Who would be in your Celtics 2023-24 Starting Lineup?

[ConstableGeneva]

This might not be our usual starting five but we might need to start this way in the ECF against the Bucks and the Finals against the Nuggets.

[Hal14]

1st team A:
White (Coach already said that he was going to be the starting point guard for the team. Looks bad if he goes back on that now

I think Derrick will understand. Things change. When Mazzulla said White was gonna be the starting PG, that was before we got Jrue.

Jrue was the starting PG for a team that won the NBA title just 2 yrs ago. He has much more experience as a starting PG in the NBA.

D-white has some experience as a starting PG but it's mainly just been a little bit here and there where he he has been starting PG, filling in for a few games when Smart was injured or filling in for a few games when Dejounte Murray was injured in San Antonio. I don't think he's ever been starting PG for a full season before - especially not on a contender.

There were rumors that we were in talks with Portland about trading for Dame, just a few days before he was traded to Milwaukee. I'm pretty sure that if we ended up landing Dame, he would have started at PG..even though Mazzulla had already said it would be White starting at PG..

[Parliament10]

I think that we have to do something aggressive. Like putting Queta, Kornet or Gabriel, with the Starters.
Start Horford, and then take him out early. Bring in one of the 3 aforementioned.

I'd prefer to keep Brown primarily at the 2, and Tatum primarily at the 3.

Holiday - Brown - Tatum - Gabriel/Kornet/Queta Porzingis

[zoyathedestroya]

Jaylen Brown will add 6th Man of the Year to his resume? Modern-day John Havlicek.

[steefP2]

I think that we have to do something aggressive. Like putting Queta, Kornet or Gabriel, with the Starters.
Start Horford, and then take him out early. Bring in one of the 3 aforementioned.

I'd prefer to keep Brown primarily at the 2, and Tatum primarily at the 3.

Holiday - Brown - Tatum - Gabriel/Kornet/Queta Porzingis

Why do you think we need to do smth aggressive ? I struggle to see what this will achieve ?

[Celts17Pride]

Luke Kornet starting with Porzingis coming off the bench.

[3pt %]

Kevin Pelton had a good point that team's starting line ups tend to be bigger and the 2nd units smaller. If we want to avoid wear and tear on our best 6-7, it makes sense to match up with the double big to start and then limit Al's minutes through the game.

My biggest question is White or Jrue to start.

[Parliament10]

Kevin Pelton had a good point that team's starting line ups tend to be bigger and the 2nd units smaller. If we want to avoid wear and tear on our best 6-7, it makes sense to match up with the double big to start and then limit Al's minutes through the game.

My biggest question is White or Jrue to start.

Jrue is by far the better Starter.
White, coming off the Bench would work out.

[CelticsPride18]

I think that we have to do something aggressive. Like putting Queta, Kornet or Gabriel, with the Starters.
Start Horford, and then take him out early. Bring in one of the 3 aforementioned.

I'd prefer to keep Brown primarily at the 2, and Tatum primarily at the 3.

Holiday - Brown - Tatum - Gabriel/Kornet/Queta Porzingis

Why do you think we need to do smth aggressive ? I struggle to see what this will achieve ?

Because the other team will never know your next. Start a different lineup every game

[Hal14]

Kevin Pelton had a good point that team's starting line ups tend to be bigger and the 2nd units smaller. If we want to avoid wear and tear on our best 6-7, it makes sense to match up with the double big to start and then limit Al's minutes through the game.

My biggest question is White or Jrue to start.

I wouldn't worry so much about wear and tear. The NBA is not nearly as physical as it used to be.

Plus, Tatum has played some of the best basketball of his career at the 4. And he just added another 12 lbs to his frame this past summer.

JB is jacked - he can handle playing the 3. White has played more 2 than 1 during his career and Jrue is built like a running back.

I suppose the only concern (with regards to your point) is that by starting KP and Al together, it makes it easier to avoid having Porzingis matched up with a big, strong, bruising center. With that being said, (going back to my earlier point) the game isn't as physical as it used to be and we're seeing more and more these days, bigs not just posting up on the low block and banging in the paint - but instead we're seeing bigs who shoot 3's, and come out on the perimeter to set high screens, run DHO actions, etc.

Lastly, if you're worried about trying to limit Al's minutes, the easiest way to do that is by bringing him off the bench.

[Riverwalk2021]

I don't mind DWhite coming off the bench to soothe Big Al's ego if DW still plays 30+ minutes and closes. However, if Horford starting means more Kornet minutes, then I am 100% against it. Mazzulla doesn't have to use Kornet though and can play smaller with more Hauser/Svi/PP minutes, particularly early in the season to see what it looks like.

[BK_2020]

JB is jacked -

https://webm.red/xXnu

[zoyathedestroya]

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[Floody23]

Do people understand starting Horford over White means more minutes for Kornet ?

