Brad Stevens should change the rotation - make it functional

[Tr1boy]

Reason is that, the starting unit has too many players with similar skillset. And Theis is a weird fit at center. Overall it's like all finesse but no muscle.  If Brad wants Tatum, Hayward, Walker to have easier opportunities to score the ball, Grant Williams can set picks at will to free them up. On the defensive end, Robert Williams can protect the rim and provide relief. 

I choose Brown to come off the bench again, because he did a good job at it last season.  He can go off against opposing bench players and provide consistent scoring off the bench.

Right now what CBS is doing is playing all the heavyweights together.  Then extending guys like Walker and or Tatum over the limit, to make it up for the thin bench.  Frankly at times, they look gassed.  Celts leads usually suffer when the starting unit sits, inconsistent production from the bench and then the starting unit have to work overtime to gain the momentum back. 

What I propose is

Starting unit

C  -  Robert Williams
PF - Grant Williams
SF - Jayson Tatum
SG - Gordon Hayward
PG - Kemba Walker

Off bench unit

C - Theis/Kanter
PF- Semi
SF- Brown
SG- Smart
PG- Wannamaker/Edwards

[BudweiserCeltic]

No.

[nickagneta]

No.

Allow me to expand on this...

OH HELL NO!!!

[Tr1boy]

No.

so you want to keep losing?

ok cool

If you read what I wrote

Walker and Tatum are being over extended

[NKY fan]

Reason is that, the starting unit has too many players with similar skillset. And Theis is a weird fit at center. Overall it's like all finesse but no muscle.  If Brad wants Tatum, Hayward, Walker to have easier opportunities to score the ball, Grant Williams can set picks at will to free them up. On the defensive end, Robert Williams can protect the rim and provide relief. 

I choose Brown to come off the bench again, because he did a good job at it last season.  He can go off against opposing bench players and provide consistent scoring off the bench.

Right now what CBS is doing is playing all the heavyweights together.  Then extending guys like Walker and or Tatum over the limit, to make it up for the thin bench.  Frankly at times, they look gassed.  Celts leads usually suffer when the starting unit sits, inconsistent production from the bench and then the starting unit have to work overtime to gain the momentum back. 

What I propose is

Starting unit

C  -  Robert Williams
PF - Grant Williams
SF - Jayson Tatum
SG - Gordon Hayward
PG - Kemba Walker

Off bench unit

C - Theis/Kanter
PF- Semi
SF- Brown
SG- Smart
PG- Wannamaker/Edwards

I understand where you are coming from. However inserting 2 "big" men in the starting unit that are not rotation level players should only happen if you are trying to tank..

[Tr1boy]

Reason is that, the starting unit has too many players with similar skillset. And Theis is a weird fit at center. Overall it's like all finesse but no muscle.  If Brad wants Tatum, Hayward, Walker to have easier opportunities to score the ball, Grant Williams can set picks at will to free them up. On the defensive end, Robert Williams can protect the rim and provide relief. 

I choose Brown to come off the bench again, because he did a good job at it last season.  He can go off against opposing bench players and provide consistent scoring off the bench.

Right now what CBS is doing is playing all the heavyweights together.  Then extending guys like Walker and or Tatum over the limit, to make it up for the thin bench.  Frankly at times, they look gassed.  Celts leads usually suffer when the starting unit sits, inconsistent production from the bench and then the starting unit have to work overtime to gain the momentum back. 

What I propose is

Starting unit

C  -  Robert Williams
PF - Grant Williams
SF - Jayson Tatum
SG - Gordon Hayward
PG - Kemba Walker

Off bench unit

C - Theis/Kanter
PF- Semi
SF- Brown
SG- Smart
PG- Wannamaker/Edwards

I understand where you are coming from. However inserting 2 "big" men in the starting unit that are not rotation level players should only happen if you are trying to tank..

So Theis is starting material all of a sudden but Timelord is not?

