Has Brown earned back his starting spot?

[Rosco917]

TP! I'm so glad to see this post.

My answer is yes. He's playing with energy on BOTH sides of the floor. He's learning to deal with contact at the rim. Just the fact that he is showing signs of playing through contact is a great improvement in his game. Jaylen is showing signs that he gets it! The last few games he's showing signs of turning the corner. He should be rewarded.

I've been a detractor of his this entire year. He has worked, he has excepted the criticism of his peers, and is one of the few Celtics playing with passion and energy. 

Sit Tatum down, his shooting percentage of late is horrible. He stands straight on D, he looks to have hit a wall. Definitely sit Morris, the real Morris has resurfaced.

[Rosco917]

Obviously, he's not a power forward. This year is done. Sit down Morris and play Horford at PF and Baynes at center (if he can stay healthy) let Semi back up Horford at PF.

Kyrie
Smart
Baynes
Brown
Horford

Shorten the bench, Rozier has the confidence of a star but the play of an out of control bench player.

THIS TEAM NEEDS TO SEE SOMEONE PACK THEIR BAGS.

[Somebody]

I would move both Morris and Smart back to the second unit.

Start Irving, Brown, Baynes, Horford, and Tatum.

Yes, that should have been our starting unit from the get go (TP). Hate this small ball stuff.
Horford/Baynes are an elite defensive duo, who can cover for the defensive deficiencies of Irving and Tatum.
Put Brown on the best guard/wing and our defense will improve a lot.

Offensively we should start exploiting pick-and-roll with Irving and Horford/Baynes with Brown and Tatum play off-ball most of the time. In the second unit Hayward or Smart can do the same with Theis, while Morris can be a fall back option when the offense stagnates. Go back to basics.

I had been advocating for that lineup since the offseason.

[Triplenickle]

Then maybe Rozier doesn't need to be coming off the bench for a star player who wants 30 points a game and not play the defensive style this team is looking for...while the team stands around watching him be a hero.

Right now I just see Kyrie as a contract we won't have to pay if he walks.

Hayward next... while we see what we can get in the upcoming drafts.

[Phantom255x]

I feel he earned it back like 3 weeks ago.

Kyrie/Brown/Tatum/Horford/Baynes

Bench of Rozier, Hayward, Smart, Morris, Theis, Ojeyele. Then depending on matchups, some spurts of Timelord and Wanamaker.

With that said I also want to see a little more of Ojeyele and Wanamaker off the bench. I feel they deserve a shot considering Rozier and Morris aren't exactly lighting it up these days anyways

[Triplenickle]

And if the young guys see Kyrie, Morris, and Hayward not playing aggressive D...why would THEY, seeing they're the reason they've been reduced to a second thought while Kyrie and Morris poured salt in the wound by making enemies with them.

I always thought what Kyrie and Morris did earlier was not too bright.

[Rosco917]

Tatum is playing horrible basketball of late. His shooting percentage is way down, he's always out of position on D, while standing straight up. He's obviously hit a wall of some sort. Put him on the second unit, he needs to watch the game from the bench for a while.

[Triplenickle]

Tatum is playing horrible basketball of late. His shooting percentage is way down, he's always out of position on D, while standing straight up. He's obviously hit a wall of some sort. Put him on the second unit, he needs to watch the game from the bench for a while.

Yeah, but does Kyrie really get anyone involved besides himself? Does Brad's system utilize it's strengths properly?

No in both cases.

The man has a long range game, mid range game, and takes it to the rim with the best of them. Rebounds decent, and capable of playing good D...

But yet...this team can't get him to produce?

And that's a Tatum problem?

The man can grab a rebound and take it coast to coast, but yet Brad can't squeeze 22 points a game out of all that ability? And let's face it, after his rookie year, that's about what he should be contributing right now.

He even has a post game SMDH.

Brad wants college balance and doesn't understand NBA talent. Never gonna win by bringing your best talent down to the level of your 8th man.

[MichiganAdam]

zone of the C's big problems ATM is KI.  With his skill with the ball he needs to drive and dish much more often.  JT has some of the same issues.  Did we watch the rockets do it to us or not.  Break down the D with drive or pass, and then pass to the better shots rather than make the tough contested off balance shots.  With the shooting of this team KI should average 5 less shots but 4 more assists per game.  Watch what harden did.  KI is better at breaking down the D than he is.  In the day, Bird was great at it without the skill of KI.  Drive, pitch to big or farside guy who opens up when the D collapses, and stay in there for the give and go or the rebound.  JT and brown can also do this much more.  They are guilty of hero ball.  There is too much talent for that.  JT should average 3-5 assists per game, not less than 2.  Work for the better shots, get the assists, and next time you will be the receiver of said open shots.  So easy.

