So what's the deal on JO?

[CelticSooner]

Too hurt to play in the 4th or what? He's a much better matchup in this series. His rebounding was sorely missed late.

[P2]

No, Doc just has a (almost too) serious man crush for Fat Baby.

[Jon]

I really don't think so.  I think with the smaller Knicks team out there, Doc went with Baby.  I think it was the wrong decision and that JO out there likely would've led to us winning by 5 or 6.  However, it's all water under the bridge now.  

[jimmehx]

Baby was a total non-factor in the last few minutes. He handled the ball once and thankfully passed up the shot.

I'd like to see JO in there, absolutely. I'm sure, though, that there is a reason he was not in. Sore perhaps?

[GreenEnvy]

I don't care what Doc's/Baby's relationship is, he needs to use JO down the stretch.

Baby is a useful player, but I trust JO's instincts and intangibles just a little more. He's gone through tough playoff series, he knows what it is like.

He is also probably the hungriest player on the team.

Don't doubt JO!

[Roy H.]

Well, Doc just said JO wasn't hurt.  He wanted BBD in there to stretch the floor, and to matchup with the Knicks going small.

I didn't think Doc was that stupidly loyal to BBD, especially after benching him down the stretch in Game 1.  Dumb.

[manl_lui]

i guess its a precaution for that injury JO got, its small, but Doc doesnt wanna risk it

OR, JO was in foul trouble (well he only had 4), but i think he picked 2 quick ones in the 2nd half

[Spicoli]

Rivers is in love with BBD, no matter how much of a liability he is. He gets schooled by Turiaf, Jeffries, or whoever else they put at center. He allows Anthony to blow by him for easy layups. He provides nothing on offense or defense. Murphy, Krstic, and O'neal are all better options. I'd rather see KG at center and Green at PF than to see Davis on the floor at any point.

When he comes into the game, leads are instantly blown (of course it's not all him), and i just think sitting him would be addition by subtraction in the same way that trading Green and Krstic was addition by subtraction for OKC.

[jdz101]

Baby needs to be playing 20 or so minutes at the 4...not 30 minutes at the 5...

What's happened to krstic?

[Jon]

Yep.  Again, I think BBD likely needs some minutes at center until Shaq comes back, but he doesn't need 18 straight minutes to close the game like he had tonight. 

With Perk, he had to bench him in the 4th because he was an offensive liability who couldn't hit a free throw.  Same with Shaq with the latter issue.  Jermaine O'Neal can hit the 12-15 footer and can hit free throws. 

There's no reason to play him fewer than half of each quarter and I'd like to see him play even more than that. 

[chambers]

I don't care what Doc's/Baby's relationship is, he needs to use JO down the stretch.

Baby is a useful player, but I trust JO's instincts and intangibles just a little more. He's gone through tough playoff series, he knows what it is like.

He is also probably the hungriest player on the team.

Don't doubt JO!

big baby has also gone through a few tough playoff series in his days as well - with the exact same players i'll add.
He was on to help double carmelo, JO is too slow to help on alot of faster guys so they had baby to double and for a bit of bulk down low.
His help defense on Melo tonight was fantastic at the end- JO wouldn't be able to keep up with the pace.

[Garnett Crushes Gasoft]

I don't care what Doc's/Baby's relationship is, he needs to use JO down the stretch.

Baby is a useful player, but I trust JO's instincts and intangibles just a little more. He's gone through tough playoff series, he knows what it is like.

He is also probably the hungriest player on the team.

Don't doubt JO!

big baby has also gone through a few tough playoff series in his days as well - with the exact same players i'll add.
He was on to help double carmelo, JO is too slow to help on alot of faster guys so they had baby to double and for a bit of bulk down low.
His help defense on Melo tonight was fantastic at the end- JO wouldn't be able to keep up with the pace.

I'm sorry but we could have used anyone else to double Melo, that's not a good enough reason to have him in over JO. We had no presence on the inside with baby. It's gotta be JO

[GreenEnvy]

I don't care what Doc's/Baby's relationship is, he needs to use JO down the stretch.

Baby is a useful player, but I trust JO's instincts and intangibles just a little more. He's gone through tough playoff series, he knows what it is like.

He is also probably the hungriest player on the team.

Don't doubt JO!

big baby has also gone through a few tough playoff series in his days as well - with the exact same players i'll add.
He was on to help double carmelo, JO is too slow to help on alot of faster guys so they had baby to double and for a bit of bulk down low.
His help defense on Melo tonight was fantastic at the end- JO wouldn't be able to keep up with the pace.

I must have been drinking too much to recall what BBD did that was so impressive defensively than bring his body towards Melo.

He let Jeffries - arguably the worst offensive player in the series - to get a layup that even KG couldn't do anything about.

I'm not totally blaming BBD, but JO showed a lot more on both ends (bothering shots and efficient on his attempts) tonight.

[sdceltsfan]

Rivers is in love with BBD, no matter how much of a liability he is. He gets schooled by Turiaf, Jeffries, or whoever else they put at center. He allows Anthony to blow by him for easy layups. He provides nothing on offense or defense. Murphy, Krstic, and O'neal are all better options. I'd rather see KG at center and Green at PF than to see Davis on the floor at any point.

When he comes into the game, leads are instantly blown (of course it's not all him), and i just think sitting him would be addition by subtraction in the same way that trading Green and Krstic was addition by subtraction for OKC.

You nailed it Spicoli!!! Started a whole thread about this a month ago or so, said it last year, and I stick to the same guns, albeit an obvious standpoint: PASS THE BALL BIG BABY.....be a freaking scrapper down low on 2nd chance shots and when Rondo draws the double at the top of the key and you are ALL ALONE under the rim......jump shots for you ONLY when you have an entire second or more to set your shot, it better be from NO FURTHER than 12 feet out, AND we better have a lead of at least 8 points at the time!
     Why are we not rolling with a lineup of Rondo/Pierce/Green/KG/JO ever? Especially against the Knicks.......slap Green on Melo on the defensive end, and the Knicks literally have no answer for Green's size when we have the ball, or Pierce playing 2 for that matter.....drives me crazy! Or what about an all shooter lineup of West/Allen/Pierce/Green/KG.....want to score more Doc? Toss Big Baby to the bench and throw those minutes to Green for minutes he plays at Forward and Kristic/Murphy for minutes he plays "Center"

[Junkyard Dawg]

Baby needs to be playing 20 or so minutes at the 4...not 30 minutes at the 5...

What's happened to krstic?

This sums up my thoughts perfectly.  BBD deserves more credit than ppl on this board give him, but he's not as good as Doc apparently thinks he is.  And I will never like Green at the 4.  Doc needs to play Krstic more at the 5, Krstic needs to be the primary backup to JO at this point.  Even if he can't rebound, he's tall enough to swat the ball out to our guards.  Considering NYK is an even worse rebounding team than we are, and we got KILLED by them on the boards tonight, this is all we need in this series.  Someone to swat the ball out. 

But yeah JO needs to be playing in those final minutes, no doubt.