Game 5: Denver Nuggets (4-0) @ NJ Nets (0-4)

[RRFB]

I'm really starting to get worried about the playing time situation when Jr returns. Someone out of AC, Afflalo and Lawson are going to have to have a serious cut in playing time. Karl needs to get over his AC mancrush right now. There's no way he can justify continuing to give AC starter minutes when Afflalo and Lawson are playing like they did last night. Those two were awesome.

[J Smitty]

Part of the minute cuts will be from Billups and Martin. Up until last night's blowout(where Balkman, Petro, and Allen took the 4th quarter minutes they would normally get), they were each averaging over 37 mpg. That will not and should not be the case all season long. Take them each down to 30-32 minutes, cut Graham out of the regular rotation completely...and you got about 20 minutes right there for JR already.

Reduce AC's minutes from 23 to at least 15, and you got around 28 mpg for JR. No need to touch Lawson's or Afflalo's minutes at all, unless they're going up. And by cutting Chauncey/AC and Kenyon's minutes, we'll see less of the two PG lineup with Billups playing the two, and more of Melo playing the 4 for some stretches, which I'd very much like to see. eathy's minute breakdown is pretty accurate of what I'd like to see....as I'd definitely prefer Graham to get the last minutes in the rotation rather than Carter, but I'm not going to get my hopes up.