Please start Sam vs Detroit!

[cdif911]

Ray Allen is in a terrible slump.  Chauncey Billups, while old and wiley, is hurt.  Rondo is guarding Hamilton anyway.

Start Sam!  Let him get 5-10 minutes so he won't be completely ice cold if we ever need him late in the game during this series.  Continue to bring in House if it's appropriate, but let Ray come off the bench as the primary guard with something to prove.  Ray is definitely not true to form, but we need him to be if we are going to win this series and possibly the next one.

Sam is a perfect matchup for Billups - they are practically the same player.  Doc has always used the argument that he tweaks his rotation based on matchups.  If this is true, then there's no reason not to do this.

Of course, the primary offensive point guard duties would remain with RONDO.

Start Sam!
Go Celtics!

yeah great idea lets change up the line up that we only won 66 games and 2 playoff series. Lets start gabe pruit while were at it.

Gabe Pruitt is a rookie who didn't play all year.  Sam Cassell is a proven veteran with clutch and playoff credentials.  We acquired him specifically for this reason.

We already saw Lindsey Hunter disturb House to the point that he doesn't bring the ball up when he's in there.

Ray Allen can't guard Billups if Billups is on - Cassell can.  If Rondo is going to continue to guard Hamilton, then it makes perfect sense to start Cassell.  Cassell would be getting minutes if our fans didn't complain every time he missed a shot and tried to scapegoat him for everything.

Ray Allen is also 0 for his last 17 if you remove his layups.  Why keep him in there?  Why not hold a grudge against him too?

The lack of logic being employed here makes very little sense.

That's pretty cool that Sam Cassell is now a memeber of Celticsblog! It's like when Youk and schilling started posting on sonsofsamhorn. But Sam, why did you choose the name BrickJames? Was BrickSam already taken or is James your alien middle name?

Actually its not Sam posting here on CB, but none other than former Celtic Chauncy Billups, hoping Rip covers Rondo and he'll get on the old man.  1/2 a billups = 1 whole Sam...

[crownsy]

i see little value in ripping the starting role away from ray to put in a guy who is in a much worse shooting slump and couldn't keep boobie gibson in front of him, to the point that his head coach benched him adn calle dhis defense "a nightmare"

You are mistaken: Doc called the matchup a nightmare.  For Doc to ask a guy (who is hurt in his own right) to guard a guy 15 years younger who is quicker than he ever was was a coaching mistake.

This matchup against Billups bodes well for Cassell.  He knows how to play and defend Billups' style of game.  Those of you who fail to recognize this are simply wrong, I don't know what else to say.

Rondo can more than handle Rip, if the refs allow him to.

Whatever I've made my points - if the rest of you want to keep taking things out of context go right ahead.

Start Sam!

but gibson isn't a drivng PG, he's a shooter, so is west, but they drove because they knew sam can't keep up with driving PG's anymore. Billups IS a driving pg, and quite good at it, its pretty much his career.

I understand he can post people up, but thats just one facet of his game. i'm quite sure with sam in he wouldn't bother.

chauncy watchs film to, and considering 4 gaurds now who don't drive much or at all normally (gibson, west, bibby, a.c law) have destroyed sam off the dribble, im sure billups, hurt or not, is salavating for a chance to go at sam.

also, doc throwing in the word "matchup" sounds an awful lot like being a good coach and not throwing your player under the bus. Eddie isn't exactly noted for his drive defense, but he shut west down all game 7.

[Brickowski]

Anyomne who thinks that Cassell ought to get a single minute for the rest of the playoffs is probably a fan of the other team. Even in garbage time I'd rather see Tony Allen on the floor.

[illantari]

This... is... madness.  Just... This is just madness. 

Even discounting Ray's defense, passing, and spacing that he provides for the team, Sammy hasn't even been on the floor for the last three games, and is probably rustier than Billups.  We can't afford to risk anything this major going against a team like Detroit.

P.S.  I still recoil every time I see an old picture of Chauncey in a C's uniform.  It just doesn't feel ... right?  Good?

[crownsy]

Madness?!!?

THIS...IS....CELTICSBLOG!!!!

sorry, couldnt resist

[Mr October]

I'll stick with Rondo, Allen and House in the back court. Only if Rondo & House are struggling should the C's dust off Cassell. As much as I hate to see it, Sam might be done. ...hopefully not. I feel like he's got one big moment for one big game in him...