So, any chance Pierce comes off the bench?

[KGs Knee]

Quite often when we start the 2nd and 4th quarters, we have either an all-bench unit, or at best, Ray and 4 subs.

I don't know how Doc is going to get away from this, but he absolutely needs to find a way.  Start Pierce on the bench or use different substitution patterns, I don't care, just find a way to get Pierce on the floor with the subs and not Ray.

Pierce is such a better creator of offense, I just don't understand Doc's refusal to play him with the subs more.

[Donoghus]

Quite often when we start the 2nd and 4th quarters, we have either an all-bench unit, or at best, Ray and 4 subs.

I don't know how Doc is going to get away from this, but he absolutely needs to find a way.  Start Pierce on the bench or use different substitution patterns, I don't care, just find a way to get Pierce on the floor with the subs and not Ray.

Pierce is such a better creator of offense, I just don't understand Doc's refusal to play him with the subs more.

So with Pierce bench theory, do you run him all 12 minutes of the 4th quarter then?  What purpose does that serve?  If people wanted shortened minutes for Pierce, it can be maintained by keeping him a starter and just controlling his minutes from there.  Not by not starting him.

If you want him playing with the subs, why not just yank him earlier than usual and plug back in later on with the subs or start him and then go Pierce + 4 subs?

He's the best SF the Celtics have, to start him on the bench is ridiculous, IMO.

[LooseCannon]

I'd much rather trade for a bench scorer than break up the Rondo-Ray-Pierce-KG quartet that has been so dominant. 

I wouldn't try to acquire a bench scorer if it is an all-offense, no-defense Corey Maggette type player (and given salary cap constraints, it would probably be a poor man's Corey Maggette type player).

Doc said he was considering breaking up KG's minutes into three shorter segments rather than two longer segments per half.  Maybe keep Pierce in there until KG comes in for stint #2.

I would also prefer committing to giving the starters entire games off rather than trying to shave a few minutes off of their minutes per game and throwing them out there every day.

Out of the Big Three, Pierce is the guy I would least want to come off the bench.  I can see KG as a PF/C and I can see using Ray Allen as a backup SF more than I can see PP as a backup SG for 5-8 minutes per game.  Multiple positions is important for a player coming off the bench.

[KGs Knee]

Oh, I definitely think better a substitution pattern is the best way to handle Pierce's time on the court.

I just don't have a ton of faith in Doc's ability to do so.  This has been one of Doc's weaker areas over the last few years.

It would seem to me putting Pierce out there with the subs a little more, instead of Ray, would go a long way towards helping the scoring deficiencies the bench unit always seems to suffer through.

[2short]

If Green was playing yes, I have been posting about that for awhile because I feel it would make the TEAM better.  I think Marquis coming off the bench makes the team better.  Possibly why sasha started last night.  Daniels can give us quality minutes at sg/sf and even pg.  His outside shot is right there with rondos whereas jeff green has 20' range. 
So I'd rather PP is a starter if it means Daniels, who can create some mismatches against opposing second units.

[ACF]

Not a chance PP comes off the bench. In my very humble but very honest opinion, Paul Anthony Pierce is among the 10 best players in the NBA today. One of the smartest, most talented ballers out there. He's coming up on 2nd most Celtic points scored all-time. The Captain aaaaaand The Truth. Not a chance that man comes off the bench. Not now.


Commence: The Las1t S8tand.

[snively]

I'd much rather trade for a bench scorer than break up the Rondo-Ray-Pierce-KG quartet that has been so dominant. 

I wouldn't try to acquire a bench scorer if it is an all-offense, no-defense Corey Maggette type player (and given salary cap constraints, it would probably be a poor man's Corey Maggette type player).

Why not?  You can get away with being a one-way player off the bench.  Look at Jason Terry.

[j804]

Not a chance PP comes off the bench. In my very humble but very honest opinion, Paul Anthony Pierce is among the 10 best players in the NBA today. One of the smartest, most talented ballers out there. He's coming up on 2nd most Celtic points scored all-time. The Captain aaaaaand The Truth. Not a chance that man comes off the bench. Not now.


Commence: The Las1t S8tand.

Agreed plus Paul's got that old man game he should be fine it's all in the footwork baby, hope he plays sunday

[thenotoriousjts]

No chance at all. Marquis just isn't better. Plus, Pierce is the captain.
And a better shooter

[BASS_THUMPER]

paul always played with the bench and played his best ball that way

this is before kev and ray..

[Meadowlark_Scal]

The thing about replacing PP in the rotaton is ...you can't. You don't look for a guy that does what he does, because there isn't anyone, anywhere. He is a very different type player. BUT, a different approach can work too, Ray, 2 good rebounders, Bass and......and then another good shooter. PP is a slow down type player now...so you need some other acton guys out there. Marquis Danials..well, in the past he never had two good games...but he looked okay the other night...!

[LooseCannon]

I'd much rather trade for a bench scorer than break up the Rondo-Ray-Pierce-KG quartet that has been so dominant. 

I wouldn't try to acquire a bench scorer if it is an all-offense, no-defense Corey Maggette type player (and given salary cap constraints, it would probably be a poor man's Corey Maggette type player).

Why not?  You can get away with being a one-way player off the bench.  Look at Jason Terry.

On another team maybe, but I don't think that sort of player will fit on the Celtics.  An offensive sparkplug who fits into the team's defensive concept would work.  One who doesn't will probably be as successful as Nate Robinson was in Boston (not complete failure, but probably not what most people were looking for) or the aforementioned Maggette in Milwaukee.  A player like that is going to see his minutes reduced as Doc loses faith in his ability to play team defense.

[Fafnir]

paul always played with the bench and played his best ball that way

this is before kev and ray..

Since KG and Ray have come, Paul hasn't done that great with the bench. Ray has had the best on/off with the bench.

[Jon]

Regardless of the merits or problems, Doc isn't putting Pierce on the bench.

[pearljammer10]

No. Next.