Just a shout out to all those naysayers when I said that the Cs should not play their starters in the last two meaningless games. Now our best defender and heart of the team, Marcus Smart, is out 4-6 weeks as a result of playing in the next to last meaningless regular season game. Do all of you who thought playing starters in meaningless games was a good idea still feel the same? I hope I'm wrong, but Smart being out could be the difference between winning and losing a playoff series. Anyone remember who shut down the Pacers' top scorer Bogdanovic? Marcus Smart. I know you can't predict when injuries will occur, but there also can be strategic planning and coaching, which for all the accolades donned upon Brad Stevens, and much of them deserved, this was a bad coaching decision which could cost us not winning the East and possibly a championship. Let's hope some of the other Cs can step up to take his place especially on D,
Disagree. Injuries can happen at any point. Opening night, Christmas Day, Game 1 of the playoffs, you name it.
If Brad doesn't play any starters in the Orlando game, they go into game 1 this Sunday without having played in 9 days.
They would've been out of rhythm and out of sync.
If you ask Marcus whether or not he should've been playing and whether it's Brad's fault, what do you think he would say?
Criticizing Brad for Smart is like being a Monday morning quarterback.
The starters already had the night off in Washington. Milwaukee clinched a playoff spot on March 1st. Should they have rested their starters since? I am sure the players would be thrilled having six weeks off, heading into the playoffs.
They wouldn't be able to shoot a basketball into the ocean.