Should Scal Start Against the Magic (to guard Rashard Lewis)? (merged)

[kheeko]

Scals gotta hit the gym

[BillfromBoston]

The best starting 5 might just be with Pierce at the 4 and Eddie at the 2 with Redick and Tony at the 2 with Petrius - Marbury gets mixed in at the 2 when needed.

This series should all be about matchups - we've got personnel to do this effectively - Davis/Scal/Marbury off the bench at 5/4/1 with the rotating SG situation.

We'd have speed advantages at the 4, 3, 1 and good shooting/floor spacing for our slashers.

Not enough defense at the 2, and I'm irrevocably opposed to any scheme that leaves Tony the Mistake on the floor for more than a handful of possessions at a time.

Sorry, but the C's are going to have to pick their poison in this series with the injury depleated frontcourt limiting options - something is going to have to give somewhere on the court.

We know that Perk and Davis are the best defensive centers for matching up against Howard and we know Lewis presents defensive matchup concerns at the 4 against Davis.

What we do have if multiple guards that can provide different looks - its cute to call TA a walking mistake, but he' capable of playing quality minutes and the matchups at the SG position for Orlando are much less advantageous than their other positions.

Orlando is a guard-weak team relative to their other positions and Boston must make a choice.

Starting Scal at the 4 may be better defensively but it is not creating a Boston advantage - just mitigating a Boston weakness.

However, Paul Pierce at the 4 could absolutely be a two-way matchup advantage against Lewis, while Ray Allen against Turkyglu is sure to be an offensive matchup in favor of Boston as well as limiting Turk's driving ability be putting pressure on his ball-handling.

Using TA, House, and Marbury to allow Pierce/Ray the offensive advantage while creating depth at center by getting Davis at the backup 5 seems like a better proposition than simply putting Scal on Lewis and going from there.

[wiley]

The best starting 5 might just be with Pierce at the 4 and Eddie at the 2 with Redick and Tony at the 2 with Petrius - Marbury gets mixed in at the 2 when needed.

This series should all be about matchups - we've got personnel to do this effectively - Davis/Scal/Marbury off the bench at 5/4/1 with the rotating SG situation.

We'd have speed advantages at the 4, 3, 1 and good shooting/floor spacing for our slashers.

Not enough defense at the 2, and I'm irrevocably opposed to any scheme that leaves Tony the Mistake on the floor for more than a handful of possessions at a time.

Sorry, but the C's are going to have to pick their poison in this series with the injury depleated frontcourt limiting options.

We know that Perk and Davis are the best defensive centers for matching up against Howard and we know Lewis presents defensive matchup concerns at the 4 against Davis.

What we do have if multiple guards that can provide different looks - its cute to call TA a walking mistake, but he' capable of playing quality minutes and the matchups at the SG position for Orlando are much less advantageous than their other positions.

Orlando is a guard-weak team relative to their other positions and Boston must make a choice.

Starting Scal at the 4 may be better defensively but it is not creating a Boston advantage - just mitigating a Boston weakness.

However, Paul Pierce at the 4 could absolutely be a two-way matchup advantage against Lewis, while Ray Allen against Turkyglu is sure to be an offensive matchup in favor of Boston as well as limiting Turk's driving ability be putting pressure on his ball-handling.

Using TA, House, and Marbury to allow Pierce/Ray the offensive advantage while creating depth at center by getting Davis at the backup 5 seems like a better proposition than simply putting Scal on Lewis and going from there.

I agree 100%.  If Celts were bold enough to do it, wouldn't starting Tony Allen on Turkoglu and Ray at the 2 be the way to go, also to maximize Marbury playing alongside House off the bench.  With Ray and Tony in the game together would it really be Ray at the 3 and Tony at the 2?

[MVP]

One problem with going small and Pierce at the 4 is when Dwight beats Perk down the floor and there's no one to really challenge Howard. If you have Big Baby in there then he can take Howard and then switch out when Perk gets back. Scal not as much, but he can use his fouls unlike Pierce who can't get in foul trouble. I think we can use a small line-up during the series, but I wouldn't use it as a starting line-up.

[nickagneta]

The best starting 5 might just be with Pierce at the 4 and Eddie at the 2 with Redick and Tony at the 2 with Petrius - Marbury gets mixed in at the 2 when needed.

This series should all be about matchups - we've got personnel to do this effectively - Davis/Scal/Marbury off the bench at 5/4/1 with the rotating SG situation.

We'd have speed advantages at the 4, 3, 1 and good shooting/floor spacing for our slashers.

I'm not sure I like the Hedo Ray matchup on the defensive end. Ray's a good 4 inches shorter than Hedo and Pierce a good 3-4 inches shorter than Lewis. Both Magic players will have no problem getting their shots off over the much smaller Celtics.