Theis provides very little on offense and while gives you some good moments on D, is not exceptional at that end either

[NKY fan]

Reason is that, the starting unit has too many players with similar skillset. And Theis is a weird fit at center. Overall it's like all finesse but no muscle.  If Brad wants Tatum, Hayward, Walker to have easier opportunities to score the ball, Grant Williams can set picks at will to free them up. On the defensive end, Robert Williams can protect the rim and provide relief. 

I choose Brown to come off the bench again, because he did a good job at it last season.  He can go off against opposing bench players and provide consistent scoring off the bench.

Right now what CBS is doing is playing all the heavyweights together.  Then extending guys like Walker and or Tatum over the limit, to make it up for the thin bench.  Frankly at times, they look gassed.  Celts leads usually suffer when the starting unit sits, inconsistent production from the bench and then the starting unit have to work overtime to gain the momentum back. 

What I propose is

Starting unit

C  -  Robert Williams
PF - Grant Williams
SF - Jayson Tatum
SG - Gordon Hayward
PG - Kemba Walker

Off bench unit

C - Theis/Kanter
PF- Semi
SF- Brown
SG- Smart
PG- Wannamaker/Edwards

I understand where you are coming from. However inserting 2 "big" men in the starting unit that are not rotation level players should only happen if you are trying to tank..

So Theis is starting material all of a sudden but Timelord is not?

Theis provides very little on offense and while gives you some good moments on D, is not exceptional at that end either

TimeLord should not be playing in meaningful minutes in games that matter unless Theis and Kanter are injured. Grant is just the typical underdog that only fans that love rookies get enamored with. It sounds cool to have him as a high character on the team but if the goal is winning in the playoffs he shouldn’t be playing more than a handful of minutes.. hey I was trying to be nice not completely shut down your idea

[coco]

What Brad need to do, and when everyone is healthy; is to stop crappy lineups.

We have 4 studs.  There is no reason to at least keep 2 of the 4 playing at ALL TIMES!

The recent loss to Indiana (giving up a 10pt lead in the 4th) was all on Brad, for starting the 4th with Tatum (whom is not a go-to-guy yet) together with 4 unassertive bench guys.  Resulting in an evaporated lead in just about 3 minutes....

You can experiment with bench lineups when playing at home.  You shouldn't when on the road, especially with a full complement of players (minus Smart).

...all on Brad!

And btw, I am the biggest Brad apologist; and so that should tell you something.

[NKY fan]

What Brad need to do, and when everyone is healthy; is to stop crappy lineups.

We have 4 studs.  There is no reason to at least keep 2 of the 4 playing at ALL TIMES!

The recent loss to Indiana (giving up a 10pt lead in the 4th) was all on Brad, for starting the 4th with Tatum (whom is not a go-to-guy yet) together with 4 unassertive bench guys.  Resulting in an evaporated lead in just about 3 minutes....

You can experiment with bench lineups when playing at home.  You shouldn't when on the road, especially with a full complement of players (minus Smart).

...all on Brad!

And btw, I am the biggest Brad apologist; and so that should tell you something.

I agree he has to play his best players more. Like a lot more. Also hope that nonE of our top guys gets injured. He should stick to his top 5 players plus Theis , Kanter and sometimes Semi and not play anyone else unless it’s garbage time

[Hoopvortex]

I love this kind of discussion. TP to Tr1boy.

Reason is that, the starting unit has too many players with similar skillset. 

Jaylen is more of a driver (‘fire’, in his word), while Jayson is more of a shooter (‘ice’) - but they’re both working on all three skillsets.  It’s a good duplication to have!

You can’t have too many players who can create shots or make a play off the dribble!

Right now what CBS is doing is playing all the heavyweights together.  Then extending guys like Walker and or Tatum over the limit, to make it up for the thin bench.  Frankly at times, they look gassed. 

Walker is playing 32.3 mpg. I wouldn’t call that “over the limit”.

Brown is getting more minutes than Walker.

