2013 CB Draft: Eastern First Round: New York(2) vs Boston(7)

[nickagneta]

New York Knicks vs Boston Celtics

New York
Guards: Ricky Rubio, Kevin Martin, Kirk Hinrich, Francisco Garcia, Beno Udrih
Forwards: Zach Randolph, Jeff Green, Larry Sanders, Derrick Williams, Jeremy Evans
Centers: Brook Lopez, Channing Frye, Victor Faverani
Coach: George Karl

Presser: http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=67437.msg1545576#msg1545576

Boston
Guards: Kyrie Irving, Evan Fournier, Isaiah Thomas, Patric Beverley, Kent Bazemore, Gordon Haywood, 
Forwards:Pau Gasol, Danilo Gallinari, Corey Brewer, Terrence Jones, Darrell Arthur,
Centers: Jonas Valanciunas,  Pero Antic
Coach: Gregg Popovich

Presser: http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=67437.msg1546029#msg1546029


Polls open at 12 noon EST Sept. 9th. Close 11:59:59PM  Sept. 9th. Here are the voting guidelines for this round:

http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=67476.msg1547496#msg1547496

[dark_lord]

i had the knicks as the 2 seed and the celts as the 7th seed, so im happy to see it come to fruition that my vote was accurate.  looking to see what boston says here to try to convince me the knicks dont win this series.

[McHales Pits]

I think Knicks are overrated and the Celtics aren't that good. Knicks in 6.

[ronaldo943]

I agree with what McHP said.

[indeedproceed]

Some thoughts:

Ricky Rubio is pretty good. I like watching him play basketball. Well actually, I really only like watching his highlights. They're spectacular, seeing a Jonas brother make incredible passes and occasionally score. He's got a nice defensive reel too. Definitely check that out. Kyrie Irving is better. A LOT better.

Larry Sanders is a binkie. I think he's got an outside shot at DPOY next year.

Kevin Martin had a reputation; is was, 'he'll hurt you as much defensively as he helps you offensively.' He's seemed to get better defensively and worse offensively.

Brook Lopez...Im not a fan. He puts up gaudy shot blocking numbers, but the best defender for NJ last year was Gerald Wallace, and 'Crash' more appropriately describes the arc of his career than his formerly famous devil may care attitude. Brook doesn't rebound, but he can score, and well.

Zach Randolph, I might never reconcile thee with Roy Hobbs' glorious defense thereof. You were turrible last year, you're on the wrong side of 30, and you don't have bad teammates or changing team culture to blame it on. You're bad defensively, a good rebounder, and an increasingly ineffective scorer. I don't think you're the beast you were 2 years ago, and you're riding Gasol, Conley, and to an incredulous degree Tony Allen's coattails.

Overall, I like NYK's team. I like mine more. Strategy to follow.

[fitzhickey]

I really think that Boston has a chance in this series
Looking forward to the discussion

[Roy H.]

Strategy to follow.

1.  Catch voters off guard with witty banter and pop culture references;

2.  "Massage" statistics and cherry-pick quotes from Kelly Dwyer saying good things about your players;

3.  Wear out your opponent by posting several dozen comments about the invincibility of your team;

4.  Remind everyone that a vote against the Celtics equates with a vote for Al Qaeda, and against 'merica.

Rinse, repeat until you lose in the Finals.

[indeedproceed]

Strategy to follow.

1.  Catch voters off guard with witty banter and pop culture references;

2.  "Massage" statistics and cherry-pick quotes from Kelly Dwyer saying good things about your players;

3.  Wear out your opponent by posting several dozen comments about the invincibility of your team;

4.  Remind everyone that a vote against the Celtics equates with a vote for Al Qaeda, and against 'merica.

Rinse, repeat until you lose in the Finals.

Oh no Roy, you shouldn't eat me, I'm much too small! Wait for my brother who is much bigger and fatter!   

[Rondo2287]

I think I like Boston in this series actually. Kyrie is the best player in the series I think.  And I trust Pau if healthy, and if the celts are in the playoffs I have to assume Pau and Gallo are ready to rock and roll.

[indeedproceed]

Btw, here's the entire blooper reeel for season 5 of Parks and Rec:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGq5nfKSiy8&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UYiAJAKtd8&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UYiAJAKtd8&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9f_o0489uY&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAy2TI1gItw&feature=player_embedded

[KGs Knee]

Strategy to follow.

1.  Catch voters off guard with witty banter and pop culture references;

2.  "Massage" statistics and cherry-pick quotes from Kelly Dwyer saying good things about your players;

3.  Wear out your opponent by posting several dozen comments about the invincibility of your team;

4.  Remind everyone that a vote against the Celtics equates with a vote for Al Qaeda, and against 'merica.

Rinse, repeat until you lose in the Finals.

You two should get a room....seriously 

[indeedproceed]

Boston Celtics Super-Secret Don't Tell PJ Game Plan:

I see the story like this:

1) Kyrie Irving will not be contained by Ricky Rubio: Rubio's good, he's talented, but when the two met last season, Irving was playing next to what amounts to 4 end of the bench caliber players, with the playoffs out of reach, Rubio had started to look good again (this is after possibly the most disappointed January on record in Minnesota history) and Kyrie himself recovering from injury, Irving still managed to hang 20 points, 7 assists, and 45% shooting on Rubio, and he wasn't even hot from downtown.

2) My wings are better: Gordon Hayward was better than Kevin Martin last season. Kevin Martin got the benefit of being the 3rd or 4th scoring option, he got to play against reserves as much as he did starters, and he got to play in front of one of the better help defenders in the league, and often as not next to one of the more versatile defenders in the league in Thabo Sefelosha. This amounted to the perfect storm for Kevin Martin, suspect defender, to hideout and pretend he was a changed man.

