny, I would trade/cut BBD and Scal. Keep Miles as our lone SF/PF type off the bench (or find someone else to fill this role), and then look for another PF/C or C type (someone with some length).

Baby looked better last night, although he still had some bad fouls.  It was nice to see that he's developed that midrange jumper.  But he's not getting cut.  He has value.  They may look to package him in a trade, but he played tough defense on Big Z, which is a tall task when you're giving up over half a foot.

In terms of Scal, he plays decent team defense, but he's a horrible rebounder (which is a big part of the defensive end) and pathetic on the offensive end.  Doc always tries to mention how smart he is, but he does really dumb stuff offensively.  But he's not getting cut.  Not with that contract.

There are multiple reasons for why I think we should trade/cut BBD. First one is that I think his skills replicate Powe's, and Powe is currently performing better. Secondly, he's undersized. By having undersized PF, it prevents Garnett from playing PF, so if we get more tall people, it'll keep Garnett playing his strongest position.

Garnett should only really be playing center when we go small, and that's when you introduce the SF/PF types. You can make the exception with Powe, but having BBD in there and giving him minutes will certainly diminish Garnett's time at the PF position. Also, a taller player should complement Powe better when he's on the floor.

Now this has more to do with depth because as we currently are, I think POB should be ahead of BBD not necessarily because I think he's more skilled than BBD, but because I think he gives our units a better look and dynamic when considering the rest of our roster.

I'd rather be deep in the center position, and make due with few real powerforwards, and some SF/PF types. In all, I don't like BBD as our 4th option for a center (Perk and POB are ahead of him, and Garnett is forced to play center because of BBD's height).

[CelticsWhat35]

If I were Danny, I would trade/cut BBD and Scal. Keep Miles as our lone SF/PF type off the bench (or find someone else to fill this role), and then look for another PF/C or C type (someone with some length).

Baby looked better last night, although he still had some bad fouls.  It was nice to see that he's developed that midrange jumper.  But he's not getting cut.  He has value.  They may look to package him in a trade, but he played tough defense on Big Z, which is a tall task when you're giving up over half a foot.

In terms of Scal, he plays decent team defense, but he's a horrible rebounder (which is a big part of the defensive end) and pathetic on the offensive end.  Doc always tries to mention how smart he is, but he does really dumb stuff offensively.  But he's not getting cut.  Not with that contract.

Even though he does a bad job grabbing rebounds, he does a good job keeping the man he is defending off the boards as well. 

I don't really agree with that.  I don't mean that he's just a horrible rebounder statistically.  I think he's a bad rebounder, period.  He may have some good box out technique, but his lack of athleticism leaves him vulnerable to losing his man, and he contantly tries tipping the ball instead of grabbing it, which is a recipe for disaster if you have no jumping ability.

Scal's biggest value to this team is his ability to player decent team defense, and his individual defense on other teams power forwards and some centers.  But aside from that, he's a huge liability.

[Scalablob990]

I think miles has a good chance of staying with boston since ti seems that they want to trade a player who has "value" and can play. Dmiles still is recovering which seems to keep him away from that boat. Scal is safe also since he has the skill of a bear playing basketball, but I think a trade like scal/baby is likely or scal/pruitt. 

[moskqq]

Scal needs to practice taking layups and forget fancy moves inside.  That shouldn't be asking too much, should it?

Scal USED to protect the ball well, as a veteran should, but his execution and decision-making the past two games indicates that he's lost that part of his game.  His in-bounds pass to Pruitt's ankles almost cost us the game...A repeat of his TO's which helped us lose game one too!

Clearly Scal is feeling too much pressure to perform...Doc should assure him that he won't be cut and then witness how much he improves....but don't hold your breath!

[slickwa1]

Scal will oneday coach this team.  Don't forget that Scal aced Danny's personality test.....

[KGamblePreBigContract]

a few thoughts:

1)I know players have tons of pride, and I'm not suggesting he IS doing this, but if I were Scals, and I am as bright a guy as people claim, and I knew there was a [dang]ed good chance I could get a second ring and more free champagne, maybe I wouldn't look so hot to enhance my chances of being traded IF I didn't think they'd cut me because of my contract size.  Maybe Danny A's personality test got tricked because Scal is really an evil genius who outsmarted the personality test

2)I think Big Baby AND Leon Powe complement this team well as a tandem, when you need a more agile guy put in Powe, when you need meat, but in Baby.

3)Remember, the celts WILL blow out a decent amount of teams this year, and GARNETT WILL NOT need to play some fourth quarters.  I don't think we should worry about Garnett's time in the regular season, Doc has said he's going to control the Big 3's time leading up to the playoffs MORE carefully this year.  Thus when Garnett is not needed based on who the opponent is and who on the Celts has the hot hand you have either Perk or Patty O'B at Center and Big Baby or Leon Powe at PF. 

