|
Post by DERRENMATTS on Aug 1, 2006 10:15:52 GMT -5
If Wally plays a role off the bench, who will start in his place? Wally's minutes may have to be decreased significantly, just so that he can avoid going on the DL.
|
|
|
Post by eja117 on Aug 1, 2006 10:54:17 GMT -5
this will sound nuts but maybe they could do it by committe. GG has the most talent but maybe doesn't have the chemistry yet. I really have a hard time seeing him on the court at the same time as PP. I'm honestly very nervous about this. It's like having two Kobes, but the only thing worse than two is one very young and one very old. I think if young Kobe and old Kobe were on the same team they'd kill each other but I digress. It might be nice to rehab some of TAs NBA image. Also he has good D. Also I think D West playing there gives more minutes to the young pgs. I think what's great is that there is plenty of talent to play with. I don't see why Wally or even PP should get more than 32-37 mpg when we could give young guys time and keep them fresh. Even Allen Ray could use some mins. I'm hoping for the first time in memory when we play bad teams we can give garbage minutes.
|
|
|
Post by freshnthehouse on Aug 1, 2006 14:27:20 GMT -5
My guess is it would either be West or Allen, with Paul moving to the 3. I still think Wally is gonna play 32+ minutes a game, so I dont expect a plethora of extra minutes available.
|
|
|
Post by DERRENMATTS on Aug 1, 2006 15:21:05 GMT -5
Fresh, I'm thinking it'll be Tony Allen. Telfair, or Rondo, needs a running mate, and who better than Tony Allen?
Delonte could work as well, because as we've seen in the SL, a shooter like Allan Ray does well on kickouts.
But when it comes down to going small, quick and athletic, I think Tony will be the one winning it out. Hope his legal issues pan out.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2006 16:00:54 GMT -5
West or Allen at SG while Pierce plays at the 3-spot. Darkhorse would be G.Green or Gomes playing 20 minutes at SF while Wally plays 25-30 minutes off the bench.
|
|
|
Post by DERRENMATTS on Aug 1, 2006 16:33:43 GMT -5
For a big lineup, putting Gomes at SF and Pierce at SG would work. But from what has been said this summer, we are going to be a small team. If that's the case, I don't think we'll start Gomes and Pierce next to each other.
Gerald Green is the eventual replacement for Wally, but for this year, he'll be a scoring option off the bench.
|
|
|
Post by jb on Aug 1, 2006 16:52:21 GMT -5
It depends. LOL First, I presume everyone has granted the point guard spot to Telfair, correct? Or is it? He has to win it on the court and Doc is a veteran lover and not a pure point guard himself. Pierce also has to show he's willing to run. For Telfair to be effective he needs wings that fly. ;>) I also presume that you are giving Jefferson the power forward spot, mais non? Well, he's got to beat out Gomes and Ratlif needs to be healthy or Al will have to back up Perkins. So, given that Perkins and Pierce are the only ones we can be absolutely sure will start, where does that leave us? My feeling is that Doc will not push Pierce to run and that the point guard position is for Delonte to lose. Doc also naturally dislikes post play, so Gomes starts at the four. Rivers has never shown any inclination to preserve Szczerbiak's knees, so why start now? That's it folks: Pierce, West, Wally, Perk and Gomes. Same as finished last year, with a bench group that comes in and changes the tempo, but suffers, as last years team did from having no outside shooters. My own starting five? If I were coach? Pierce, Telfair, Gomes, Jefferson and Perkins; but I like balance and rebounding. I'd also mix and match, West, Allen and Gomes, gdepending on the opponent and the match ups, but that is way too much for Rivers to grasp. My friend should never have given me the Doc Rivers bobble head doll that sites next to my computer. I see it so many times every day and I'm sure it has clouded my perception,m as they never have fighured how to make one of these things look; "shrewd."
|
|
|
Post by FLCeltsFan on Aug 1, 2006 19:55:07 GMT -5
If Wally comes off the bench, I would start West at the 2. That is his natural position and there is a benefit of having two playmakers at the 1 and 2. I agree with JB though... Doc hasn't been known to do the right thing so far and I doubt he would try to conserve Wally's knees now since he literally played him into the ground last year.
|
|
|
Post by BCHISTORIAN on Aug 2, 2006 1:22:27 GMT -5
west is too small to start at the 2. off the bench he's ok. let's make it clear - west is an ok player but he can be a star only through very rose-coloured sunglasses. and we - the celtics fans tend ot overvalue our young guys.
so i have to say that tony allen should start next to telfair, pierce, jefferson and perkins.
|
|
|
Post by DERRENMATTS on Aug 2, 2006 2:13:58 GMT -5
JB, you hit it on the nose. If Telfair is starting (or even Rondo, for that matter), our wings need to fly. Both wing players need to jet down court with Telfair/Rondo or else our PG's will be running by themselves. Up to this point, Pierce has not been a guy who motors down court much. He'll need to start doing so from this point forward.
