Why Are We Assuming that Ray Allen Won't Start?

[scaryjerry]

Because Ray Allen should not be the starter under any circumstance....pretty simple

[wdleehi]

Because Ray Allen should not be the starter under any circumstance....pretty simple

Because he was the starting SG on the team that took the Heat to game 7?


So, who would start if Bradley is not ready at the beginning of the season?

[jv2764]

First and foremost, if this is a question of Ray staying and starting or Ray leaving, this discussion should end now.  We're talking about the first 5-6 minutes of the game.  After that, Doc can adjust his rotations however he sees fit.  

Second of all, I think the perceived change that Bradley brought to the starting unit was only partly his doing.

Don't get me wrong.  I like Bradley and I like him a lot.  I think he has star potential.  

However, at the time he was breaking into the starting unit, other things began to happen that had nothing to do with Bradley.  

First and foremost, KG started to turn it around and have his own personal renaissance.  Second, PP finally got his butt into shape after the lockout.  

On top of this, when Ray came back, he was Ray with bone spurs, making Bradley look even better.  That should change next year.  

Might the Celtics be better with Bradley starting?  Sure.  But I don't think this nearly as dramatic of an issue as people are making it out to be.  I also think Bradley and Green could make an incredible 6th man duo off the bench, coming in midway through the 1st and bringing a huge boost of injury to run with Rondo the rest of the quarter.  

And after that, who started and who came off the bench is really inconsequential.  

  I kind of disagree for one reason.

 With Ray Allen starting we rarely get easy baskets.  When Bradley starts we do.

  With the advancing age of the three guys this offense was built around and their inability to carry us offensively night in and night out like they could a few years ago, we need those easy baskets, every one of them.  We need to get into the open court and/or into early offense.  We need to get to lose balls.  We do all of those things better as a starting unit with Bradley in place of Ray IMO.

But you're missing my point.  My point isn't that Ray's a better starter, it's simply that if offering Ray a starting spot gets him back in green, do it.  

The starting 5 really only plays together for the beginning of the game and often the end of the game.  In between there's all sorts of combinations going on that both Ray and Bradley were part of.  

Furthermore, even after Ray lost his starting spot last year, he often finished games instead of Bradley.  So if the starting 5 was so much better with Bradley, why did Doc go with Ray at the end of games?

Again, my point isn't that one is better than another, my point is that who starts and who comes off the bench is largely overrated.  What's important is that Ray comes back.  And if it takes offering him the starting spot to do it, so be it.  

So let the inmates run the asylum huh.  If Ray doesnt like coming off the bench let him walk

[mctyson]

Love how people just pencil in bradley cause he played good for 2 months and now he is coming off of double shoulder surgery.

Why don't we let 1 of them win the job? Bradley in no way deserves to be the automatic starter. If Ray is hungry and shows that he is a better 2 than Bradley than I would glade give himthe starting job.

It will be interesting to see who's better when healthy (if we are lucky enough to see that)

I love how people are going to toss out a 20-8 record over two months because it was only two months.

Facts are facts.  When AB was our starter and Ray was not even playing at all, we had the best winning % in the NBA.

[mctyson]

Because Ray Allen should not be the starter under any circumstance....pretty simple

Because he was the starting SG on the team that took the Heat to game 7?


So, who would start if Bradley is not ready at the beginning of the season?

Of course if AB is not ready to play, we should start either Ray or whoever else we have in that backup role.  Pietrus was in fact the first guy we inserted into the starting SG position after Ray went down last year.

That's not the point.  The point is that we finally got Ray to accept coming off the bench, something Doc wanted to do for 2 years.  And that's because we finally found a starting 2-guard.  And NOW people want to debate if Ray should start again?!?!?

[jv2764]

If he wants to start then let him go to LA Clippers in a S&T.

[BballTim]

Because Ray Allen should not be the starter under any circumstance....pretty simple

Because he was the starting SG on the team that took the Heat to game 7?


So, who would start if Bradley is not ready at the beginning of the season?

  Probably Pietrus or Pierce.

[jv2764]

Because Ray Allen should not be the starter under any circumstance....pretty simple

Because he was the starting SG on the team that took the Heat to game 7?


So, who would start if Bradley is not ready at the beginning of the season?

  Probably Pietrus or Pierce.

