dont forget about avery bradley!

[Celtics18]

Bradley didn't earn a starting spot last year. He played well for 2 months once our starting SG got injured.

Especially with AB possibly taking a while to recover theres no reason to just give him his spot. He still needs to earn it.

  Bradley clearly won the starting sg spot last year. What would he have had to do to "earn" it?

  And are you also saying that Bass didn't earn a starting spot because he started when JO was injured?

I agree that he earned it last year.  But that is more reason for him to still have to earn it this year.  If Ray Allen can lose his starting spot while being injured after spending his entire career as a starter, Avery Bradley can lose it, after a couple months as a starter.

It will be an open competition IMO, and Doc will start whoever makes the most sense.

And personally, I think Lee's shooting ability and length defensively makes more sense as the starter than Bradley, providing he plays up to his potential.  That way Bradley can cause havoc off the bench.

I think Avery makes the most sense as the starter.  To me, both Lee and Terry make more sense off the bench due to their versatility.  Terry should be the primary back up at the 1 as well as being able to play some two.  Lee will probably get some time at the 3, as well as the two.  I think that Avery is best suited to play the two guard spot.  As the starter, he will see most of his time there, and Doc can start mixing and matching with Terry and Lee off the bench.  I think Bradley starting gives the team the most flexibility. 

Jason Terry is probably our best shooting guard, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him finish a majority of the games alongside Rondo with Green at the power forward spot. 

Here's how I see it:

Starters:

Rondo
Bradley
Pierce
Bass
Garnett

Bench:

Terry
Lee
Green
Wilcox
(Sully, Melo, Collins?)

Finishers:

Rondo
Terry
Pierce
Green
Garnett

[arambone]

terry is as bad a defender as ray, or maybe worse because hes a tweener.

There's a reason dallas didnt want him back, even at 5 mil a year.

Lee is an average defender, but hopefully he can improve since his minutes depend on it.

I can almost see kris joseph getting spot minutes at sg vs joe johnson.

[Lightskinsmurf]

Bradley didn't earn a starting spot last year. He played well for 2 months once our starting SG got injured.

Especially with AB possibly taking a while to recover theres no reason to just give him his spot. He still needs to earn it.

  Bradley clearly won the starting sg spot last year. What would he have had to do to "earn" it?

  And are you also saying that Bass didn't earn a starting spot because he started when JO was injured?

I agree that he earned it last year.  But that is more reason for him to still have to earn it this year.  If Ray Allen can lose his starting spot while being injured after spending his entire career as a starter, Avery Bradley can lose it, after a couple months as a starter.

It will be an open competition IMO, and Doc will start whoever makes the most sense.

And personally, I think Lee's shooting ability and length defensively makes more sense as the starter than Bradley, providing he plays up to his potential.  That way Bradley can cause havoc off the bench.

I think Avery makes the most sense as the starter.  To me, both Lee and Terry make more sense off the bench due to their versatility.  Terry should be the primary back up at the 1 as well as being able to play some two.  Lee will probably get some time at the 3, as well as the two.  I think that Avery is best suited to play the two guard spot.  As the starter, he will see most of his time there, and Doc can start mixing and matching with Terry and Lee off the bench.  I think Bradley starting gives the team the most flexibility. 

Jason Terry is probably our best shooting guard, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him finish a majority of the games alongside Rondo with Green at the power forward spot. 

Here's how I see it:

Starters:

Rondo
Bradley
Pierce
Bass
Garnett

Bench:

Terry
Lee
Green
Wilcox
(Sully, Melo, Collins?)

Finishers:

Rondo
Terry
Pierce
Green
Garnett

I agree 100percent ! I love that finishing lineup

[Vermont Green]

I am sure that I am in the minority but I think Avery Bradley is more of a PG than Jason Terry so I want to see Bradley getting minutes when Rondo is off the court (at PG).

Avery Bradley does not have traditional PG skills right now but he has a lot of room to grow.  The team did fine when he filled in for Rondo (6-2 I believe) and I think his PG skill will improve rapidly much as his overall skills did.

[blink]

I actually think the exact opposite.  The one thing that AB can do for the team better than anyone is help set the tone of the def w/ KG and Rondo.  I think it makes more sense to start him and let his disruption loose right at the start of the game.  Since Terry and Lee are a bit more experienced and better at creating their own shot, I see them working better with other lineups through the rest of the game.

Bradley didn't earn a starting spot last year. He played well for 2 months once our starting SG got injured.

Especially with AB possibly taking a while to recover theres no reason to just give him his spot. He still needs to earn it.

  Bradley clearly won the starting sg spot last year. What would he have had to do to "earn" it?

  And are you also saying that Bass didn't earn a starting spot because he started when JO was injured?

I agree that he earned it last year.  But that is more reason for him to still have to earn it this year.  If Ray Allen can lose his starting spot while being injured after spending his entire career as a starter, Avery Bradley can lose it, after a couple months as a starter.

