Doc Rivers: "KG will play Center this year"

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Ugh.  I've a hard time believing that a player who would get irked if you referred to him as a seven-footer would welcome a change to center.

If I'm Ainge, I don't make Rivers make this decision.  That is to say, find a decent starting center in free agency.

THAT s what most here are missing..besides thinking doc is a genius / wizard ( who traded or lost TA..DUH )( for SHORT MONEY ) ( 3.5 mill a year, try to replace THAT ) KG doesn't play center BECAUSE he NEVER wanted to..do you think he has any say in it...do you think a player knows where he is best..the two positions are not so interchangeable..as anyone who plays bball would know. TP for you.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

KG is not a center.....he will be wasting all his energy playing there, covering people who will push him around..and he will then be tired on offense.....not a good idea. Come on doc..! Then he will be out of position on offense also...it will throw his whole game off.....what about murphy at center, or the new guy....play KG..what..less..?

Center is a more difficult position in the defense end. Much more physical, and more area that you have to cover, besides the bigger players. More foul trouble also, you'll see..! If, as an allstar with talent that kg is, you'd think he would choose to play center at an earlier point in his career, but he didn't, did he...? And a few minutes here and there are no measure.

He could just as easily tire himself out running after power forwards that are faster than him at this stage of his career.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

This is NBA basketball. You get pushed, shoved, and have to run/change direction in every position. It won't get any more or less physically taxing when changing positions.

If it were that simple, Jeff Green could guard big 4's. KG is strong but he's going to be slighter in weight than just about every C he faces. Go try pushing around a guy who out weighs you by 25-50 pounds on both ends of the floor for 25-30 minutes a game and tell me it doesn't tax your legs, let alone the rest of your body. That's part of why Doc is always saying we need size.

Exactly...this is fact..! TP.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

I agree with the guys who said he will get pushed around and have no energy left for offense.  He's going to try to keep Dwight Howard and Marc Gasol away from the rim?  It's almost a waste of time unless he develops Big Baby's knack for flopping and taking charges.

A man who knows the game, TP...! And who wants kg taking charges, bbd, that is all he was consistent with doing, kg doesn't have the body type to take charges, and no need to risk injury, if the other team was smart, they would send a hammer type player into kg if he was taking charges...heck, we KNOW phil jackson would send artest in to him to injure him, that has already been proven..!

[Fafnir]

KG is not a center.....he will be wasting all his energy playing there, covering people who will push him around..and he will then be tired on offense.....not a good idea. Come on doc..! Then he will be out of position on offense also...it will throw his whole game off.....what about murphy at center, or the new guy....play KG..what..less..?

Center is a more difficult position in the defense end. Much more physical, and more area that you have to cover, besides the bigger players. More foul trouble also, you'll see..! If, as an allstar with talent that kg is, you'd think he would choose to play center at an earlier point in his career, but he didn't, did he...? And a few minutes here and there are no measure.

He could just as easily tire himself out running after power forwards that are faster than him at this stage of his career.

You cover less area playing C defensively, you play closer to the paint and the rim. KG already excels at help defense and rim protection, he will play excellent defense as a C as well.

[Greenbean]

Im less worried about KG matching up with other Centers as I am worried about having a big body to protect the rim.

It could easily turn into a layup line against the Heat.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I agree with the guys who said he will get pushed around and have no energy left for offense.  He's going to try to keep Dwight Howard and Marc Gasol away from the rim?  It's almost a waste of time unless he develops Big Baby's knack for flopping and taking charges.

A man who knows the game, TP...! And who wants kg taking charges, bbd, that is all he was consistent with doing, kg doesn't have the body type to take charges, and no need to risk injury, if the other team was smart, they would send a hammer type player into kg if he was taking charges...heck, we KNOW phil jackson would send artest in to him to injure him, that has already been proven..!

With Bass & West, KG's offensive responsibilities will be much lower, so KG can exert as much energy as he wants on defense to no detriment to our offensive efforts. Plus, his minutes will be quite micro-managed.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

As center you have to cover BOTH sides, the middle, all who drive hard down the lane, high post, center post, rebounders who pound you, high and low, guys who sky in for the rebound..as a forward, you cover mostly your side, to the baseline. I played forward for almost 20 years..with a decent amount of center, in terms of years also..ask around with guys who had played center, it is like the goalie in hockey...in the end all the shots come to YOU..even when the forward misses his guy..it comes to you...Hey, try playing center...you'll see..!

[Meadowlark_Scal]

AND help defense is the easiest there is....it is actually fun, because your teammate does all the bodying work, covers all the moves, then when they guy is moved-out, he puts it up, you have been nearby, watching, waiting....you jump and block it....a lot easier..!

[Meadowlark_Scal]

IS West known for hs defense our just offense..I haven't seen him enough to know....

[billysan]

I think this whole KG at center issue is way out of proporton. I know we have all watched games the past few years where he covered Howard, Bynum, Gasol, Jefferson, Nowitski, Amare, Yao, Kwame, Okafor and every other big in the league. SOme are called PF and some are argued to be centers. There are constant switches and matchups.

This position thing is a none factor for me. If KG and West (fingers crossed) are starting Celtic bigs against the Knicks, who will cover Chandler and who will cover Amare throughout the game? Both and it will vary with the lineups. Same with the Lakers and Gasol/Bynum.

We will have Wilcox and Bass with possibly Player X (yet to be signed) also available depending on matchups. I do like Wilcox starting and West off the bench for better second unit scoting but that might not be our best lineup.

[Greenbean]

IS West known for hs defense our just offense..I haven't seen him enough to know....

He is an average defender and that was before the injury.

He isnt a great athlete.

Amazing shooting touch though.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

IS West known for hs defense our just offense..I haven't seen him enough to know....

He is an average defender and that was before the injury.

He isnt a great athlete.

Thanks GB, tp for the info...!

Amazing shooting touch though.

[Moreover]

Good news, but they still need a quality backup. A beefy guy to check on the Boguts and Bynums of the world when necessary. But I like KG at the 5 as our primary system. Quicker team.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

One thing I will say for sure..Basketball is also a chess match, you have to move players into the right spots to match, the team you play..take advantage of your / their players..KG, vs some teams could be good..vs howard, bynum, or guys like that....it is not in our advantage...THAT is the magic of being an experienced and wise coach ( not saying me)...