You are cherry picking stats to try to prove a point instead of looking at stats and trying to see what is going on. This makes your position seem to lack credibility.
What damages credibility is to avoid the point.
Even when the Celtics, especially KG, were playing so bad that people were talking about blowing it up, JJJ still couldn't get on the court. Even when Doc got so desperate he'd throw a lineup out there that had Bass playing center, JJJ still couldn't get on the court. That's the point. Not that Doc isn't playing JJJ 30 minutes a game but that it's clear Doc won't play him AT ALL unless it's serious garbage time. Much the same way Doc was not going to play Moore AT ALL until first Avery's horrible play and then Dooling's injury forced him to change.
Should JJJ be starting over KG or playing over Bass? Of course not. But I don't think it would hurt anything if our head coach were at least thinking about trying to get JJJ a few minures when possible, instead of just sticking him on the bench and forgeting about him until the Celtics are either ahead or behind by 20 points in the 4th quarter.
Mike
You can't just mention 2 guys other than JJJ. You have to mention all the guys that played that game. There are 96 minutes to go around at the 4 and 5. We have been playing JO, KG, Bass, Wilcox and Stiemsma. Look at how low the MPG are for our big men. I don't see how we need a 6 man big rotation.
It should be obvious that if a vital cog like KG is playing poorly, he still gets minutes to get back into the flow so I have no idea why you keep mentioning him. To think that the team will give up on him in the first 10 games is to be really out of touch with where the team is.
To insist that JJJ get minutes instead of Bass of course would be ridiculous. Wilcox, JO and Stiemsma are better center options than JJJ, and there is no reason really to give JJJ priority over Wilcox. We need Wilcox to learn our system so that we can get the most of him come playoff time. To argue that JJJ should get Stiemsma's minutes would make me wonder what the point is since they are both young guys that are worth developing. Stiemsma is more mature though with a year of d-league experience.
Playing poorly is not a good reason to play JJJ. It is the opposite. Who cares if some fans say 'blow it up'. Did Doc say 'blow it up'? If we are struggling, your answer is to increase our struggle by playing JJJ?
When JJJ starts getting minutes, he will likely be eased into it like Bradley and Moore, with short minutes in the first half early on while watching the second half.
I have no problem with you feeling that JJJ should get more minutes. I can respect that opinion. But I am thoroughly unimpressed with argument claiming that not playing him is unjustified or a bad idea. Even if JJJ tears it up later in the season, it seems quite a stretch to me to be outraged over how minutes have been doled out this year.
I like making developing players work for minutes by forcing them to study up and develop themselves. It will be hard enough adjusting to the speed of the NBA even if they have mastered the playbook and the defensive rotations.