Who Should Start at the 4 & 5; and who Should come off the Bench?

[Floody100]

A couple of questions here. I think he’s best suited at the 4 as steefP2 points out but I do understand if you guys want him to start at the 5

Been going over some zinger stuff and it’s been eye opening that he’s really a 4. All his best numbers come when he’s at the 4. Wizards best lineup was with zinger and gafford together. So when you think of him as a 4; he’s an elite rim protector, great scorer and good passer for the position. Lacks mobility on the perimeter defensively for a 4 but our bigs are versatile enough we can help him out there.

If he does start at the 4 who is the better fit at the 5 alongside him, Rob or Al ?

[steefP2]

I'd start rob, not necessarily because he's that much of a better fit than horford next to Kristaps but because I think he's likely a superior player next season and would benefit the most from a regular starting job. I think horford or Rob next to kristaps would work equally well in general, it would just look different. With rob in you'd be looking at using kristaps more as a spacer and midrange shooter while hopefully running dribble hand off actions or pick and rolls with rob. When horford is in, he'd function as the spacer, while utilizing Porzingis mid post game a lot more and running stuff at the elbow with him.

Defensively, it would shift too depending on the combo. Rob as roamer with porzingis playing cat and mouse in drop would work well imo or vice versa. Whoever is defending the pick and roll can play higher up in the drop and more aggressively since we'll have a secondary rim protector ready if you get blown by. If horford is in, he'd probably switch up or play at the level with Porzingis ready to rotate. It's gonna be a lot of back line switching by the guards and the jays but they're very used to that by now.

[steefP2]

This being said, I think he works fine as the lone big too. It's really a very very versatile frontcourt. I want rob to start because i want rob to start. It's not a Porzingis thing really.

[Triple7]

This being said, I think he works fine as the lone big too. It's really a very very versatile frontcourt. I want rob to start because i want rob to start. It's not a Porzingis thing really.

Rob and Porzingis should start. Horf comes off the bench. Indon’t know who finishes between Rob and horf though. Porzingis can be the 5 and JT at the 4 to finish games if needed. We have tons of options now.

[Fencer reregistered]

Brad seems to want double-big, and to feel good about a Rob/Zinger pairing.

That said, load management plays a huge role in this discussion, at least for the regular season.

[gocelts]

If Rob is healthy, he starts. He’s at a point in his career where he could still improve and THAT can be a huge lift as well has Horford extending his career by helping out off the bench. It’s a win win.

Horford likely finishes.

[dans1230]

Ideally Al would come off the bench, he is more versitile than Rob and can play both the 4 and 5. With that said, if they all stay relatively healthy, at the emd of the year the starts and minutes will close to even out due to rest.

[cloverleaf]

Al needs to start this year off the bench. He needs fewer minutes, Porzi and Rob need to develop together, and if he's healthy Rob makes a better pairing with Porzi and the other starters anyway.

Better this way than having to demote Al midseason.

[Triple7]

Al needs to start this year off the bench. He needs fewer minutes, Porzi and Rob need to develop together, and if he's healthy Rob makes a better pairing with Porzi and the other starters anyway.

Better this way than having to demote Al midseason.

I don’t think Al won’t mind coming off the bench. I still think he finishes the game than Rob.

[cloverleaf]

Al needs to start this year off the bench. He needs fewer minutes, Porzi and Rob need to develop together, and if he's healthy Rob makes a better pairing with Porzi and the other starters anyway.

Better this way than having to demote Al midseason.

I don’t think Al won’t mind coming off the bench. I still think he finishes the game than Rob.

Al said last year that it mattered to him to be a starter and I'm not even sure he should be finishing ahead of Rob at this point.

Smarter, less selfish, ball distribution should help "role scorers" like him and Rob.

[BK_2020]

Rob isn't really as good as y'all think he is.

[cloverleaf]

Rob isn't really as good as y'all think he is.

