What do we do on nights when Tony doesn't show up?

[Roy Hobbs]

We've been seeing more and more of "Bad Tony" recently, with tonight's game (especially the first half) a shining example.

On nights when Tony clearly doesn't have it, what should we do?  Here are the options, as I see them:

1.  Continue to give Tony minutes, and hope that his defense outweighs his mental mistakes;

2.  Play Nate, including giving him minutes beside Rondo in the back court;

3.  Play Finley;

4.  Play Marquis.

At this point, I'd scratch options #1 and #3 (remember, this is only on nights when we're seeing Bad Tony).  I'd like to see Nate get more minutes, but a Nate / Rondo backcourt only works when the Lakers are going small (allowing Pierce to defend Kobe).

I think by default, then, we're going to have to play Marquis a little more.  Let's hope he gets healthy and can make a contribution in this series, because we can't have continued play like tonight out of our SGs.

[PosImpos]

Yeah, unless they're playing Farmar / Brown and Fisher in the backcourt, we really can't do option #2.  So unfortunately #4 is the only one, and I'm not sure it's a better one...Marquis hasn't had a good performance in a long time and I haven't seen anything from him to suggest we can expect something different.

[Who]

Michael Finley is a fine matchup against Sasha Vujacic and a serviceable one against Luke Walton. I am okay with him getting some minutes against either of those two. He didn't do well against Brown and that matchup looks like trouble so I'd be hesitant to put him out there against Brown again. Finley might also be able to give some minutes against Artest since Ron is so uninvolved offensively for the Lakers.

I would turn to Nate Robinson because (1) the Lakers use small backcourts [Fisher/Farmer/Brown/Vujacic] in their second units so there will be opportunities to put him out there alongside Rondo (2) Nate has had some very good games against the Lakers in the past and is capable of punishing Farmer's/Fisher's defense with his scoring ability.

I don't expect much of Marquis Daniels. He is a drag on the team offensively and outside of Kobe Bryant there is not much to be done defensively. He also has done a very poor job on the backboards this season. I would try to give him minutes against Kobe but leave Ray/Pierce or Nate/Rondo out there when the Lakers are resting Bryant.

Edit: Small backcourts = Two of Fisher, Farmer, Brown and Vujacic.

Vujacic should be included there because of his lack of rebounding and inability to punish a smaller defender offensively.

[Roy Hobbs]

Here's my problem with Michael Finley:  he has one field goal and no free throws since Game 4 against Miami.  He has 3 points in his last 63 or so minutes.

Finley doesn't play defense, and he's made *zero* offensive contribution. 

[PosImpos]

Here's my problem with Michael Finley:  he has one field goal and no free throws since Game 4 against Miami.  He has 3 points in his last 63 or so minutes.

Finley doesn't play defense, and he's made *zero* offensive contribution. 

Yeah, he's as close to a non-factor as it gets.  I'm not even aware of the fact that he's on the floor unless I suddenly realize we're not getting any scoring from the wings.

[LB3533]

Did you guys really feel Tony played like "bad Tony" tonight?

He wasn't "good Tony" but I don't think he was a negative off our bench.

Have to remember, Tony wasn't playing his regular rotational minutes either (& he picked up a few personal fouls in a hurry to boot = 3 PF in 5 minutes?)

I thought our bench wasn't awful tonight and certainly wasn't the reason we were losing or got down by 20 before the 4th.

Sheed and Baby played quality minutes for us even if they didn't have big scoring games.

Defensively, for the most part, we got crushed when our starters were on the floor against the Lakers starters.

I felt a lot more comfortable with our bench unit guys on the floor tonight...and that really shouldn't be happening in the NBA Finals.

[Roy Hobbs]

Did you guys really feel Tony played like "bad Tony" tonight?

He wasn't "good Tony" but I don't think he was a negative off our bench.

I think he was.  When we needed him in the game, he quickly picked up three fouls, including a stupid offensive foul.  He made a terrible decision on the one jumper he took, and missed it badly.  He finished 1-for-4 with two turnovers, and was -11 on the night.  Other than making his two free throws, I didn't see a lot that he did well.

Tony wasn't the reason we lost this game, but he didn't contribute very much at all that was positive, and made several negative plays.

[cyclorider]

Against the Lakers, if you can't make perimeter shots, you lose.  Period.

Tony can't shoot.  If he can't shoot and he can't stop Kobe, he adds nothing to the team and shouldn't even be in the game.

At least provide some offense while Kobe's lighting you up for 30 at the other end.  Unfortunately, Tony isn't capable of making perimeter jump shots and belongs in the D-league of non-shooters.

Where's Eddie House and James Posey when you need them?

The morons in Celtics' management will be the one's responsible for losing this series, because they didn't want to pay the House's and Posey's when they could have.

Instead we have grandpa Finley collecting his social security check on the Celtics' bench.

[dlpin]

Against the Lakers, if you can't make perimeter shots, you lose.  Period.

Tony can't shoot.  If he can't shoot and he can't stop Kobe, he adds nothing to the team and shouldn't even be in the game.

At least provide some offense while Kobe's lighting you up for 30 at the other end.  Unfortunately, Tony isn't capable of making perimeter jump shots and belongs in the D-league of non-shooters.

Where's Eddie House and James Posey when you need them?

The morons in Celtics' management will be the one's responsible for losing this series, because they didn't want to pay the House's and Posey's when they could have.

Instead we have grandpa Finley collecting his social security check on the Celtics' bench.

Eddie house is at home watching the playoffs after shooting just 34.8% from three, while his replacement Nate has shot 39%.

Posey is also at home, after shooting 33.5% from 3 this season.

So apparently those "morons" in management did alright.