Tatum leads the team in minutes at 34.2 - not onerous, but it’s worth asking why. One crucial thing, he’s getting developmental minutes to learn to deal with blitzes and doubles, which he’s seeing more of now. Very encouraging that his assist% has been creeping up. The work he did over the summer in shooting in the lane and finishing through contact needs a lot of game reps, but I for one think that he’ll get that clicking this season - and when he does, opponents can’t crowd him so much - and the offense opens up for everyone.

Both Jays are advancing as playmakers; the bigger picture is that they’re being developed as complementary threats to drive, make a play for a teammate, and shoot with range.

Celts leads usually suffer when the starting unit sits.

The starters are virtually never sitting at the same time. There are always at least two of the core five players on the court together.

What I propose is

Starting unit

C  -  Robert Williams
PF - Grant Williams
SF - Jayson Tatum
SG - Gordon Hayward
PG - Kemba Walker

Off bench unit

C - Theis/Kanter
PF- Semi
SF- Brown
SG- Smart
PG- Wanamaker/Edwards

Two non-shooters in the starting lineup? And at the moment, btw, Ojeleye is in the rotation, while Grant is not.

I understand where you are coming from. However inserting 2 "big" men in the starting unit that are not rotation level players should only happen if you are trying to tank..

Rob was in the rotation before he was injured.

So Theis is starting material all of a sudden but Timelord is not?

That’s what Brad Stevens thinks, evidently.

Theis provides very little on offense and while gives you some good moments on D, is not exceptional at that end either

It’s hard to agree with these two things, but I would say that his size is an issue against bigger opponents. Block % of 6.4% IS exceptional.

[Tr1boy]

What Brad need to do, and when everyone is healthy; is to stop crappy lineups.

We have 4 studs.  There is no reason to at least keep 2 of the 4 playing at ALL TIMES!

The recent loss to Indiana (giving up a 10pt lead in the 4th) was all on Brad, for starting the 4th with Tatum (whom is not a go-to-guy yet) together with 4 unassertive bench guys.  Resulting in an evaporated lead in just about 3 minutes....

You can experiment with bench lineups when playing at home.  You shouldn't when on the road, especially with a full complement of players (minus Smart).

...all on Brad!

And btw, I am the biggest Brad apologist; and so that should tell you something.

he could not because of a B2B

this is why I'm saying that the rotation needs balance

If Carsen Edwards also is a guy Danny wanted for the purpose of some quick points off the bench.... well give him the opportunity then (early in the season, before needing to make a trade for help)

All I see is Tatum and Wannamaker jacking shots from the 2nd unit

[Big333223]

Jaylen needs to stay in the starting lineup. Of those starting wings, he's the only one I trust to defend quick guards.

Theis is a perfect fit for the starting lineup as a defense-first guy who knows where to be and doesn't need to ball to provide some offense. If Timelord were ready, he would also be a good fit but he's not ready. He still chases too much and over-commits. Kanter rebounds and scores but can't play defense so he makes more sense off the bench. That leaves Theis.

I think Stevens knows exactly what he's doing with the rotation, given the roster.

[Fafnir]

No.

so you want to keep losing?

ok cool

If you read what I wrote

Walker and Tatum are being over extended

You know what players love? If a coach panics and start messing with their starting spot after two close losses. Especially when the current configuration has gotten off to a great start to the year.

Honestly you remind me of Rick Pitino.

[Fafnir]

No.

No.

Allow me to expand on this...

OH HELL NO!!!

TPs to both you gents for saying it as concisely as possible.

[action781]

No.

so you want to keep losing?

ok cool

You're overreacting to a two game losing streak.  The Raptors had six two-game losing streaks last season (one three gamer!).  All but one of them came with Kawhi playing.  Can you imagine them tweaking the starting lineup every time that happened?

We have a 70% winning percent on the season.  For comparison, only two teams last season finished the regular season with a mark that strong.  We're fine right now.