list your favorite desperation moves

[Redz]

BRING BACK SCAL!

hmmm...how about sending Von Wafer in to pants Lebron? (actually a wedgie might be more suitable for Lebron)

[LooseCannon]

I mean, as bad as Baby's been playing, what have you seen from Murphy (this year) that's an iota better?

Sure, Murphy may have mainly seen garbage time and it's a small sample size, but in his time with the Celtics, he does have a marginally higher TS% (despite missing so many threes that Baby has a higher 3pt%) and higher offensive and defensive rebounding percentages while posting a higher WS/48 stat.

Declining to resign Glen Davis and replacing his minutes with Troy Murphy for cheap, Jeff Green, and a shot-blocking energy big similar to Chris Johnson might be an improvement and, at worst, a step sideways.  If he is willing to sign for the minimum, I think gambling on Murphy fully recovering from injury and regaining some of his shooting touch might be worth the risk.

[Evantime34]

1. Jeff Green huge minutes: have him come in for Rondo have Pierce run the show and Ray guard Bibby/Chalmers. So he will essentially see time coming in for all the starts.

2. If Big Baby is guarded by Jones he needs the ball in the post, I don't care how poorly he is playing he can score on someone who is that much smaller than him.

3. Push the ball the entire game. We almost no luck scoring in the half court why not change the tempo up.

4. On the opposite end of the spectrum from 3 crash the boards hard. If they are going to go small we need to use our size advantage.

[KungPoweChicken]

The Celtics aren't a team that changes things up much lineup-wise, preferring loyalty and stability, and the pros and cons that come with that approach.  Of course part of that being their approach is due to their roster as well.

Anway, if you could do something as a a last ditch effort to change the equation in this series, what would it be?

Mine would be:

1.  Start KG at center and Jeff Green at PF, regardless of the Heat starting lineup.  Play Jeff Green 40 minutes regardless of potential miscues/mistakes.  Give Baby a night off unless Jermaine, Jeff or KG fouls out.  Don't worry about the negatives of the small lineup.  See what positives you can get out of it.  Use Murphy for 5 minutes if Green needs a short blow or two.

2.  Play Rondo 20 minutes and Delonte 28 minutes.

3.  Give AB 5-7 minutes guarding Wade while Delonte is the PG.

These kinds of things can lead to a Heat blowout, but why not risk it and see what happens?

From yor list, I think increasing Delonte's minutes is the best idea.  In essence, that would negate the need to even play AB since Delonte is doing a great job of it. 

The AB part was more about pestering Wade while Ray gets a bit of rest in the first half....I know the time for rest is over, but that's why it's here in the desperation measures thread ...
along those lines, might be worth seeing if AB can have a microwave moment on offense at the 2 spot.  I think he's a microwave style scorer in general...

Wade would eat Bradley for lunch, and it would mean the C's bigs would either be getting in foul trouble, or giving up layups.  Bradley has incredibly quick feet, but he doesn't yet understand proper positioning defensively, and how to use the help defense to his advantage.  

As far as desperation moves, I think the C's don't need them.  They just need to stay the course, and hope they start hitting some shots.  

I really think Doc found the right combination in game 4, by keeping either JO or KG on the floor at all times, matching up with the Heat when they go small or big, and really hounding them on the perimeter defensively while using JO/KG as shadow.  Had they knocked down the shots they normally hit, and not made dumb mistakes down the stretch this would be a very different series right now.

So, I say stay the course, maybe be a little more aggressive with getting Ray and Pierce to the bench for stretches when they look tired, in order to keep them fresher in the 4th, and hope you can win by playing to your strengths, disciplined defense, and knocking down shots.

No doubt Wade is bigger, stronger, better, and more experienced than Avery Bradley. But you don't think Bradley could play good deny defense on Wade? Wade can shoot over Bradley, and use his strength to get by him. But Bradley could prevent Wade from getting the ball. I believe Bradley could really do that. I'm not suggesting to play Bradley. (I know Doc would never do it, anyway.) But I just think Bradley could do a great job at preventing Wade from getting the ball. That's the best kind of defense you can play on an elite offensive player. Of course, to do this, you would have to take Bradley out of the help system, and just lock wade down.

[CaliCeltics]

Have Baby CHARGE for a loose ball, going out towards the Miami Bench. Diving for it. Do this repeatedly. 

[Neurotic Guy]

Surprising amount of love for Jeff Green on this thread.  I agree that he is the one player who has the potential to bring something more tonight (other than Baby -- who probabaly won't, and shouldn't, get another chance).

I like the KG, JG, PP, RA, DW lineup idea.  I think Rondo ran out of gas in game 4 and I do think he'll again be less effective as the game wears on.

[the_Bird]

I mean, as bad as Baby's been playing, what have you seen from Murphy (this year) that's an iota better?

Sure, Murphy may have mainly seen garbage time and it's a small sample size, but in his time with the Celtics, he does have a marginally higher TS% (despite missing so many threes that Baby has a higher 3pt%) and higher offensive and defensive rebounding percentages while posting a higher WS/48 stat.

Declining to resign Glen Davis and replacing his minutes with Troy Murphy for cheap, Jeff Green, and a shot-blocking energy big similar to Chris Johnson might be an improvement and, at worst, a step sideways.  If he is willing to sign for the minimum, I think gambling on Murphy fully recovering from injury and regaining some of his shooting touch might be worth the risk.

Forget the stats this year; they're meaningless.  Watching him out there, he's not right.  Wondering how closely the docs looked him over before they wasted that roster spot (Gody or Semih would be better on the bench, IMHO).

If you want to bring Murphy to camp next year on a non-guaranteed contract, fine.  Something ain't right with him, but maybe he'll get healthy and be back to the player he was a season or two ago.

Thought the purpose of this thread was desperation moves for Game 5, though.  Murphy better not be getting any minutes tonight (unless we're up by forty with three minutes to play ).