Start Bass at SF, Turner at SG and KO at PF

[PhoSita]

So the answer defensively is to get slower and less athletic in the starting lineup?

At this point, any   lineup we put out there to cover one of our deficiencies only creates another problem in a different aspect of our game. Main problems are.  no defensive big, not enough ball handlers WHO CAN ACTUALLY SCORE especially BEHIND THE ARC . (IT is really the only one) I'm pretty sure this is nothing new to anyone

I agree.

I think that all the Celtics can do is try to put out lineups that load up their strengths on one side and hope that will be enough to create some kind of small advantage, for small stretches of the game.

The Celtics could put Crowder in the starting lineup and go for their best defensive look -- Smart, Bradley, Crowder, Bass, Zeller.

That lineup will have a really tough time scoring if the Cavs actually try.

Alternatively, the Celts could trot out Thomas, Bradley, Datome, Jerebko, and Olynyk and just try to spread the floor as much as possible for Thomas and Bradley to attack.

I don't like either of those lineups.  The first one has nobody who can create off the dribble.  That's a nightmare. 

The second one will obviously get hammered defensively.

We have the personnel to at least attempt to balance offense and defense.

The lack of offensive creators aside from Thomas is going to be an issue regardless.  I don't think Turner has much of a place in this series.  The best game plan offensively at this point, I think, is to create as much space as possible and just let Isaiah go to work.

Defensively, the Celts can put Bradley and Smart out there and try to hound Kyrie, and they can put Bass or Crowder on LeBron.  That will help a bit, compared to the alternative. 

The paint's going to be wide open, though, regardless.  Mozgov, Love, and Thompson are going to be able to get offensive boards against our dinky frontcourt all day long.

[Csfan1984]

I'm not changing the starters just yet just rotations. But am leaning towards AB, Turner, Crowder, Bass, Zeller for game three. I just want normal starters to get one more shot. Not like they did a bad job. LeBron should have been sitting with foul trouble. And the team still won that quarter.

[CelticGuardian]

What you guys fail to understand is that any player in this series can score... not at will like Kyrie or LeBum... but with good ball movement you could get a good shot off. We need our best defensive lineup because that is how we can hope to contain them in the first half, so Isaiah's workload won't be too crazy like it was today(20 pt deficit?.. come on, man) That's a lot of ground for one man to try to make up, even with Jerebko and Olynyk..

Brad needs to split the team into two units for this series.. 1 for stopping the ball and grabbing boards, and taking guys off their groove... and the other for Isaiah to do as much damage as possible, I want to see Isaiah get more floor time with Olynyk. KO is stepping up man, I can just feel it.

 

[littleteapot]

What you guys fail to understand is that any player in this series can score... not at will like Kyrie or LeBum... but with good ball movement you could get a good shot off. We need our best defensive lineup because that is how we can hope to contain them in the first half, so Isaiah's workload won't be too crazy like it was today(20 pt deficit?.. come on, man) That's a lot of ground for one man to try to make up, even with Jerebko and Olynyk..

Good ball movement starts with a ball handler who can create something. The only guy who could do that in the halfcourt was Thomas. I still want Turner out there, but if Lebron's guarding him, someone else needs to run the offense.

Brad needs to split the team into two units for this series.. 1 for stopping the ball and grabbing boards, and taking guys off their groove... and the other for Isaiah to do as much damage as possible, I want to see Isaiah get more floor time with Olynyk. KO is stepping up man, I can just feel it.

Have fun taking Lebron off his groove.

[CelticGuardian]

What you guys fail to understand is that any player in this series can score... not at will like Kyrie or LeBum... but with good ball movement you could get a good shot off. We need our best defensive lineup because that is how we can hope to contain them in the first half, so Isaiah's workload won't be too crazy like it was today(20 pt deficit?.. come on, man) That's a lot of ground for one man to try to make up, even with Jerebko and Olynyk..

Good ball movement starts with a ball handler who can create something. The only guy who could do that in the halfcourt was Thomas. I still want Turner out there, but if Lebron's guarding him, someone else needs to run the offense.

Brad needs to split the team into two units for this series.. 1 for stopping the ball and grabbing boards, and taking guys off their groove... and the other for Isaiah to do as much damage as possible, I want to see Isaiah get more floor time with Olynyk. KO is stepping up man, I can just feel it.

Have fun taking Lebron off his groove.

You are acting like Lebron isn't looking to setup his teammates at this point. Getting them on their groove is his priority if he's looking to make a deep run with these guys.