Rondo
Pierce
Green
KG
Camby

[wdleehi]

Because Ray Allen should not be the starter under any circumstance....pretty simple

Because he was the starting SG on the team that took the Heat to game 7?


So, who would start if Bradley is not ready at the beginning of the season?

  Probably Pietrus or Pierce.

Rondo
Pierce
Green
KG
Camby

I would still go with the starting unit of last years conference finals if Bradley is out. 

[wdleehi]

If he wants to start then let him go to LA Clippers in a S&T.

And who do the Celtics want in return? 



Give me the guy who wants the chance to be on the floor. 

[the_Bird]

If he wants to start then let him go to LA Clippers in a S&T.

And who do the Celtics want in return? 



Give me the guy who wants the chance to be on the floor. 

Well, we could make the math work for Blake Griffin....

Not too much on the Clippers roster that would work, need-wise and salary-wise.  You aren't paying Caron Butler $8M to do Jeff Green's job.  They've got our old buddy, Ryan Gomes!  I mean...  Eric Bledsoe?  There's really nobody there that interests me in the least.

[wdleehi]

If he wants to start then let him go to LA Clippers in a S&T.

And who do the Celtics want in return? 



Give me the guy who wants the chance to be on the floor. 

Well, we could make the math work for Blake Griffin....

Not too much on the Clippers roster that would work, need-wise and salary-wise.  You aren't paying Caron Butler $8M to do Jeff Green's job.  They've got our old buddy, Ryan Gomes!  I mean...  Eric Bledsoe?  There's really nobody there that interests me in the least.

Billups? 


Rather keep Ray in the guard rotation.

[the_Bird]

If he wants to start then let him go to LA Clippers in a S&T.

And who do the Celtics want in return? 



Give me the guy who wants the chance to be on the floor. 

Well, we could make the math work for Blake Griffin....

Not too much on the Clippers roster that would work, need-wise and salary-wise.  You aren't paying Caron Butler $8M to do Jeff Green's job.  They've got our old buddy, Ryan Gomes!  I mean...  Eric Bledsoe?  There's really nobody there that interests me in the least.

Billups? 


Rather keep Ray in the guard rotation.

Chauncey's a free agent, right, so a dual S&T? 

I wouldn't mind Chauncey (better than not getting anything in return for Ray), but it still doesn't address the team's real needs.  He'd have to agree to a return to Boston, anyway, and I'm not sure why he would (other than we'd overpay him a little).  He'd either be playing Dooling-minutes behind Rondo, or out of position at the 2-guard.  It'd be OK, but it's less than ideal.  Not sure it would be a great fit for him, so it might be hard to convince him to agree.

[tonyto3690]

Man, it's like people didn't even watch the Celtics play last year.

The Celtics were a much better defensive and offensive team with Bradley in the starting five.  Not because KG got better post-all star break, Bradley was just flat out better than Ray last year.  And no, Ray didn't have bonespurs all year and even to start the year was a sieve on defense.  Instead of Rondo having to guard the best guard and run the entire offense, Bradley was able to take some pressure off Rondo.

On top of that, Bradley isn't completely dependent on getting 3 consecutive screens and a perfect pass from Rondo to get a decent look.  He can create his own shot and make offense even when the offense is being run through another player.

Bradley is just flat out better than Ray, healthy or not.  On top of the fact Bradley is a young budding player, there is absolutely zero valid argument to be made for Ray starting over him.

[Jon]

Man, it's like people didn't even watch the Celtics play last year.

The Celtics were a much better defensive and offensive team with Bradley in the starting five.  Not because KG got better post-all star break, Bradley was just flat out better than Ray last year.  And no, Ray didn't have bonespurs all year and even to start the year was a sieve on defense.  Instead of Rondo having to guard the best guard and run the entire offense, Bradley was able to take some pressure off Rondo.

On top of that, Bradley isn't completely dependent on getting 3 consecutive screens and a perfect pass from Rondo to get a decent look.  He can create his own shot and make offense even when the offense is being run through another player.

Bradley is just flat out better than Ray, healthy or not.  On top of the fact Bradley is a young budding player, there is absolutely zero valid argument to be made for Ray starting over him.

You're missing the point.

This isn't just about who should start: it's if it comes down to Ray staying and starting or leaving, Ray staying and starting is better.