Who is the Backup 3? does anyone else NOT see a glaring weakness??

[Cman]

our back up 3 is MATT BARNES.  one problem, he is currently starting for the Pheonix suns.  But seriously, he signed for the vet minimum, averages 10 points, 6 rebs, 26 min, 6 foot seven, isn't afraid to get into fights with teams with ron artest on them...  i cried when the celtics failed to pick this guy up this summer...  perfect posey replacement, perfect backup 3, good enough to start for the 8-3 Pheonix suns, good enough to back up the Truth

You beat me to it.  I was just about to post on this.  He has always been a scrappy, hustle player, and on top of that he has improved his offensive game.  Would have been a nice, cheap pickup.  Of course, one wonders if he thrives in Phx because, like Gsw, it is a team that gets up and down the floor quickly, which is different from how the Celtics play.

You know, perhaps surprisingly Phoenix isn't playing at a tremendous pace this year.  They rank 16th in the NBA in terms of pace factor; the Celtics are 12th.  Shaq really changed that team.

Yeah, although I think playing with Nash does make a player like him look better, he can't perform miracles...especially not with the "new look" Suns.

Take a look at Marion's FG%. It is amazing how much more efficient he became with Nash. Now that he's not playing with him it went right back down.

I haven't watched any Heat games this year, but based on his stat line, Marion looks like he is playing ok.  Sure there is a drop off, but it doesn't seem huge.  I wouldn't mind him coming to the Cs next year as a FA....

No ones arguing Marion isn't a very good player, we are just saying that stats for players (especially wings) playing with Nash need to be put in context the same way stats racked up playing in Coors Field.  Just because a player plays with Nash doesn't mean he is terrible without him, but there is a good chance they won't be quite as good.

Fair enough.. But I am still with Ben on this that Barnes would have been a nice pickup for Boston, regardless of whether he benefits from the "system" or benefits from Nash.  If we use Marion's drop off as a benchmark (~ 5% points drop), Barnes would be shooting 42% from the field and 35% from the 3pt line.  Not shabby for someone making the vet min.

[Chris]

our back up 3 is MATT BARNES.  one problem, he is currently starting for the Pheonix suns.  But seriously, he signed for the vet minimum, averages 10 points, 6 rebs, 26 min, 6 foot seven, isn't afraid to get into fights with teams with ron artest on them...  i cried when the celtics failed to pick this guy up this summer...  perfect posey replacement, perfect backup 3, good enough to start for the 8-3 Pheonix suns, good enough to back up the Truth

You beat me to it.  I was just about to post on this.  He has always been a scrappy, hustle player, and on top of that he has improved his offensive game.  Would have been a nice, cheap pickup.  Of course, one wonders if he thrives in Phx because, like Gsw, it is a team that gets up and down the floor quickly, which is different from how the Celtics play.

You know, perhaps surprisingly Phoenix isn't playing at a tremendous pace this year.  They rank 16th in the NBA in terms of pace factor; the Celtics are 12th.  Shaq really changed that team.

Yeah, although I think playing with Nash does make a player like him look better, he can't perform miracles...especially not with the "new look" Suns.

Take a look at Marion's FG%. It is amazing how much more efficient he became with Nash. Now that he's not playing with him it went right back down.

I haven't watched any Heat games this year, but based on his stat line, Marion looks like he is playing ok.  Sure there is a drop off, but it doesn't seem huge.  I wouldn't mind him coming to the Cs next year as a FA....

No ones arguing Marion isn't a very good player, we are just saying that stats for players (especially wings) playing with Nash need to be put in context the same way stats racked up playing in Coors Field.  Just because a player plays with Nash doesn't mean he is terrible without him, but there is a good chance they won't be quite as good.

Fair enough.. But I am still with Ben on this that Barnes would have been a nice pickup for Boston, regardless of whether he benefits from the "system" or benefits from Nash.  If we use Marion's drop off as a benchmark (~ 5% points drop), Barnes would be shooting 42% from the field and 35% from the 3pt line.  Not shabby for someone making the vet min.

I can't deny that, because he was one of the guys I wanted to go after this offseason.  But I can't blame Danny, since we simply don't know if Barnes was willing to come here at all, let alone for a reasonable contract.

[Cman]

I can't blame Danny, since we simply don't know if Barnes was willing to come here at all, let alone for a reasonable contract.

Agreed.  As fans we are always left wondering what could or could not have happened.  For example, I am still not sold on the idea that Danny ever wanted Robert Swift.  I don't believe Danny even when he says he wanted Robert Swift -- I just chalk it all up to brilliant smokescreening by Danny-boy.