It will be an open competition IMO, and Doc will start whoever makes the most sense.

And personally, I think Lee's shooting ability and length defensively makes more sense as the starter than Bradley, providing he plays up to his potential.  That way Bradley can cause havoc off the bench.

[Chris]

I am sure that I am in the minority but I think Avery Bradley is more of a PG than Jason Terry so I want to see Bradley getting minutes when Rondo is off the court (at PG).

Avery Bradley does not have traditional PG skills right now but he has a lot of room to grow.  The team did fine when he filled in for Rondo (6-2 I believe) and I think his PG skill will improve rapidly much as his overall skills did.

While I don't think Bradley is a PG, I agree that he should be playing with Terry.  Bradley is one of the worst decision-makers I have seen, but he is better at creating shots than he is at spotting up, and I think he and Terry could make a solid attacking backcourt, and they would balance each other a bit. 

What I would love to see is them run almost a Princeton offense when Rondo is off the floor, using guys like KG, Sullinger, and Green in the high post, looking for guys like Bradley and Terry on cuts and pop-outs. 

[Edgar]

but Doc will have some real versatility with the options he has in the backcourt.

Is it bad that I am more worried than happy with this

[Chris]

but Doc will have some real versatility with the options he has in the backcourt.

Is it bad that I am more worried than happy with this

What is there to be worried about?  This is a problem when he has a bunch of options that are all below average players.  That is when things get ugly.  However, if everyone is healthy, Doc will be working with 6 perimeter players who could be starters on many teams in the league.  It is a good thing.

[Chris]

I actually think the exact opposite.  The one thing that AB can do for the team better than anyone is help set the tone of the def w/ KG and Rondo.  I think it makes more sense to start him and let his disruption loose right at the start of the game.  Since Terry and Lee are a bit more experienced and better at creating their own shot, I see them working better with other lineups through the rest of the game.

I agree that setting the tone early is important.  And that was huge when he was starting last year.  But I think its important to remember that Lee is not Ray Allen defensively.  He may not be as good and aggressive as Bradley, but he is a very good defender.  He will help them set the tone almost as well, but will be a better fit IMO. 

[SHAQATTACK]

Avery just puts everything into overdrive , he really gives ROndo a bit of mental and physical break . 

Every particle of AB is basketball,  the kid lives and breaths it .   He will only get more amazing as the years pile on as long as his health holds. 

AB and Rondo are two of the most fun players to watch in the NBA.

[Chris]

Every particle of AB is basketball,  the kid lives and breaths it .   He will only get more amazing as the years pile on as long as his health holds. 

This is another reason I like Bradley coming off the bench, rather than starting.

I think when he comes off the bench, it is a little easier to manipulate his matchups than when he is starting, and is basically set on a matchup, because the starting lineup won't change much.

And I genuinely believe part of the reason he has had the shoulder issues has been the beating he has been taking defending guys who have 3-4 inches and 30+ pounds on him.  He is a tough kid, and does a great job fighting these guys, but I think it took at toll last year.

But coming off the bench, they can use him more strategically, and to really pressure the ball more.  And let Lee do a little more of the dirty work against some of the bigger, more physical SGs.

[MJohnnyboy]

terry is as bad a defender as ray, or maybe worse because hes a tweener.

Actually I've watched Jason Terry. He's not great but he's capable of holding his own on the defensive end

There's a reason dallas didnt want him back, even at 5 mil a year.

Actually Dallas wanted him back, and Terry was willing to re-sign with them before he chose the Celtics, problem was Dallas wasn't offering what the Celtics were.

Lee is an average defender, but hopefully he can improve since his minutes depend on it.

Incredibly wrong. Lee shut down Ray in the series against the Magic in 2009, and Ray was at his very best as a Celtic that year

I can almost see kris joseph getting spot minutes at sg vs joe johnson.

Yeah no.
[/quote]

Someone's a Debbie Downer.

[Edgar]

but Doc will have some real versatility with the options he has in the backcourt.

Is it bad that I am more worried than happy with this

What is there to be worried about?  This is a problem when he has a bunch of options that are all below average players.  That is when things get ugly.  However, if everyone is healthy, Doc will be working with 6 perimeter players who could be starters on many teams in the league.  It is a good thing.

For the normal coach maybe it is

I still think Doc works better with short rotations and have problems deciding the right moment for each player, of course if theyre all good, theres no much to worry

[arambone]

"Actually Dallas wanted him back, and Terry was willing to re-sign with them before he chose the Celtics, problem was Dallas wasn't offering what the Celtics were."

Sounds like they really wanted him.

[LooseCannon]

Maybe Doc can start out the season going with an all-bench second unit, then tighten up his rotation after a few months based on who is healthy and how people are playing.