If no trade occurs, we have to imagine that the Celtics are going to have an embarassment of riches when it comes to offensive production. There are just a ton of guys that can score. So I'm going to ask you Celtics fan at JBB to do the impossible...to reach into the mind of Doc Rivers and pull out a cohesive line-up. I'm not asking what you think the starting five should be. I want to know what you think Doc will make it. Kudos will be awarded to the person who can guess the starting five for the first regular season game. Points also awarded for the one who can guess the most commonly used starting line-up till the break, and till the season's close. Even though you all already know, here are the players that you need to work with. This prevents RealGm style trade rumors. If a trade happens, we adjust. Until then think like Doc, even if it means not defending the last second double pick. Paul Pierce Tony Allen Ryan Gomes Kendrick Perkins Wally Szczerbiak Al Jefferson Leon Powe Allan Ray Sebastian Telfair Rajon Rondo Theo Ratliff Dwayne Jones Brian Scalabrine Gerald Green Al Jefferson Brian Grant -Grant is cut already. -Jones is bound for the NBDL or cut. I can never remember exactly how many NBDL players a team can have under contract. -We know Pierce will start, after that we don't have any guarantees. Hopefully he'll play the two. -Perk or Ratliff? Anyone in his right mind says Perk. But what if Danny wants to do the same thing that he did with Blount last year? Give him minutes then turn him into something at the break. It could happen. I think it will be Perk starting though. -Gomes or Jefferson? I've heard rumor that Gomes has gotten quick enough to play the three. I don't think Doc will play him there either way. I say Gomes starts. Teams figured him out a little bit last year, but not nearly as much as I expected them to. -Wally probably starts at the three. If he's got his legs, he's very useful in more than one way. -Scalabrine will hopefully get the five minutes a game that he deserves. Even Doc caught onto his uselessness later on in the season. -The real question is the one everyone keeps asking, does West start at the point? He probably will to start the season, but once the bench has a few of those long shooting droughts, he'll become a sixth man. Telfair ineffectual shooting is less of a concern if the opposing team already has to deal with Pierce, Szczerbiak and Gomes. All of those guys can use the drive and kick. -With West and Allen defending the one and the two, things get tough for opposing backcourts. -Jefferson can get his confidence back. He just needs consistent minutes off the bench. Also, if Al plays with Ratliff, maybe he Theo can erase some of Al's mistakes. Also, with Allen and West defending the backcourt, there won't be as many penetrators. -Rondo gets garbage time. Sorry Rook. -Same with Green. Unless he proves he can defend. If that occurs, all bets are off. -Allan Ray? Insurance. Same with Powe. We know he's good, but there's just no room for run here. Also, could someone please guide me to a good site for salary info? I always forget where to look when I want to speculate on ridiculous trades posted by Raptors fans.
PG: West/Telfair SG: Pierce SF: Wally Szcerbiak PF: Ryan Gomes -C: Kendrick Perkins That's a lineup that I think can produce right away from the start. Eventually I think Telfair will be the PG with West coming off the bench, but who knows, maybe Telfair will win the job in training camp. That lineup has a bit of everything. Pierce is the goto guy, the attacker who can score in various ways. Gomes brings inside versatile scoring who can grab boards with Pekins, a shotblocker, in the frontcourt. Wally and West are the scorers who will benefit from Pierce's presence, with Wally occasionally trying to set up other teammates by putting the ball on the floor. I don't know much about the Celtics and Doc, but I know alot about their players if that makes sense. With Telfair starting eventually, he'll give them another playmaker besides Pierce, one who can setup teammates with his ability to but the ball on the floor.
PG - Telfair / West SG - Pierce / Allen SF - Wally / G. Green PF - Gomes / Big Al C - Perkins / Ratliff
the lineup I hope for: PG Telfair SG Delonte SF Pierce (I know he's a SG but still) PF Gomes C Perk Small lineup but IMO the best we can offer, if telfair is the real deal which i'm thinking he will be
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting postpoint:</div><div class="quote_post">Also, could someone please guide me to a good site for salary info? I always forget where to look when I want to speculate on ridiculous trades posted by Raptors fans.</div> That would be Here, and careful what you say about those Raps fans, there's a new sheriff over there, and there are just so damn many of them! Other than that, my lineup goes as such: Center minutes belong to Theo to start, but only because he simply cannot be around at mid-season. He affords this team nothing, and he needs to disappear as soon as possible. If this were 1996, I would be singing a different tune. Power Forward will have to be Perk, because a small alternative may or may not cut it. The man needs to get back on track, and to trust a 6'7" power forward in the early going may be a death wish. Small Forward goes to Wally, and that's that. He's useful, he's talented, he can shoot, and his salary commands big minutes. He will get them. Scoring Guard is very obviously Paul Pierce, no more three work for him thankfully. Green eliminates all possibility of Pierce playing anywhere but the two. Point Guard goes to Delonte, and I really would like it to stay that way. He matches up better than anyone on this team with an opposing point, and he plays like a monster when he smells blood on a bad one (of which there are many in this league). I want him drawing huge minutes and working on getting to the hoop a little better. He plays offense like a frightened child sometimes, and that won't fly. As for the bench, our sixth man will probably be Perk. Followed by the likes of Gomes and Allen. Expect those three to log sufficient time so that when the trade deadline rolls around and we can void some dead weight, these guys will be poised to step into larger and larger roles. The same could be said of Green were it not for Gomes, who will get more minutes as a three than a four. Powe gets more minutes than we think due to a lack of depth at the four spot. Pending the not unusual rash of fouls amongst the big men in this lineup, I feel that we will have a hard time with inside presence, as there again isn't much depth as those positions. Which means Gomes will be forced into uncomfortable defensive situations at particularly inopportune times. As for the rest of the bench, most of those parts are interchangeable. Rondo and Telfair will be sufficiently scrapping for time with Rondo getting more of it. And Jones will not start this season in the NBA, oh well. As for Scal, I hope to be seeing his face on a milk carton. Hopefully it will be a proof of life photo that kidnappers later update with one of him sporting a hole in his head. I wouldn't pay lunch money to rescue that man, neither would Danny Ainge.
