Chris Mannix has passionate take on young Celtics players' lack of playing time

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/chris-mannix-has-passionate-take-young-celtics-players-lack-playing-time?cid=Yahoo&partner=ya4nbcs



Chris Mannix has passionate take on young Celtics players' lack of playing time



Nick Goss
Sat, December 11, 2021, 8:19 AM



The Boston Celtics are struggling right now, and a lineup change might be one of the most effective ways to spark some energy into this group.


The C's have three recent first-round draft picks -- Payton Pritchard, Romeo Langford and Aaron Nesmith -- who are capable of giving the team much-needed scoring, playmaking and shooting. None of these players have been a consistent part of the rotation through the first 17 games of the season. Langford is playing 18.3 minutes per game, while Pritchard and Nesmith are both under 10.


After the Celtics lost 111-90 to the Phoenix Suns on Friday night, Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix gave a passionate take on why Boston needs to start playing its younger players more minutes.

"Join the chorus of smart people saying play Aaron Nesmith, play Payton Pritchard, play Romeo Langford. These guys need to play," Mannix said on Celtics Postgame Live". "What does this team have to lose at this point?

"They have a 116.3 defensive rating in the month of December. They can't get any worse at this point. We heard (Celtics head coach) Ime Udoka talk about the lack of energy. Let's put one of those young guys in the starting lineup. Put Romeo Langford in the starting lineup right now. Show me where the opportunity is (for the young guys), besides three-minute spurts."

Mannix later added: "You've got to give these young guys some room to breathe a little bit. Aaron Nesmith at the end of last season was shooting like 40 percent from 3-point range over the final month or month-and-a-half. Payton Pritchard was a revelation all season last year. Both of these guys played great in summer league. Romeo Langford played well. He played well in the preseason.

"In the preseason and summer league they had a lot of room to breathe. They didn't have to feel like every mistake they made would get them yanked off the court. That's all I want -- an opportunity for these guys to play 30 minutes in a game."

Check out the full segment, including Kendrick Perkins' and Brian Scalabrine's takes on the subject, in the video below:

Chris Mannix goes on an epic rant about the need to start C's young players
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The Celtics do need to give Pritchard, Langford and Nesmith more playing time. If these guys are ever going to develop and reach their potential, it will come with game experience. Nesmith has the potential to be an excellent 3-and-D wing, but that won't happen if he's getting just a few minutes of playing time here and there. There have been several games where he hasn't played at all, or only in the last couple minutes of a game that's already been decided.

Pritchard was a quality scorer as a rookie and even got playing time (and often excelled) during clutch situations late in games. Langford is a quality defensive player with intriguing playmaking ability.

Sure, these players have to earn playing time. The best guys need to play, especially with the Celtics desperate for wins right now. But the C's also invested first-round draft picks, including two lottery selections, in these three players. They have to see what these players can become. The best way to do that is giving them a consistent role and seeing how they fare.


Bob
MY NOTE:  If you cannot get to the link in the middle of the page you can click on the link to the original article at the top (that's why I provide them).  It was a pretty epic rant by Mannix.  Scal's response at the end was pretty on point, with Perk laughing at it all.  Scal said "Richardson is better than those guys.  Schroder is better than those guys.  You earn your minutes", and that's a legit point.  I'm not saying "don't shake things up", we need a jolt of something (espresso, electro-shock therapy?) but you don't just hand the keys over to inferior players just to develop them unless you're throwing in the towel on the entire season, when we still have 2/3 of it left in front of us.  Is that what we want, to tank like the perennial doormats of the year do?  I just threw up a little bit into my mouth at just the thought of tanking.  The Boston Celtics do not tank.  They compete; every second of every minute of every game on both ends.  Win or lose in the end, you play with Pride, playing with the effort and intent to win.  Ime's trying to win.  Whether he has the horses, the chemistry, or even the coaching chops to be successful is a topic for debate, and that's what we do here on this board, but you do not give up.  Not now, not ever.  Not if you are looking forward to continued employment with this franchise.  I hear the weather's great in Orlando during the winter and because they are in constant tank-and-rebuild mode there will no doubt be openings, both in coaching and on the roster, for anybody who thinks that approach to basketball and competition is better suited to them.  Best of luck and don't let the locker room door hit you in your ass when you leave.

Sorry about my own mini-rant, but when I hear someone like Chris Mannix wanting to start Romeo just because he's young and needs steady minutes I start to lose my shite.  If Brad trades Schroder and/or Richardson and it makes sense to move one or more of these players up on the depth chart then fine, but using a sledge hammer just because you're frustrated and lack the skill to use a scalpel doesn't impress me. Not one bit.


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Since when is the NBA a developmental league? If thats what its turned into (and its becoming more and more of this cripola) its in trouble. I thought that was what the G league was for.
If people want to see Nesmith, Romeo and Pritchard get some playing time i get it. Just stop using the term “develop”. If I’m buying a ticket I’m not buying it to see some younguns develop. I’m paying to see the best basketball in the world with the best players in the world.

So far, The little time that they’ve gotten they haven’t shown very much.
I agree with Scal. They have to earn it. It is of my opinion like any other business, when you get your shot, best be ready. Romeo is the only one of the 3 THIS season that may deserve some more time on the floor.
It’s still very subjective because I don't see the practices etc. I only see the games and what I’m seeing from the subs I’m not very impressed with.

“What do you have to lose”? Where have I heard that before?
Hey, Mannix still write for Sports Illustrated?
Betcha there are some younguns, interns or up and comers on staff waiting for their shot to post a column.
I say lets give them a shot and have Mannix take a seat for a spell.
Betcha Mannix wouldn't go for that sh**! FOH Mannix!

All fair points, I can’t stand seeing Smart at the point, we all know he’s not a full time point. I have no problem with starting Romeo at the 2 with Schroder at the point. Smart could come off the bench, a role he’s very good at and familiar with. Romeo has better efficiency numbers than Smart, playing with the 2 J’s he can play off them and learn how to raise his game. I don’t want to see 2 points and 2 5’s starting, Dboss already pointed out the flaws in that line up. Schroder Romeo Jaylen Jayson RWill can be a very good athletic fast starting unit.

I'll play devil's advocate a little on this one. While I agree that minutes should not just be given to "lesser" players and that this team should not be tanking, I would suggest that the five best players don't always make the best team. Hopefully Brown is back for the duration and we'll see how that changes the chemistry. And we don't seem to be getting a fulltime Richardson. But as it stands right now our best players are not our best team. Talent does not necessarily mean chemistry.

gyso wrote:You cannot take stats for players that only play 10-18 minutes, mostly against the other team's bench players and expect them to be consistent against other team's starters.  It's a mistake to think that any kind of per-36 or other advanced stats for young, mostly one-and-done players that barely get in games, will continue in any meaningful way against the iron of the league.

As much as many fans dump on Scal, he is totally right here. Mannix has assumed the role of rabid impatient fan in this scenario.  I can only assume that Perk is laughing at the absurdity of the argument while trying to placate both sides.

Scal has been there, Mannix has not.  

That's not to say that the coach shouldn't play Romeo, Nesmith and/or Pritchard a little more playing time, especially when it is obvious that one of the players ahead of them in that particular game doesn't have it.  (and that's me, playing the slightly less rabid impatient fan)  

Scal does know the game and as I said before would probably make a very good coach.
His weakness is executing and communicating effectively as a broadcast analyst . He may very well improve in those areas with the right coaching. He does know this game.I will give him that.