Marcus Morris Wants More Time At PF

[Pistons888]

Aaron at mLive just posted this.

http://www.mlive.com/pistons/index.ssf/2016/01/pistons_marcus_morris_wants_mo.html#incart_river_index

This is something a lot of us have wanted here. I hope it can work out. Hopefully he doesn't cause any drama either.

Discuss.

[joedumars1]

Me too!!!!! Always thought our best lineup would be

1. RJ
2. KCP
3. SJ
4. Mook
5. Dre

[detroitKG]

Mark my words before seasons end our starting and finishing line up WILL be

RJ
KCP
SJ
MM
Dre

Versatile, Defense, Off Ball Movement, Multiple creators and ball handlers, etc.

[Billl]

Well, SVG shot that down pretty quick. Maybe it will change when Meeks gets healthy, but its not happening right now even if fans want it to.

[Joe Berry]

Thats the problem with Morris at the 4.

"If we're going to play Marcus more at the 4, then we're going to have to play another perimeter guy rather than one of the 4s," Van Gundy said. "And right now, I think the nine guys we're playing are our best nine guys. I don't want to go down the list to move Marcus. If I'm going to play him there, either Ersan or A.T. has to sit out."

[DocRI]

SVG's response (from the linked article) —

"If we're going to play Marcus more at the 4, then we're going to have to play another perimeter guy rather than one of the 4s," Van Gundy said. "And right now, I think the nine guys we're playing are our best nine guys. I don't want to go down the list to move Marcus. If I'm going to play him there, either Ersan or A.T. has to sit out."

"I have confidence in Darrun (Hilliard), it's not that. I just don't think at this point Darrun is as good a player as Anthony Tolliver or Ersan Ilyasova. I don't want to be spending Marcus with a lot of minutes at the 4. I don't."

TRANSLATION — We can potentially do this more when Jodie Meeks comes back, 'cuz he SHOULD be as good of a player as AT and earn those minutes.

In the end, SVG may be stubborn, but he sure as hell aint stupid; if the RJ / KCP / SJ / Mook / Dre lineup keeps producing like it did last night, he'll find a way to use it more and more.

[Pistons888]

If that lineup proves to be one of our best than SVG won't have much of a choice. I would rather have Tolliver than Ersan in a backup role. Maybe Ersan could be moved for a backup SF at the deadline?

[Todd3]

Thats the problem with Morris at the 4.

"If we're going to play Marcus more at the 4, then we're going to have to play another perimeter guy rather than one of the 4s," Van Gundy said. "And right now, I think the nine guys we're playing are our best nine guys. I don't want to go down the list to move Marcus. If I'm going to play him there, either Ersan or A.T. has to sit out."

Why can't Stanley just play more minutes at 2 and 3?

[mattao313]

I would like to see this more, cause Ersan isn't getting the job done.

[Maker_84]

Me too!!!!! Always thought our best lineup would be

1. RJ
2. KCP
3. SJ
4. Mook
5. Dre

that lineup is too damn small, if it were longer it would maybe work but we don't have much length either in that lineup

[Todd3]

Me too!!!!! Always thought our best lineup would be

1. RJ
2. KCP
3. SJ
4. Mook
5. Dre

According to advanced stats, that is our best offensive lineup (123 ortg) which is 8 pts better than our 2nd best of RJ/KCP/MM/AT/Dre (115 ortg).

The latter lineup is our best in efficiency differential (+27), but the SJ/MM lineup is 2nd (+23).

We are also 11-6 in games that we've used the RJ/KCP/SJ/MM/Dre lineup - best win % of any lineup we use.

[Arp590]

Thats the problem with Morris at the 4.

"If we're going to play Marcus more at the 4, then we're going to have to play another perimeter guy rather than one of the 4s," Van Gundy said. "And right now, I think the nine guys we're playing are our best nine guys. I don't want to go down the list to move Marcus. If I'm going to play him there, either Ersan or A.T. has to sit out."

Why can't Stanley just play more minutes at 2 and 3?

Well if Marcus is at the 4 then yes Stanley would play more minutes at the 3, but we have no one to play the other minutes at the 3 if Marcus is playing the 4. Except for Hilliard, who I think should get minutes but SVG apparently thinks otherwise.

[Spider156]

I used to think Jennings was the answer but all he did was replace Blake so the rotation is the same. SVG had a good argument. He's playing the best 9 guys he has and we're winning. I think when Meeks comes back, we're going to get another guard that's part of the best 10 guys we have and it'll be easier to start Stanley and move Marcus to the 4. I think it'll likely happen after the ASG. His argument is pretty solid. He's playing the best 9 guys and that makes a lot of sense. You only switch the lineup for 3 reasons. 1. Addition of talent. 2. Subtraction of talent. 3. Losing. If we were losing I'd imagine we would've already changed the rotation. But we're winning so you don't change the chemistry. When Meeks comes back, will he be better than Tolliver or Ersan? Possibly. I know Meeks as a professional. He's just injury prone. He's actually a great guard off the ball but his defense is bad. As a backup it doesn't really matter as much. It'll be interesting to see what happens when he comes back.

[joedumars1]

Me too!!!!! Always thought our best lineup would be

1. RJ
2. KCP
3. SJ
4. Mook
5. Dre

that lineup is too damn small, if it were longer it would maybe work but we don't have much length either in that lineup

Damn man if you think that is a small lineup what is this?
1. Curry (6'3") 1. Reggie (6'3") huge wingspan
2. Klay (6'7") 2. KCP (6'5")
3. Iguolada (6'6") 3. Stanley (6'7")
4. Harrison Barnes (6'8") 4. Mook (6'8")
5. Draymond (6'7") 5. Dre (7'0")

[DBC10]

Stan's right, Ersan is the odd man out if we did spend more time with Mook at the 4.

Still, it's something that this team should do, since Morris is probably too tired of chasing quicker 3s which causes his efficiency to drop. Him being a pick and pop option would also be great too, instead of just parking him in the perimeter corner like we do when we run our usual starters.

[Kilo]

Ersan is due to miss his usual 10 games yet this season. Mook will get his PF playing time.

[Todd3]

Thats the problem with Morris at the 4.

Why can't Stanley just play more minutes at 2 and 3?

Well if Marcus is at the 4 then yes Stanley would play more minutes at the 3, but we have no one to play the other minutes at the 3 if Marcus is playing the 4.

Marcus plays 14 mpg at PF, 22 mpg at SF. Ersan/Tolliver share remaining 34 mpg at PF.

SJ plays 26 mpg at SF, 10 mpg at SG.

Then when Meeks is ready...

MM - 24 at PF; 12 at SF.
SJ - 36 at SF
Meeks - 10-12 at SG

[russkopp]

SVG has to wait for Jodie to come back because he doesn't trust Hilliard yet and I think he really likes Tolliver's D. He doesn't want to cut his minutes too drastically.

[mattao313]

SVG has to wait for Jodie to come back because he doesn't trust Hilliard yet and I think he really likes Tolliver's D. He doesn't want to cut his minutes too drastically.

[Spider156]

SVG has to wait for Jodie to come back because he doesn't trust Hilliard yet and I think he really likes Tolliver's D. He doesn't want to cut his minutes too drastically.

Hahaha so creepy