Who's your starters at the 4 and 5

[KG Living Legend]

 Boucher, Queta Garza, Williams
Minott, Tatum, Tilman,
Brown, Hauser, Walsh, Luis
Scheierman

 Here are all the players that have a shot. I think.Center is easier to pin down its likely Queta or Boucher at this point.

 The real fun is guessing who the heck is starting at the 4 this year. They more I think about it, the more I like Hauser to get the first crack at it.

 Brown doesn't do well with the paint clogged up, and if Queta is starting that's already one guy that doesn't stretch the floor.

 Can't have two non 3 point shooters sharring the court together.

 Boucher and Hauser together would really give up some space,  I do want to see what Queta has though, as the starting center.

Queta/Garza
Hauser/Boucher
Brown/Scheierman
White/Hugo
Prichard/Simons

[radiohead]

I have a feeling Simons and PP will have a time share at point guard. The starter determined by the match up at hand.

[Who]

Boucher is a tall skinny big forward. Not a center. He would get killed there. He already has a tough time with the physicality at PF which is why he has never been more than a 15-20mpg player.

PF: C Boucher
 C: Queta

Boucher is our most established PF. I liked Minott as the starter before that but Boucher should move ahead of him due to superior outside shooting. He may lose that job if his shot is not falling. Minott is a better ball-handler, passer, slasher, scorer from inside the arc. So Minott could take his job if Boucher is not on point.

Queta looks safe at center. He is the only one that plays defense. Luka Garza looks best as a backup center where his lack of defense can be hidden better.

I like keeping Hauser to the bench to give two strong bench players (Pritchard, Hauser) to anchor the bench. Also to keep Jaylen at SF so he doesn't have to defend PFs all season which he would have to do if Hauser started at forward.

[celts55]

 Boucher, Queta Garza, Williams
Minott, Tatum, Tilman,
Brown, Hauser, Walsh, Luis
Scheierman

 Here are all the players that have a shot. I think.Center is easier to pin down its likely Queta or Boucher at this point.

 The real fun is guessing who the heck is starting at the 4 this year. They more I think about it, the more I like Hauser to get the first crack at it.

 Brown doesn't do well with the paint clogged up, and if Queta is starting that's already one guy that doesn't stretch the floor.

 Can't have two non 3 point shooters sharring the court together.

 Boucher and Hauser together would really give up some space,  I do want to see what Queta has though, as the starting center.

Queta/Garza
Hauser/Boucher
Brown/Scheierman
White/Hugo
Prichard/Simons

Man, that team looks terrible when you see it written out

[Vermont Green]

There was another thread to predict the starting 5.  This was before the Niang trade and Boucher signing, of course.

That said, Boucher probably starts as a forward/big and I still think Garza will start at C.  Unless Queta comes in new and significantly improved, he probably is not better than Garza.  Garza can at least score a little (beyond put back/lob dunks).

Plus I think they will play plenty with only 1 big, like OKC did most of last season.  Queta or Garza could be the 1 big, probably not Boucher or Minott.  Tillman is a big question mark and Williams is likely at last a year away from being much of a factor.  Queta could be fine with 4 other true scorers on the floor.

[Celtics4ever]

For  me I think will be Hauser at the 4 and Nemi at the five in the beginning because Joe will play his guys.

As the rotation settles, I think it will be Nemi at C and Boucher at five with double big lineups.  But I think it will be flux due to lineup.  Boucher is a great small ball center in the making.

[Goldstar88]

Boucher at the 4 and Queta at the 5. Hauser is not going to be able to cover PFs.

[Moranis]

Another sad depressing thread

[KeepBigAl]

I've watched 90% of games every season since the early 90s and this is the worst group of PF/centers, from both an offensive and defensive perspective, I've ever seen.   People are elevating these guys b/c Brad signed them - but man, this entire group are fringe NBA players and NONE are starter quality, even on bad teams.   


Hauser is not fringe but would be a huge defensive and rebounding liability at the 4.  If Tilman can return to form, he is the most proven big, but a backup role is really his ceiling.  None even shoot that well from 3 and seem to fit the system.

[Celtics4ever]

I've watched 90% of games every season since the early 90s and this is the worst group of PF/centers, from both an offensive and defensive perspective, I've ever seen.   People are elevating these guys b/c Brad signed them - but man, this entire group are fringe NBA players and NONE are starter quality, even on bad teams.   


Hauser is not fringe but would be a huge defensive and rebounding liability at the 4.  If Tilman can return to form, he is the most proven big, but a backup role is really his ceiling.  None even shoot that well from 3 and seem to fit the system.

I think Boucher has him as a more proven big and it is not even close.

Boucher 405 games avg 17mpg   8.9 PPG and 5.1 RPG
Tillman  260 games avg 16 MPG   5.3 PPG and  3.8 RPG 

Tillman even in his best year was not as good as Boucher's career average.

[KeepBigAl]

Sure as an offensive player overall, but the operative word you missed is big

Boucher cant even hold his ground against most 3s. He is a piece of paper in the post against 4s. Tillman is 50 pounds bigger and a legit 4 - a much better option there if back to his old self (which admittedly may be a longshot).

[celticsclay]

Another sad depressing thread

Agreed. Getting Ben Simmons for a minimum would be useful at this point. I also have the dream of Tatum returning in march and us resigning a previously retire al Horford for the playoffs. It is nice to dream.

[Neurotic Guy]

I've watched 90% of games every season since the early 90s and this is the worst group of PF/centers, from both an offensive and defensive perspective, I've ever seen.   People are elevating these guys b/c Brad signed them - but man, this entire group are fringe NBA players and NONE are starter quality, even on bad teams.   


Hauser is not fringe but would be a huge defensive and rebounding liability at the 4.  If Tilman can return to form, he is the most proven big, but a backup role is really his ceiling.  None even shoot that well from 3 and seem to fit the system.

I don't think anyone can argue that you're wrong about the quality of the 4/5s at this moment in time, though I'd argue that Boucher is not a fringe NBA player - though starter is a stretch.  The way I'm looking at it is there are players who will get more PT than they've had in the past, and it's not impossible (albeit not likely) that we can be pleasantly surprised.  I'm not counting on it and I don't care if it doesn't happen. But, for me it will be interesting to watch.  I am far from bummed or complaining about where we sit at the moment.  Lots of unknowns ahead and some might turn out to the C's benefit.