I'll take 6-9 Scal on the 6-11 Lewis and the 6-7 Pierce on the 6-9 Turkoglu match ups over those in your lineup. Going small is one thing to run a faster paced offense that can get open looks early in the 24 second clock, but going tiny on the defensive end is not my idea of winning basketball against the long Magic.

[nickagneta]

It would be a miracle if scal could stay near lewis, i expect him to get a lot of fouls because he will be 2 steps behind lewis, then scal will set up in the corner, like usual, wasting a 6' 9" guy who should be in or around the paint mostly, then run to the corner now and then to draw someone out...but no one ever covers scal in the corner, because he doesn't hit much, and he doesn't even follow his own shot, it is rotten that we have to think of scal as a player and not a novelty act....He has been in the league 7 years, has no post game, no inside moves, never makes a layup, dunk, no way, slow feet and is near the play on D because the court isn't really that big...! Nothing personal against the original poster or anyone else, not even scal, probably a nice guy, just not a player, we would be better off with naraja, at least he is big and an enforcer...! And that padded headband is too much....

Last year when KG was injured Scal played against Lewis and was the reason we played as well as we did against the Magic in those games. Scal does a very good job defending Lewis on the wing and especially good at chasing him off the three point line and contesting the long jumpers. And with Pierce and Rondo crashing back on the boards, Scal won't be needed there anyway.

[BASS_THUMPER]

^^^^i luv the positivity fam^^^^^

[wiley]

The best starting 5 might just be with Pierce at the 4 and Eddie at the 2 with Redick and Tony at the 2 with Petrius - Marbury gets mixed in at the 2 when needed.

This series should all be about matchups - we've got personnel to do this effectively - Davis/Scal/Marbury off the bench at 5/4/1 with the rotating SG situation.

We'd have speed advantages at the 4, 3, 1 and good shooting/floor spacing for our slashers.

I'm not sure I like the Hedo Ray matchup on the defensive end. Ray's a good 4 inches shorter than Hedo and Pierce a good 3-4 inches shorter than Lewis. Both Magic players will have no problem getting their shots off over the much smaller Celtics.

I'll take 6-9 Scal on the 6-11 Lewis and the 6-7 Pierce on the 6-9 Turkoglu match ups over those in your lineup. Going small is one thing to run a faster paced offense that can get open looks early in the 24 second clock, but going tiny on the defensive end is not my idea of winning basketball against the long Magic.

I look at it as giving up defense at the beginning of the game, but by the end of the game we might be in better shape in terms of fouls.  Considering the fouls our bigs will commit, we're going to have to choose between extra minutes being played by Moore and Scal, or extra minutes being played by House, Marbury, and Tony Allen.  I'd start Tony at the 3 and leave Ray at the 2, with Pierce at the 4.  There'll be plenty of time for Scal and Moore to come in and do what they can...

[Spfldkid]

Well I hope scal does as you say, we'll be watching, we need him to shut him down. I don't love the idea of depending on our #1 point guard for rebounding, not a popular formula. We'll see, it is a different matchup than Chicago.

[Spfldkid]

You left out that we had Leon then too...!

[celticinorlando]

i really don't worry about the speed off the dribble from orlando...hedo is lumbering...lewis is a 6'10 guy who would rather shoot 3's....JJ reddick? wasted spot in the line up...howard will get his...got to limit the guys around him...the biggest worry is foul trouble for the celtics...and dont forger fat gundy is an agent of panic

[BillfromBoston]

The best starting 5 might just be with Pierce at the 4 and Eddie at the 2 with Redick and Tony at the 2 with Petrius - Marbury gets mixed in at the 2 when needed.

This series should all be about matchups - we've got personnel to do this effectively - Davis/Scal/Marbury off the bench at 5/4/1 with the rotating SG situation.

We'd have speed advantages at the 4, 3, 1 and good shooting/floor spacing for our slashers.

I'm not sure I like the Hedo Ray matchup on the defensive end. Ray's a good 4 inches shorter than Hedo and Pierce a good 3-4 inches shorter than Lewis. Both Magic players will have no problem getting their shots off over the much smaller Celtics.

I'll take 6-9 Scal on the 6-11 Lewis and the 6-7 Pierce on the 6-9 Turkoglu match ups over those in your lineup. Going small is one thing to run a faster paced offense that can get open looks early in the 24 second clock, but going tiny on the defensive end is not my idea of winning basketball against the long Magic.

I hear what you're saying, but things aren't always that simple - Lewis and Turk gotta get off quality shots and both enjoy creating rhythm with their dribble if they aren't just in catch-and-shoot mode.

While Pierce and Ray may be shorter, they are certainly tall enough to put a hand up around the wrist area and contest the shot - its not like perimeter jumpers are challenged to any greater degree than that for the most part.

