Typical Doc, or is JJJ going to be traded?

[MBunge]

The buzz the last week was that Celtics players are tired of mistakes and need to tighten things up  in order to get back to winning.

If that's the case, there's a whole bunch of players on this team who should be sitting instead of JJJ.

Mike

[MBunge]

given the number of times the myth about doc not playing rookies due to some pathological tendency has been disproven on this board, i have to wonder why folks continue to invoke it uncritically.

It's not a myth and it hasn't been disproven.  I think you're confusing that with people who think Doc, a guy with a mediocre coaching career outside the New Big 3 era in Boston, is incapable of ever making even the slightest mistake.

Mike

[nickagneta]

The buzz the last week was that Celtics players are tired of mistakes and need to tighten things up  in order to get back to winning.

If that's the case, there's a whole bunch of players on this team who should be sitting instead of JJJ.

Mike

Do you happen to notice Doc bench Rondo for an extended stretch in the 4th for his poor play? Guess not, huh?

[nickagneta]

given the number of times the myth about doc not playing rookies due to some pathological tendency has been disproven on this board, i have to wonder why folks continue to invoke it uncritically.

It's not a myth and it hasn't been disproven.  I think you're confusing that with people who think Doc, a guy with a mediocre coaching career outside the New Big 3 era in Boston, is incapable of ever making even the slightest mistake.

Mike

Of course it is and of course it has.

You just like believing in myths.

[MBunge]

For a guy who has been getting considerable regular minutes lately, I found it very unusual that JJJ didn't sniff the court last nite!  True BB was back, but JO still out, and this WAS the Cavs!

Jermaine O'Neal is purely a center at this point, but JuJuan Johnson is a power forward who should not play center.

JJJ will get court time when either Garnett or Bass are out.  Whether JO is out or not will have little effect on his playing time.

Early this season, Doc put a line up on the court with Bass at center.  Though I think it is clear that Doc has decided that as long as KG and Bass are healthy, he's not even going to think about playing JJJ.  It's clearly much the same with Dooling and E'twaun.

Mike

[MBunge]

The buzz the last week was that Celtics players are tired of mistakes and need to tighten things up  in order to get back to winning.

If that's the case, there's a whole bunch of players on this team who should be sitting instead of JJJ.

Mike

Do you happen to notice Doc bench Rondo for an extended stretch in the 4th for his poor play? Guess not, huh?

I'm not sure what that has to do with Doc not playing JJJ, but whatever.

And do you happen to notice how the ineffectual Dooling has been automatically handed minutes over E'Twaun?

Mike

[MBunge]

given the number of times the myth about doc not playing rookies due to some pathological tendency has been disproven on this board, i have to wonder why folks continue to invoke it uncritically.

It's not a myth and it hasn't been disproven.  I think you're confusing that with people who think Doc, a guy with a mediocre coaching career outside the New Big 3 era in Boston, is incapable of ever making even the slightest mistake.

Mike

Of course it is and of course it has.

You just like believing in myths.

Whatever you say, O' Prophet of the Holy Doc.

Mike

[clover]

The buzz the last week was that Celtics players are tired of mistakes and need to tighten things up  in order to get back to winning.

If that's the case, there's a whole bunch of players on this team who should be sitting instead of JJJ.

Mike

Do you happen to notice Doc bench Rondo for an extended stretch in the 4th for his poor play? Guess not, huh?

I'm not sure what that has to do with Doc not playing JJJ, but whatever.

And do you happen to notice how the ineffectual Dooling has been automatically handed minutes over E'Twaun?

Mike

I'm not sure Doc is there yet, but I bet Danny is ready to move Dooling in the next couple of weeks and let AB and ET get more minutes.

[nickagneta]

The buzz the last week was that Celtics players are tired of mistakes and need to tighten things up  in order to get back to winning.

If that's the case, there's a whole bunch of players on this team who should be sitting instead of JJJ.

Mike

Do you happen to notice Doc bench Rondo for an extended stretch in the 4th for his poor play? Guess not, huh?

I'm not sure what that has to do with Doc not playing JJJ, but whatever.

And do you happen to notice how the ineffectual Dooling has been automatically handed minutes over E'Twaun?

Mike

Do you read what you post?

You posted that a whole bunch of players on this team should be sitting for making mistakes instead of JJJ(who BTW makes tons of mistakes when he is on the court, his rotations are atrocious and his pick setting poor at best). Rondo was making mistakes and Doc benched him. Clearly Doc is not adverse to benching starters if they are making mistakes.

[Inside-Out]

The buzz the last week was that Celtics players are tired of mistakes and need to tighten things up  in order to get back to winning.

If that's the case, there's a whole bunch of players on this team who should be sitting instead of JJJ.

Mike

Do you happen to notice Doc bench Rondo for an extended stretch in the 4th for his poor play? Guess not, huh?

I'm not sure what that has to do with Doc not playing JJJ, but whatever.

And do you happen to notice how the ineffectual Dooling has been automatically handed minutes over E'Twaun?

Mike

I'm not sure Doc is there yet, but I bet Danny is ready to move Dooling in the next couple of weeks and let AB and ET get more minutes.

This is exactly how Danny gets Doc to play rookies:  trade the vets ahead of them.

As far as proving/disproving the Doc/rookie thing, I think it goes like this:

When Doc played rookies (e.g. usually are Gomes, Rondo, BBD, et. al.), what veterans were ahead of them on the roster?  What vet did a rookie beat out for minutes under Doc?

[nickagneta]

Regarding Dooling, his shooting has been horrific lately but his defense has been very good. Moore's defense hasn't been very good at all this year except for a game here or there and his shooting has been just as bad. Take away his big game in Orlando and his shooting for the year is abysmal. And he's only shooting at 40% since that game. Not exactly on fire if you ask me.

I like Moore but he's isn't as good as Dooling.

[crafty213]

Bass and Wilcox were back and JJJ has not been getting it done on the defensive end.  Doc usually does not give minutes to young guys that do not impact the defensive side of the ball.

[Chief]

For a guy who has been getting considerable regular minutes lately, I found it very unusual that JJJ didn't sniff the court last nite!  True BB was back, but JO still out, and this WAS the Cavs!

Is this just Doc reverting to his stubborn, "if I'm going down, I'm going with my veterans" crap, or has JJJ already been included in a imminent trade?

I hope it's just Doc, cause I think JJJ is gonna turn out to be an outstanding player eventually.  Don't want to see him go just to bring in some veteran role player to add to the pipe dream of this team making a title run!

given the number of times the myth about doc not playing rookies due to some pathological tendency has been disproven on this board, i have to wonder why folks continue to invoke it uncritically.

rather than adhering to a belief that doc believes rookies should not play (and how would one account for bradley's 15:34 last night?) we might want to see what other factors might have come into play.

i am not saying any of the below are THE reason, i am simply speculating...

- did 3j simply had a lousy practice or put himself in doc's doghouse somehow?

- did doc believe that in a very, very close game it was better to go with bass and wilcox, both of whom were playing well and getting rebounds? (bass =7 rbs; wilcox = 11 rebs)?

- 3j was maybe tired/hurt/less than 100%?

- doc believes other players would have matched up better with the cav forwards? with KG as pf/c, perhaps doc wanted someone to play more under the basket. 3j is thin and gets pushed around there right now. bass is a fighter under the basket.

so, there are probably other good reasons for doc's decision but i am not thinking of them.

to be honest, right now 3j's offensive game is largely jump shooting, which he does well. but if he is in with KG, who plays under that basket for the celtics?

the celtics won. doc had the right line up in as far as i can see.

Nothing has been disproven. It's all opinion.