It seems to me the conventional wisdom is Thibs started Boozer, why wouldn't he start McBuckets? He's always started with his best offensive lineup for us. What do you see different?
Boozer was a veteran and a former all-star at the time while McBuckets hasn't shown that he can be a capable NBA Player yet?
I think the issue of rookie vs. vet is a hollow shell. Ask yourself: when has Thibs had a compelling reason to start a rookie? Asik came here as a 2nd round pick, and we had Taj, Noah, and All-Star calibre Boozer. Snell and Teague were not good NBA players their first year. Snell got more minutes than he deserved. Butler showed signs, but he was the 30th pick on the best team in the league. The truth is there's never really been a testable hypothesis for Thibs and his playing time w/ rookies. And I actually don't think Doug starts the season. I think Dunleavy will have it, but as the season goes on I think he'll insert Doug in his place once it becomes clear he's the better player (assuming that happens of course).
I'm going to be Cap'n Obvious here. With regard to Dunleavy v McDermott, I hope and expect that Thibodeau will do what's best for the team. We have our opinions, but they're not anywhere near as informed as Thibodeau's. We all know that Thibodeau hates losing.
The Nostradamus Society we ain't. The consensus impact rookie was McDermott, not Mirotic. No one predicted Butler's offensive breakout or that Gasol would become the team's anchor big. Rose, Butler, Dunleavy, Gasol and Noah did indeed establish itself as Thibodeau's starting 5, but alas, they hardly ever played together due to injuries.
Doug may not be an impact rookie, but I'm a long way from thinking and of us were wrong for thinking that he would be. When you take into account Thibs being Thibs and the injury . . . it's basically been a redshirt season. I still love his feel for the game and am expecting big things. You know where most of us were tragically wrong? Tony Snell. I thought that guy was not going stick in the NBA right up until the stretch that he want on that tear.
We were wrong about Niko, too. We thought he'd be getting 15 minutes a game and he's getting more like 20 for the season and ~30 even with Taj back.
BTW Looks like Thibs gave McBuckets plenty of chance early on to show what he can do. 5 of the first 17 games, 15+ minutes, 11 times 10+. From game 8 to 17, he shot 6-22. Maybe from game 14 on, he was nursing a sore knee.
Ok, I won't tar you with this brush SST, but I was wrong about McDermott's rookie season. Sure he was injured, but he's recovered now and the only way to tell him apart from Cameron Bairstow is shorter hair. I didn't see this coming. You're certainly right about Snell. Just about everyone tossed Snell in the Marquis Teague bucket and left him for dead.