What Paul and Ray CAN do defensively is hassle both Lewis and Turk when they try to put it on the deck, thus forcing more awkward shots or making them primarily catch-and-shoot players on challenged jumpers.

On the offensive side of the ball, Pierce and Ray are going to be able to take Lewis and Turk to the rim consistently because they are better ball-handlers and have the speed advantage.

I like the off/def give and take in this situation - id rather have Lewis/Turk taking perimeter jumpers with a hand in their face while having Paul/Ray getting into the lane - the percentages on the shots each is likely to see is heavily in favor of Boston, no matter the defensive give-away....

...not all shots are created equal...

[nickagneta]

You left out that we had Leon then too...!

TP4U I did forget that.

But I remember something that Doc said that explained their two excellent runs in Games 6 & 7 of the Bulls series and that was that those runs were brought about because of Celtic playoff basketball.

That being defense.

And since I don't think there is a team in the league that can really bother what the Celtics do offensively, save Cleveland, I think Doc and Coach T' game plan is to throw the best defensive matchups out there as possible.

Remember, the Magic shot more three's than any other team in the league and really live and die by that shot against better teams. I think if the Celtics can hold the Magic's 25 3PA per game to an average of 30% or below, they will win. To do that they will have to limit their two most prolific and dangerous three point shooters, Lewis and Turk. But a small lineup with Pierce at the 4 and either Allen at the 3 severely limits the Celtics ability to defender those two players when they are behind the line. Only a longer defensive rotation against the starters of Scal and Pierce will give the Celtics what they want defensively.

Because another thing to take into consideration is leaving the Ray Allen-Reddick and Rondo-Alston matchups alone as the Celtics are so much better in the back court than the Magic that they should dominate there.

I hate the idea of having Ray trying to expend energy trying to chase Turk off the three point line when he has such a clear advantage with the Reddick match up. One Ray can guard JJ in his sleep and two Reddick isn't nearlt fast or strong enough to chase Ray and fight through screens to adequately defend Ray.

I expect Ray to average 30 PPG in this series with Reddick being the main man guarding him.

[nickagneta]

The best starting 5 might just be with Pierce at the 4 and Eddie at the 2 with Redick and Tony at the 2 with Petrius - Marbury gets mixed in at the 2 when needed.

This series should all be about matchups - we've got personnel to do this effectively - Davis/Scal/Marbury off the bench at 5/4/1 with the rotating SG situation.

We'd have speed advantages at the 4, 3, 1 and good shooting/floor spacing for our slashers.

I'm not sure I like the Hedo Ray matchup on the defensive end. Ray's a good 4 inches shorter than Hedo and Pierce a good 3-4 inches shorter than Lewis. Both Magic players will have no problem getting their shots off over the much smaller Celtics.

I'll take 6-9 Scal on the 6-11 Lewis and the 6-7 Pierce on the 6-9 Turkoglu match ups over those in your lineup. Going small is one thing to run a faster paced offense that can get open looks early in the 24 second clock, but going tiny on the defensive end is not my idea of winning basketball against the long Magic.

I hear what you're saying, but things aren't always that simple - Lewis and Turk gotta get off quality shots and both enjoy creating rhythm with their dribble if they aren't just in catch-and-shoot mode.

While Pierce and Ray may be shorter, they are certainly tall enough to put a hand up around the wrist area and contest the shot - its not like perimeter jumpers are challenged to any greater degree than that for the most part.

What Paul and Ray CAN do defensively is hassle both Lewis and Turk when they try to put it on the deck, thus forcing more awkward shots or making them primarily catch-and-shoot players on challenged jumpers.

On the offensive side of the ball, Pierce and Ray are going to be able to take Lewis and Turk to the rim consistently because they are better ball-handlers and have the speed advantage.

I like the off/def give and take in this situation - id rather have Lewis/Turk taking perimeter jumpers with a hand in their face while having Paul/Ray getting into the lane - the percentages on the shots each is likely to see is heavily in favor of Boston, no matter the defensive give-away....

...not all shots are created equal...

TP4U2 Bill.

I always enjoy discussing the subtleties of the game with you, you really have a great understanding of the game.

I don't necessarily always agree with you but you do make me consider and reconsider a lot of different things. I think if I was coaching youth ball again I'd be a much better coach after learning some of the things I have from people on this site.

[Spfldkid]

Yea..! Ray is hot again, PP is playing smarter, BBD is better at everything, Perk is getting passes and making better choices, I like our chances against these guys.Thanks for the TP, it was a good subject, I hope Scal can do it, we need everything from all of our guys..! Well, you know more than I, but thanks for the regards. We are both in it for our team...! I wish we had KG or Leon, at least one of them....! But I am sooo glad we got by Chicago, Orlando is cleaner and more professional, what are the refs going to do now..? Talk to you on game day...! Cheers!!!