Should Jeff Green start at 4 vs Heat? Vs every team?

[arambone]

So maybe this guy is too good right now to be sitting on the bench half the game.

Maybe he emerges as the everyday starting PF because he's just so good and aggressive and GOOD.

Maybe in this different situation in Boston, at this time (2years after playing pretty good at 4 for OKC), Jeff Green will be better overall than even my beloved Sully muffin.

Other than the competition of Bass and Sullinger, the only thing preventing a serious discussion of this is the Celtics' lack of depth at 3.

Well, maybe it's time to think about cutting Collins and signing best available cut SF from another team? Or at least making a trade for a solid veteran backup 3 to replace most of Green's minutes at the 3, and play in front of Kris Joseph.

Keeping Green on the bench because of lack of depth just doesn't make the most basketball sense, if indeed Green is a top 4-5 player on this team.

Let me know how many minutes at 4 Green has been playing in preseason, and how his performance compared to his minutes as a 3.

I love Sully and predicted quick success and rookie starter status all along, but a reinvigorated 25 year old Jeff Green starting next to Pierce and Garnett and Rondo and Lee/Bradley sounds pretty sweet.

Green brings the same BBIQ upgrade over Bass that Sullinger brings. If Doc and Danny want to go uptempo for real this year, they have the horses to do it.

Rondo and Bradley playing smothering press defense, leading to misjudged passes, leading to pick-off steals by Pierce, Green, and KG.

Green/Bradley/Rondo running the fast break, with Pierce and KG trailing, could be extremely thrilling and perhaps even unprecedented.

Then you got Terry, Lee, and Barbosa coming in super fresh. I suppose Lee could play 3 along with Kris Joseph, but another SF definitely seems needed.

If Delonte West was 2 inches taller, he'd probably be our guy right now. Let's see who gets released, and let's see if Doc starts Green against the Heat.

[Who]

Jeff Green should definitely start against Miami.

I wouldn't have him as my regular starter though. Too weak a defender/rebounder. Better used off the bench as a backup PF when Doc can pick and choose advantages matchups that Green can consistently exploit.

[Who]

I'd rather have Delonte than Barbosa.

Barbosa is a bit redundant with Terry here. Delonte has superior non-scoring contributions and I think he'd fit in better and add more to the team because of that.

[arambone]

If Jeff is starting and/or first backup at PF, that basically means he's taking Bass' role, and that another quality SF needs to be brought in, and Collins let go, perhaps.

Maybe Bass turns into a top quality insurance policy after Green and Sullinger and KG.

Or trade bait for quality SF or SG/SF. Those guys are abundant.
 

[Fafnir]

I'd rather have Delonte than Barbosa.

Barbosa is a bit redundant with Terry here. Delonte has superior non-scoring contributions and I think he'd fit in better and add more to the team because of that.

Unfortunately his off the court issues appear to have made Delonte toxic.

[Fafnir]

If Lebron is the Heats starting Pf then Green should start for the Cs

[MJohnnyboy]

Start? No.

Finish? Absolutely!

[bucknersrevenge]

I'd rather have Delonte than Barbosa.

Barbosa is a bit redundant with Terry here. Delonte has superior non-scoring contributions and I think he'd fit in better and add more to the team because of that.

If by "non-scoring contributions" you mean him flashing pics of he and Ms James at the Heat game I agree.

[billysan]

If Lebron is the Heats starting Pf then Green should start for the Cs

I really think he may be more effective as a bench weapon.

I think Pierce is still up to the task on the perimeter and in the open court against James for short (5 minute) bursts. I dont think Lebron will be posting anyone up, but I could be wrong. I seem to remember he likes to start high above the three point line and drive toward the hoop to get open. Bosh in the corner and Wade on the wing, now they will have Ray spotting up. Battier or Haslem will set picks.

[indeedproceed]

Let's say for a minute that Jeff Green does not have the history of being a terrible, terrible defender and rebounder at the 4. Let's say that's all gone now, and Jeff Green is both an adaquate rebounder and adaquate defender at the 4.

Why start him? Even with his delicious mismatch at the 4 offensively, as a 4th option (which he would be here, again) he was still scoring at an average rate. Not better than Brandon Bass on a per minute basis.

But one thing Jeff Green has shown us is that against 2nd string swingman, he can be dominating. As a second or first option.

So why start him? Why not cut Pierce's minute down to 28 or 30, give Green all that's left and spot minutes at the 4. We're spoiled for choice here, and the question is not 'who can play' but how we can maximize what we have.

And now, lets remember that historically as a starting 4, as a 3rd or 4th option, he's been a disaster defensively and as a rebounder, and only a marginally impactful player offensively.

Just don't see how it benefits us to play Green big minutes at the 4, let alone as a full time starter.

[BudweiserCeltic]

If I would start him, it would be at the 3 and move Pierce to the 2. That gives us size advantage in two position with two very versatile offensive players.

Loved it when we used it against Philly the other day, what needs to happen though is the team recognize opportunities and advantages and exploit them.

That said, I like Lee as a starter and Green off the bench.

[lightspeed5]

jeff dominates benches.

[xmuscularghandix]

Green is backup SF and primary scoring option off the bench. I think he would definitely see more minutes against the Heat though.

Wade facing Bradley, Lee, and Terry all game while Lebron faces 48 minutes of either Pierce or Green? I like the way that sounds. All the while Rondo is dominating Mario Chalmers and then of course this...

[Fearless421]

Honestly, I rather have Green coming from the bench. I like Green and Terry with Rondo against any other team's bench. We should be able to outscore any team's 2nd unit. And if Green can defend like he swhowed in preseason we going to be tough to beat.
GO CELTICS!!!!!!

[mgent]

LeBron doesn't start at the 4.  He's too stubborn.  He reminds me of KG at C.  Rather face-up from the perimeter vs. smaller guys than bang with guys their own size.

Green has a Lamar Odom-type confidence right now and we probably shouldn't mess with that.  His huge drop in compeition off the bench is like being sent to the D-league compared to what he's used to.