Humphries > Vitor

[PhoSita]

During the three game winning streak, Vitor's playing time has dwindled.  Last night, he logged just 3 minutes.

I can't help feeling that this is not a coincidence.

At the same time, Humphries has worked his way back into the rotation.  Last night he played a very productive 19 minutes.

Vitor, it seems, put up some nice numbers and looks like a good player, but the advanced stats, and overall team results, have told us not to be fooled -- the team is worse with him on the floor.  Significantly worse.


In my opinion, Kelly should stick in the starting lineup and Sully and Humphries should be the primary backup bigs.  Vitor will get his time later in the year after Bass and perhaps Humphries have been traded.

[Celtics4ever]

I think it has more to do with Crawford at PG and moving AB to shooting guard than anything with Vitor.   Vitor played well the first two games.   With AB out at PG = better ball movement and less TO's.   It also allows AB to focus on D and shooting.  You can only get so far asking an apple to be an orange.

[Vermont Green]

I think Stevens is just trying different things largely based on match-ups.  Humphries is a good match up against Miami because they don't really have a C.  Vitor would have a tough time against Miami.

More broadly though, I think we are going to see plenty of Vitor and I look forward to it.  He has shown plenty of promise. We need to showcase Humphries too so that is why you will see this kind of erratic minutes deployment.

[bballdog384]

I think Stevens is just trying different things largely based on match-ups.  Humphries is a good match up against Miami because they don't really have a C.  Vitor would have a tough time against Miami.

More broadly though, I think we are going to see plenty of Vitor and I look forward to it.  He has shown plenty of promise. We need to showcase Humphries too so that is why you will see this kind of erratic minutes deployment.

Agree. Stevens is taking the road less traveled and is actually changing his lineups in order to match up with the other team. He said he was going to do this - and I was fairly skeptical because it isnt very common in the NBA. For our team, it's what we need though.

I'm sure we'll be seeing more Vitor against any team with a big center.

[SHAQATTACK]

Hump was the right player for last nights matchup . 

Instill like Fav  as our center for most games......playing normal teams....where a 6 ft 8 animal of 260!lbs that runs like a deer isn't playing guard or three different positions .

Hump is good against Heat size,

[European NBA fan]

Faverani was a very good matchup with Birdman, and for his three minutes the Celtics were +8. Humphries might be a better matchup against small ball, because the rotations have to be a little quicker, especially on the pick and roll. But I believe that Vitor will get there.

[BballTim]

  I don't think a player in his 10th year knowing a little more about how to be an effective player than a rookie is surprising at all. I wouldn't necessarily bury Vitor because of this but he probably doesn't need to be playing really big minutes either.

[Sketch5]

Victor is still playing catch up to the NBA game. He had a couple good games, but then he had a couple rough ones. Teams may have caught on. He'll come around again.

There could also be some teams interested in Humps but want to see what he can do with limited minutes. Toss him in for some good minutes, raise his value and maybe get some thing in return.

[dark_lord]

humphries is a better player right now in their respective careers.  not a knock on vitor....it is what it is. 

[pokeKingCurtis]

Different strengths. Vitor plays like he's 7 foot tall, Hump is scrappier.

Again, Brad Stevens's depth chart seems very logical even in hindsight. Bass's play has been very, very good and he brings more or less the same things as Kris Humphries does.

Props to Brad Stevens, again, really, for his ability to continue to keep players motivated. Hump has been riding the pine for days but has stepped up when called upon. Of course, there's also CLee who's been reduced to an off the bench energy guy playing unstable minutes (25 one game, 10 the next).

Stevens basically took a potential weakness in the roster (PF and PG gluts) and turned them into strengths.

Edit: Yes. I'm biased. I'm really loving Brad Stevens.

[billysan]

It's all matchup based.

Some teams are more athletic and play off of it instead of size. Vitor is new and learning the defensive schemes. He also is not a finesse player, therefore he needs to be against another banger or two when possible. He will need some more work before he is an everyday center or even an everyday backup center that can play against different types of lineups.

I also fully subscribe to the theory that Brad Stevens 'threw him out there' to 'see what he had' in those first two games. Likely Danny was happy about this and may have suggested it even. They both know we have a lot of unknowns on this roster as far as how guys will perform at the NBA level and how they will play together.

If Humphries is trade bait, and I believe he is, then he must be played some to establish value. Same with Bass, Lee, Wallace, Crawford and any other player Danny may make available. Likewise, we also have to play our young players like Vitor and Olynyk to see what we have.

We would have never seen this type of audition with Doc Rivers IMO. I think Danny and Brad know we dont have a shot at the playoffs, even after winning a couple of games, and they dont have a problem with an experiment or two that may cost us a couple of wins.

In answer to the OP, yes at this stage of his career he is but not going forward.

[Moranis]

You mean a veteran with years in the league who has had multiple double double seasons is better than a rookie.  Shocking.

[billysan]

You mean a veteran with years in the league who has had multiple double double seasons is better than a rookie.  Shocking.

The fact that Humphries averaged those numbers as a PF and not a center is relevant IMO. Even if you subscribe to the 'a big is a big' argument that doesnt differentiate the positions, there is a size difference that is noticeable with matchups.

The fact that he is an experienced NBA veteran is also important. Humphries would truly deserve the title of scrub if he couldnt outplay a rookie with zero NBA minutes as a bigman. I dont think he will do it over the course of the whole season. I see Vitor as a serviceable NBA rotation big in the near future.