How to get Nate more minutes?

[Spicoli]

This guy is too good of a scorer to be sitting on the bench all game.  Jamal Crawford averages 30 minutes a night as a reserve, and he is the spark that puts the Hawks into contention IMO. We need Nate to be the same kind of spark for us, but it's impossible to do without getting him any minutes on the floor. What are some ways to get him 20-25 minutes a night? And if it's not possible, why did we trade for him?

[guava_wrench]

This guy is too good of a scorer to be sitting on the bench all game.  Jamal Crawford averages 30 minutes a night as a reserve, and he is the spark that puts the Hawks into contention IMO. We need Nate to be the same kind of spark for us, but it's impossible to do without getting him any minutes on the floor. What are some ways to get him 20-25 minutes a night? And if it's not possible, why did we trade for him?

We traded for him because he brings more than House.

[pearljammer10]

At first I was a little worried about pairing Rondo and Nate in the backcourt together but now I think itll work. I wouldnt mind seeing Nate be the first guard off the bench then just shift over to Point guard when Rondo needs a break. At some point Doc is going to have to shorten up his rotation, I agree with Van Gundy here. Using the all subs lineup isnt going to cut it. Who makes the 8 man rotation though when youve got Nate, Allen, Finley, Daniels, Baby, and Sheed all fighting for minutes?

[Spicoli]

This guy is too good of a scorer to be sitting on the bench all game.  Jamal Crawford averages 30 minutes a night as a reserve, and he is the spark that puts the Hawks into contention IMO. We need Nate to be the same kind of spark for us, but it's impossible to do without getting him any minutes on the floor. What are some ways to get him 20-25 minutes a night? And if it's not possible, why did we trade for him?

We traded for him because he brings more than House.

I agree with you. I just don't understand why the guy isn't playing bigger minutes when he is able to bring the offensive punch that we are sorely lacking? Shouldn't it be common sense to play a guy who can score at will?

[wiley]

This guy is too good of a scorer to be sitting on the bench all game.  Jamal Crawford averages 30 minutes a night as a reserve, and he is the spark that puts the Hawks into contention IMO. We need Nate to be the same kind of spark for us, but it's impossible to do without getting him any minutes on the floor. What are some ways to get him 20-25 minutes a night? And if it's not possible, why did we trade for him?

excellent question!  If the C's want Nate's points, there going to have to break their own dumb rule that everyone must  be miserable on the way the way to a championship...it's getting to be like the Wizard of Oz out there....did Nate collect the right number of flowers in that field over there...or was he one shy and therefore ineligible for the attack on the castle...

[PLamb]

Again, funny how things turn so quick on this board with the differing opinions

A week ago there was a thread questioning why Nate would ever play with Rondo because it didn't make sense or wasn't efficient and now just 7 short days later, when it's obvious Nate and Rondo won't be on the floor very often together, there's a thread questioning Nate getting more minutes

Poor Doc, no matter what he does, it will never be right

[Spicoli]

Again, funny how things turn so quick on this board with the differing opinions

A week ago there was a thread questioning why Nate would ever play with Rondo because it didn't make sense or wasn't efficient and now just 7 short days later, when it's obvious Nate and Rondo won't be on the floor very often together, there's a thread questioning Nate getting more minutes

Poor Doc, no matter what he does, it will never be right

At this point, it matters very little to me who this guy is on the floor with. He's probably the best shot maker on the entire team. That honor normally belongs to Paul, but Paul has been sucking it up lately. I don't care if Nate is out there with Rondo, or whoever else, just let the guy go out there and get his. That's what we brought him in for. There's no reason to keep a leash on this guy. J.R Smith is a headcase, but Denver lets him go out and chuck for 25-30 minutes a night. Same thing with Crawford. If we aren't going to use Nate in the same way that Denver uses Smith, and the way ATL uses Crawford we might as well had've just kept Eddie.

[Potapenko Boxout]

Again, funny how things turn so quick on this board with the differing opinions

A week ago there was a thread questioning why Nate would ever play with Rondo because it didn't make sense or wasn't efficient and now just 7 short days later, when it's obvious Nate and Rondo won't be on the floor very often together, there's a thread questioning Nate getting more minutes

Poor Doc, no matter what he does, it will never be right

As far as I can tell, Doc continues to do the same thing every game

[el.celta]

I understand that the problem is Doc Rivers ..
much time and not regular table gives more time to Nate and Finley
going to cost him the title by choice and not dedicated to see who plays better.
remember that you sometimes Nate the points lead the Celtics
Example: 3 points vs Indiana 4-4

[More Banners]

Nate's a PG due to size, and nothing can change that.  He gets minutes left behind Rondo, and that's all.  12 minutes, max.

So...all the talk about keeping him next year will depend on him taking a pay cut from his current $4 mil plus $1 mill playoff bonus, down to something more reasonable for a 12 minute bench player, and, of course, if we couldn't get Arroyo or Ridnour, both of whom could play some minutes next to Rondo, justifying more $$ than I'd pay Nate.  I don't think anyone pays him more than $2.5 mil next year, putting him right around the same money as TA and Daniels.

[Change]

Nate is Celtics Marcin Gortat. Not enough minutes behind Rondo, and too small to guard SG's

[Spicoli]

Nate's a PG due to size, and nothing can change that.  He gets minutes left behind Rondo, and that's all.  12 minutes, max.

So...all the talk about keeping him next year will depend on him taking a pay cut from his current $4 mil plus $1 mill playoff bonus, down to something more reasonable for a 12 minute bench player, and, of course, if we couldn't get Arroyo or Ridnour, both of whom could play some minutes next to Rondo, justifying more $$ than I'd pay Nate.  I don't think anyone pays him more than $2.5 mil next year, putting him right around the same money as TA and Daniels.

Nate is a PG in stature only. Nate is a SG. Early in the season, didn't Dallas go with Jason Kidd at PG, and JJ Barea at the two? Barea, similar to Nate, is very small in stature, but is a score first guard. The thing i like about Nate is, he is a SCORER. Not just a shooter, or just a slasher, but a scorer. Because he is a pure scorer, i think he could still get his points even with Rondo running the point.

[Spicoli]

Nate is Celtics Marcin Gortat. Not enough minutes behind Rondo, and too small to guard SG's

Good point about him being too small to guard SG's. Well, isn't it also possible to have Nate and Rondo switch on the defensive end, with Rondo taking the bigger guard? I dunno...i'm just trying to figure out a way for us to get this guy on the floor.

[el.celta]

Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Nate Robinson
these 5 play very well together ...
bank Perkins, Wallace, Daniels, Finley and Tony Allen.

[More Banners]

Nate is Celtics Marcin Gortat. Not enough minutes behind Rondo, and too small to guard SG's

Good point about him being too small to guard SG's. Well, isn't it also possible to have Nate and Rondo switch on the defensive end, with Rondo taking the bigger guard? I dunno...i'm just trying to figure out a way for us to get this guy on the floor.

Things like this have been tried, but Rondo isn't big enough to guard SG's consistently, either.  A Rondo/Nate backcourt should be a rare thing, if ever.  That's why I wrote that Nate is a PG.  He may be a scoring PG, a not-that-great-at-passing PG, but his NBA position is PG, period, only backup PG, too.