Does Doc ride the starters too much/not trust the bench enough?

[UncleHick]

Way to early to worry about that. At this point of the season many players need a higher work load. This is an atypical season, they should be in training camp working out 3 times per day and extenuating themselves every day but they can't even practice.

Doc and the staff know better than anybody else what's the physical condition of the players and what they need.

[Eja117]

Yeah....they demonstrate that routinely when the guy looks totally run down and then they play him 38 minutes and then he's day to day with an injury for 4 months

[UncleHick]

Yeah....they demonstrate that routinely when the guy looks totally run down and then they play him 38 minutes and then he's day to day with an injury for 4 months

Examples?

[greenpride32]

Well for the past few years we've had a very weak and inconsistent bench.  Can't blame the team for not using it when winning games to get seeding is very important. Nate, BBD, TA, House, were all in and out of the dog house.  I think for the first time since Posey we actually have some reliable guys in Bass and Dooling coming off the bench.  And Marquis will also be a regular given he stays healthy.  

As far as rookies go we have not drafted well.  Guys like Pruit, Walker, Giddens, Bradley didn't do squat here.  JJJ looks way undersized to be effective.  Moore looks composed out there, but lacks confidence.  Look at how different he plays vs a Iman Shumpert NYK, Norris Cole MIA, and Brandon Knight DET.  Those guys all looked to make plays for their teams where as Moore just bacially brings the ball up and hands it off and stands on the perimeter.
I don't think this is a matter of trust, it's just not getting the right guys like a Chris Douglas Roberts or Marshon Brooks both of whom were very high on "best available picks" when our turn came up but we passed on them.

[greenpride32]

BTW Bass is outplaying KG after 4 games so he will definitely be getting the minutes if that keeps up:

KG: 30.5M 10.8PPG .488FG& 5.8RPG 3.0AST 1.0STL 1.25BLK

BASS: 26.5M 15.3PPG .532FG% 5.8RPG 0.8AST 0.25STL 0.75BLK 

[illestmcsgt]

I think Doc goes to what he feels will win games and that's the starters. The bench is there to let the starters rest, but if they fall behind the starters have to come back in.

I feel like Doc will break the rotation down toward the playoffs to 9 or 10 players. O'Neal, Garnett, Pierce, Allen, Rondo, Bass, Daniels, Pietrus and Dooling. That's a solid 9 man rotation and I think Pavlovic, Stiemsma, and Wilcox will only see playing time in blowouts or injuries. Johnson, Moore, Bradley will have a lot of time in the D-League unless there's a few injuries.

[Surferdad]

I think Doc goes to what he feels will win games and that's the starters. The bench is there to let the starters rest, but if they fall behind the starters have to come back in.

I feel like Doc will break the rotation down toward the playoffs to 9 or 10 players. O'Neal, Garnett, Pierce, Allen, Rondo, Bass, Daniels, Pietrus and Dooling. That's a solid 9 man rotation and I think Pavlovic, Stiemsma, and Wilcox will only see playing time in blowouts or injuries. Johnson, Moore, Bradley will have a lot of time in the D-League unless there's a few injuries.

I didn't read the whole thread.  This sounds right to me for a playoff rotation, except Wilcox will have to be part of it.  The "KG at center" experiment will be abandoned, IMO and Bass can't really cack up JO.  All of this, of course, depends to health and wheethr Ainge goes out and acquires another center before the playoffs.

[BballTim]

BTW Bass is outplaying KG after 4 games so he will definitely be getting the minutes if that keeps up:

KG: 30.5M 10.8PPG .488FG& 5.8RPG 3.0AST 1.0STL 1.25BLK

BASS: 26.5M 15.3PPG .532FG% 5.8RPG 0.8AST 0.25STL 0.75BLK 

  KG's a much better player than Bass. He's off to a slowish start, but still is a significantly better defender.

[gar]

BTW Bass is outplaying KG after 4 games so he will definitely be getting the minutes if that keeps up:

KG: 30.5M 10.8PPG .488FG& 5.8RPG 3.0AST 1.0STL 1.25BLK

BASS: 26.5M 15.3PPG .532FG% 5.8RPG 0.8AST 0.25STL 0.75BLK 

  KG's a much better player than Bass. He's off to a slowish start, but still is a significantly better defender.

Bass is doing what he needs to do off the bench. KG is more of a team player. While we may all wish that he would take over games at times he is rarely in that mode and if he is he prefers to do it on the defensive end.

[Eja117]

Yeah....they demonstrate that routinely when the guy looks totally run down and then they play him 38 minutes and then he's day to day with an injury for 4 months

Examples?

JON, Shaq, KG, Perk, Al J, Delonte.  All had more than their fair share and all took much longer coming back than they should have.

[j804]

BTW Bass is outplaying KG after 4 games so he will definitely be getting the minutes if that keeps up:

KG: 30.5M 10.8PPG .488FG& 5.8RPG 3.0AST 1.0STL 1.25BLK

BASS: 26.5M 15.3PPG .532FG% 5.8RPG 0.8AST 0.25STL 0.75BLK 

  KG's a much better player than Bass. He's off to a slowish start, but still is a significantly better defender.

Bass is doing what he needs to do off the bench. KG is more of a team player. While we may all wish that he would take over games at times he is rarely in that mode and if he is he prefers to do it on the defensive end.

KG might get the better of a matchup depending on who it is and certain days, but I don't think KG can just turn it on anymore. Those days are passed him.

[BballTim]

BTW Bass is outplaying KG after 4 games so he will definitely be getting the minutes if that keeps up:

KG: 30.5M 10.8PPG .488FG& 5.8RPG 3.0AST 1.0STL 1.25BLK

BASS: 26.5M 15.3PPG .532FG% 5.8RPG 0.8AST 0.25STL 0.75BLK 

  KG's a much better player than Bass. He's off to a slowish start, but still is a significantly better defender.

Bass is doing what he needs to do off the bench. KG is more of a team player. While we may all wish that he would take over games at times he is rarely in that mode and if he is he prefers to do it on the defensive end.

  I'm quite happy with the play of Bass. But that doesn't mean he's outplaying KG.

[anthony83]

KG will improve,he still is not the right shape after loockout,and Bass is a very important player for us, a candidate for best sixth man could be.

  KG is still a starter and a solid player in defense.

[timpiker]

I agree that Doc does plays the starters too many minutes and some of the kids need more time but loojk at what happened in the 4th Q of the Pistons game - the bench played horrific.

[MBunge]

I agree that Doc does plays the starters too many minutes and some of the kids need more time but loojk at what happened in the 4th Q of the Pistons game - the bench played horrific.

If you see a pattern persist over time with a team, even though players change, that indicates the problem isn't with the players.

Mike