Start Pietrus

[Celticjay]

If Pietrus proves he still has it, I think it would be wise to start him instead of Ray.  

With Pietrus we still get the floor spacing but he provide much tougher D against starting 2 guards.   This would allow Allen more looks with the second unit and he wouldn't have to expend as much energy defending top 2 guards.

A second unit lead by Bass and Ray would provides so much more consistency offensively and Ray could possibly get even more looks which is always a good thing.

I don't think this would affect Ray's minutes at all and Pietrus would still play around 25 or so..  

Pietrus and Rondo would be a great pairing defensively...

Thots?

[indeedproceed]

My thought is we should actually see him play before we start 'start Pietrus' threads.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

My thought is we should actually see him play before we start 'start Pietrus' threads.

Amen! Basketball "gods" please don't let Pie be a bust for us because everyone is already calling him "jesus" before he plays 1 minute for us!!!! Oh how I hope Pie is everything and more than we can ask for, hopefully no one jinxes him!!! Thank you.

[Celticjay]

My thought is we should actually see him play before we start 'start Pietrus' threads.

Of Course,  but it is fun to speculate..  Plus I think our D needs a boost.  I'm almost in favour of Starting Steimer as well

Steimsma
KG
PP
MP
RR

Much better defense and energy.

Then our second unit could feast
JO,Bass, RA, Dooling, Daniels

With this I still only think about Steimsma plays 14-16 minutes a game.  I remember the Sonics teams with Kemp Detlef and Payton, Erin Johnson would start and play 15-16 minutes a game.   Basically playing the beginning of the first quarter and beginning of the 3rd quarter.  Sam perkins would replace him and play the rest of the minutes and always close out games..

I think this would be a good way to keep the pressure of Ray an d JO as they could focus more on offense playing bench players..

[j804]

I wouldnt mind a switch up in the starting lineup. LA and a couple other teams have done it and it's worked for them. Whatever we are doing isn't working for us so far how we have come out the gates.

We do have to see Pietrus first though.

[2short]

I second the Steimsma starting idea.  Gives more mobility on offense & defense to starting unit and ONeil could be a low post offensive threat for 2nd unit and as someone stated in another thread he already plays sub minutes anyways.
As for Pietrus, man hasn't played for us yet, #1 thought, #2 our best scorer so far has been Ray I don't think we are ready to change that.  Also there was a noticable difference in ray's game when he wasn't playing w/ rondo last year.  Nothing against DWest but rondo tends to get the ball to players at exactly the right time at the right spot.

[dark_lord]

u gotta be kidding me?!

[Celticjay]

I second the Steimsma starting idea.  Gives more mobility on offense & defense to starting unit and ONeil could be a low post offensive threat for 2nd unit and as someone stated in another thread he already plays sub minutes anyways.
As for Pietrus, man hasn't played for us yet, #1 thought, #2 our best scorer so far has been Ray I don't think we are ready to change that.  Also there was a noticable difference in ray's game when he wasn't playing w/ rondo last year.  Nothing against DWest but rondo tends to get the ball to players at exactly the right time at the right spot.

Sure that is valid.  Rondo does help Ray tremendously, but Rondo plays most of the game anyway so I think it wouldn't be that big of a difference, and with Ray in my suggestion he would still be playing 32 minutes a game..  Just at different times..

[BballTim]

My thought is we should actually see him play before we start 'start Pietrus' threads.

Of Course,  but it is fun to speculate..  Plus I think our D needs a boost.  I'm almost in favour of Starting Steimer as well

Steimsma
KG
PP
MP
RR

Much better defense and energy.

Then our second unit could feast
JO,Bass, RA, Dooling, Daniels

With this I still only think about Steimsma plays 14-16 minutes a game.  I remember the Sonics teams with Kemp Detlef and Payton, Erin Johnson would start and play 15-16 minutes a game.   Basically playing the beginning of the first quarter and beginning of the 3rd quarter.  Sam perkins would replace him and play the rest of the minutes and always close out games..

I think this would be a good way to keep the pressure of Ray an d JO as they could focus more on offense playing bench players..

  I think our defense has been pretty good lately.

[Celticjay]

Defense is currently rated 20th in efficiency right now.  That is a huge drop off from what we are used to.  Seems the bar has lowered.  I think once Thibs left it was inevitable.  Just think the starting 5 is way to slow.. All the starters are slower than almost every player they go up against with the exception of Rondo.  I think that is a primary reason our rebounding is even worse than it normally is..  Just don't have speed or youthful legs.  KG and JO together is really unimpressive.  10 years ago it would have been a sight.  Not now...

[Junkyard Dawg]

Also there was a noticable difference in ray's game when he wasn't playing w/ rondo last year.  Nothing against DWest but rondo tends to get the ball to players at exactly the right time at the right spot.

To me this is the biggest thing.  Plus our starters come out after 5 mins anyways, so I don't know whether Pietrus starting or coming off the bench is that big of a difference.

[GrandTheftRondo]

As much as I hope Pietrus is everything thing we need him to be and more...this thread is just a bit premature.

[BballTim]

Defense is currently rated 20th in efficiency right now.  That is a huge drop off from what we are used to.  Seems the bar has lowered.  I think once Thibs left it was inevitable.  Just think the starting 5 is way to slow.. All the starters are slower than almost every player they go up against with the exception of Rondo.  I think that is a primary reason our rebounding is even worse than it normally is..  Just don't have speed or youthful legs.  KG and JO together is really unimpressive.  10 years ago it would have been a sight.  Not now...

  The first 3 games we gave up 106 a game. The last 5 games we've given up 84 a game. That's what I meant.

[Celticjay]

Defense is currently rated 20th in efficiency right now.  That is a huge drop off from what we are used to.  Seems the bar has lowered.  I think once Thibs left it was inevitable.  Just think the starting 5 is way to slow.. All the starters are slower than almost every player they go up against with the exception of Rondo.  I think that is a primary reason our rebounding is even worse than it normally is..  Just don't have speed or youthful legs.  KG and JO together is really unimpressive.  10 years ago it would have been a sight.  Not now...

  The first 3 games we gave up 106 a game. The last 5 games we've given up 84 a game. That's what I meant.

Fair enough.  Definitely trending in the right direction.  Just hard to take much stock playing some of the teams so far.  Overall, everybody is right it's early in the season.  Problem is I really feel KG has lost a step and JO is a below average center.  Even loads of practice can't fix that..

[celts55]

While I'm not quite ready to start someone who I haven't seen play yet, if he could start I still say I would bring Pierce off the bench, not Ray. Pierce can still create his own shot and could really help carry a second unit, while Ray is basicly a spot up shooter. If i'm the coach of the other team I make sure someone's always covering Ray with a second unit as it would be easy to double off pretty much anyone but Bass. It just takes Ray out of the game.