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Nellie intends to continue changing starting lineup
Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:03 pm
by DIO
Nelson feels need to switch lineups
By Geoff Lepper
STAFF WRITER
Article Launched: 01/12/2008 02:56:58 AM PST
OAKLAND -- Warriors coach Don Nelson says he truly doesn't want to switch opening lineups so often. But Nelson feels his team needs the benefit of whatever mismatches he can identify, and if that means building a revolving door or two in his starting five, then so be it.
"In a perfect world, I wouldn't be changing (the starting lineup) as much as I have," Nelson said Friday. "I think the team has needed me more to gain an advantage sometimes by doing that, as opposed to just throwing our best players against their best players. ...
"I'd (like to) have a starting lineup and have my subs ready to come in at their normal times, San Antonio-style, if you will. But they can do that and I don't think that we can at this point."
Most observers would agree that the Warriors' best five players are guards Baron Davis and Monta Ellis, forwards Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson and center Andris Biedrins. And that group has started together 12 times in 37 games this season, including Friday against Memphis.
Yet aside from one four-game stretch last month when Nelson stuck with that most-used quintet, he hasn't used the same lineup for more than two games in a row all season. Given the Warriors' predilection for falling behind by 10 or more points in the opening quarter, might the shuffling be a cause for the early listlessness?
"The slow starts, it's not just because of the starting lineup, it's just us coming out not being loose and not being quick from the beginning of the game," Jackson said. "I know me and BD are not moving as best as we can and normally do. It's a number of things, but I think the fluctuation of the starting lineups is the least of our problems."
Harrington would like to see more consistency but understands that the players will have to earn that from Nelson, who has made quick switches a trademark of his coaching style.
"I think that over time (a set lineup) does help a team. You know what you're going to get, you know your guys, you know who's starting," Harrington said. "I guess guys are going to have to play at a high level for Coach to make that decision. The thing about it is that (lineup churning) has worked for him in the past, so you can't really say that it's not a good thing for a Nellie-coached team. He does this all the time, so he finds a way to make it work."
http://www.contracostatimes.com/warriors/ci_7953511
Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:20 pm
by DIO
When best lineup starts, W\L is 10-2
When other lineup starts, W\L is 10-8 (except first 7game)
When best lineup starts, 1stQ's points is
own:28.9 opp:25.0 dif:+3.9
When other lineup starts, 1stQ's points is
own:25.8 opp:29.8 dif:-4.0 (except first 7game)
please stop!
Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:27 pm
by Sleepy51
Nellie's ego is even bigger than Baron's.
Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:30 pm
by FNQ
Nellie's just trying to make our blood pressure as high as his...
Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 8:31 pm
by BROWN
Nellie really has to stop this !!!!!!!!
Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 8:58 pm
by GswStorm3
Stubborn!
Nellie is so in love with finding mismatches offensively he'll keep changing the starting five regardless of finding and keeping chemistry together.
Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 10:02 pm
by Twinkie defense
Hey you missed a very important nugget in that article:
Watson... does use periods after his initials, contrary to what the team originally reported.
I put the odds of a Baron/Monta/Jackson/Harrington/Beidrins starting lineup tomorrow at 20:1 now.
Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 6:17 am
by DIO
another win when best lineup start
but it was very slow start...
Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 6:20 am
by Sleepy51
DIO wrote:another win when best lineup start
but it was very slow start...
Yeah, but Baron was resting on the floor at the start didn't touch the ball in the first 4 minutes. It was all one on one with Jack jacking and Al getting stuffed by JO. They wanted to get out hot against their former team, but they both flubbed it. (Ego ball)
I say this one doesn't count.
Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:31 am
by St.Nick
PF is absolutely the weak link on this team. If Nellie feels that he needs to start Barnes rather than Harrington, then so be it. If he thinks putting Brandan in there for 5 minutes rather than Al, then right on. We can't just trot out Donatello every game and expect it to be hunky dory. The guy has major flaws, but to his credit I think that he know he stinks about 70% of the time.
Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 1:50 pm
by Sleepy51
St.Nick wrote:PF is absolutely the weak link on this team. If Nellie feels that he needs to start Barnes rather than Harrington, then so be it. If he thinks putting Brandan in there for 5 minutes rather than Al, then right on. We can't just trot out Donatello every game and expect it to be hunky dory. The guy has major flaws, but to his credit I think that he know he stinks about 70% of the time.
Al is no dream at PF, but he is a good Nellie PF and we win when he plays there.
We're now what 10-2 when Al starts next to Andris? and most of those have been decent 1st quarter starts. Tonight was a stinker (from 3pt land) but more often than not, Al helps us win.
We score, defend and rebound better with him on the floor than off.
http://www.82games.com/0708/07GSW12D.HTM
It's still very early to put much weight in these numbers, but the Beans/Al units are by far our best.
http://www.82games.com/0708/07GSW12B.HTM
This of course is impacted by the total scurbbery of the other PF options we've got, but the winning % numbers are about how we did against the rest of the NBA. You can't fake those.
Al is our best PF. Until we aquire or develop a better one, not starting him has hurt us more often than not.
Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 10:57 pm
by dareru
Can someone really persuade Nellie to stop this? I dunno. Keep those beers away from him.
Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:02 pm
by Twinkie defense
When the Warriors have a stud PF... that's when I'll insist on seeing the same lineup out there night after night.
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 12:04 am
by Sleepy51
jrhester wrote:When the Warriors have a stud PF... that's when I'll insist on seeing the same lineup out there night after night.
Because winning isn't important
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 12:08 am
by GSWhoopfan
Sleepy51 wrote:St.Nick wrote:
We're now what 10-2 when Al starts next to Andris? and most of those have been decent 1st quarter starts.
who did we lose to with that lineup? scores?
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 12:18 am
by KR4
Can someone really persuade Nellie to stop this? I dunno. Keep those beers away from him.
Nellie looks like a serious alcoholic...like, he is very serious about drinking to get drunk every night.
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 12:24 am
by Sid the Squid
Nelson looked the worst Ive ever seen him during that pregame interview last night...You can tell he's hitting the booze hard.
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 12:24 am
by Sleepy51
GSWhoopfan wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
who did we lose to with that lineup? scores?
I don't know.
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 1:46 am
by Twinkie defense
Sleepy51 wrote:Because winning isn't important
But the Warriors ARE winning! Sometimes that gets forgotten here.
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 2:43 am
by Sleepy51
jrhester wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
But the Warriors ARE winning! Sometimes that gets forgotten here.
I haven't forgotten it at all. I'm enjoying this season immensely. I do not think everything is a sham ready to crumble at any moment, but three are mistakes being made as I see it.
90% of our losses have occurred when Al and Beans don't start together.
This means something. This is important.