Jared Sullinger to start over Brandon Bass??

[Marqui]

im sure doc is going to give him a lot of starting opportunities. its 82 games. I just hope he has the endurance to withstand a long season.

Yea, he'll get starting opportunists but he'll need to get in better shape if he wants to keep the job.

[action781]

All is fine and dandy when he's hitting his open jumpers, but when he's missing, we keep going to him still because effectively, they keep leaving him open. So if he's off his game, it really hurts us, even if it's the correct play to make.

For a starter I'd rather have a low maintenance guy like Wilcox, who was showing plenty on the defensive side as the season went along, with good energy, and you don't have to run a play for him the whole game.

Bass needs to take the open elbow jumper every time- he makes them at a high  enough rate for it to be worth it.  Everyone has off games- if BB's not making jumpers then yank him for Sully/Wilcox, that's fine.  But you don't bench him because he might have a bad game and that might hurt the team.   

Also, do we ever run plays specifically for Bass? Quite rarely, I think.  He gets his open jumpers because his defender has to sag to stop Rondo/KG/Pierce from getting an easy bucket.

Am I complaining about Bass taking the open jumper? No. I'm complaining about how Bass becomes an essential blackhole (even with our starters) and in those cases when he's missing his open jumpers, it can continue for quite a stretch because the defense effectively keeps giving it to him. Which occurred quite frequently this past playoffs for example.

We may not "run" plays for him, but we essentially run a lot of pick and pops with him, which adds pretty much to the same as far as I'm concerned. In all, when he's taking the bulk of his shots, I rather he'd not be with our starters.

He's good with his mid-range jumper, but so is KG.

Define black hole.  10+  fga?  In 20 playoff games, he attempted 10+ fgs in 8 of them. 

What constitutes a poor shooting game.  Less than 40%?  He only shot < 40% in 3 of those 8 games. 

So, 3 games out of 20 in the playoffs he shot under 40% on more than 10 fga.  I don't know how "frequent" that is.  It was a much more frequent occurance from Paul Pierce.

[ChefEricT]

In an "outside the box" sorta way, this could work.  Sometimes we need to look at things in a non-traditional way.  Instead of a power forward and center, teams are playing with 2 bigs.  If Sullinger is getting it done on the court and earns starting minutes, then it could be a matchup to matchup decision on who's playing C and who's playing PF. 

[BudweiserCeltic]

All is fine and dandy when he's hitting his open jumpers, but when he's missing, we keep going to him still because effectively, they keep leaving him open. So if he's off his game, it really hurts us, even if it's the correct play to make.

For a starter I'd rather have a low maintenance guy like Wilcox, who was showing plenty on the defensive side as the season went along, with good energy, and you don't have to run a play for him the whole game.

Bass needs to take the open elbow jumper every time- he makes them at a high  enough rate for it to be worth it.  Everyone has off games- if BB's not making jumpers then yank him for Sully/Wilcox, that's fine.  But you don't bench him because he might have a bad game and that might hurt the team.   

Also, do we ever run plays specifically for Bass? Quite rarely, I think.  He gets his open jumpers because his defender has to sag to stop Rondo/KG/Pierce from getting an easy bucket.

Am I complaining about Bass taking the open jumper? No. I'm complaining about how Bass becomes an essential blackhole (even with our starters) and in those cases when he's missing his open jumpers, it can continue for quite a stretch because the defense effectively keeps giving it to him. Which occurred quite frequently this past playoffs for example.

We may not "run" plays for him, but we essentially run a lot of pick and pops with him, which adds pretty much to the same as far as I'm concerned. In all, when he's taking the bulk of his shots, I rather he'd not be with our starters.

He's good with his mid-range jumper, but so is KG.

Define black hole.  10+  fga?  In 20 playoff games, he attempted 10+ fgs in 8 of them. 

What constitutes a poor shooting game.  Less than 40%?  He only shot < 40% in 3 of those 8 games. 

So, 3 games out of 20 in the playoffs he shot under 40% on more than 10 fga.  I don't know how "frequent" that is.  It was a much more frequent occurance from Paul Pierce.

Black hole is someone who doesn't pass the ball. Powe was like that, and Big Baby later on became that too. They get the ball and the ball sticks, and more than likely they're taking the shot or making a move for themselves, often ill advised. Anyways, this is a well documented aspect of his game, we're not declaring anything new or revolutionary here.

For a big like him, whose majority of shots are wide open mid-range jumpers, and close buckets, anything south of 47%-50% is already starting to become suspect, particularly if you're playing with the main unit we feature. Let's be honest here, the great majority of his shots are easy shots for him (particularly when playing with Rondo).

Anyways, this is not about Bass playing well or not. Not wanting him to start has nothing to do with how well or bad he plays, but of how he fits with the unit, and what he adds vs. what he takes away.

I like him, I just like him more coming off the bench where I think he'll be more productive for us and his weaknesses will not be as pronounced.

[kozlodoev]

"The guy just shot, what, .300 in summer league action?"

He also got to the line 10 times a game or something. Drawing those fouls against starting bigs is a great way to soften up the opposing defense.

Sullinger shoots 80+% from the line. He doesn't need to shoot all that well if he's drawing fouls, and he doesn't even need to score a whole lot to be a quality center.

I meant in the _entire_ summer league, not just the last game when he got to the line 10 times.

And frankly, the inability to make shots against SL scrubs is much more telling than the fact that he managed to get to the line some.

