Rotations and matchups

[Meadowlark_Scal]

and he isn't playing over them......but he has to be out there to cover kobe....play both or one also.....and ease up on the personal side of it....it is just our diff opinions after all.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Are you actually suggesting that we should start TA over Ray or PP?  I don't think so no.  Yes, TA covers kobe whenever he is in the game but for the most part, I like the rotations Doc has been using.  

I know, the fixation of "The starter" stuck in your mind huh...Who cares who "Starts", all we care about is that Kobe doesn't score, gets tired, and in foul trouble..who wins, the guy who starts the most games...? Who has his ego stroked the most..?

No, I'm not obsessed with who starts. I just think that wanting to play TA over PP and Ray is pretty foolish. And your logic is incredibly flawed. You basically want TA to play 40+ minutes at the expense of our two best perimeter scorers. You are worried that Ray can't defend and play kobe yet you want you want TA playing instead. Makes no logical sense really.

Actually, "earning" a starting position on an NBA team, and one as experienced as the Celtics especially, is a big deal, and replacing one of our current starters with a bench player would be a slap in the face, (or at least a conceived one), of the player being replaced, whether the reason is justified or not.

The only way that would ever happen would be in the case of an injury. I'm not saying I have a problem with it, but the way the system works in the NBA, and again, on established "role" teams like the C's, it's just not going to happen ... too many egos and preconceived notions of importance rankings that would inevitably be messed with, and a conservative coach like Doc is not going to twiddle with that established chemistry that took so long to solidify.

Interesting idea, and I love the pressure that TA is putting on Kobe ... but the only way it happens, (realistically), is by early substitutions or foul trouble, not by changing the starting line-up.

Okay "Start" the guy, then when he can't hit shots, and cover kobe, you pull him for that, put in the guy that can...this isn't the regular season you know...there is no NEXT TIME, this is no time to cater to ego's, you go with the hot hand, rebounders, and hard D...Cater to ego's, and watch the tape all summer wondering why you lost...!

[Meadowlark_Scal]

One example of "Earning" your starter spot by what you "DID" is ray hitting all those threes in the one game, but then while covering kobe, hitting absolutly nothing, as a coach, you have to have the ability to assess right away a trend....who is on and who isn't....what you did last game doesn't mean $#$!$@#..sorry, but that is how sports are....we don't forget it, it saved us, but next game, if you don't do it, we have to find the guy that will and can...maybe a coach would be a good stock broker...gotta go where the money is...especially in the playoffs...leaving ray in all game that time was a mistake, too taken with what he did the game before, forgetting the "hot hand " theory. How many did kobe score on him that time..? 30..?

[Bankshot]

Doc did good to finally see that if the starters ain't doing it, go to the bench. There are some matchups that, as we have seen in the recent past, don't work well for us. Ray covering Kobe, well, Ray proved he CAN cover Kobe, but he can't score also, he can do either. That is why TA should cover Kobe, with a try for Marquis also. TA played Kobe the only way you can....You have to stay glued to him when he doesn't have the ball..it kills the shot clock, and makes it harder for him to get a nice set shot, it actually makes it easier for the rest of our team. MD, when put on Kobe, should cover him hard and physical, if he can do it...I think he can, we have nothing to lose there.!

  Ray cannot cover Kobe AND be our shooter, it takes too much energy, you never give your best scorer the hardest D assingnment, it may feed the ego, but it won't put points on the board.

   PP and Ray really shouldn't be out there together, unless Kobe is on the bench.

  Perk....what to do with him, he really cannot cover Bynum, no one really can..It is a needed break to have him out, I hate to say it, but if he was healthier, we might not be able to beat them. That is Perks fault too, he cannot understand how to stay with his man, the only reason he did well on howard is that you stand in the paint, you won't lose howard, he comes to you (elbows and all), Bynum moves without the ball, and shows up when the ball does, a player needs to commit to staying with him, always..!

  So that goes with Gasol, KG is a bit of a wandering defender..sure, it makes you look like the aggressive "Net", until your guy is p=open and scores easily, which gasol does...a lot. Again, if KG would just stick him close and deny him easy inlets, more shot clock killing, more mistakes.

  Rondo and Nate are doing...great, have to give them more time, or Nate more time..but remember, we got a lot of space, without Bynum in there...a lot..! But these two will tire out the other team BIG TIME, Rondo should NEVER walk the ball up the floor, neither should Nate, you don't have to run right in for a layup, just make LA rush, get tired, fouls and mistakes, bad matchups....getting tired out there isn't always visible, but the results are..!


   BBD benefited a large amount from no Bynum also. BBd got all his game while bynum was out, remember that. Bynum was blocking all the shots after we got past Gasol..which is easy for bynum, it is always easy to block a shot as the next guy, the help, especially when they are both an active 7 footer.