Also have an issue with shot distribution.  How can KI or MM have 3-15 nights when JT or JB are 6-8.  Feed the hot hand alot more than they do.  Every guy on the team is capable of a 15 point quarter.  When they are hot be unselfish and let them stay hot until they aren't or the D shifts to stop them, and then feed the open guy again.  Too much talent to get hung up on how many shots each guy gets quarter by quarter and game by game.  FEED THE HOT HAND.

[Triplenickle]

zone of the C's big problems ATM is KI.  With his skill with the ball he needs to drive and dish much more often.  JT has some of the same issues.  Did we watch the rockets do it to us or not.  Break down the D with drive or pass, and then pass to the better shots rather than make the tough contested off balance shots.  With the shooting of this team KI should average 5 less shots but 4 more assists per game.  Watch what harden did.  KI is better at breaking down the D than he is.  In the day, Bird was great at it without the skill of KI.  Drive, pitch to big or farside guy who opens up when the D collapses, and stay in there for the give and go or the rebound.  JT and brown can also do this much more.  They are guilty of hero ball.  There is too much talent for that.  JT should average 3-5 assists per game, not less than 2.  Work for the better shots, get the assists, and next time you will be the receiver of said open shots.  So easy.

Also have an issue with shot distribution.  How can KI or MM have 3-15 nights when JT or JB are 6-8.  Feed the hot hand alot more than they do.  Every guy on the team is capable of a 15 point quarter.  When they are hot be unselfish and let them stay hot until they aren't or the D shifts to stop them, and then feed the open guy again.  Too much talent to get hung up on how many shots each guy gets quarter by quarter and game by game.  FEED THE HOT HAND.

Yeah, I mean with all his ability it would be a small thing for him to adjust and be that kind of point guard. He has so much control he can get through an entire defense and score without being fouled, but he just does NOT want to be that kind of point guard.

I ain't mad at him...I just won't have a problem watching him walk.

[boscel33]

I would move both Morris and Smart back to the second unit.

Start Irving, Brown, Baynes, Horford, and Tatum.

I'm going Rozier, Brown, Tatum, Hayward, and Horford. 

Four of those five on the court yesterday were the only unit that had any cohesion at all.  Every time (there were a lot) Kyrie made a mistake, he was waving his arms and barking at the other person.  I've said it before and I know stats may prove otherwise, but this team seems to play better with TR on the court.  Call me out, but I've seen it, both last year and this year.

And in another post, they said to play GH at Point Forward, I can see that as well.

[fairweatherfan]

Yes, he has, though it's a combo of Morris also earning back a spot on the 2nd unit. I don't know how I feel about Jaylen over Smart though.

If we're trying to recapture last season's playoff mojo, we absolutely need the Jays out there and rebuild that chemistry we saw. Not to mention that if we don't land Davis, our plan B involves building through them. We need to get them reps together and ride that into the postseason. 

[Csfan1984]

I see a few for removing Smart and Morris. Unfortunately I think we need Smart in to help avoid slow starts. This team comes out very lazy already  without Smart it's worse.

I also see Baynes being guy people want in. Thing with Baynes is he just keeps getting hurt along with Al. The team needs consistency also spacing. At times Baynes is just too slow on offense and defense with the pick and roll. I like him as the first big off the bench but against teams like the Rockets he is exposed.

I'm for starting Irving, Smart, Brown, Tatum, Horford
Speed, spacing, skill, and defense. They should overwhelm teams.

With the bench the idea is being big and crashing the boards (since they miss a lot) go with
Rozier, Hayward, Morris, Theis, Baynes

I'd have Hayward run the second unit he doesn't want to shoot anyways. Perfect for building him up by making him more in control but without scoring pressure. Rozier and Morris just need to get to open spots or cut hard to the rim for passes. Which playing along to bigs like Theis and Baynes should give them room around screens to fire away. The groups would love it if they gave it a real shot.

[Triplenickle]

I would move both Morris and Smart back to the second unit.

Start Irving, Brown, Baynes, Horford, and Tatum.

I'm going Rozier, Brown, Tatum, Hayward, and Horford. 

Four of those five on the court yesterday were the only unit that had any cohesion at all.  Every time (there were a lot) Kyrie made a mistake, he was waving his arms and barking at the other person.  I've said it before and I know stats may prove otherwise, but this team seems to play better with TR on the court.  Call me out, but I've seen it, both last year and this year.

And in another post, they said to play GH at Point Forward, I can see that as well.

I was gonna post something similar but thought the anti-Rozier crowd was too great.

Obviously Kyrie is much more talented, but Rozier is truly a better fit for Brad's system. Why Brad hasn't identified that all year long is beyond me. 

And Morris should be used as a gunner off the bench.

Williams and Al shoulda been side by side all year long, and he probably regressed with the lack of faith his coach showed him all year. He's another player that fits his system, but Brad can't even identify what's best for his "system".