I just got through watching a documentary on Bird on NBAtv, and they showed a lot of highlights of the '84 ~ '86 Celtics teams ('86 arguably being the best team in NBA history). What stands out about those teams was how they would constantly run hard down the court and not just settle for jumpers on fastbreaks. And it wasn't only the guards. It was Bird, McHale and Parish too--3 of the slowest players on the team. They ran at every opportunity; after missed shots, after made shots, on loose balls. It wasn't a part time thing to run. It was part of their game. It was second nature to them.
This team we have now needs to run. We are a small~ish team and we cannot win going toe to toe with bigger teams. We have to beat them by running and moving the ball well.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2006 15:30:30 GMT -5
JB, you hit it on the nose. If Telfair is starting (or even Rondo, for that matter), our wings need to fly. Both wing players need to jet down court with Telfair/Rondo or else our PG's will be running by themselves. Up to this point, Pierce has not been a guy who motors down court much. He'll need to start doing so from this point forward. I just got through watching a documentary on Bird on NBAtv, and they showed a lot of highlights of the '84 ~ '86 Celtics teams ('86 arguably being the best team in NBA history). What stands out about those teams was how they would constantly run hard down the court and not just settle for jumpers on fastbreaks. And it wasn't only the guards. It was Bird, McHale and Parish too--3 of the slowest players on the team. They ran at every opportunity; after missed shots, after made shots, on loose balls. It wasn't a part time thing to run. It was part of their game. It was second nature to them. This team we have now needs to run. We are a small~ish team and we cannot win going toe to toe with bigger teams. We have to beat them by running and moving the ball well. We need to use our strength. Which is the speed of our guards. Like you said, we won't win by playing half-court offense. This team needs to attack, attack, and attack so more. Get our opponents tired and weary. Force the opposition to play our style not react to theirs. That's our problem. Too much passive not enough aggression.
|
|
|
Post by DERRENMATTS on Aug 2, 2006 16:50:19 GMT -5
Right. We can be a high powered offense if we run. Just like the Nuggets and the Suns. They play smaller and attack you with speed. We can also go halfcourt offense, but we cannot just rely on it. Pierce and Jefferson can make our halfcourt offense work, but the strength of our team is pushing the ball, and that's what needs to be done.
I'm thinking along the lines of BC. I like Telfair (or Rondo) at PG, with Tony Allen playing the 2. I like that quick and explosive backcourt. Tony's athleticism will allow us to do a lot of damage in an uptempo offense. Plus, with his sticky cover defense, he'll help initiate fastbreaks more frequently.
|
|
|
Post by freshnthehouse on Aug 3, 2006 1:44:03 GMT -5
Right. We can be a high powered offense if we run. Just like the Nuggets and the Suns. They play smaller and attack you with speed. We can also go halfcourt offense, but we cannot just rely on it. Pierce and Jefferson can make our halfcourt offense work, but the strength of our team is pushing the ball, and that's what needs to be done. I'm thinking along the lines of BC. I like Telfair (or Rondo) at PG, with Tony Allen playing the 2. I like that quick and explosive backcourt. Tony's athleticism will allow us to do a lot of damage in an uptempo offense. Plus, with his sticky cover defense, he'll help initiate fastbreaks more frequently. The one drwback to a Allen/Telfair(or Rondo) backcourt is their outside shooting. Opposing teams would corwd the paint and dare Telfair and Allen to beat us.
|
|
|
Post by DERRENMATTS on Aug 3, 2006 5:22:23 GMT -5
That may be true, Fresh. Teams will probably sag on them and tempt them to shoot perimeter shots. But if Doc does his job and get the guys to set solid picks and roll to the basket, it will allow Telfair and Allen to attack the basket and use their penetrating ability to create plays. Even if teams aren't playing tight against Telfair or Rondo, their speed will allow them to do damage on penetrations. It was the same for Tony Parker and a young Kenny Anderson.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2006 15:27:15 GMT -5
Tony Parker has Ginobili to cover up his poor outside shooting. But, I do agree Telfair can play a tony parker type game such as getting most of his points in the paint. If I remember correctly Parker was either 1st or 2nd in the league in pts in the paint.
I can see opponents backing off on tony allen and telfair on defense. That's why I forsee a West and Telfair back-court.
|
|