[shrinkage36]

I would not change too much of the lineup, you can't put Zeller & KO in at the same time in case of foul issues, you won't have a center if they both get in foul trouble. Also, we just need to play better defense, IMO. We scored fine, we just couldn't stop them. It sucks when you don't have anyone protecting the rim, and Irving just made Super Man shots as Stevens mentioned.

[littleteapot]

You are acting like Lebron isn't looking to setup his teammates at this point. Getting them on their groove is his priority if he's looking to make a deep run with these guys.

Lebron is in his groove when he can get in the lane and make plays. We can't prevent him from doing that with this roster. It's that simple. If we put our defensive lineup out there to slow the Cavs offense a bit, they are still going to be flowing and will crush us as soon as we go all offense.

[jpotter33]

TP for some creative basketball thinking, rondohondo. 

I don't think Stevens will go so far as to start Bass at the three.  I'd like to see him at least start Crowder instead of Turner, though.  I'd prefer for Evan Turner to have no minutes guarding Lebron James.  It's a terrible, terrible match up.

Maybe?

Smart
Turner
Crowder
Bass
Olynyk

Smart on Irving.
Crowder on Lebron.
Brandon on Love. 

Plenty of shooting and plenty of ball handling.

That's my favorite line up . . . I think. 

Plus, I think Thomas and Zeller could give us some real offensive pop off the bench.

I like this lineup, and you could always have either Smart or Bradley on the court to cover Irving. Similarly, I think you almost have to have either Bass or Crowder out there at all times to check Lebron. It needs to be a bigger guy to body up Lebron and not let him bull his way into the lane.

I'm also intrigued with going back to the Sully/KO frontcourt for some minutes. Both can stretch the defense, and Sully's rebounding will really help us down low.

[Celtics18]

So the answer defensively is to get slower and less athletic in the starting lineup?

At this point, any   lineup we put out there to cover one of our deficiencies only creates another problem in a different aspect of our game. Main problems are.  no defensive big, not enough ball handlers WHO CAN ACTUALLY SCORE especially BEHIND THE ARC . (IT is really the only one) I'm pretty sure this is nothing new to anyone

I agree.

I think that all the Celtics can do is try to put out lineups that load up their strengths on one side and hope that will be enough to create some kind of small advantage, for small stretches of the game.

The Celtics could put Crowder in the starting lineup and go for their best defensive look -- Smart, Bradley, Crowder, Bass, Zeller.

That lineup will have a really tough time scoring if the Cavs actually try.

Alternatively, the Celts could trot out Thomas, Bradley, Datome, Jerebko, and Olynyk and just try to spread the floor as much as possible for Thomas and Bradley to attack.

I don't like either of those lineups.  The first one has nobody who can create off the dribble.  That's a nightmare. 

The second one will obviously get hammered defensively.

We have the personnel to at least attempt to balance offense and defense.

The lack of offensive creators aside from Thomas is going to be an issue regardless.  I don't think Turner has much of a place in this series.  The best game plan offensively at this point, I think, is to create as much space as possible and just let Isaiah go to work.

Defensively, the Celts can put Bradley and Smart out there and try to hound Kyrie, and they can put Bass or Crowder on LeBron.  That will help a bit, compared to the alternative. 

The paint's going to be wide open, though, regardless.  Mozgov, Love, and Thompson are going to be able to get offensive boards against our dinky frontcourt all day long.

I disagree.  Evan Turner is by far our second best offensive creator.  As such, he has a very valuable role to play in this series (unless you are expecting Isaiah Thomas to play 48 minutes per game). 

Evan is actually a slightly better passer than Isaiah as well and doesn't struggle as much against the trap or the double team.  He didn't have a great first game, but his services will be needed if we want to stay competitive. 

[Jesus Shuttlesworth #20]

This lineup guarantees Lebron goes for at least 40 points. If Bass was two times faster..Lebron still goes for 40.

[kozlodoev]

Zeller was instrumental in shutting down LeBron on PnRs on Sunday. Benching him for Olynyk is a typical "oooh, shiny!" reaction.

Need to start Crowder, who actually has a shot of slowing down LeBron. Don't need one-trick pony Bradley on JR Smith -- Turner will do just fine. Keep starting Turner on LeBron, and you will lose this series in 4.

http://greenstreet.weei.com/sports/boston/basketball/celtics/2015/04/20/irish-coffee-should-jae-crowder-start-against-lebron-james/