Do the Celtics Need a Pure Point Guard Off the Bench?

[LooseCannon]

This topic has come up before.  A lot of people say that the Celtics don't need a backup point guard because Rondo can play 40+ minutes per game in the playoffs.  I'm not so sure.

In 2007-2008, the Celtics didn't really have a true point guard to backup Rondo.  I suspect that was partly by design to force Doc to play Rondo and to prop up Rondo's self-confidence.  Those reasons don't hold since then, but that hasn't stopped the team from constructing a roster where Rondo is the only real point guard.

Sometimes, Rondo seems to be pacing himself, trying to conserve energy so that he has something left in the tank for the fourth quarter.  We saw in Game 2 vs the Knicks that when Rondo goes full bore, he may get gassed and need to be taken out of the game a bit earlier than usual.  We also saw where Rondo was given a game off late in the season and came back playing better. 

Rondo needs a caddy so that he can be better rested, within the context of the entire season as well as in individual games.  That doesn't necessarily mean I want Carlos Arroyo back next year.  I see that Anthony Carter of the Knicks has been a minimum salary guy pretty much his entire career ($16 million career earnings in 12 seasons) and I wonder if the Celtics would be better off finding a similar veteran (maybe one who has the markings of a future coach) and locking down the backup point spot for a few years on a series of minimum contracts.

[Marcus13]

No, they need a playmaker.  Somebody who can actually take the ball to the hoop or create his own jumper

[Jon]

Arroyo is a pure point guard.  I think the real question most people want to ask is, do the Celtics need another Rondo off the bench?  And of course the answer is yes, but they're not going to get it. 

People need to stop being shocked when our bench players aren't as good as our 4 All Stars, plus 6 time All Star Jermaine O'Neal. 

West running the point is better than what most teams have to offer off of the bench, so I don't think we'll get anything better.  After all, what pure point (who isn't a combo guard and thus can't play the 2) would want to backup Rajon Rondo? 

Answer, someone like Carlos Arroyo.  Steve Nash isn't coming here to play 5 mpg behind Rondo. 

[Who]

I am very happy to have Delonte West.

I would be delighted if he returned for another year (hopefully a healthier year).

[GreenEnvy]

No, they need a playmaker.  Somebody who can actually take the ball to the hoop or create his own jumper

You don't think Delonte can do those things? He has good handles and I really like his step-back jumper. Find him open beyond the arc and he can knock it down. Both Green and West are very good players, especially against second-units. They are just struggling right now.

We brought in Nate who was an instant-scorer (or so we thought) and that didn't work.

[LooseCannon]

Answer, someone like Carlos Arroyo.  Steve Nash isn't coming here to play 5 mpg behind Rondo. 

I'm not expecting Steve Nash, just a guy who is good enough to be a one-year stop-gap temporary starter as a below-average NBA starting point guard for a team with an injury or a rookie they are bringing along slowly.  If you had your choice of Carlos Arroyo (or a player with a similar skill set) vs. Anthony Carter (or a player with a similar skill set) vs. praying that Delonte West is healthy and/or Avery Bradley develops into a PG, which option do you prefer?  If you trust in Delonte, what do you like as plan B?

[Shane1kinley]

Can u explain what was the plan A?

[LooseCannon]

Can u explain what was the plan A?

I asked what your second preference is if you would rather go with Delonte West as the backup PG.

[ballin]

Arroyo is a pure point guard.  I think the real question most people want to ask is, do the Celtics need another Rondo off the bench?  And of course the answer is yes, but they're not going to get it. 

People need to stop being shocked when our bench players aren't as good as our 4 All Stars, plus 6 time All Star Jermaine O'Neal. 

West running the point is better than what most teams have to offer off of the bench, so I don't think we'll get anything better.  After all, what pure point (who isn't a combo guard and thus can't play the 2) would want to backup Rajon Rondo? 

Answer, someone like Carlos Arroyo.  Steve Nash isn't coming here to play 5 mpg behind Rondo. 

Thank your this sentiment, I totally agree. And yeah, Delonte is way better than what most teams have coming off the bench.

In fact it's pretty ridiculous that this post has even been made when our starting center is an injury machine and our backup center is a 6'8 fatty that can't defend, rebound, pass the ball, or score with any sort of efficiency. And if you're counting Shaq well that's another injury machine except that one can't play more than 20 min. a night if he can play at all.

Let's face it, if our bench has a problem it's not at the guard position (Delonte) it's not at the wing (Jeff Green is overrated, but for a bench player he's solid); it's obviously at the center position.

[LooseCannon]

It's logically inconsistent to complain about Jermaine O'Neal being injury prone without having the same concerns about Delonte West.

I think that Ainge should strongly consider using a roster spot to bring back Arroyo or sign some veteran minimum salary point guard, whether or not Delonte West comes back.

I also wanted to start a thread that had nothing to do with "The Trade".  Is that so wrong?

[Bankshot]

No, they need a playmaker.  Somebody who can actually take the ball to the hoop or create his own jumper

You don't think Delonte can do those things? He has good handles and I really like his step-back jumper. Find him open beyond the arc and he can knock it down. Both Green and West are very good players, especially against second-units. They are just struggling right now.

We brought in Nate who was an instant-scorer (or so we thought) and that didn't work.

No he doesn't.

[2short]

I am very happy to have Delonte West.

I would be delighted if he returned for another year (hopefully a healthier year).

agreed, delonte & arroyo are the best backups rondo has had since he's been here
delonte i hope is going to click during these playoffs, he can help us big time but so far since the last injury he hasn't been playing as well

[ben]

You don't need a "Pure Point Guard"  to win a championship, so you definitely don't "need" a pure point guard on the Celtics bench.  But it sure would be nice to have


Whoops, edit here, i forgot arroyo was on our team, sorry buddy.  But doc doesn't play you so i forgot.  Doc seems to prefer the younger Delonte West.  I love Delonte West, but he needs to gain some better handles this summer.  Dribbling with your right hand is a plus Delonte!  Go Celtics!

[LooseCannon]

You don't need a "Pure Point Guard"  to win a championship, so you definitely don't "need" a pure point guard on the Celtics bench.  But it sure would be nice to have

I thought my argument was that it would be nice to have one, not that it was an absolute necessity.

[ben]

You don't need a "Pure Point Guard"  to win a championship, so you definitely don't "need" a pure point guard on the Celtics bench.  But it sure would be nice to have

I thought my argument was that it would be nice to have one, not that it was an absolute necessity.

In that case, change the title in the thread to "Would it be NICE to have a Pure Point Guard off the Bench?"  Respect buddy

And I read your argument.  I think the Celtics have always done the best they can with what they have.  The definition of "pure Point Guard"  is a murky definition at best.  Some will argue West is a "pure Point Guard"  At the end of the day, The celtics are a team and just need to work together to put something together that is greater than their individual talents.  I'd rather see the celtics play two shooting guards that work well with eachother, than to see Tyronne Lue(Kg's best friend and celtics assistant coach, used to play as a pure point guard in NBA for timberwolves i think?) out there for the sole reason of him being supposedly a "pure Point Guard"  Go celtics!