The lineup I would like to see out on the floor

[Tr1boy]

According to this the units that should play the most together are Johnson, Jerebko, Turner, Smart and Thomas.

Some size there and guys who can stay in front of their man on defense.

IT and Turner should never play at the same time.  Everyone just stands around watching.

I would start Turner again over Crowder. 

[blink]

Starting

C  - Amir      (best defensive big. Solid effort out on the floor. Some nice mini hookshots)
PF - Mickey  (Explosive PF - Rim presence - Strong to the basket on the offensive end)
SG/SF - Smart  (not a true SF but can play the position due to length/strength- Defense)
SG - AB      (Jump shot looks even better from last season. - Defense)
PG - Rozier (Ball handling ability-able to drive and score - Defense)

I lol'd

I 2nd this post.

[tstorey_97]

Ok, the Celtics got beat by two of the best teams in the NBA. They weren't having much luck with the top teams last year either.

Fortunately, plenty of lesser teams to beat coming along eventually.

Aldridge and Duncan? Are you kidding me? What are you going to do with them besides get beat underneath...a lot.

Lee looks like flat. KO flatter. IT runs all over the place while the other 4 guys watch him...Smart plays like a NBA star.

These guys will benefit a great deal following Smart's lead...AB certainly does.

I agree that having a lot of guys with big minutes gone next year is weird, but Danny needs to have flexibility to make a move and that is what they are.

Trust Danny? No? If I say "Nets pix"? Trust him now?

[Tr1boy]

Ok, the Celtics got beat by two of the best teams in the NBA. They weren't having much luck with the top teams last year either.

Fortunately, plenty of lesser teams to beat coming along eventually.

Aldridge and Duncan? Are you kidding me? What are you going to do with them besides get beat underneath...a lot.

Lee looks like flat. KO flatter. IT runs all over the place while the other 4 guys watch him...Smart plays like a NBA star.

These guys will benefit a great deal following Smart's lead...AB certainly does.

I agree that having a lot of guys with big minutes gone next year is weird, but Danny needs to have flexibility to make a move and that is what they are.

Trust Danny? No? If I say "Nets pix"? Trust him now?

Raptors are not that great. Good team but can be beat. Against the Spurs I agree

But still the way we lost was horrible. Spurs didn't even play seriously. 

[Csfan1984]

After thinking about things in terms of skill, chemistry and strategies I'd go
Starters
IT, AB, JJ, AJ, Zeller.
IT and AB are undersized but the rest of starters are very good heights. There is spacing for pick and roll with AB, AJ/Zeller and JJ. AB and AJ can hold down the D. IT and Zeller can fill it up in bunches. JJ is a great glue guy.

The bench
Have Smart sub for AB or IT when they need it. He has physical ability to play both at a good level. He will still have a ton of mins anyways.
Have Crowder sub JJ for added D or Turner for more O. Have Sully sub for more rebounds at either big spot.  Have Lee sub for for AJ for more pick and roll D. And if needed or move AJ to C for two  mobile bigs that can defend p&r and switch. Have KO to sub for either spot if more spacing need. Have Mickey sub if more D is needed either big spot. Rozier, Young and Hunter go D league it.

[YoungOne87]

thats the problem with this celtics team.
I cant come up with any lineup that I would like the most.
But my thoughts anyway:

Sully and Amir have been our best bigs but shouldnt necessarily start together (dont see the great fit). Zeller should be benched, he is trash so far.

smart and bradley have to start no matter what. smart should get more pointguard duties, he plays off the ball too much for my taste.

Cant decide who to start at SF, crowder (defense, hustle) jerebko (shooting) turner (playmaking, creating) have all their own good trade, but I think we need an upgrade at that position.
(players comparable to middleton, harris or gay)

IT and ET together off the bench is just a terrible combination and needs to stop asap!

[dreamgreen]

Well the OP got off to a crazy start with that line-up but I'm going to go in a different direction. I'm assuming the C's are trying to win games but need to build more complimentary groups. So I'd like to see something like this:

Smart
AB
Crowder/Jerebko
KO
Sully

We need more shooting out there so I'd toy with the 3 spot and Sully has earned it so far. KO really helps space the floor for someone like Crowder to put his head down and attack the basket.
 

[chambers]

so who guards Lebron or Durant?

Just too small from 1 through 3 for a long term starting unit.

