Do you want to see Isiah Thomas Starting?

[Fafnir]

Not really. I want Marcus to get a lot of PG minutes against starters in the league.

[Evantime34]

I don't think Thomas is as effective as a starter. He struggles to guard starting pg's and wouldn't score as well as against starting defensive units.

Usually in the second half of games he ends up against the opposing first units but by that point he has gotten in a rhythm against the 2nd unit.

I think the starters will need a boost at some point, but I think it will be from the 4 or the 5 not the 1.

[vjcsmoke]

I like it when we win.  I could care less if IT starts or not as long as Stevens puts him in the best position to help our team win.  I'm sure IT might have some opinions on that but most likely as long as we continue to win and he gets major minutes like last night, there's unlikely to be a problem.

[Celtics18]

The way things have been stacked up in preseason and the opener, I don't think that our "1-5" could beat our "6-10" in a series. On our team I don't think that being a starter means anything except that you fit Brad's game plan for the early minutes (I'd love to know what that is...)

I *think* the strategy is to open with ball pressure and stick the other team's playmakers right away so that they can't set the tone or get a rhythm. If that's the case, I definitely don't want Thomas to start.

I think you are right about starting the game with a defensive minded unit in the back court and on the wing.  I love that strategy.  Marcus, Avery, and Jae are going to make it a dogfight for the opposition from the jump.  You spend the first half of the first quarter getting manhandled by those guys, and now all of a sudden you have to deal with Isaiah Thomas, who brings that "pit bull" mentality on the offensive end coming off the bench.

[Kane3387]

No

[SHAQATTACK]

NO



He can't defend against the tall stars with fresh legs...too much  of his offensive gain is lost to his size on defense .....but against the second stringers he can kinda hold his own on defense enough to get by .....and WORK his Magic on the offensive end . 

Also .....by the end of the game the stars are getting tired .   iT uses his speed and energy to now overcome the tired opponents starters .

Kinda like a boxing match .....wear the opponent down with Smart ,Crowder , AB , Rozier ......then send in Amir and IT to kill em....LOL

[sofutomygaha]

I think you are right about starting the game with a defensive minded unit in the back court and on the wing.  I love that strategy.  Marcus, Avery, and Jae are going to make it a dogfight for the opposition from the jump.  You spend the first half of the first quarter getting manhandled by those guys, and now all of a sudden you have to deal with Isaiah Thomas, who brings that "pit bull" mentality on the offensive end coming off the bench.

Random side note, I've only ever heard the "pit bull" metaphor applied to belligerent defenders. I've been ruined by echo-chamber sports media.

[Moranis]

I don't think Thomas is as effective as a starter. He struggles to guard starting pg's and wouldn't score as well as against starting defensive units.

Usually in the second half of games he ends up against the opposing first units but by that point he has gotten in a rhythm against the 2nd unit.

I think the starters will need a boost at some point, but I think it will be from the 4 or the 5 not the 1.

except that doesn't actually really bear out to be true.  Thomas has performed basically the same as a starter and as a bench player. 

[Vermont Green]

I think there would be a couple of problems with IT playing as a full time starter.  First is the more obvious aspect that he would be playing against bigger, faster, and more skilled players if he started so likely his effectiveness would decline. A second issue that I think is more important is that I think he would get too beat up as a starter playing more minute (which I know these two don't go hand in hand necessarily).

With his style of play, he takes a beating most nights with his drives to the hoop.  I actually think he would be best if kept to 24 min or less and playing as much against the second team as possible.  The main reason that it seems like he should start is because the Celtics are not that good of a team.  We have him playing in the perfect role for him.  Why would we want to change that?

[LooseCannon]

I don't think Thomas is as effective as a starter. He struggles to guard starting pg's and wouldn't score as well as against starting defensive units.

Usually in the second half of games he ends up against the opposing first units but by that point he has gotten in a rhythm against the 2nd unit.

I think the starters will need a boost at some point, but I think it will be from the 4 or the 5 not the 1.

Thomas has a higher career FG% when he starts vs when he comes off the bench.  His TS% is about the same and his usage goes down.

[Chris22]

Tommy Heinsohn is right.
Thomas is ideal sixth man.

[GC003332]

When Smart got inserted into the starting lineup last season the team went 24-12 the rest of the way , his defensive intensity played a huge roll in that.Unless the team starts dropping games I think Stevens will keep the same starting backcourt for the time being.If Thomas is dropping 20 a game and playing around 30 minutes and the team continues to win it should satisfy him at the moment you would think.
Stevens showed during the playoffs that if the team isn't getting it done he is still flexible , when he benched Smart for Crowder.

[dreamgreen]

No I don't. Last night we saw the good IT4 against a bad team. The kid is a heck of a player but when he's bad he's bad. As in the entire Cleveland series. I'm willing to say IT4 is a piece in a trade to bring back an all-star.

[Greyman]

No, though the slow start in the first game will need to be addressed. Catching the 76ers is less of a challenge than what happens against stronger teams who get a significant lead on you. Slow starts worry me because one of the strengths of this squad is meant to be maintaining pressure over the entire game, which includes the start when teams mostly have their best players on the court.

[PhoSita]

No, though the slow start in the first game will need to be addressed. Catching the 76ers is less of a challenge than what happens against stronger teams who get a significant lead on you.

That's true, though it's not like it's a new development -- the team started slow in many of the games at the end of last season over the same time period they went like 25-10.