Celtics' Playoff Rotation

[Fafnir]

I think Ray might leave if he really wants to start, but a lot depends on KG and how the playoffs go.

If the C's bring back KG and the team does well in the playoffs the temptation for him to try for yet another run would probably be strong. Plus the C's likely will be in position to offer him a larger lump sum on a one year deal than he'll get elsewhere.

But you're right he could receive a larger role on another team.

[pearljammer10]

This is just making me wonder more about next year.  If the Celts can't make a splash in the free agency market, is there any way to bring back the same team with Jeff Green?  Imagine if he comes back almost as strong as before he left.  We can have a very athletic starting lineup of:

Rondo
Bradley
Pierce
Green
KG

Off the bench, we can have:
Bass
Ray Allen
Pietrus
Steamer
JJJ
Moore
(and another big)

I don't think Allen would agree to a full season coming off the bench.  I honestly think he will sign elsewhere in the off-season, with the C's using a combination of Pietrus and Green in his place.  Bass also may be gone, he's played well so I can see him declining his $4 mil player option and hitting the open market.

I think it depends on the playoffs. If we can win a title, then Ray and Bass might say well winning is fun and take discounts to come back next year to try and do it again... At the same time they could say look at me im a winner and command more money from a team that we all know will give it to them.

[CelticG1]

With Sashas recent emergence I like the idea of platooning him and Pietrus. Whoever is playing better in a particular game gets the minutes. If one guy is cold try the other guy out. I feel like the mavs did this at times with guys last year

I also think its a good idea considering Pietrus' health and conditioning when he gets back and I think this would put less pressure on him. Plus they have a pretty identical game

[Eddie20]

This is just making me wonder more about next year.  If the Celts can't make a splash in the free agency market, is there any way to bring back the same team with Jeff Green?  Imagine if he comes back almost as strong as before he left.  We can have a very athletic starting lineup of:

Rondo
Bradley
Pierce
Green
KG

Off the bench, we can have:
Bass
Ray Allen
Pietrus
Steamer
JJJ
Moore
(and another big)

I don't think Allen would agree to a full season coming off the bench.  I honestly think he will sign elsewhere in the off-season, with the C's using a combination of Pietrus and Green in his place.  Bass also may be gone, he's played well so I can see him declining his $4 mil player option and hitting the open market.

I think it depends on the playoffs. If we can win a title, then Ray and Bass might say well winning is fun and take discounts to come back next year to try and do it again... At the same time they could say look at me im a winner and command more money from a team that we all know will give it to them.

We don't have to renounce KG, Allen, Steimsma, and Pietrus. We could offer them more money than anyone, but I would only do so if they all, with the exception to Steimsma, agree to 2 year deals. We also have Bass' Bird Rights, and could use the MLE on Green, and the mini-MLE on a big man.

[snively]

I think a healthy Pietrus will see some time at the 4.  I'd lower Stiemsma's expected minutes to the 18 minute range and add 6 to Pietrus.

Otherwise I think the OP is dead on.

[igorsure]

With Sashas recent emergence I like the idea of platooning him and Pietrus. Whoever is playing better in a particular game gets the minutes. If one guy is cold try the other guy out. I feel like the mavs did this at times with guys last year

+1. Moreover nobody knows how good will be Pietrus after return, will he restore his game skills completely, could he continue knock 3point shots on 50% or so rate. So Sasha could be 1st bench option, Pietrus second

[Eddie20]

With Sashas recent emergence I like the idea of platooning him and Pietrus. Whoever is playing better in a particular game gets the minutes. If one guy is cold try the other guy out. I feel like the mavs did this at times with guys last year

+1. Moreover nobody knows how good will be Pietrus after return, will he restore his game skills completely, could he continue knock 3point shots on 50% or so rate. So Sasha could be 1st bench option, Pietrus second

Doubt it. Doc loves Pietrus. However, what I could see is when we go small, we could play both Pietrus and Sasha at the 4/3, alongside KG at the 5. It all depends on the matchups.

[bucknersrevenge]

With Sashas recent emergence I like the idea of platooning him and Pietrus. Whoever is playing better in a particular game gets the minutes. If one guy is cold try the other guy out. I feel like the mavs did this at times with guys last year

+1. Moreover nobody knows how good will be Pietrus after return, will he restore his game skills completely, could he continue knock 3point shots on 50% or so rate. So Sasha could be 1st bench option, Pietrus second

Doubt it. Doc loves Pietrus. However, what I could see is when we go small, we could play both Pietrus and Sasha at the 4/3, alongside KG at the 5. It all depends on the matchups.

Pietrus is like 6'5, 210. I don't envision any scenario where he could man the 4 at all. If anything, he might play the wing while Paul plays the 4 because he is bigger. But even then we might only see that against a team like Miami since they are found of playing LBJ at the 4 since they lack adequate bigs and have so many wing players. But I wouldn't expect that too often.

[looseball]

Rondo (36)
Pierce (30)
Garnett (30)
Bass (30)
Avery (26)
Allen (24)
Stiemsma (24)
Pietrus (20)
Pavlovic (20)

If Paul, KG and Ray play big minutes, they'll only end up pacing themselves.  Pacing yourselves in the playoffs leads to an early exit, because the younger teams will be going full tilt the whole game.
For this team to go deep into the playoffs, they've got to bring 48 minutes of pressure each and every game.  At this point in his career, Ray is really a one-dimensional player. He doesn't do enough things to warrent over 30 minutes on the court.  Though I do want him in there for the last shot. 
(However, I do expect Doc to play him, Paul and KG 36 min. or more, and they will tire and fade.)

