What will be the Celtics Best 5-man Unit

[mmmmm]

Great topic, OP!

This is a tough question because there are a LOT of different configurations Doc can deploy this year and a good case can be made for almost all of them.

Assuming that Wilcox can return to the form he had last year, then the following should be pretty effective:

RR+AB+PP+KG+CW

That's a mobile, fast scoring unit with excellent defense as well.

[pearljammer10]

Gotta be rondo terry pierce green Garnett hands down. Unless green had a complete horrible time coming back. There are so many great options with this years .squad however

[Vermont Green]

Lots of good ideas here, just goes to show how versitile this team is going to be.

It seems many like Wilcox much more than I do and like the Wilcox-KG combo for bigs.  I am not really all that high on Wilcox and see the more likely #1 unit being either KG-Bass or KG-Milicic.

So one factor is who is better, Bass or Milicic (or another center).  If you look at that alone, Bass probably wins.  I think you also have to figure in though that KG is better at PF than at C so that is why I like the combo of KG with even a weak center (Perk was a weak center too) over KG with either Bass or Wilcox at PF.

It is also amazing to me how many people like Bradley over either Lee or Green.  There is not enough hard evidence of how any of these three are going to play to answer this conclusively.  Bradley could continue to improve, Green could really bounce back with a chance to play SF regularly and I would think that Lee is going to be pretty solid as well.

It is going to be fun to watch.

[drogbagarnett]

Rondo
Pierce
Green
Wilcox
KG

Run with size.

I like running!
I like size!
I like Run with Size!
:-)

[SHAQATTACK]

Also would like to see a combo of

Green SF
Sully  PF
KG   C
Rondo  PG
Bradley  SG

[mctyson]

Rondo
Pierce
Green
KG
Milicic

Teams can match up with KG at the 4.  What we learned last year is that almost no one can match up with him at the 5.

WHY would we want to change that?

KG knows he is playing Center.  That's that.  It's down to Bass and Sullinger for the PF spot and I bet Sully is our better player by the end of the year.

[OsirusCeltics]

Easy

Rondo
Bradley
Pierce
Green
KG

The small lineup is the most effective in this Big 3 era

[Mr October]

Hmmm 2 similar threads...

One thing I am excited about, and haven't really seen much of, is Green paired with KG (instead of Glen Davis).

I expect to see this unit a lot:

Rondo
Terry
Pierce
Green
Garnett

Against the big teams like PHI and LAL, I would expect to see:

Rondo
Pierce
Green
Garnett
Sullinger (assuming that we will beat out Bass, Darko, Wilcox by the end of the year)

I love the C's depth this year. There are plenty of effective combos.

[D Dub]

small ball, with Pierce at 4

Rondo
Terry
Lee
Pierce
KG

I'm a big Fab fan, but don't see the rookies, or Darko, claiming any 'real' minutes from our top 8. 

[ScoobyDoo]

KG - Center
Sully - PF
Pierce - SF
Bradley - OG
Rondo- Point

I think Sully is every bit as crafty and physically tough at PF as Pierce is at the SF. A couple of bookend bullish forwards. The passing on the court with Rondo, KG, Pierce and Sully should be Silly.
* Caveat - Courtney Lee for Bradley in the above lineup woudl make them more bullish size wise...

I also give a nod to Hobbs' lineup of:

KG
Bass
Pierce
Bradley
Rondo

That group just played well...and the thought of folloiwng that up with a second unit of:

Milicic or Collins
Wilcox or Sully
Green
Lee
Jet...

We have a very sick team this year - we should literally beat other teams into submission on a nightly basis - including Miami.

If Melo can be even an energy 7 footer guy off the bench, it will have another significant affect on the strength of the team.   

[2short]

While I didn't have Bass at pf for this group, he should be given consideration for his very good foul shooting.
3 is easy rondo, pierce and kg , fill in other 2 and if bradley is out 'til december then its lee vs terry for the other guard position
forward spot would be bass, green or wilcox

[Edgar]

imho and i am sure its not original

is

rondo
rerry/bradley
PP
Sulllinger
KG

[Vermont Green]

Wow, I counted 13 different and totally realistic best units.  I don't think there has ever been a team with more versitility.  Defining clear roles may be a problem (but one I think Doc can handle) but we have a lot of redundancy this year.

[Edgar]

(but one I think Doc can handle)

this is the only thing that matters

[Eja117]

Rondo
Avery
KG
Pierce
Bass

I do NOT believe KG is gonna throw a Ray Ray. I don't. I think he'll play center happily if it's in the best interest of the team and winning. I really do. KG doesn't want to play power forward. KG wants to win. It's what separates him from Ray Ray