  Perk must be hurt...if he isn't...well he is in major regression. He should watch Bynum tapes..!

I think you better watch the game again. Baby got some of it off of Bynum too.  Maybe because Bynum was hurt or ineffective, but he did it against Bynum too.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Doc did good to finally see that if the starters ain't doing it, go to the bench. There are some matchups that, as we have seen in the recent past, don't work well for us. Ray covering Kobe, well, Ray proved he CAN cover Kobe, but he can't score also, he can do either. That is why TA should cover Kobe, with a try for Marquis also. TA played Kobe the only way you can....You have to stay glued to him when he doesn't have the ball..it kills the shot clock, and makes it harder for him to get a nice set shot, it actually makes it easier for the rest of our team. MD, when put on Kobe, should cover him hard and physical, if he can do it...I think he can, we have nothing to lose there.!

  Ray cannot cover Kobe AND be our shooter, it takes too much energy, you never give your best scorer the hardest D assingnment, it may feed the ego, but it won't put points on the board.

   PP and Ray really shouldn't be out there together, unless Kobe is on the bench.

  Perk....what to do with him, he really cannot cover Bynum, no one really can..It is a needed break to have him out, I hate to say it, but if he was healthier, we might not be able to beat them. That is Perks fault too, he cannot understand how to stay with his man, the only reason he did well on howard is that you stand in the paint, you won't lose howard, he comes to you (elbows and all), Bynum moves without the ball, and shows up when the ball does, a player needs to commit to staying with him, always..!

  So that goes with Gasol, KG is a bit of a wandering defender..sure, it makes you look like the aggressive "Net", until your guy is p=open and scores easily, which gasol does...a lot. Again, if KG would just stick him close and deny him easy inlets, more shot clock killing, more mistakes.

  Rondo and Nate are doing...great, have to give them more time, or Nate more time..but remember, we got a lot of space, without Bynum in there...a lot..! But these two will tire out the other team BIG TIME, Rondo should NEVER walk the ball up the floor, neither should Nate, you don't have to run right in for a layup, just make LA rush, get tired, fouls and mistakes, bad matchups....getting tired out there isn't always visible, but the results are..!


   BBD benefited a large amount from no Bynum also. BBd got all his game while bynum was out, remember that. Bynum was blocking all the shots after we got past Gasol..which is easy for bynum, it is always easy to block a shot as the next guy, the help, especially when they are both an active 7 footer.

  Perk must be hurt...if he isn't...well he is in major regression. He should watch Bynum tapes..!

I think you better watch the game again. Baby got some of it off of Bynum too.  Maybe because Bynum was hurt or ineffective, but he did it against Bynum too.

Well, it is already known that bynum was past hurt that game, why do you think he sat most of it....but scored 20-30 in other games, and blocked a lot of shots.....you think bbd was jumping over him...? He was near gasol...i am not saying bbd wasn't on it..but you can't look past what bynum has done this series, he changed our inside game, stopped it...bbd has little elevation, too little...i like his heart, the things he does, or did...but bynum was out that game..hard to jump on 1 leg..you know he was out and hurt, hurt worse than prev......bbd canbnot score over a healthy bynum...i don't see it.

[Bankshot]

Doc did good to finally see that if the starters ain't doing it, go to the bench. There are some matchups that, as we have seen in the recent past, don't work well for us. Ray covering Kobe, well, Ray proved he CAN cover Kobe, but he can't score also, he can do either. That is why TA should cover Kobe, with a try for Marquis also. TA played Kobe the only way you can....You have to stay glued to him when he doesn't have the ball..it kills the shot clock, and makes it harder for him to get a nice set shot, it actually makes it easier for the rest of our team. MD, when put on Kobe, should cover him hard and physical, if he can do it...I think he can, we have nothing to lose there.!

  Ray cannot cover Kobe AND be our shooter, it takes too much energy, you never give your best scorer the hardest D assingnment, it may feed the ego, but it won't put points on the board.

   PP and Ray really shouldn't be out there together, unless Kobe is on the bench.

  Perk....what to do with him, he really cannot cover Bynum, no one really can..It is a needed break to have him out, I hate to say it, but if he was healthier, we might not be able to beat them. That is Perks fault too, he cannot understand how to stay with his man, the only reason he did well on howard is that you stand in the paint, you won't lose howard, he comes to you (elbows and all), Bynum moves without the ball, and shows up when the ball does, a player needs to commit to staying with him, always..!

  So that goes with Gasol, KG is a bit of a wandering defender..sure, it makes you look like the aggressive "Net", until your guy is p=open and scores easily, which gasol does...a lot. Again, if KG would just stick him close and deny him easy inlets, more shot clock killing, more mistakes.