Great role player to compliment the legends around him.

That would be Brandon Bass.

[Celtics4ever]

He has struggled mightily offensively  against players with length in the Summer league.   But I like his rebounding.  He had very good hands.   He should do better with Rondo's passing on offense.  I too think he is tired.  But nothing I have seen indicates he is ready to start.   I wish they would quit talking about his shooting because he can't shoot the three a lick.

I think Wilcox could start too though.

[danglertx]

Can a team with "NO Pass" Bass be worried about a black hole?  If you haven't been watching the Summer League games you have no clue what you are talking about.  The Celtics aren't going to give the ball to Sullinger at the elbow extended and say, "go ahead and get your one shot every 6 times down the court."  

I am not worried in the least about Sullinger's offense.  If you watch the games you'd see he can post people, pass, and rebound.  He is a bull on the boards and that is what everyone has been moaning about the Celtics not having.  He isn't going to be our #1 option on offense and he won't have to get his own shot all of the time.  He hasn't gotten any easy looks at all from our guards but they always seem to find him with a couple seconds left on the shot clock to throw something up.

[RJ87]

I think that's extremely unlikely.  I feel like if Doc said that, he was saying it in the spirit of "anyone can earn a starting role if he plays hard" type mentality. 

I think if Doc and Danny really thought that Sullinger was going to start right away, they wouldn't have given Bass the contract that they did.  That doesn't mean Sullinger won't eventually win it, but I can't imagine the team committing that type of money to Bass (especially with Green vying for minutes at the 4) if they were that confident in Sullinger. 

That said, I think the bigger threat to Bass's starting job is Green.  Like it or not, I think there's a shot Green beats him out for the starting 4 spot.  Regardless of that, he should play substantial time there. 

I agree about Jeff. I can see him starting at the PF spot. I don't love it, but I can see it.

[SHAQATTACK]

Sully will probally be a starter one day (year),or two from now. I think he needs to lose some fat weight and gain it back as muscle.  He needs massive time in the training rooms and gym.  In another 18 months he should be knocking on the door wanting to take Bass's job.   

[JHTruth]

Sully will probally be a starter one day (year),or two from now. I think he needs to lose some fat weight and gain it back as muscle.  He needs massive time in the training rooms and gym.  In another 18 months he should be knocking on the door wanting to take Bass's job.   

Thats just it though Sully came in with only 10% body fat. All of his weight is in his lower body. Its going to be very hard for him to change his body and improve his athleticism. I just am very worried than expectations for Sully are way too high..

[greenpride32]

I agree about Jeff. I can see him starting at the PF spot. I don't love it, but I can see it.

We'll see how things shake out but my expected starting 5 would be Rondo/Lee/Pierce/Green/KG.  I would guess Lee starts even when AB returns from injury.  Remember Green played the 4 for OKC even though it was not his natural position out of college so Durant could play the 3.

[Lightskinsmurf]

I agree about Jeff. I can see him starting at the PF spot. I don't love it, but I can see it.

We'll see how things shake out but my expected starting 5 would be Rondo/Lee/Pierce/Green/KG.  I would guess Lee starts even when AB returns from injury.  Remember Green played the 4 for OKC even though it was not his natural position out of college so Durant could play the 3.

Green along with terry is supposed to be our 1 2 punch off the bench to give us that scoring fire power. So is lee, i don't want two of those guys in the starting lineup. Next thing you know the bench is looking decent at best again. AB needs to return to the starting lineup when he returns.

[TripleOT]

One factor about SL that no one has mentioned so far in this thread is that the offenses aren't usually run with the proper spacing like in the NBA.

When Sully gets touches in the NBA, it will be either out on the floor against bigger covers, or in the low post against smaller ones, both situations where he can get something done.  When he drives or posts, there should be more room to operate, with the Cs usually having good shooters on the floor, well spaced for threes.  Sully has shown a great feel for passing, and will learn to give the ball up for open jumpers when his defender gets help, either on the drive or in the  low post (something Bass can not do).

If Sully can play real NBA minutes this season, it's going to make Boston so much better, since he's a bull in the paint on offense, and a defensive rebounder with a good body for boxing out and a good feel for where the ball is going to carom off the rim.

I think the Cs brass feel that Sullinger is a player with a great feel for the game.  He's shown that feel for the game at every level, despite the same doubts that are outlined in this thread.  If they're right and he can start alongside KG, that will help both of them tremendously, with Sully mucking up the paint, and  KG providing both a potent jumper to dissuade his man from doubling on Sully, and defensive cover to help Sully play NBA defense. 

Put me in the "Sully can start" camp, despite his low FG% in SL.  In that "5th Beatle" spot there are a ton of easy touches.  Perk could have averaged 16 PPG if he  could have caught the ball and didn't have a pump fake fetish.  Bass gets a ton of open looks.  Sully will get a lot of layups and open 15 footers if he can earn the starters' spot. 

 

[jdub1660]

I Don't know about him starting at C. But I love the idea of benching Bass.
It's not a negative thing though. Bass on the bench means he becomes a veteran option on offense next to Terry and Green.

Rondo,Lee,Pierce,Sully,KG
Jet,rookie,Green,Bass,Wilcox

When Bradley returns, the rookie(Xmas or Joseph)s minutes go back to him.

[LooseCannon]

1) Sullinger starting allows KG to claim that he is not really the center.

2) If Sullinger starts, Bass is still probably more likely to finish games than Sullinger.