I think they need to try:

Smart
Bradley
Turner
Lee
Amir

or

IT
Smart
Crowder
Lee
Amir

Enough defense out there to help with IT and Lee both on the perimeter and in the paint, with scoring from all 5 with IT having the highest usage %.

[Evantime34]

I expect a change in the starters for next game. Not because the starters have been playing poorly (which they obviously have) but because the C's need to match up with Paul George at the 4.

[nickagneta]

I expect a change in the starters for next game. Not because the starters have been playing poorly (which they obviously have) but because the C's need to match up with Paul George at the 4.

I am not so sure that Stevens is into game to gMe. Ganges on his starting rotation based solely on matchups. Anyone could see that Aldridge and Duncan would have been best defended by Johnson and Sully and as teens didn't change his starters. Why do it now for Paul George?

I think Stevens keeps his starters together for a while to face all kinds of different quality teams to see if the starters gel and then will reduce or increase players minutes based on matchups and game situations(foul trouble, better player by one player over another, needing to go small or big depending on score and type of team being played).

I think the starters are only going to get hands based on 5 man chemistry and results and individual long term playing results. For instance if after 10-12 games Lee is still not playing well and Sully is giving the team 12/6 in just 20 minutes a night, then it might be time for a change.

[Evantime34]

I expect a change in the starters for next game. Not because the starters have been playing poorly (which they obviously have) but because the C's need to match up with Paul George at the 4.

I am not so sure that Stevens is into game to gMe. Ganges on his starting rotation based solely on matchups. Anyone could see that Aldridge and Duncan would have been best defended by Johnson and Sully and as teens didn't change his starters. Why do it now for Paul George?

The reason is that Paul George is an entirely different type of player than Aldridge and Duncan. To change the lineup due to Aldridge and Duncan would be to replace, two post players for two other post players.

To defend Paul George Stevens would be replacing a post player with a wing defender to guard George. I consider going small by taking out a big and adding a wing a matchup based decision where replacing Lee/Zeller with Johnson/Sully is just rearranging similar players based on performance.

[Evantime34]

According to this the units that should play the most together are Johnson, Jerebko, Turner, Smart and Thomas.

Some size there and guys who can stay in front of their man on defense.

IT and Turner should never play at the same time.  Everyone just stands around watching.

I would start Turner again over Crowder.

Thomas and Turner was one of our best 2 man lineups last year in terms of +/-

[PhoSita]

According to this the units that should play the most together are Johnson, Jerebko, Turner, Smart and Thomas.

Some size there and guys who can stay in front of their man on defense.

IT and Turner should never play at the same time.  Everyone just stands around watching.

I would start Turner again over Crowder.

Why play Turner at all?

[Tr1boy]

I placed smart as the starting sg/sf because we have nobody better right now. Plus CBS goes small late in games anyways

Putting out hardworking guys like crowder to start won't cut it. His skill level is a 6. 

Mid December can't come around soon enough where I see danny making moves ahead of the deadline

[ThaPreacher]

Starting

C  - Amir      (best defensive big. Solid effort out on the floor. Some nice mini hookshots)
PF - Mickey  (Explosive PF - Rim presence - Strong to the basket on the offensive end)
SG/SF - Smart  (not a true SF but can play the position due to length/strength- Defense)
SG - AB      (Jump shot looks even better from last season. - Defense)
PG - Rozier (Ball handling ability-able to drive and score - Defense)


Bench

C-  Zeller
PF- KO/Jerebko
SF- Crowder
SG - Hunter/Young
PG - IT

Trade - Sullinger, Lee, Turner for picks and expiring contracts

I actually like those starters but it has the same issue we already have: lack of scoring. Then again I'd rather not have guys like IT, KO, Hunter starting either.

I also agree that Turner and Sully need to go. Not for a lack of talent or recent output but because they jam spots that other players can earn more playing time.

The problem with trading them is what we get in return. They are both technically expiring contracts so getting one back is breaking even. Do we need more picks? What lower tier/ average player could be get in return that's not making too much?

breaking even for Sully , Turner and Lee would be amazing.   For all three if we can get back a 1st and a 2nd, that is good enough for me

But I know Danny rather use these three guys plus multiple 1sts to try to get a very good player instead.    I don't know if this will ever be possible anyways

Sully, Turner and Lee would all be substantially better if we had a legit scorer on the wing.
But we don't. And until we do, its meatloaf and mash potato on the court!