So after seeing most of the pre season, who do you guys want to see start? I'd like to see Dickau, Pierce, Reed, Jefferson, and Lafrentz. I wouldn't mind of Blount or Gomes started either. I like what Reed brings to us. He's real energetic, aggresive, and can defend either forward spot, and we might even be able to stick him on the 2 guard.
Five up We know Pierce will start. Still could be Delonte at the point, because Dickau (as we know) has done nothing. It could be Reed or Gomes at the three. I don't think that either of them can actually defend the four (unless it's undersized). It seems like Blount is making a run at being the starter at center, and I think that he will end up doing just that. In a perfect world Raef can play the four (he can defend it, and most other fours don't want to go the perimeter) and then he can be in the second unit with Ricky. His shooting is so nasty, and the bench players tend to shoot poor percentages, so maybe he could get them in rhythm. But if he's on the second unit, he's the center. Jefferson will obviously play the starting four, and we hope he'll be as good as he was last year. Ricky is better off the bench, and he should stay there. Him and Pierce only defend the wings when they feel like it, so it's no good to have them on a unit together. The mysteries really lie at the point and at the three. Ricky shouldn't be a starter, he can be more helpful off the bench. Dickau is horrible and Delonte hasn't shown much. I just hope we see some more of Orien Greene as a stopper, he's fun to watch.
I still think we'll see them start games small, and I have no regrets about it. West, Davis (until Allen returns), Pierce, LaFrentz, and Blount. This is not my preferred lineup, this is just what I think Doc will field for the beginning of the season. Allen will start after some time rehabbing, I have no doubt about that, they miss his spark, you can tell straightaway watching the beginning of these games. Pierce is a lock, and so is Blount, I don't know how people don't see that. He's the only semblance of a center ready to get significant minutes on this team. They gambled on him this year, and so far it's paying off. Perk will get most of the center minutes behind him, not Raef. Big Al will be coming off the bench until he can prove he's worthy of otherwise, and so far he hasn't, so that's a layup. Dickau's terrible and West is only other real option, that's another gimme. Raef at the four is easy too. The man is on this team to start everyday, and no less. He won't start on the bench until Big Al is entirely ready to step up, and he's just not there yet. Anyway, my preferred lineup is Greene, Pierce, Gomes, Raef, and Blount. I love the mismatches Gomes and Greene provide, and I love the way Pierce has been interacting with the rookies. If Paul really embraces this leadership thing, the way it looks like he has, then we'll be in some great shape for the very near future.
The lineup for the Celtics that I'd like to see is: Delonte West, Tony Allen, Paul Pierce, Al Jefferson, and Raef LaFrentz. I put Delonte in over Dickau because of how badly Dickau's been playing from what I've seen, and Delonte hasnt been playing the best either so I'm not quite sold on my lineup just yet. Allen has those charges against him but I think he'll be back if he isnt already and Pierce is well Pierce and Jefferson is a beast, he's capable of being an amazing player and if he keeps improving steadily he should be on his way and LaFrentz is a veteran and veteran leadership is valued on any squad so, there you go. I like Gomes a lot too.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Buckets:</div><div class="quote_post">The lineup for the Celtics that I'd like to see is: Delonte West, Tony Allen, Paul Pierce, Al Jefferson, and Raef LaFrentz. I put Delonte in over Dickau because of how badly Dickau's been playing from what I've seen, and Delonte hasnt been playing the best either so I'm not quite sold on my lineup just yet. Allen has those charges against him but I think he'll be back if he isnt already and Pierce is well Pierce and Jefferson is a beast, he's capable of being an amazing player and if he keeps improving steadily he should be on his way and LaFrentz is a veteran and veteran leadership is valued on any squad so, there you go. I like Gomes a lot too.</div> Don't worry about Tony Allen's legal troubles. Any suit will be a civil one, so the odds are extremely slim that he would be serving any jail time at all.
PG- West SG- Pierce SF- Gomes PF- Blount C- Perkins First off, I left Ricky out because I think it's better to have him anchor the second unit. I picked Gomes over Reed at the three because I think he's a little more polished offensively, and also a better rebounder. His low post game should force the opposing small forward to guard him, and leave Pierce with a guard on him. The most surprising starter on my list is Perk. I like him in there because he's a monster on the boards, and we all know how much our rebounding hurt us last year. Blount is Blount, so we need to cover for him on the boards. It also goes along with Doc's philosophy of playing a perimeter big with an in-the-paint big. 2nd Unit: PG- Greene SG- Davis SF- Reed PF- Jefferson C- LaFrentz I like this lineup almost as much as the first. We know Greene, Ricky, and Reed are willing to run, and LaFrentz makes a great trailer on the break. The half court game looks good, too, with solid options in Davis and Jefferson.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting 44Thrilla:</div><div class="quote_post">PG- West SG- Pierce SF- Gomes PF- Blount C- Perkins First off, I left Ricky out because I think it's better to have him anchor the second unit. I picked Gomes over Reed at the three because I think he's a little more polished offensively, and also a better rebounder. His low post game should force the opposing small forward to guard him, and leave Pierce with a guard on him. The most surprising starter on my list is Perk. I like him in there because he's a monster on the boards, and we all know how much our rebounding hurt us last year. Blount is Blount, so we need to cover for him on the boards. It also goes along with Doc's philosophy of playing a perimeter big with an in-the-paint big. 2nd Unit: PG- Greene SG- Davis SF- Reed PF- Jefferson C- LaFrentz I like this lineup almost as much as the first. We know Greene, Ricky, and Reed are willing to run, and LaFrentz makes a great trailer on the break. The half court game looks good, too, with solid options in Davis and Jefferson.</div> You know I love the way you think. And I agree with you entirely on that solid second unit, but at the same time, I don't think that either Doc or Danny would be anywhere near as inventive as we are with these lineups. I couldn't really tell if these are what you wanted or what you thought were going to happen, although I'm convinced you're smarter than that. Assuming they're what you want, I love it. I would love to see it happen, I think it will take some outside the box consideration to get this team wins that they should or should not get. I agree with you on Gomes over Reed. Justin Reed seems content to sit outside and shoot balls that perhaps he shouldn't be shooting, while occasionally meandering into the paint and showing off some real prowess. Unfortunately, it looks like that prowess is being coached out of him. This questionable coaching reminds me of the man who bore number 9 before him, and man that perhaps wasn't given a fair shake by the coaching, but never really earned it anyway, a man by the name of Minor. Anyway, Greene in the second unit seems like a no-brainer right now, but I guarantee we see either Dickau or West starting, with the either soaking up the minutes that count behind the other, and while that infuriates me, I'm not Doc Rivers, and I don't really know how to manage NBA talent. Aside from that, yes Ricky and Justin make a good combo together off the bench, but one or the other needs to fill the shoes of the primary scorer there. Obviously, common sense point to Ricky, but Reed has been stealing a lot of good looks (seemingly unknowingly) from far more talented offensive players, and that edge needs to be dulled off his game. I couldn't stand another chucker in this offense.