  Rondo and Nate are doing...great, have to give them more time, or Nate more time..but remember, we got a lot of space, without Bynum in there...a lot..! But these two will tire out the other team BIG TIME, Rondo should NEVER walk the ball up the floor, neither should Nate, you don't have to run right in for a layup, just make LA rush, get tired, fouls and mistakes, bad matchups....getting tired out there isn't always visible, but the results are..!


   BBD benefited a large amount from no Bynum also. BBd got all his game while bynum was out, remember that. Bynum was blocking all the shots after we got past Gasol..which is easy for bynum, it is always easy to block a shot as the next guy, the help, especially when they are both an active 7 footer.

  Perk must be hurt...if he isn't...well he is in major regression. He should watch Bynum tapes..!

I think you better watch the game again. Baby got some of it off of Bynum too.  Maybe because Bynum was hurt or ineffective, but he did it against Bynum too.

Well, it is already known that bynum was past hurt that game, why do you think he sat most of it....but scored 20-30 in other games, and blocked a lot of shots.....you think bbd was jumping over him...? He was near gasol...i am not saying bbd wasn't on it..but you can't look past what bynum has done this series, he changed our inside game, stopped it...bbd has little elevation, too little...i like his heart, the things he does, or did...but bynum was out that game..hard to jump on 1 leg..you know he was out and hurt, hurt worse than prev......bbd canbnot score over a healthy bynum...i don't see it.

I understand.  I was just pointing out that your statement that BBD got ALL his game while Bynum was out was false.

[Emmette Bryant]

I didn't want to start a new thread for this question hopefully this is appropriate.

If Bynum plays, do you think that it would be a good idea for Doc to go to a smaller lineup?

[Mr October]

I didn't want to start a new thread for this question hopefully this is appropriate.

If Bynum plays, do you think that it would be a good idea for Doc to go to a smaller lineup?

I'd play the usual suspects, but I'd run Bynum's knee into the ground.

[nickagneta]

We are two wins away from Doc's 2nd NBA title in three years. I think his rotations and decisions with personnel are just fine and need absolutely no change whatsoever. I mean, how can argue with the success that he has had?

This is the best starting five in the league. They have never lost a series they have played in together. Why do we need to change the starting lineup that is undefeated as a unit in series play, got us this far when we have maximum three games left in the season and are just two wins away from a title?

I don't get it!!

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Well, there is no way it was only these five guys that won it..it would be great if it was......TA's points and defense, would we be here without them..? Nate's extra...BBD's extra...I'd say no, and the 5 did n't do it alone in 08 either, Leon Powe gave LA a person they didn't plan for, not much you can do with a good rebounder, put back guy...and Eddie H...PJ brown...it never is just 5....maybe some super team from the past....?

[Meadowlark_Scal]

If doc was really the fix, why didn't he get us a title last year..?

[nickagneta]

I'm claiming Doc some genius coach. He's good but he's not so good as to make up for the loss of the former year's Defensive Player of the Year and the loss of the back up PF due to injury nor is he good enough to make up for a truly awful bench last year.

And while it's true that the starters need the bench to win, I was talking more about starting the starters as a unit. When they start as a unit in a playoff series the are unbeaten in every series. Why this close would we even think about sitting Ray to start Tony or even screw with the rotation? We are two wins from the championship!!!

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Who started the games we lost......same 5....did i miss something there.?    Do you really think ray can guard kobe, run thru all those screens, get free, either make a layup, a dunk, or his great shooting...without getting tired......kobe is the hardest guy to guard in the league...all i said, is  TA in fast....never workout your best shooter for nothing...why make ray do all that...we have TA for THAT....

[CoachBo]

I'm claiming Doc some genius coach. He's good but he's not so good as to make up for the loss of the former year's Defensive Player of the Year and the loss of the back up PF due to injury nor is he good enough to make up for a truly awful bench last year.

And while it's true that the starters need the bench to win, I was talking more about starting the starters as a unit. When they start as a unit in a playoff series the are unbeaten in every series. Why this close would we even think about sitting Ray to start Tony or even screw with the rotation? We are two wins from the championship!!!

This.

The rotations aren't going to change. And they shouldn't.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Don't you think phil is looking to open our weaknesses...the same thing.....phil changes his attacks......LA is not weak, and a healthier bynum is a REAL problem...This next game is to me, the winner....we win this one, we'll win the Championship..i not, not hard math...but...hard for us to get it anyother way....You can start anyone you like...my real point is TA is our best bet to cover kobe....you don't agree..? He does more than score, he leads this team, no hot kobe, no win for la....