It’s absolutely stupid that we’re having this discussion.

[robbie84]

Do people understand starting Horford over White means more minutes for Kornet ?

It’s absolutely stupid that we’re having this discussion.

Starting Horford for 5 mins then inserting White is not going to lose us games.
How many teams are we going to have bring in Kornet for Horford against?
Our team is huge and skilled at every position with 3 point shooting everywhere.
Going small with Zinger as the 'big' will be fine in 99% of cases.

[Floody23]

Do people understand starting Horford over White means more minutes for Kornet ?

It’s absolutely stupid that we’re having this discussion.

Starting Horford for 5 mins then inserting White is not going to lose us games.
How many teams are we going to have bring in Kornet for Horford against?
Our team is huge and skilled at every position with 3 point shooting everywhere.
Going small with Zinger as the 'big' will be fine in 99% of cases.

So if your suggesting starting Horford for 5 minutes who comes on for Porzingis after 7/8 minutes ? You have to bring in Kornet don’t you ?

See this is why I think it’s stupid. We have 2 centers that should be the only one’s seeing game time. By starting them both together you ultimately have to make a 3rd/4th string center a part of your rotation. Start White & the team becomes a lot more balanced.

It’s just straight up disrespectful to have a player of White’s calibre starting on the bench.

[zoyathedestroya]

If Cs don’t want to use Kornet but still want to begin games with double bigs:

Horford:
1Q: 1200 to 0700 (5 mins)
1Q: 0200 to 0000 (2 mins)
2Q: 1200 to 0600 (6 mins)
Repeat in 2nd half for a total 26 minutes per game.

Porzingis:
1Q: 1200 to 0200 (10 mins)
2Q: 0600 to 0000 (6 mins)
Repeat in 2nd half for a total of 32 mpg.

Horford and Porzingis play together 10 mpg.

Kornet: 0 minutes

It’s doable.

Spoiler:

If it’s up to me, I’d be banished from the fandom cos I would go in a totally different and radical direction. I’d put in our best defensive lineup to start halves.

[hugepatsfan]

If Cs don’t want to use Kornet but still want to begin games with double bigs:

Horford:
1Q: 1200 to 0700 (5 mins)
1Q: 0200 to 0000 (2 mins)
2Q: 1200 to 0600 (6 mins)
Repeat in 2nd half for a total 26 minutes per game.

Porzingis:
1Q: 1200 to 0200 (10 mins)
2Q: 0600 to 0000 (6 mins)
Repeat in 2nd half for a total of 32 mpg.

Horford and Porzingis play together 10 mpg.

Kornet: 0 minutes

It’s doable.

Spoiler:

If it’s up to me, I’d be banished from the fandom cos I would go in a totally different and radical direction. I’d put in our best defensive lineup to start halves.

Great breakdown. A couple small nitpicks from me though for why I don’t want to do this:

1) Minutes are actually a little high. I want Horford at 24 and KP at 30. Can work with that here, but does make it a little more challenging.

2) I hate being locked into this so rigidly. If you only have 6-10 minutes to play them together, you’re using them all up to start the game. What if that’s not the lineup you want to play it against? You don’t have the flexibility to use that pairing in optimal matchups if you just commit to it to start the halves and that’s it.

[zoyathedestroya]

If Cs don’t want to use Kornet but still want to begin games with double bigs:

Horford:
1Q: 1200 to 0700 (5 mins)
1Q: 0200 to 0000 (2 mins)
2Q: 1200 to 0600 (6 mins)
Repeat in 2nd half for a total 26 minutes per game.

Porzingis:
1Q: 1200 to 0200 (10 mins)
2Q: 0600 to 0000 (6 mins)
Repeat in 2nd half for a total of 32 mpg.

Horford and Porzingis play together 10 mpg.

Kornet: 0 minutes

It’s doable.

Spoiler:

If it’s up to me, I’d be banished from the fandom cos I would go in a totally different and radical direction. I’d put in our best defensive lineup to start halves.

Great breakdown. A couple small nitpicks from me though for why I don’t want to do this:

1) Minutes are actually a little high. I want Horford at 24 and KP at 30. Can work with that here, but does make it a little more challenging.

2) I hate being locked into this so rigidly. If you only have 6-10 minutes to play them together, you’re using them all up to start the game. What if that’s not the lineup you want to play it against? You don’t have the flexibility to use that pairing in optimal matchups if you just commit to it to start the halves and that’s it.

I’m not married to it. It doesn’t have to be that rigid. You can start 4 mins together. Pair them again when necessary. Kornet (or whichever big) won’t lose you the game playing them 4 mins here and there. Just demonstrating that it’s doable if they really prefer double bigs to start games. Some games against weaker teams, you play them less.

If fans don’t really want Kornet, they should be more concerned about injury to either KP/Al and games where they actually rest. Not whether they start together or not.

[steefP2]

Bring Jaylen off the bench.