C's need Big Three consistency to beat the best teams

[celticinorlando]

why trade eddie...who can at least get you some quick points for a guy that NEVER plays. we just gave a guy away off the bench who can hit a big three at any moment for nothing.

what a waste...and it isn't nate's fault. i blame doc for not even giving him a chance

[FallGuy]

Consistency is probably in the rearview mirror for these players.  At this point in their careers they are limited to exploiting mismatches and riding hot streaks.  Unfortunately neither Pierce nor Ray could sustain a hot streak last night and KG couldn't finish some of the great looks he got off of his mismatch (but how great was that dunk on Varejao!  KG looked very good last night).

We could feature Rondo more, but that will mostly just shift the burden of consistency onto the Big 3's spot-up jump-shooting and Perk's finishing ability, since Rondo's scoring (but not his passing) can be taken away by most good defensive teams.

The limitations of our "Big 4" really highlight Perk's offensive regression.  His inability to catch and finish consistently (49% true shooting) and his ridiculously high turnover rate (32%) put all the more pressure on the rest of the guys to do it all.  Sheed was supposed to be the offense sub for Perk, but that obviously hasn't worked out.

A team like this has to have additional offensive weapons to increase the chances of someone getting hot.  Who do we have in our rotation?  Rasheed (35% shooting), Glen Davis (44%), Michael Finley (36% shooting), Tony Allen (53% shooting but plateaued at 6 ppg).

Finley and Nate Rob need to be utilized more, but it all boils down to the big three and their consistency.

My point is that they're not going to be consistent.  That's why the Cavs are favored.  They have a consistent scorer who pours in 33-8-7 every playoff game, and a host of inconsistent scorers who they can play Russian roulette with every night Mo, Jamison, Shaq and D West, with good offensive role-players in Parker, Moon, Hickson and Varejao to push them over the edge.

We have a consistent playmaker who puts in 16-10-6 every playoff game, with inconsistent scorers in Pierce, Ray and KG (each of whom can thankfully do a little playmaking of their own) and nobody else of worth on offense.   

I would like the Big 3 to be consistent (they're certainly paid enough to be), but they aren't and they aren't likely to be. We'll need big games out of someone other than the Big 3 to win a game in this series.  Perk is the best candidate on paper, with Baby and TA the dark horses.  If he can rediscover his 60% shooting for a few games and cut down on the turnovers (right now he has more turnovers than made field goals), we can beat the Cavs.

I think those two can be consistent though IMO. Well at least Michael.

Finley is easily neutralized. All you have to do is close out on him. He can't put the ball on the floor anymore. He's basically a spot up shooter.

[Mike-Dub]

Consistency is probably in the rearview mirror for these players.  At this point in their careers they are limited to exploiting mismatches and riding hot streaks.  Unfortunately neither Pierce nor Ray could sustain a hot streak last night and KG couldn't finish some of the great looks he got off of his mismatch (but how great was that dunk on Varejao!  KG looked very good last night).

We could feature Rondo more, but that will mostly just shift the burden of consistency onto the Big 3's spot-up jump-shooting and Perk's finishing ability, since Rondo's scoring (but not his passing) can be taken away by most good defensive teams.

The limitations of our "Big 4" really highlight Perk's offensive regression.  His inability to catch and finish consistently (49% true shooting) and his ridiculously high turnover rate (32%) put all the more pressure on the rest of the guys to do it all.  Sheed was supposed to be the offense sub for Perk, but that obviously hasn't worked out.

A team like this has to have additional offensive weapons to increase the chances of someone getting hot.  Who do we have in our rotation?  Rasheed (35% shooting), Glen Davis (44%), Michael Finley (36% shooting), Tony Allen (53% shooting but plateaued at 6 ppg).

Finley and Nate Rob need to be utilized more, but it all boils down to the big three and their consistency.

My point is that they're not going to be consistent.  That's why the Cavs are favored.  They have a consistent scorer who pours in 33-8-7 every playoff game, and a host of inconsistent scorers who they can play Russian roulette with every night Mo, Jamison, Shaq and D West, with good offensive role-players in Parker, Moon, Hickson and Varejao to push them over the edge.

We have a consistent playmaker who puts in 16-10-6 every playoff game, with inconsistent scorers in Pierce, Ray and KG (each of whom can thankfully do a little playmaking of their own) and nobody else of worth on offense.   

I would like the Big 3 to be consistent (they're certainly paid enough to be), but they aren't and they aren't likely to be. We'll need big games out of someone other than the Big 3 to win a game in this series.  Perk is the best candidate on paper, with Baby and TA the dark horses.  If he can rediscover his 60% shooting for a few games and cut down on the turnovers (right now he has more turnovers than made field goals), we can beat the Cavs.

I think those two can be consistent though IMO. Well at least Michael.

Finley is easily neutralized. All you have to do is close out on him. He can't put the ball on the floor anymore. He's basically a spot up shooter.

I agree completely with that, but I think Rondo can find him some open shots.

[celticinorlando]

i would like to see this lineup:

rondo, Ray, finley, PP and KG...let rondo drive and kick to 3 good 3 point shooters and have KG there also

[FallGuy]

I wonder if we should go small. Anchor Rasheed to the bench where he belongs. And attack them off the dribble.