PG- Telfair SG- West SF- Pierce PF- Gomes C- Jefferson Hey, let's go small. It ain't a secret that the majority of our talent is in the backcourt. Why not utilize it as much as possible? Wally can play the sixth man role.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting 44Thrilla:</div><div class="quote_post">PG- Telfair SG- West SF- Pierce PF- Gomes C- Jefferson Hey, let's go small. It ain't a secret that the majority of our talent is in the backcourt. Why not utilize it as much as possible? Wally can play the sixth man role.</div> I think that going small might be a good idea. You couldn't hope to defend against this team. The biggest problem would be that they wouldn't be able to shoot the three as well as they need to. In the half-court, Telfair's lack of shooting ability might cause trouble. Running the break, they'd be pretty hard to stop, because four of the five of them are smart with the ball. Al's lack of confidence is my biggest problem with this. If he plays soft, he might not play.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting postpoint:</div><div class="quote_post">I think that going small might be a good idea. You couldn't hope to defend against this team. The biggest problem would be that they wouldn't be able to shoot the three as well as they need to. In the half-court, Telfair's lack of shooting ability might cause trouble. Running the break, they'd be pretty hard to stop, because four of the five of them are smart with the ball. Al's lack of confidence is my biggest problem with this. If he plays soft, he might not play.</div> Small would be a cute gimmick, but when was the last time it actually worked sufficiently to get a team to the playoffs? The last instance I can think of was the KJ-run Suns of the mid-90's. That team had Barkley at the four, Cedric Ceballos at the three, KJ running the show, and a revolving door at the five. I don't think I need to mention Thunder Dan (skeet-skeet) Majerle, we all know who the heart of THAT team was. But look at that lineup. We don't have near to the point guard ability of experience, and we certainly don't have anyone like Barkley owning the boards. Gomes is fine and dandy, but he doesn't command the kind of presence that Ground Chuck did. And as for Al, I don't think he should be starting right now anyway, based on his willingness to get things done under the basket on the defensive end. If I could find a replacement for him at the 11th hour, to start, I would do that. I don't trust his weak legs or his weak head. All told, this team is probably in trouble no matter who they start, and to base any sort of offense around a wild card like Bassy would be a mistake to start the season.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Squishface:</div><div class="quote_post"> All told, this team is probably in trouble no matter who they start, and to base any sort of offense around a wild card like Bassy would be a mistake to start the season.</div>Maybe, but what did Delonte do that was so special last year? In a tremendous showing of floor leadership, he led the team to 33 wins. At least Telfair is a true point. And as for the small lineup, I think it can work if we are consistent with it. The reason it hasn't worked in the past with us, is because Doc has been too gimmicky with it. Gomes may not be Barkley, but he can be as effective as him if he is used properly. Plus, Pierce is one of the best rebounders in the league, so he will help on the glass. You're right on one thing, though. Start Perkins or Ratliff instead of Jefferson. That's what I was originally thinking. I don't know why I put AJ down.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting 44Thrilla:</div><div class="quote_post">Gomes may not be Barkley, but he can be as effective as him if he is used properly.</div> woa easy there. that's about the craziest statement i've heard since i've been on this website
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting bengcord3:</div><div class="quote_post">woa easy there. that's about the craziest statement i've heard since i've been on this website</div>I wasn't comparing them as players, just as power forwards in a small lineup. Both are undersized for the PF role, but both can play the position effectively, without being a liability.
PG - Telfair SG - West SF - Pierce PF - Gomes C - Perkins Expect to see a lot of Al Jefferson and Wally off the bench though, that is, if they aren't moved before the season starts...
