Could Green beat out Bass as a starter?

[pearljammer10]

I saw an interesting blurb a the end of this hoopshype article.

http://hoopshype.com/previews/boston.htm

Brandon Bass: Big body and excellent mid-range shot. Nice rotation player. Will compete for playing time with Jeff Green.

It got me thinking, has anyone brought up the idea that Jeff Green could be a starter for us and beat out Bass? Bass plays great with the starting unit but who would be better off the bench?... Discuss your thoughts.

[AB_Celtic]

The way I see it, Bass is primarily a perimeter shooter who can take it to the rim on occasion. Green (if healthy... knock on wood) is arguably better at both of those facets of the game. The difference maker is defense and rebounding, both of which I think Bass has a slight edge in.

I've always wanted Bass as the first big man off the bench, and not a starter, but it's Doc's team and we'll see what he does with it.

Another question this raises... who plays backup time at the 3 if Green is playing most of his minutes at the 4? A few minutes to Lee, Green, and Bass, each?

[Who]

Jeff Green is the better player to bring off the bench.

He is an inadequate defender/rebounder as a starting PF. Takes too much off the table. Very dangerous backup PF though -- because he is pitted against less potent opposing players.

Bass' superior size/muscle gives the team a better defensive option to open up games. Using Jeff Green as a backup PF gives both Green and Boston (vs Bass as a backup PF) a great opportunity to create advantageous matchups for the Celtics.

[Chris]

Could he?  Sure.  But I don't think that is what anyone wants.  Green is more valuable with the flexibility he gives off the bench.

For one thing, he is more effective as a SF than a PF.  But he will play plenty of PF, because they need to get him on the floor more...but by coming off the bench, he is able to play against more smaller PFs.  There are a ton of teams that play swing forwards like Green at PF, but usually they start with a more traditional lineup.

With Green off the bench, Doc can really manipulate matchups, by throwing out many different lineups. 

[pearljammer10]

I agree that Green is much more useful as a SF than he is a PF. And I think with him coming off the bench, even if its for Bass at the start he will be much more effective as a spark plug in the second unit off the bench then Bass would. And more effective coming off the bench then Bass anyway. I think Bass is a perfect 5th option for our first unit, and Green can be utilized in much better ways being one of the better second unit players.

[gar]

Lots of options!

Wilcox, Bass and Green together gives you a nice running unit. Wilcox may even be faster than Bass. Wilcox, Green and Lee is a nice small unit with Rondo and Jet.

A lot depends on how starts at center. I think the most effective line up will be KG at Center with Bass; the fact that you can come in with Wilcox and Green or Wilcox, Sully and Green is kind of nice.

Doc must be like a kid in a candy store

[MBunge]

If Green starts, it's going to be in place of Pierce not Bass.  The whole point of getting him was to move him back to his natural position of SF.

Mike

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

I think Green is less dependent on RR... since Doc will be trying to lessen RR minutes, I say Bass needs to start with him and sub back in with him. Yes, Jet can get Bass the ball too but he is better utilized worrying about himself first, because the other guys (Green and AB/Lee) won't need help getting theirs (Cox and Sully will be primarily going for put-backs and an occasional lob... Sully can get his own down low too)... we want RR worrying about facilitating and keep the guys we brought in in their role (Jet will get assist but we want and need his scoring more). Add all that with wanting Jeff to be his natural 3, it makes since to bring him off.

[CelticG1]

I also think Green can create his own shot and create better for others in the second unit.

Bass is pretty ideal for his role in the offense with the first unit and may benefit more than anyone else playing the majority of his minutes with Rondo on the floor

[arambone]

I get the feeling KG is going to spend most of his time at PF. Maybe not at the beginning of the season, but bumps and bruises and the long grind of an 82 game schedule probably means that Doc and KG will agree that preservation for the playoffs is more important than ideal lineups.

None of us want KG getting hurt down low, and if he does get an injury, we don't want him pushing his recovery while banging down low.

It's all about being healthy when the playoffs come, especially KG and Pierce.

I don't expect KG to play more than 10-15 minutes as center during the dog days of the season (Jan-April).

KG got through a whole season at center last year, but that was an abbreviated season, and he's not getting any younger.

Preserve our treasures, make a serious run.

Expect KG to be pushing Sully and Melo hard so they can step in by January or something. Wilcox might get some starts before that if KG needs to play PF before the rooks are ready.

[Galeto]

perimeter shooter who can take it to the rim on occasion.

Bass should never try taking it to the rim.  Sure he was successful doing it once or twice, maybe three times but I've never seen a player turn it over trying to drive to the rim or get stuffed if he by some magic he got to the rim as much as Bass did last season.  He's just not suited to dribble driving because his handle is poor and he's as extreme a two foot jumper who needs a lot of load time to be explosive as anybody in the league.  It really got on my nerves that Bass would seem to forget that hey, I really really suck at driving to the basket.

[More Banners]

Bring both off the bench. 


Rondo/Terry/Christmas
Lee/Bradley/Dooling
Pierce/Green/Joseph
Sully/Bass
KG/Wilcox/Melo

I'd play Sully with the starters because playing him between Pierce and KG would be best for him, his game, and his growth, while allowing Bass to shine at his best role clearing room for Green and Terry to slash off the bench.

[jbaerg]

I definitely wouldn't mind if Sullinger starts as long as he earns the spot. That would solidify our bench with both Green and Bass.

[Celtics4ever]

He could.   You never know.   I think he is combo and not a true four.   I don't think we have a true four aside from Garnett or Sullinger.   KG will have to play some five.   Bass is short only 6'8" and Green is skinny for a true four so neither is ideal.  Sullinger is a rook.  With our Center issues that leaves KG, Melo or Collins right?  I like KG there. 

I would love to see us try Sully and tell him to get boards for us and have Bass and Green for firepower off the bench.  But that isn't likely to happen.   I like his build and nose for the ball though but he is a rook and against proven commodities in Green  and Bass.  But I like Sully could be that ball hawk rebounding four we have needed for a few years if KG played C.   Sully being a rook would get owned on D as well I would wager.

[SHAQATTACK]

You can bad mouth Sully if you'll want, but I can see Rondo feeding him down low.  With JET & PP &Bass parked outside , Sully's huge body is gonna be a nice target for Rondo to go down side .  Sully 's got decent hands, good footwork , and gets postion deep in the post.  He is gonna be freethrow machine.

It maybe that Bass or Green gets the nod depending on the opponent and team chemistry .  Or who is heatlhy. 

Bass and Green are much of post men . Sully has the potential to really make things interesting  .

I really look for the Celtics to be a whole different team , than we've seen in a while with Sully in.

N