[moiso]

Scal is an amazingly bad NBA player.  I really can't figure out why he is even in the league.  He does not have a single useful skill.  He's been missing wide open layups that high school kids make regularly.  I really am amazed at how bad he is. 

[wdleehi]

If I were Danny, I would trade/cut BBD and Scal. Keep Miles as our lone SF/PF type off the bench (or find someone else to fill this role), and then look for another PF/C or C type (someone with some length).

Baby looked better last night, although he still had some bad fouls.  It was nice to see that he's developed that midrange jumper.  But he's not getting cut.  He has value.  They may look to package him in a trade, but he played tough defense on Big Z, which is a tall task when you're giving up over half a foot.

In terms of Scal, he plays decent team defense, but he's a horrible rebounder (which is a big part of the defensive end) and pathetic on the offensive end.  Doc always tries to mention how smart he is, but he does really dumb stuff offensively.  But he's not getting cut.  Not with that contract.

Even though he does a bad job grabbing rebounds, he does a good job keeping the man he is defending off the boards as well. 

I don't really agree with that.  I don't mean that he's just a horrible rebounder statistically.  I think he's a bad rebounder, period.  He may have some good box out technique, but his lack of athleticism leaves him vulnerable to losing his man, and he contantly tries tipping the ball instead of grabbing it, which is a recipe for disaster if you have no jumping ability.

Scal's biggest value to this team is his ability to player decent team defense, and his individual defense on other teams power forwards and some centers.  But aside from that, he's a huge liability.

The numbers back this up.  He does a good job keeping the man he defends off the boards.

Scal is an amazingly bad NBA player.  I really can't figure out why he is even in the league.  He does not have a single useful skill.  He's been missing wide open layups that high school kids make regularly.  I really am amazed at how bad he is.

Yet he keeps he player he is guarding below their averages at PF.  When he started for KG during that stretch last year, what was the Celtics record?

[soap07]

Yet he keeps he player he is guarding below their averages at PF.  When he started for KG during that stretch last year, what was the Celtics record?

Yeah, those 15 minutes a game while he started really kept the Celtics afloat.

[Finkelskyhook]

Yet he keeps he player he is guarding below their averages at PF.  When he started for KG during that stretch last year, what was the Celtics record?

Yeah, those 15 minutes a game while he started really kept the Celtics afloat.

The reason Scal doesn't get cut isn't complicated.  He can fill in at three different positions without hurting the team.  Those 15 minutes a game did help, Soap.  All sarcasm aside.

Last season it finally occurred to Scal that he can't shoot so he didn't.  He's an effective defender.  Both individual and team.  He tries to do more than he's capable of every preseason.  He doesn't during the regular season.  Therefore, he doesn't hurt the team when he's on the court.

He probably won't be resigned by anybody after his contract expires.  He probably won't dress most nights.  But he isn't going anywhere this year.

Everybody on the roster is probably a better individual player than Scal.  But they're not all better for this team.

[Chris]

Because Scal played great defense last night, and Miles looked terrible?  It's not that complicated.  The whole team played MUCH better defense when Scal was in there, and he played pretty much flawless team defense himself.  Miles on the other hand looked slow, lost, and uninterested.

[Marco Vincent]

When Miles on is on the court you can see pain in his face... I think he and is trivializing how bad his legs really are. 

I have defended Scals many times... and I understand this is the preseason... But he is looking really, really, really, bad out their.  Some really bad turnovers, airballed layups, bad passes.  He looks off his game.

And I can't stand it when people heckle him at home.. he's a [dang] Celtic!!! and you can tell it really throws him off his game.

[Chris]

I have defended Scals many times... and I understand this is the preseason... But he is looking really, really, really, bad out their.  Some really bad turnovers, airballed layups, bad passes.  He looks off his game.

As someone else who has defended Scal, I agree with this.  He has looked even worse than normal offensively this year.  Although he still brings excellent defense, which puts Doc in a difficult position.

[BrickJames]

Doc is a master motivator.

He's defending Scal because he has to...the guy must be borderline suicidal at this point.

He's dogging Miles because he has to - we really need him to perform well to succeed this year, and he's always been a negative-reinforcement type of guy.

[gar]

What is the benefit of bad mouthing a guy whose contract you are trying to move. Should be obvious that Miles will get the same tough love that TA got until he proves he can make a difference on the team. He has not done that yet; but would be surprised if he did not get a chance tonight.

Perhaps Scal is tanking because he does not want to get traded