The Golden Gate Moves to Boston

[Celtics4ever]

As if Lee's defense is any worse than Sullinger's.

That is improbable. 

[Snakehead]

yeah you're probably right. We still have too many guards.

There has to be a trade coming for a wing of some kind.

[D.o.s.]

Just like we were "obviously" going to get a rim protector, right?

As if Lee's defense is any worse than Sullinger's.

That is improbable.

Clearly one of you is not one for watching David Lee.

[Snakehead]

Just like we were "obviously" going to get a rim protector, right?

Well I was never one on that wagon and I think it is vastly overrated as a need for our team (talent is actually our need, as general as that sounds).

Anyways, the roster balance is just so extreme.  Maybe they run Turner at SF more being actually a SF but he's not really good without the ball and I think Marcus needs the ball and is showing he's ready to handle the ball more.

Maybe we are just going to run a lot of crazy line ups though.  I don't know.  I know Ainge won't make a move unless it's a good one so I'm not guaranteeing anything I just think Ainge is trying for sure right now.

[D.o.s.]

Oh, yeah, not trying to insinuate that you were on that train, just that we needed a rim protector and we got David Lee, you know. 


My suspicion is that Smart will continue to be a relative afterthought in the offense, at least for the start of the year.

[JHTruth]

I think Lee will mostly take Bass's minutes. I don't think it's a coincidence we made the trade right after Bass went to LA. He could carve out a larger role depending on how things pan out this year but it looks we're gunning for the playoffs.

Lee is a pretty good player on a loaded team like GS, here in Boston he will most likely be frustrating and disappointing. When Lee is your 4th or 5th best player, you're probably a contender. When he's your best player, well let's just say wait on ordering those ECF packages..

[Snakehead]

My suspicion is that Smart will continue to be a relative afterthought in the offense, at least for the start of the year.

I shouldn't get my hopes up, especially from summer league, I was just super encouraged by how much he was going to the rim and drawing fouls and he also seemed to have added a lot to his passing game (he threw many nice bounce passes for example, which I don't recall seeing much last year).   He also was running pick and roll in a way he never did the year before, making the defense react to him and making reads based off of that.  That's clearly where his game needs to go and I think he realizes that and was working in the offseason on it.

I was someone who thought Smart was a SG coming in but I feel like he actually can be a good PG from what I've seen since.

Time will tell.  I know the team is getting better and trying to win, I just think for Smart's development he should get the reps over Turner handling the ball for another year.  That would be the smart ( ) move.

Sorry to veer so off topic!

[Moranis]

I'm still of the belief that Thomas and Smart should be the starting backcourt.  Up in the air on whether Turner or Crowder should start at SF.  Sullinger and Lee seem like the clear starters to me down low (though against certain teams I could see Zeller getting the nod).  Bradley, Johnson, and Olynyk round out the rest of the 10 man rotation. 

So I'd have something like this for minutes

PG - Thomas 30, Smart 15, Bradley 3
SG - Smart 20, Bradley 25, Turner 3
SF - Crowder 25, Turner 23
PF - Sullinger 30, Johnson 5, Olynyk 13
C - Lee 20, Zeller 10, Johnson 18

Total Minutes
Smart - 35
Thomas - 30
Sullinger - 30
Bradley - 28
Turner - 26
Crowder - 25
Johnson - 23
Lee - 20
Olynyk - 13
Zeller - 10

Something like that.  Do think the team would be served best by moving Bradley and Olynyk for another true center or SF (since I don't think Turner is around long term).  That would free up minutes for Jonas, Young, Rozier, etc.

[fairweatherfan]

Just like we were "obviously" going to get a rim protector, right?

Well I was never one on that wagon and I think it is vastly overrated as a need for our team (talent is actually our need, as general as that sounds).

I agree that rim protection has become so severely overrated that it's almost a cliche at this point.  Perimeter defense, especially on the 3, is more important in today's NBA, and we seem to be prioritizing that over interior D.  But on top of that I also think Amir Johnson was signed in part to be a stopgap rim protector for the next year or two. 

[hpantazo]

Did people forget that the turning point for Golden State in the NBA finals was when Kerr decided to bench their established defensive anchor Andrew Bogut for David Lee?

I understand Lee is not a defensive force , but the NBA game has changed in the past two years and his skill set is a better fit with the current game.

[pearljammer10]

I'm still of the belief that Thomas and Smart should be the starting backcourt.  Up in the air on whether Turner or Crowder should start at SF.  Sullinger and Lee seem like the clear starters to me down low (though against certain teams I could see Zeller getting the nod).  Bradley, Johnson, and Olynyk round out the rest of the 10 man rotation. 

So I'd have something like this for minutes

PG - Thomas 30, Smart 15, Bradley 3
SG - Smart 20, Bradley 25, Turner 3
SF - Crowder 25, Turner 23
PF - Sullinger 30, Johnson 5, Olynyk 13
C - Lee 20, Zeller 10, Johnson 18

Total Minutes
Smart - 35
Thomas - 30
Sullinger - 30
Bradley - 28
Turner - 26
Crowder - 25
Johnson - 23
Lee - 20
Olynyk - 13
Zeller - 10

Something like that.  Do think the team would be served best by moving Bradley and Olynyk for another true center or SF (since I don't think Turner is around long term).  That would free up minutes for Jonas, Young, Rozier, etc.

Lee and Sullinger seems to be an awful pairing to me especially on the defensive end. Big men will run over us and guys will drive right through us. I like this better:

Smart 13/ Thomas 30/ Rozier 5
Bradley 25/ Smart 23
Crowder 28/Jonas 10/ Turner 10
Lee 25/Sully 23
Johnson 23/ KO 15/Zeller 10

Totals:
Smart - 36
Thomas - 30
Crowder - 28
Bradley - 25
Lee - 25
Johnson - 23
Sully - 23
Olynyk - 15
Zeller - 10
Jonas - 10
Rozier 5

All in all still too many guys for the rotation. Turner needs to go most. I have no use for him here. Bradley, Sully, and either KO or Zeller will probably all follow in a package to bring in a guy who can take minutes and spread them around.

[Who]

I think less is more with Isaiah Thomas.

I prefer to see him play around 25-28mpg and be ultra aggressive than 30-35mpg and pacing himself on offense. His defense is too bad for that. Play him less and let him go all-out. That is when he is most effective.

[Greenbean]

I think less is more with Isaiah Thomas.

I prefer to see him play around 25-28mpg and be ultra aggressive than 30-35mpg and pacing himself on offense. His defense is too bad for that. Play him less and let him go all-out. That is when he is most effective.

Agreed. TP

[Moranis]

I think less is more with Isaiah Thomas.

I prefer to see him play around 25-28mpg and be ultra aggressive than 30-35mpg and pacing himself on offense. His defense is too bad for that. Play him less and let him go all-out. That is when he is most effective.

except statistically that isn't in fact the case.  He was more efficient season his last year in Sacramento when he was playing just under 35 minutes a game than he was for Boston.  Thomas is best starting and playing more.  His numbers support that claim. 

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I continue to be amazed that people who complain about the bad defense of a good scorer seem to have no problem with the bad offense of good defenders.

I appreciate good defense, but I'd take a team of David Lees over a team of Tony Allens any day, because the former would be more entertaining.