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We cant go with a midgit( sorry, small person) on Kobe, he will kill us in the post forcing us to double and then kick out to Fisher, Sasha, Radmo, Farmar for the three ball. We have to mix it up and get JR out there to get into a rythym and make Kobe work. We can bring in Yak to add some D although I would like to see some Bobby Jones. The bench will be very important as the Lakers are deep.

Start Carter but give J.R 30 plus minutes a game.

It's tough because JR is the scoring park off the bench right now and he usually kills 2nd units. But seeing how the rotations will be very short in the playoffs, I say yes, but he will have to log some heavy minutes, about 38 to Carter's 10.

You have to play your best players from the start, then adjust, not the other way around.

I love JR coming off the bench, just reduce AC's minutes and give JR more...

So if we agree that Carter on Kobe is stupid from a defensive standpoint, and that Carter isn't going to give us anything from an offensive standpoint, tell me again the point of him being out there at all? Is it just so JR can come off the bench? We can't afford to start off like we did against the Warriors and Jazz at the beginning of the games in the playoffs and play from behind. I agree I like JR as a sparkplug too, then let's plug him in to start the beginning the right way. In addition with him out there in the court it gives Melo and AI a chance to go off, the Lakers cannot key on them without giving JR open looks. We can jump out on them and surprise them with JR. Then for offense off the bench we can bring in Chucky (who got a lot of playing time from Karl against Memphis...for some reason...) and LK. Another reason to start JR...take a look at who the Lakers bring off the bench in the backcourt-Farmar and Sasha...small guards who can be guarded by AC and Chucky better than JR. It benefits us all over...lets start him....!!

The only thing I would be worried about JR starting is he's not used to it and the playoffs are a big stage to throw him out there for the first time this year. That's it though. I'd rather he start regardless though.

JR has to gain playoff experience sometime now is that time! He has to start it's the only chance we have. Like goldenkarl said we can't afford to be down 10 or 15 or 20 points in the first quarter or it will be over right away. We can't come back against a great team like the Lakers. We need a 3 point threat out there with iverson and Carmelo as much as possible. And he is the best choice we have to guard Kobe. Carter or Iverson will get slaughtered time and time again. We simply have to get off to a good early start and JR will give us that. I can tell you it's gonna be so frustrating watching this series if Carter is starting.

leave it as it is now...don't go messing with stuff,and end up out thinking yourself karl!

go ahead and start carter but this is where carters mins get cut/split with more for jr and some for atkins.

i'm worried that karl will forget to use the bench the way he has for the last month or so...and all of the bench guys responded.I know it was the grizz and all but I really liked the 2nd unit of atkins,smith,lk,eddie,kmart(replace him with nene)and that's a hell of a 2nd 5!

all I ask is that carter plays no more than 20 mins a game...less if he's not doing anything.
everybody has talked about ai and melo(rightfully so)but our bench is the reason we made the playoffs...reward these guys karl.and after last yr(bench forgot the playoffs had started)they should have a chip on their shoulders!

Less minutes for Carter, but I like JR off the bench. He will need minutes if we want to win some games.

Yes he should start and he should also get 35 mpg on top of it.

I kinda dont want Jr.Smith starting in fear of gettin in early foul trouble against Kobe. However I do not want Carter starting either if he does his minutes need to drop big time because he useless against Kobe. I would like to see Diawra start but that is to much logic for George Karl.

I just don't think you should start JR for the first time all season in the playoffs. If Karl was going to start JR, he should have done it a month ago, don't start tinkering with lineups this late in the season.

I dont mind AC starting, no thats not ture i hate it but Karl will do it anyways and we all know that, but what i hate the most is that Karl wont take him out till about a minute or two left in the 1st quarter. Such an idiot...

that is the question

that's actually not the question. i can tell you with 100% certainty that jr won't start unless carter & kleiza are both injured.

the real question is....how many points will we be down by before jr's inserted into the game.

start AC, play JR 30 minutes off the bench.

I'll bet my house on Kleiza starting......and he very well may either shoot us out or into a game in a hurry....or pick up 3 fouls in the first 3 minutes of a game. No JR.....atleast this year.

JRmakes_it_rain wrote:I'll bet my house on Kleiza starting......and he very well may either shoot us out or into a game in a hurry....or pick up 3 fouls in the first 3 minutes of a game. No JR.....atleast this year.

Personally, I actually think Kleiza would make a pretty good starting option this series (at least offensively). Fisher is going to have to guard someone.

Well we've found our answer, not that it was a surprise because it wasn't.

AC starting = fail

I don't see how George Karl can have any credibility in that locker room if he prances Anthony Carter out with the starters for game 2.