[Eddie20]

With Sashas recent emergence I like the idea of platooning him and Pietrus. Whoever is playing better in a particular game gets the minutes. If one guy is cold try the other guy out. I feel like the mavs did this at times with guys last year

+1. Moreover nobody knows how good will be Pietrus after return, will he restore his game skills completely, could he continue knock 3point shots on 50% or so rate. So Sasha could be 1st bench option, Pietrus second

Doubt it. Doc loves Pietrus. However, what I could see is when we go small, we could play both Pietrus and Sasha at the 4/3, alongside KG at the 5. It all depends on the matchups.

Pietrus is like 6'5, 210. I don't envision any scenario where he could man the 4 at all. If anything, he might play the wing while Paul plays the 4 because he is bigger. But even then we might only see that against a team like Miami since they are found of playing LBJ at the 4 since they lack adequate bigs and have so many wing players. But I wouldn't expect that too often.

He's actually 6-6, long armed,  and very physical. Don't forget that he, along with Stephen Jackson, was instrumental in shutting down Dirk when the Warriors eliminated the Mavs in the playoffs. That said, I was referring to situations like yesterday when the Heat were using LeBron at the 4. Plus, I wouldn't be scared to put him on EC playoff team starters Ryan Anderson and Josh Smith, or the majority of most EC playoff teams backup 4's.

[Fafnir]

With Sashas recent emergence I like the idea of platooning him and Pietrus. Whoever is playing better in a particular game gets the minutes. If one guy is cold try the other guy out. I feel like the mavs did this at times with guys last year

+1. Moreover nobody knows how good will be Pietrus after return, will he restore his game skills completely, could he continue knock 3point shots on 50% or so rate. So Sasha could be 1st bench option, Pietrus second

Doubt it. Doc loves Pietrus. However, what I could see is when we go small, we could play both Pietrus and Sasha at the 4/3, alongside KG at the 5. It all depends on the matchups.

Pietrus is like 6'5, 210. I don't envision any scenario where he could man the 4 at all. If anything, he might play the wing while Paul plays the 4 because he is bigger. But even then we might only see that against a team like Miami since they are found of playing LBJ at the 4 since they lack adequate bigs and have so many wing players. But I wouldn't expect that too often.

If the forwards we have out there are Pietrus and Pierce then who plays the "4" and the "3" is pretty much academic.

Especially since I don't think we'd see that lineup out there unless the other team has put 4 perimeter players on the court.

[Eddie20]

With Sashas recent emergence I like the idea of platooning him and Pietrus. Whoever is playing better in a particular game gets the minutes. If one guy is cold try the other guy out. I feel like the mavs did this at times with guys last year

+1. Moreover nobody knows how good will be Pietrus after return, will he restore his game skills completely, could he continue knock 3point shots on 50% or so rate. So Sasha could be 1st bench option, Pietrus second

Doubt it. Doc loves Pietrus. However, what I could see is when we go small, we could play both Pietrus and Sasha at the 4/3, alongside KG at the 5. It all depends on the matchups.

Pietrus is like 6'5, 210. I don't envision any scenario where he could man the 4 at all. If anything, he might play the wing while Paul plays the 4 because he is bigger. But even then we might only see that against a team like Miami since they are found of playing LBJ at the 4 since they lack adequate bigs and have so many wing players. But I wouldn't expect that too often.

If the forwards we have out there are Pietrus and Pierce then who plays the "4" and the "3" is pretty much academic.

Especially since I don't think we'd see that lineup out there unless the other team has put 4 perimeter players on the court.

Pietrus could be our Posey in that regard. However, with Bass' play it'll be really tough to sit him.

[Fafnir]

Pietrus could be our Posey in that regard. However, with Bass' play it'll be really tough to sit him.

Posey was much better at playing big players than Pietrus is and we'd run that lineup a lot during the year. It was a familar lineup for the Cs come playoff time.

I don't want to run it at all with this current team. Our rotations aren't crisp when we go small, too little rim protection, and our rebounding is even weaker.

[Celtics18]

Pietrus could be our Posey in that regard. However, with Bass' play it'll be really tough to sit him.

Posey was much better at playing big players than Pietrus is and we'd run that lineup a lot during the year. It was a familar lineup for the Cs come playoff time.

I don't want to run it at all with this current team. Our rotations aren't crisp when we go small, too little rim protection, and our rebounding is even weaker.

It has worked in stretches when we go into a zone.  I think the San Antonio game was a recent example of small ball working out pretty well, even though we lost the game. 

It's still a little too risky for my liking, though.

[2short]

Rondo (36)
Pierce (30)
Garnett (30)
Bass (30)
Avery (26)
Allen (24)
Stiemsma (24)
Pietrus (20)
Pavlovic (20)

If Paul, KG and Ray play big minutes, they'll only end up pacing themselves.  Pacing yourselves in the playoffs leads to an early exit, because the younger teams will be going full tilt the whole game.
For this team to go deep into the playoffs, they've got to bring 48 minutes of pressure each and every game.  At this point in his career, Ray is really a one-dimensional player. He doesn't do enough things to warrent over 30 minutes on the court.  Though I do want him in there for the last shot. 
(However, I do expect Doc to play him, Paul and KG 36 min. or more, and they will tire and fade.)

I love your minutes regulation, every one on that list has proven they can play.  So whoever is in play as hard as possible.  For subs sasha, greg and michael are defensively really good.  Keep our offensive lineup good for end of games.