You May Think I am Crazy but Scal is an Important Part of Our Team...

[soap07]

Where he lost me is when he talked about having him in the regular rotation.

See, here is the problem: We all agree that Scal shouldn't be in the rotation. So if you're a non-rotation player, you're really not all that important to a championship team. You're an extra body in practice, I suppose, but when the team is less effective with you in the rotation, you really aren't an important part of the team. Scal contributes a minimal amount in that he won't make mistakes on the floor, but is that really the level we've sunk to for an NBA player? That he doesn't screw up on the floor?

[soap07]

I agree and I actually hope Scal is back next year. I'm of the belief that a team can be hurt by having too much talent with lack of minutes to go around. The Celtics as currently constituted suffer from this a bit.

On a 15 man roster I believe 6 or 7 of those players should know that they're not going to get much time on the court and be comfortable with it.

Older veterans and young prospects fit into that mold.

No one, at least not to my recollection, has complained about not receiving minutes.

[Q_FBE]

Scal's role is a support role something analagous to a utility player in baseball. He is fairly reliable and intelligent but obviously not gifted athletically. I see him as a future NBA coach. Perhaps he can backfill for Doc Rivers in the future.

[Rondo_is_better]

It was funny watching Nate Robinson pass to Scal last night because he was the open man. Nate didn't realize that Scal was open for a reason...because he sucks. Lol. 

[JSD]

I agree and I actually hope Scal is back next year. I'm of the belief that a team can be hurt by having too much talent with lack of minutes to go around. The Celtics as currently constituted suffer from this a bit.

On a 15 man roster I believe 6 or 7 of those players should know that they're not going to get much time on the court and be comfortable with it.

Older veterans and young prospects fit into that mold.

No one, at least not to my recollection, has complained about not receiving minutes.

That's not what I said.

[soap07]

I agree and I actually hope Scal is back next year. I'm of the belief that a team can be hurt by having too much talent with lack of minutes to go around. The Celtics as currently constituted suffer from this a bit.

On a 15 man roster I believe 6 or 7 of those players should know that they're not going to get much time on the court and be comfortable with it.

Older veterans and young prospects fit into that mold.

No one, at least not to my recollection, has complained about not receiving minutes.

That's not what I said.

I think I get what you're saying - however, given the choice of A. A player who is talented enough to be out there and wants minutes and B. A player who is not talented enough to see the floor and has accepted it - I would prefer option a.

[Birdbrain]

Scal has overall been not a major part of the team, but anyone who denies that he's stepped up in some moments and helped our guys come through is nuts.  I'm pretty sure we had a better record with Scal starting last year than KG, for instance.  And I remember him making Amare look like a fool quite a few times too. 

And I'll always have love for Scal for his semi-intoxicated rant against the media after the '08 Finals.  From my mind to Scal's lips right there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UUBC8NoQgA

I wish he would shoot more when he's in the game.

TP to both you and Scal for his epic ownage of media. 

[Birdbrain]

It was funny watching Nate Robinson pass to Scal last night because he was the open man. Nate didn't realize that Scal was open for a reason...because he sucks. Lol. 

He drained it though and he's a pretty reliable 3 pt shooter.  His problem is over passing cause he doubts himself.

[Celtics17]

I dont know how valuable he will be in any playoff run as its hard to predict but he is a valuable player. Most of the Scal haters just dont understand team ball. Scal not only defends multiple positions, he knows his role and plays within it, is always ready and can hit the open three. Sure, he isnt going to rebound like a healthy KG or defend like him either but the guy is solid.

[WeMadeIt17]

He will defitnaly hit the open three.

[Rondo_is_better]

I dont know how valuable he will be in any playoff run as its hard to predict but he is a valuable player. Most of the Scal haters just dont understand team ball. Scal not only defends multiple positions, he knows his role and plays within it, is always ready and can hit the open three. Sure, he isnt going to rebound like a healthy KG or defend like him either but the guy is solid.

What you just described is a stop gap player plus the minute positive addition of a three every two games or so.

Its not that he's horrible - its that it'd be easy to find someone better, and that in many people's minds, we have better players that can fill all those gaps.

[Chris]

Where he lost me is when he talked about having him in the regular rotation.

See, here is the problem: We all agree that Scal shouldn't be in the rotation. So if you're a non-rotation player, you're really not all that important to a championship team. You're an extra body in practice, I suppose, but when the team is less effective with you in the rotation, you really aren't an important part of the team. Scal contributes a minimal amount in that he won't make mistakes on the floor, but is that really the level we've sunk to for an NBA player? That he doesn't screw up on the floor?

In a nutshell?  Yes.  If you have a guy outside your top 10 players, who can step on the floor, and not take anything off the table, then they are incredibly valuable. 

Championship caliber teams need to have players who can step in and pick up the slack when there are injuries, and Scal is a perfect example of that. 

[Michael Anthony]

I would take him back at the veteran minimum in a heartbeat.

[JSD]

I agree and I actually hope Scal is back next year. I'm of the belief that a team can be hurt by having too much talent with lack of minutes to go around. The Celtics as currently constituted suffer from this a bit.

On a 15 man roster I believe 6 or 7 of those players should know that they're not going to get much time on the court and be comfortable with it.

Older veterans and young prospects fit into that mold.

No one, at least not to my recollection, has complained about not receiving minutes.

That's not what I said.

I think I get what you're saying - however, given the choice of A. A player who is talented enough to be out there and wants minutes and B. A player who is not talented enough to see the floor and has accepted it - I would prefer option a.

See for morale reason's I would not. Scal like players are good for the locker room and it doesn't help the player or team to have talent wasting away on the bench. Prospects and/or benched veterans can be adequate replacements for role players if they get injured or are inserted into a starting role through starter injury. Veterans who understand their role and prospects who have not earned their stripes are good support for contending teams.

Once KG is healthy a tightened rotation of our starters with Nate, Marquis (or Tony Allen) and Sheed would be it for me. Perk is unnecessarily losing minutes and Doc is over juggling because we have too much relative depth.

[Onslaught]

Where he lost me is when he talked about having him in the regular rotation.

See, here is the problem: We all agree that Scal shouldn't be in the rotation. So if you're a non-rotation player, you're really not all that important to a championship team. You're an extra body in practice, I suppose, but when the team is less effective with you in the rotation, you really aren't an important part of the team. Scal contributes a minimal amount in that he won't make mistakes on the floor, but is that really the level we've sunk to for an NBA player? That he doesn't screw up on the floor?

In a nutshell?  Yes.  If you have a guy outside your top 10 players, who can step on the floor, and not take anything off the table, then they are incredibly valuable. 

Championship caliber teams need to have players who can step in and pick up the slack when there are injuries, and Scal is a perfect example of that. 

I agree. I hope he's around for as long as we need him.