Back up SF

[gar]

With Walker down was interested to hear Doc's response to who he saw filling in.

http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/blog/postups-notebook-2009-10.html

He talks about the need to see if Scal can be the primary backup and then suggests that Scal could guard the 2 and Daniels could take quicker SF's. Not only is it a stretch to see Scal at SF; but to go to such extremes when you have the ability to bring in Giddens and move Marquis to SF suggests a number of things. One is that he likes Marquis at SG (perhaps because he does not trust Eddie at the point) and two, it could mean that he still does not think Giddens is ready. None of this can be terribly reassuring with Walker out and with TA being, well TA.

[Roy Hobbs]

The thought of Daniels and Scal as our 2/3 combination, even for a couple minutes a game, is pretty scary.  I can't even imagine entertaining the thought of asking Scal to guard the 2.

Doc needs to get the idea of "going with five subs at the same time" out of his head.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Scal is horrible as a 3. I guess the plus of it will be that it will open the lane quite a bit for Daniels with 4 other "shooters" around him, but even so, Scal is just a bad idea at the 3.

[PosImpos]

Scal is a passable backup at the 4, but otherwise...please keep him out.

I'd rather have Giddens (warts and all) defending the 2 or 3 than Scal.  At least we can expect Giddens to keep up.

[gar]

So if Daniels is really backing up Rondo and Ray. I would have to say that we have a problem. TA  Giddens and Scal do not make a reliable backup. It does not take a village to make a backup SF. It takes someone between 6-7 & 6-9 220-240lbs. Go get him Danny. Feels like we have been all over this since Posey left last year.

[xmuscularghandix]

The thought of Daniels and Scal as our 2/3 combination, even for a couple minutes a game, is pretty scary.  I can't even imagine entertaining the thought of asking Scal to guard the 2.

Doc needs to get the idea of "going with five subs at the same time" out of his head.

I don't think he's gonna do an all backup line, i think he just wants to see who Scal is capable of guarding. Bigger slower SF can defenitely be held under control by Scal... esspecially the backup ones that he'd be covering.

[gar]

Scal we capable of sparking the second unit last year with hustle plays and a few 3's. You can see where Scal could become Doc's Binky with the otherwise dysfunctional second unit that we had. The question is with this new second unit he has new options. the fact that Scal is always mentioned as part of the second unit is perhaps natural; however I hope that other players can step up so that Scal is not needed as much. The concussion thing means he could be out of the lineup like that. Same with Walker and TA as we have seen. I know many have been saying this for a while; but if TA or Giddens or Walker are not able to step it up this year we are screwed.

Of course if Hudson is able to play the point that allows Daniels to move to the three as well - so am happy with that; but seems like a bit of a pipe dream.

[billysan]

I think the backup wing depth is a more important roster concern than PG to be honest. We are calling Eddie and Quisy 'PG' backups and wing backups, but that just leaves me feeling a man short.

Some part of me says that Tony Allen will never regain his full athletic ability due to a lack of health or because of his mental state. I wish I didnt feel this way because we could use his defense off the bench.

I dont consider Brian Scalabrine as a valid backup wing player. He is certainly valuable as an emergency center or PF, but he will be severely tested against most of the SF in this league. We will see a short lived experiment here by Doc before the season is over.

I guess if we had some confidence in one of Giddens, Walker (healthy?) or even Hudson being able to play productive backup minutes (10mpg) this wouldnt be the case.

I think we are looking at another season of Doc playing Paul Pierce and Ray Allen way too many minutes and having them burned out by March. Doc will give Eddie and Quisy about 20 mpg and no one else will get off the bench.

[nickagneta]

I really think the Scal to SF move is a delaying action until Danny can put a deal together for a true back up wing using Tony and Scal and probably Giddens as bait.

Andres Nocioni - this makes sense
James Jones - if Miami looks to not be making the playoffs, maybe
Tayshaun Prince - again, depends how bad the Pistons are and if Danny wants to gather $8 million in salary to do it.

Just a couple of examples but they will be out there and they will be available

[Cman]

I think the backup wing depth is a more important roster concern than PG to be honest.

Agree 100%.  I think the number 1 need right now is to get a backup 3.  My guess is that the Cs will first monitor the waiver wires, probably kick the tires on a few as-yet-unsigned vets, but ultimately may make a trade.  We'll see.

[Brickowski]

We have a backup sf.  Too bad they have him playing point guard.

[Chris]

We have a backup sf.  Too bad they have him playing point guard.

Well, they don't need to play all the bench players at once.  Against most teams, they can mix and match enough to let the combination of Daniels and House give Pierce, Allen, and Rondo plenty of rest, with occasional appearances by guys like Scal, based on certain matchups.

[nickagneta]

We have a backup sf.  Too bad they have him playing point guard.

Well, they don't need to play all the bench players at once.  Against most teams, they can mix and match enough to let the combination of Daniels and House give Pierce, Allen, and Rondo plenty of rest, with occasional appearances by guys like Scal, based on certain matchups.

Not to be mean Chris but, are you dreaming? Mix and match substitutions? We are talking about Doc here, right? The master of the two team system of the Starters and the Green Team?

He literally has a second team that could beat some first teams in this league all by themselves. I say we see a lot of the starters coming out with 2 minutes left in the first quarter, they return around the six minute mark of the second quarter and the whole thing happens again in the second half except players 11 and 12 see the floor during blowouts.

[celticinorlando]

scal at the 3 is a disaster...still think this team needs a legit back up 3

[BballTim]

We have a backup sf.  Too bad they have him playing point guard.

Well, they don't need to play all the bench players at once.  Against most teams, they can mix and match enough to let the combination of Daniels and House give Pierce, Allen, and Rondo plenty of rest, with occasional appearances by guys like Scal, based on certain matchups.

Not to be mean Chris but, are you dreaming? Mix and match substitutions? We are talking about Doc here, right? The master of the two team system of the Starters and the Green Team?

He literally has a second team that could beat some first teams in this league all by themselves. I say we see a lot of the starters coming out with 2 minutes left in the first quarter, they return around the six minute mark of the second quarter and the whole thing happens again in the second half except players 11 and 12 see the floor during blowouts.

  It seems worse than it actually is. Check out the 5 man units for the Celts last year. Paul or Ray or Rajon are in like 17 of the top 20 units (about 100 of about 2500 minutes listed don't include one of them). 7 out of the top 10 5 man units for both Tony Allen and Eddie House include one of those 3 starters. TA and Eddie were playing almost all of the 1-2-3 minutes before Tony's injury. Eddie and Marquis (who seems to be more versatile than Tony) should be able to handle the load.