This is what Stevens does every season to start the season. He experiments with different combinations in various situations for the first month or so, and collects enough samples sizes of data to determine which lineups to go with in the long term. That's why his Celtics teams usually start off mediocre and then hit their stride by Xmas.

Quote from: hpantazo on October 26, 2019, 11:33:46 AM

This is what Stevens does every season to start the season. He experiments with different combinations in various situations for the first month or so, and collects enough samples sizes of data to determine which lineups to go with in the long term. That's why his Celtics teams usually start off mediocre and then hit their stride by Xmas.

This team absolutely cannot afford a slow start. This team is too young and inexperienced to pull themselves out of a huge hole. They need continuity and familiarity with each other. I never know who is going to play from one game to the next, and for how long. If it frustrates me as a fan, i'm sure it frustrates the players even more.

This team cannot afford his experimentation with lineups and his constant substitutions. Nobody can get into a rhythm. I'm very surprised the players pulled off what they did last night, but i don't credit Stevens for any of that. He pulls players in and out every 2 to 3 minutes, which is absolutely absurd. I've been watching this sport for a long time and i don't recall any other coach doing this. His offense is stale and predictable and his love of small ball will cost this team. There is no reason why he should be playing Grant Williams at center, even though Grant played admirably. I have zero confidence in Stevens at this point. I am trying very hard to figure out what he actually does well as a coach but i'm coming up empty. Would much rather have just about any other coach at this point and i'm not even kidding. He's been the same exact coach for the past however many years. No improvements. None.

Quote from: IDreamCeltics on October 26, 2019, 12:29:01 PM

Quote from: Spicoli on October 26, 2019, 11:29:14 AM

This team cannot afford his experimentation with lineups and his constant substitutions. Nobody can get into a rhythm. I'm very surprised the players pulled off what they did last night, but i don't credit Stevens for any of that. He pulls players in and out every 2 to 3 minutes, which is absolutely absurd. I've been watching this sport for a long time and i don't recall any other coach doing this. His offense is stale and predictable and his love of small ball will cost this team. There is no reason why he should be playing Grant Williams at center, even though Grant played admirably. I have zero confidence in Stevens at this point. I am trying very hard to figure out what he actually does well as a coach but i'm coming up empty. Would much rather have just about any other coach at this point and i'm not even kidding. He's been the same exact coach for the past however many years. No improvements. None.

I think he does a good job figuring out what guys do well offensively.  I'm with you 100% on his lineup management though.  His teams consistently play their best when a couple of guys are hurt and he's forced to just play the same players big minutes.  His baseline egalitarian "everyone plays 24 minutes" approach can be maddening when he's coolering my fantasy players on a nightly basis.   

I really hope that we see bigger minutes for Timelord, JB, Tatum, G. Williams, and Edwards this season and he doesn't try to force-feed minutes to our injury-prone/veteran roleplayers. 

I'm not a big fan of Stevens, but this is a rather bizarre reason to be upset with him.  Why should Stevens care about what is best for your fantasy team?  He's trying to do what he thinks is best for the team that matters, the Celtics.

Or are you telling us you're more concerned about your fantasy team than the Celtics?

Quote from: Spicoli on October 26, 2019, 11:42:54 AM

Quote from: hpantazo on October 26, 2019, 11:33:46 AM

This is what Stevens does every season to start the season. He experiments with different combinations in various situations for the first month or so, and collects enough samples sizes of data to determine which lineups to go with in the long term. That's why his Celtics teams usually start off mediocre and then hit their stride by Xmas.

This team absolutely cannot afford a slow start. This team is too young and inexperienced to pull themselves out of a huge hole. They need continuity and familiarity with each other. I never know who is going to play from one game to the next, and for how long. If it frustrates me as a fan, i'm sure it frustrates the players even more.

It's too bad Stevens doesn't have any way of communicating that kind of thing with the players. The fact the players have only as much info as us is a real weak point of the NBA   

And why, exactly, can this team mot afford a slow start? Do we have championship aspirations that somehow will only work if we are the #1 seed? I'd much rather see Brad tinker with lineups now (even if it costs us a couple of wins) than be screwed if a rotation player goes down because their replacement hasn't played any time with the rest of the rotation.

I honestly don't get why people get so worried about our rotations in October. This team will have tight rotations, and will know what lineups and combos work/don't work come the playoffs. If your main concern is how many games we win in the first couple of months, or how much you can predict what the rotation will be in any particular early season game, then I don't know what to tell you.