Is Grant a goner? (Yes: Traded to DAL for second rounders)

[jambr380]

It's almost like we're purposely not playing him so that he doesn't get a big offer. And whatever offer he does get, we can easily match. Makes no sense to take a guy who was a major part of our rotation and suddenly begin icing him out.

[Goldstar88]

It's almost like we're purposely not playing him so that he doesn't get a big offer. And whatever offer he does get, we can easily match. Makes no sense to take a guy who was a major part of our rotation and suddenly begin icing him out.

So should he have gotten some of Tatum’s, Horford’s or Rob’s minutes tonight? I’d rather play those guys.

[gouki88]

It's almost like we're purposely not playing him so that he doesn't get a big offer. And whatever offer he does get, we can easily match. Makes no sense to take a guy who was a major part of our rotation and suddenly begin icing him out.

So should he have gotten some of Tatum’s, Horford’s or Rob’s minutes tonight? I’d rather play those guys.

He should have had the entirety of Pritchard's minutes. Size was working well for us

[keevsnick]

Its just so weird that he doesn't play. I mean he can struggle against elite quick guards, but neither Phili or Miami has that. He would in theory be a good matchup for Love, Bam, Butler even Lowry. Yet Pritchard, who is just not very good, is getting minutes over him.

[hpantazo]

Something must have happened with Grant and Joe behind the scenes that we don't know about. That's the only explanation.

[Who]

I understood Grant not playing at the start of the playoffs. He was struggling with his shot (likely due to that wrist injury) and Mazzula sat him for awhile in the regular season. Unfortunately for Grant, his replacement Hauser took advantage of the situation and played great basketball all the way up until the playoffs. It was frustrating to see Grant out of the rotation but was at least somewhat understandable with how well Hauser was playing.

Then Hauser dropped out of the rotation. But Grant never came back. Why hasn't he come back? Grant's defensive versatility and two-way game was key to the team's playoff run last year. There was a clear and evident need for him and Joe has only used him occassionally. I do not understand this.

[Celtics4ever]

He can't rebound at all for a bulky guy

Grant's defensive versatility

  he can guard wings better than bigs, but I think this is more in your head than reality.   He has great timing and will block a shot he has no business to, but lacks length and guys can shoot over him

Maybe they are trying to hurt his value to resign him

[Roy H.]

He can't rebound at all for a bulky guy

Grant's defensive versatility

  he can guard wings better than bigs, but I think this is more in your head than reality.   He has great timing and will block a shot he has no business to, but lacks length and guys can shoot over him

The real question, though, is whether he's better than Pritchard. 

It's bad enough that Joe barely played the two big lineup.  But then, he doubled down, and ran out three guard lineups with Pritchard, who inevitably got targeted in switches.

[wdleehi]

The frustrating part is when the Celtics have put him in during the playoffs, for the most part, he has played well.   


He is also the guy that gets the shortest hook and apparently the biggest hill to climb back up to get in.   He had two bad fouls against Embiid, never really saw the floor since.   


It was fine the first half he didn't play.   Pritchard seem to have given the Celtics some energy when he came in.   That wasn't the case in the 2nd half.   That third quarter seemed like the time to try Grant instead and see if he could give a similar boost or at least help defensively.

[celticinorlando]

I am baffled that Grant is not getting any time. He played Embiid well. He plays Bam well. He can stretch the defense. But you do not even play him anymore? Just baffling.

[Vermont Green]

Grant has played 116 min in the playoffs, more than Hauser or Pritchard.  Although his box score stats look good, the team has not done that well in terms of +/- (+4).  Grant has not been bad, more just neutral.  Hauser and Pritchard have better +/- in fewer minutes.

Pritchard played for 12 minutes last night.  That is about all that is going to be left after the top 7 get their minutes, if that.  I don't know why Mazzulla felt that those 12 minutes should go to Pritchard last night.  I actually thought we would see Hauser.  My point is that this did not have very much impact on game 1 and probably is not going to have much impact moving forward.

I would have rather seen Grant or Hauser for those 12 minutes last night but there are much bigger things that I am worried about coming out of game 1.

[Roy H.]

Grant has played 116 min in the playoffs, more than Hauser or Pritchard.  Although his box score stats look good, the team has not done that well in terms of +/- (+4).  Grant has not been bad, more just neutral.  Hauser and Pritchard have better +/- in fewer minutes.

Pritchard played for 12 minutes last night.  That is about all that is going to be left after the top 7 get their minutes, if that.  I don't know why Mazzulla felt that those 12 minutes should go to Pritchard last night.  I actually thought we would see Hauser.  My point is that this did not have very much impact on game 1 and probably is not going to have much impact moving forward.

I would have rather seen Grant or Hauser for those 12 minutes last night but there are much bigger things that I am worried about coming out of game 1.

The Celtics primary advantage against the Heat is size.  Running a three-guard lineup -- inserting our smallest player, a non-rotation guard -- is completely counter-intuitive, and it obviously didn't work.

[Donoghus]

It makes absolutely zero sense that he didn't make it into last night's game.

He is tailor made for this series.  What the hell is the coaching staff seeing that we don't?

[angryguy77]

It makes absolutely zero sense that he didn't make it into last night's game.

He is tailor made for this series.  What the hell is the coaching staff seeing that we don't?

According to Joe, they won 3/4 qtrs. Don't question him.

[Redz]

It makes absolutely zero sense that he didn't make it into last night's game.

He is tailor made for this series.  What the hell is the coaching staff seeing that we don't?

According to Joe, they won 3/4 qtrs. Don't question him.

If this was the all star game, our charity would be most pleased