Instead of arguing who should start, or who should play more/fewer minutes, let's argue about which five players shoudl be out there for certain situations. Best overall 5-man group: Fastbreak: Half-court: Clutch situations: High-octane offense: (semi) lockdown defense: Small (3 guard?): Big & physical: "Need a 3": Other:
FB - Miller, Rudy, Batum, LMA, Joel - Joel is a better defensive rebounder to start the break than Oden. Half-Court - Blake, Roy, Rudy, LMA, Oden - Last year - this line up with Joel instead of Oden was fantastic in half-court situation, Oden is such a big mismatch on offense however, that we have him there. Clutch - Miller, Rudy, Roy, Travis, LMA or LMA, Oden - Not sure about these - if we want to have someone that can create a shot for himself like Travis or if having Greg is better there. Probably the Greg line-up. High-octane - Miller, Rudy, Roy, Travis, LMA - fast basketball, shooting, ability to create for himself by just about anyone - small-ball, shooting and fast pace. Same as the 3 guard lineup. Lockdown defense - Miller, Roy, Batum, LMA, Oden and possibly - Miller, Roy, Batum, LMA, Joel - either one would be good. Need a 3 - Roy, Webster, Rudy, Travis, LMA Big and physical: Roy, Batum, LMA, Oden, Joel
I think Blake is going to get left out off a lot of these "situational lineups" and maybe that says something. I'm not sure how you can leave Blake off our "need a 3" lineup when he's our best 3pt% shooter.
I have a very strong feeling Miller, Roy, Fernandez, Aldridge and Oden will be our finishing team. So call that my "clutch team" Go Large: Miller, Roy, Webster, Aldridge, Oden (Possible having Oden and Pryzbilla together too. Seen that a couple times last season) High Octane: Roy, Fernandez, Batum, Outlaw and Aldridge Lock down defense: Roy, Webster, Outlaw, Oden, Pryzbilla (HAHAHAHA Where's the scoring?!?!?!) Half Court: Blake, Roy, Outlaw, Aldridge, Oden
situational lineups, eh? Garbage Time: Bayless, Pendergraph, Howard, Cunningham, and HCP. H - C - freakin - P H - C - freakin - P H - C - freakin - P go team!
Best overall 5-man group: Miller, Brandon, Batum, LMA, Oden Fastbreak: Miller, Rudy, Nicolas, Travis, LMA Half-court: Miller, Brandon, Martell, LMA, Oden Clutch situations: Miller, Rudy, Brandon, Travis, LMA High-octane offense: Miller, Brandon, Rudy, Travis, LMA (semi) lockdown defense: Nic, Brandon, Ime, LMA, Oden Small (3 guard?): Miller, Rudy, Brandon, Travis, LMA Big & physical: Miller, Brandon, Travis, LMA, Oden "Need a 3": Blake, Rudy, Brandon, Travis, LMA (somebody's got to be able to drive and kick)
Best overall 5-man group: Miller - Roy - Webster - Aldridge - Oden Fastbreak: Miller - Fernandez - Batum - Outlaw - Aldridge Half-court: Roy - Fernandez - Batum - Aldridge - Oden Clutch situations: Miller - Roy - Fernandez - Aldridge - Oden High-octane offense: Miller - Roy - Webster - Outlaw - Aldridge (semi) lockdown defense: Roy - Batum - Webster - Aldridge - Oden Small (3 guard?): Blake - Bayless - Roy - Outlaw - Aldridge Big & physical: Roy - Webster - Aldridge - Pryzbilla - Oden "Need a 3": Blake - Fernandez - Roy - Outlaw - Aldridge
Really? If you need a 3 this is the line you go with? It's the NBA finals and the Celtics are up by three with 5 seconds to go, they have fantastic defenders on the court - KG on LMA, PP on Roy and someone on Batum (help me Celtics fans) - who do you want to take the 3 - Oden or Miller? Please...
Pretty much mine, too. I'd probably swap Batum for Webster in the half-court, but otherwise looks good.
two of the club's weakest wing defenders and an absence of their best (Batum)... where's the D?!?!?!? STOMP
Best overall 5-man group: Miller, Brandon, Batum, LMA, Oden Fastbreak: Miller, Roy, Nicolas, LA, Greg (fastbreaks are usually started by stops/boards) Half-court: Miller, Rudy, Brandon, LMA, Oden Clutch situations: (offense) Blake, Rudy, Brandon, Travis, LA High-octane offense: Miller, Brandon, Rudy, Travis, LA lockdown defense: Nic, Brandon, Ime, LA, Joel Small (3 guard?): Miller, Rudy, Brandon, Travis, LMA Big & physical: Rudy, Brandon, Batum, LMA, Oden "Need a 3": Blake, Rudy, Brandon, Travis, LA STOMP
Best overall 5-man group: Miller, Brandon, Batum, LMA, Oden Fastbreak: Miller, Roy, Nicolas, LA, Greg (fastbreaks are usually started by stops/boards) Half-court: Miller, Rudy, Brandon, LMA, Oden Clutch situations: (offense) Blake, Rudy, Brandon, LA, Oden (Need a rebounder in there) High-octane offense: Miller, Brandon, Rudy, LA, Oden lockdown defense: Nic, Brandon, Webster, LA, Joel Small (3 guard?): Miller, Rudy, Brandon, Travis, LMA Big & physical: Miller, Brandon, Batum, LMA, Oden (Rudy is bigger than Miller, but no where near as tough or physical.) "Need a 3": Blake, Rudy, Brandon, Travis, LA
Best overall 5-man group: Miller, Brandon, Batum, LMA, Oden Fastbreak: Miller, Rudy, Travis, LA, Joel Half-court: Blake, Brandon, Webster, LMA, Joel Clutch situations: (offense) Blake, Rudy, Brandon, Travis, LA High-octane offense: Miller, Brandon, Travis, LA, Oden Lockdown defense: Nic, Brandon, Ime, LA, Joel Small (3 guard?): Blake, Rudy, Brandon, Travis, LMA Big & physical: Rudy, Brandon, Batum, LMA, Oden "Need a 3": Blake, Rudy, Brandon, Travis, LA