Things that should make Brad go hmmmmmm!

The early betting line this am in Vegas (and yes, I checked!!) shows the following after last night's game from Brad's perspective:

Betting Line Option 1 - Completely Oblivious to what unfolded before his eyes vs. TOR

Betting Line Option 2 - Hmm?  Something's not right here.  Our two starting bigs scored only two points between them.  Analytics says to start Williams and bench Waters giving us 3 bigs!!  Better yet, Tacko should have played last night and didn't.  He's in! All he's gotta do is stand under the basket like Chief in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest!!

Betting Line Option 3 - Cheese and Crackers Got All Muddy!!!  We beat the shit out of TOR when I got the two Behemoth Club Hands out of the line up and got a 26 point lead without Marcus Smart or Jeff Teague or Kemba Walker!!  Maybe we should just start one of those low point producing bigs and add another wing or somebody that can score 15+ points!!  Eureka!!!  (Just let him discover he figured this out on his own.)

Either all that or someone tipped Brad off to this site.  You all have been literally screaming this from the roof tops since Game 1.  This further solidifies with another notch in the lipstick case that the people on this site actually know exactly what they are talking about and know far more than the coaching staff at any time.  Great work guys.  

Not worried about the end of the game.  I think the 2nd team was actually so surprised at their performance, they exhausted themselves, couldn't finish it out and had to get Tatum and Brown back in at the end.  

Early line for tomorrow, you may ask?  That's easy.  

Betting Line Option #1 - Brad Starts Theis and Thompson again. Same as it ever was. We play a tight game with no defense except MS and we have a 50/50 shot at winning a game at the end with a Tatum dribble out the clock 3 from just inside the half court line.

Betting line Option #2 - Experience Reflected Upon Is The Best Teacher - Brad changes the starting line up pulling one of the bigs.  

Sorry, folks.  But that game was startling in my humble but accurate opinion.  Wow!!  2 of the Big 2nd Tier guys (RWIII and Energizer Bunny PP) went apeshit.  Who needs JeT?!   Well, we will because right now 1/3 of our team is already out to injuries and we're only 7 games deep and COVID hasn't even come to call.  I just hope Brad got the message loud and clear.  Hell, I did and I pay lousy attention to details!!  That's one of the main reasons I'm on this site for the crazy level of depth you all provide!!!  

We'll know instantly if any of this registered with Brad at the start of Friday's game.  Brad can cover himself nicely and not really admit he's seen the error of his ways by saying MIA is situational (since they knocked us out of the playoffs in a series we should have won) and it forced me to change my starting lineup and he'll come out of this clean as a whistle!  

I guess what I'm trying to say is, we have more than enough horses in the barn with 1/3 of the team out and they are PISSED!! (In a very good way!!)  Hope they didn't just blow it all in one Buster Douglas game.

db

Robert Williams and PP are both on the verge of moving into our starting lineup.  We are only 9 games into the season and you can already see how well they play together on the court.  That is not uncommon in the game of basketball.  A PG and a center connecting.  

What would a starting unit of Tatum, Brown, Smart, RW and PP give us?  Or you could go with JT, JB, SO and PP (all shooting over 40% from deep) and anchor with RW who is shooting a whooping 75% from the field and adds a verticality factor, exceptional speed, screens and passing.  That would be a very quick lineup.

Hmmmm.   I can see the future.

dboss wrote:Robert Williams and PP are both on the verge of moving into our starting lineup.  We are only 9 games into the season and you can already see how well they play together on the court.  That is not uncommon in the game of basketball.  A PG and a center connecting.  

What would a starting unit of Tatum, Brown, Smart, RW and PP give us?  Or you could go with JT, JB, SO and PP (all shooting over 40% from deep) and anchor with RW who is shooting a whooping 75% from the field and adds a verticality factor, exceptional speed, screens and passing.  That would be a very quick lineup.

Hmmmm.   I can see the future.

I'll go with at least part of your prediction. If RW3 has another few strong games like we've been seeing, starting him soon is likely. Just on rebounding alone it's likely, and he's done more than board.

I don't know how much that's going to leave for the bench. I still like TT starting for now, with RWIII and PP in the 2nd Tier.

If all the guns are blazing like they were last night, it really doesn't matter. Just keep one of two bigs off the floor at all times and let it roll. But you're right PP and RWIII need more time together.

Clearly RWIII is the most efficient big. TT is the most experienced. I don't know what this does for Theis. Might he be part of the TPE when that shoe drops? Because it will drop. It is only a matter of when/what part of the season it falls.

I know it's hard for Brad to bust up the two Big's on the floor at the same time but last night was the death knell for that. I'm not a coach nor do I play one on TV, but even I can see the writing on the wall.

I know with our injury luck we will need a min of 3 bigs on the roster at all times.

db

I am of course referring to the future.  RW and PP give us a real energetic pair off the bench.  I do think that will change.  When they are in the starting lineup.   If and when Kemba comes back he should be eased back into the lineup.  Long term I am betting on PP over Kemba because he can play defense.  

Everything is down the road but an injury here or there could accelerate things.  

RW is playing better because he is getting more playing time.  

One thing seems clear.  KW does not have to rush back and PP is getting valuable experience early which should help him get even better as we go deeper into the season.

dboss +1. Things are getting interesting!

db

Whenever Kemba comes back, it will be to limited minutes for sure. That type of time management should continue all season for him. Coming off the bench? No way that happens. Not even at first.

"JT, JB, SO and PP (all shooting over 40% from deep) and anchor with RW"

Soon, bro. Soon.

I'm going to go back and watch the game again, but my rough estimate has TT and DT playing together for at least one quarter of the game.

Since he started them again last night despite all of our expert analysis, Plan B was how quickly and how long were single big lineups present? Well, quickly 3 quarters although I thought I saw three bigs on the floor briefly at the same time in the 2nd half. I'm probably wrong since I may have been dreaming it via a nightmare. I'll keep everyone posted. I'm pretty sure I saw no And 1's for us as against better (and apparently trick) defenses, you're either going to score a difficult shot, get hacked for 2 Fritos on a miss, charge, just miss and/or lose possession. Against lesser defensive teams, it's an open lane to the basket with people closing quickly and not at their best defensive posture. Result? More than likely And 1.

db

just remember, RW is an injury prone player. Starting him could be a big mistake. He is playing terrific, fitting in so well coming off the bench, and alot of times being on the floor at the end of the game I said a year ago that I thought he would eventually be our starting center, I am just not sure that this is the time, but I love his athleticism and he is learning game by game. Leave TT in the starting lineup. Play Theis as a 4 more and more, maybe off the bench. The double bigs are only going to be in there against certain.

How about that reaction from PP last night. The kid was so excited. I loved watching it. Just what this team needs, a smiling youngster!!! Love it

That was a classic moment. He was overcome with joy and elation! You very seldom see that in any NBA game.

I've always said it is close to impossible to find fault with the busiest person in the room. When you are everywhere like he is satisfying probabilistic quantum theory, you'll be under the basket off a miss wide open with a second left!

Eat it, MIA!! Payback's a you know what!!

db

RosalieTCeltics wrote:
How about that reaction from PP last night. The kid was so excited.  I loved watching it. Just what this team needs, a smiling youngster!!!  Love it                                                                                                                              

I agree. Best part of the game. Good positive energy for the entire team.