Hayward also is getting better by leaps and bounds. He's a better player than he was last year, and he's a better player now than he was to start the season. The last 2 times Hayward met Martin, he outscored him, and over the 2 games Martin shot a combined 7-19 (37%).

If you don't believe in Hayward's defense, you ought to check out the things people have said about him on Team USA. But even if you think him just adequate enough to bottle up a more-stressed Kevin Martin, he's also the better rebounder and passer.

3) Larry Sanders is gonna define the series one way or another: Look, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it; Larry Sanders is a baaaaad man. I think he's got a shot at DPOY next year, and there are small compounds of devoted nerds ready to guzzle Flavor-Aid if he can replicate his production last year and doesn't at least get strong consideration for the award.

And if I allow Sanders to play rover, a lot of my game gets takent away. I have 3 very capable ball-handlers on the wing, and all three guys can penetrate to score on their own, drive and kick, or play the pick and roll. And if Sanders is allowed to do his thing, their impact is greatly reduced. I know this.

4) I don't fear Zach Randolph, and I don't fear Brook Lopez: Screw those guys. Neither one is actually a gifted defender, and neither one can slow down my bigs, let alone my wings.

The gameplan:

IF the Knicks are playing a Sanders/Lopez front line, here's my lineup:

Irving
Beverley*
Hayward*
Gallinari
Gasol*

*Will also run a Hayward/Brewer wing unit, and Valanciunas will get time at the 5 on Lopez as well.

That's my Sanders-Kryptonite. 4 3pt shooters, 5 capable creators, 5 able passers. Gallinari will take Sanders out of the game. He can't cover Gallo out on the perimeter, and once Sanders stops paying dividends defensively, his lack of any kind of actual offensive game will become an obvious liability.

If you don't know who Patrick Beverley is, I really suggest you read this. Or ask Russell Westbrook.

So that's priority 1; get the Sanders/Lopez and Sanders/Randolph lineups off the floor. Hell get Sanders off the floor period.

Once that happens, Irving/Gallo/Hayward/Beverley/Gasol will assault their eyes and senses with phenomenal offensive displays and versatile skill sets.

[Roy H.]

That's my Sanders-Kryptonite. 4 3pt shooters, 5 capable creators, 5 able passers. Gallinari will take Sanders out of the game. He can't cover Gallo out on the perimeter, and once Sanders stops paying dividends defensively, his lack of any kind of actual offensive game will become an obvious liability.

Speaking of kryptonite, I think "getting gimmicky in the front court" might be yours.  Last season, I think your benching of Haywood / Splitter / Vucevic in the Finals hurt your team, and this year, I think that playing Gallinari up front against a dominant rebounder and much more physical player is going to hurt you.  I think Sanders can defend Gallinari a lot better than Gallinari can defend and rebound with Sanders.

[indeedproceed]

That's my Sanders-Kryptonite. 4 3pt shooters, 5 capable creators, 5 able passers. Gallinari will take Sanders out of the game. He can't cover Gallo out on the perimeter, and once Sanders stops paying dividends defensively, his lack of any kind of actual offensive game will become an obvious liability.

Speaking of kryptonite, I think "getting gimmicky in the front court" might be yours.  Last season, I think your benching of Haywood / Splitter / Vucevic in the Finals hurt your team, and this year, I think that playing Gallinari up front against a dominant rebounder and much more physical player is going to hurt you.  I think Sanders can defend Gallinari a lot better than Gallinari can defend and rebound with Sanders.

Disagree. Takes Sanders out of the paint, optimizing his miscast role as a 4, forces Lopez into more help defense, maximizes Gasol's skill set, decreases the help defense up front, maximizes shot creation on the wing. Gallinari's 20PER and 25.9 PP48 as a 4 in Denver, and Denver's best units last year had Gallo at the 4, and Brewer/Chandler at the 3 shows a trend that Gallinari is comfortable in the role, and I'm comfortable with him there as well.

[Roy H.]

That's my Sanders-Kryptonite. 4 3pt shooters, 5 capable creators, 5 able passers. Gallinari will take Sanders out of the game. He can't cover Gallo out on the perimeter, and once Sanders stops paying dividends defensively, his lack of any kind of actual offensive game will become an obvious liability.

Speaking of kryptonite, I think "getting gimmicky in the front court" might be yours.  Last season, I think your benching of Haywood / Splitter / Vucevic in the Finals hurt your team, and this year, I think that playing Gallinari up front against a dominant rebounder and much more physical player is going to hurt you.  I think Sanders can defend Gallinari a lot better than Gallinari can defend and rebound with Sanders.

Disagree. Takes Sanders out of the paint, optimizing his miscast role as a 4, forces Lopez into more help defense, maximizes Gasol's skill set, decreases the help defense up front, maximizes shot creation on the wing. Gallinari's 20PER and 25.9 PP48 as a 4 in Denver, and Denver's best units last year had Gallo at the 4, and Brewer/Chandler at the 3.

I think that you putting a less talented team on the floor, and one that is going to struggle rebounding, is a mistake.  Plus, you now don't have anybody to attack Martin's weak defense; Beverly simply isn't the guy.

Think about it:  your solution to the question of "how do I defend three very good big men, when I only have two?" is "bench one of my big men".  That's counter-intuitive to me.

Every year, we seem teams radically change their starting lineups to match up with a playoff opponent.  I personally don't like it, and would downgrade you as a result.  Size and rebounding still matter; unless you've got Lebron on your side, small ball isn't going to be a consistent winner.