Naw--let's start Pat at the 2, and bring both CJ and ET off the bench. Yes, I know there's someone missing...
I think we need to be careful about the PHX game, First, they shot like garbage, but it was more than that. They were missing bunnies. SHort floaters, open J's, a couple of dunks and layups that rolled off. I'm not saying we wouldn't have still crushed them (20? 30?) but we didn't become the Bill Russell Celtics overnight. Especially missing 2 of our top 6 players. I don't remember thinking last year "damn, this offense is too efficient with CJ/Dame on the floor together...let's split them up and see how it goes!"
Bottom line is we need to see CJ starting with the newish defense and see how it goes. If for some reason it doesn't work, then you can consider changes. I still kind of like CJ and Dame starting (firepower) and then bringing in ET if it looks like the opposing SG is going off on CJ.
We played a glorified d league team. Don't judge the team on that game. They did EXACTLY what they should have
Most NBA stars get really pissy about coming off the bench. Guys like Rasheed are rare. And since both Damian and CJ are going to play at least 3 full quarters, you can only separate them by a max of 12 minutes. And that can come throughout the game, it doesn't need to happen all in the 1st quarter, and risk pissing off CJ.
Dude, it is pretty freaking clear. One of them is a borderline all star in the loaded western conference who nearly had a 50/40/90 season. The other is a glorified 6th man who can't shoot. I think you're overstating ET's defense.
Uts hard to have Dame and CJ both play crap D, but Lillard in game 1 showed he’s not going to be s liability anymore (hopefully). If Dame is strong on D we can hide CJ’s D.
See this is why we need a post/like limit on starting threads. LOL. Answer me this rook, did they coexist on defense during the preseason? Where are you getting this "forgone conclusion" that they can't coexist? The jury is still out and we played preseason D. We haven't seen how they play defense THIS regular season. Again, drawing conclusions based upon playing this JV team is ludicrous.
CJ's was pretty on point at the end of last year...let's just see what happens. I don't remember getting lit up in preseason.
