Predicting Personnel for situational lineups

Provides some definition and clarity, perhaps. The biggest surprise was his replacement of Bass in the starting lineup with Sully in the 2nd half of the season. He doesn't see Xmas or Joseph in the game except in his "garbage time" lineup, which infers he sees both those players making the team.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1273700-predicting-personnel-for-boston-celtics-situational-lineups


bob


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Bob,
Thanks for the link.
If Doc decides to put Sully instead of BB it would be great. 1st - it'd prove that #21 was a great steal in the draft; 2nd - it'd mean Sully is better than BB skill-wise and level of his confidence and experience is high enough to use all those skills; 3rd - it'd mean that he has meshed with the starters; 4th - the shift of BB to the second unit would bolster the bench even more.

AK

Bob

Strictly based on the advisability of having complementary skills in various units (and ignoring, for a moment, the difference in experience level and pro maturity), I do think Bass would fit better with a bench that should be running quite a bit. He's faster than Sully, and I believe he could run a lane better and finish a break better than Sully.

On the other hand, I see the starters playing more deliberate ball and needing a heavy dose of the penetration that Pierce used to provide. If Sully can find a way to avoid getting blocked constantly, he could definitely bull his way to a lot of hoops while KG is keeping a big occupied at the top of the key.

On defense, it's true that the Celtics starters need every inch of height they can get, which (along with leaping ability) would favor Bass. But what they need even more is someone putting a body on opponents, and I foresee Sully doing a great job in that department.

On the other other other hand (that's three now), I would hope that moving Bass to the second team wouldn't become a political problem. He seems like a team-first guy, and he's got his contract; so I don't think he'd make a fuss.

I have very little doubt that Sully will become an impact player fairly quickly. I'd pay good money just to see Bass and Sully go at it in practice. It could be a great way to hone their defensive skills by each having to defend someone with a radically different offensive style.

Sam

sam wrote:Bob

Strictly based on the advisability of having complementary skills in various units (and ignoring, for a moment, the difference in experience level and pro maturity), I do think Bass would fit better with a bench that should be running quite a bit. He's faster than Sully, and I believe he could run a lane better and finish a break better than Sully.

On the other hand, I see the starters playing more deliberate ball and needing a heavy dose of the penetration that Pierce used to provide. If Sully can find a way to avoid getting blocked constantly, he could definitely bull his way to a lot of hoops while KG is keeping a big occupied at the top of the key.

On defense, it's true that the Celtics starters need every inch of height they can get, which (along with leaping ability) would favor Bass. But what they need even more is someone putting a body on opponents, and I foresee Sully doing a great job in that department.

On the other other other hand (that's three now), I would hope that moving Bass to the second team wouldn't become a political problem. He seems like a team-first guy, and he's got his contract; so I don't think he'd make a fuss.

I have very little doubt that Sully will become an impact player fairly quickly. I'd pay good money just to see Bass and Sully go at it in practice. It could be a great way to hone their defensive skills by each having to defend someone with a radically different offensive style.

Sam

sam,

Sully would pound Bass into paste in the paint and Bass would kill him with mid-range jumpers until Sully came out to him and then he'd blow past him to the rim. They are quite different players.

If Sully is inserted into the starting lineup I think it'll be because of Spencer Hawes, Howard, Bynum and other beefy centers and PFs. Bass will be better against stretch 4s like Nowitzki and Rashard Lewis. Either way, it doesn't matter who starts, it matters who finishes.

bob


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bobheckler wrote: Either way, it doesn't matter who starts, it matters who finishes.

bob


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Tell that to RA!


beat

beat wrote:

bobheckler wrote: Either way, it doesn't matter who starts, it matters who finishes.

bob


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Tell that to RA!


beat

beat,

Oooh. Fire in the hole! Ouch.

bob


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