Of course he needs his full health and athleticism and less selfish play from his teammates, but I suspect also a better coach than Joe. Joe seemed intent to come down hard on Rob in a way that he never did with other players (except, I'd guess, maybe Grant) and I think that made it harder on Rob as the year went on.

But Joe is also the classic coach looking to force his players into his system instead of being capable of crafting his system to bring out the best of his players. He completely misused Rob earlier in the year, finally shifted to using him more like Ime did on D, but then tried to tell Rob all the ways he had to play differently on O for the postseason.

[shackles10]

We have a lot of closing options that we didn’t have last year with new roster balance and a guaranteed closer gone in Smart. I hate losing Marcus but being able to close games with White/JB/Tatum/Al/Zinger is shooting and size from all spots (the ultimate NBA combo). You could also do White/JB/JT/Zinger/Rob for a change and even go small with White/Brogdon/JB/JT/Zinger and upgrade the shooting of the first lineup even more.

[brackdan70]

Lots of flexibility. I’d start Rob though I think. I really like Horford as 6th man.

[BK_2020]

Rob isn't really as good as y'all think he is.

Of course he needs his full health and athleticism and less selfish play from his teammates, but I suspect also a better coach than Joe. Joe seemed intent to come down hard on Rob in a way that he never did with other players (except, I'd guess, maybe Grant) and I think that made it harder on Rob as the year went on.

But Joe is also the classic coach looking to force his players into his system instead of being capable of crafting his system to bring out the best of his players. He completely misused Rob earlier in the year, finally shifted to using him more like Ime did on D, but then tried to tell Rob all the ways he had to play differently on O for the postseason.

Rob didn't play earlier in the year bro.

[shackles10]

Lots of flexibility. I’d start Rob though I think. I really like Horford as 6th man.

In the past it was often an unspoken worry that Al wouldn’t come off the bench. I think his new contract helps to show he’s ok with that and just wants to win. Im fluid on all my lineup thoughts but I think you at least try first exactly what you suggested.

[Smart2Nesmith43]

I'd start rob, not necessarily because he's that much of a better fit than horford next to Kristaps but because I think he's likely a superior player next season and would benefit the most from a regular starting job. I think horford or Rob next to kristaps would work equally well in general, it would just look different. With rob in you'd be looking at using kristaps more as a spacer and midrange shooter while hopefully running dribble hand off actions or pick and rolls with rob. When horford is in, he'd function as the spacer, while utilizing Porzingis mid post game a lot more and running stuff at the elbow with him.

Defensively, it would shift too depending on the combo. Rob as roamer with porzingis playing cat and mouse in drop would work well imo or vice versa. Whoever is defending the pick and roll can play higher up in the drop and more aggressively since we'll have a secondary rim protector ready if you get blown by. If horford is in, he'd probably switch up or play at the level with Porzingis ready to rotate. It's gonna be a lot of back line switching by the guards and the jays but they're very used to that by now.

Starting Rob also opens up the possibility of playing him in 3 short stints (say 5 minutes each) per half if that's the direction they want to go. Horford off the bench also means it's less disruptive to the rotation to replace him when he misses back to back and you probably want Horford on the floor when Porzingis is off to maintain sufficient shooting in the frontcourt. I think from a rotation stand point it makes much more sense to start Porzingis with Timelord.

[cloverleaf]

Rob isn't really as good as y'all think he is.

Of course he needs his full health and athleticism and less selfish play from his teammates, but I suspect also a better coach than Joe. Joe seemed intent to come down hard on Rob in a way that he never did with other players (except, I'd guess, maybe Grant) and I think that made it harder on Rob as the year went on.

But Joe is also the classic coach looking to force his players into his system instead of being capable of crafting his system to bring out the best of his players. He completely misused Rob earlier in the year, finally shifted to using him more like Ime did on D, but then tried to tell Rob all the ways he had to play differently on O for the postseason.

Rob didn't play earlier in the year bro.

That I thought was obvious, pal. I of course meant earlier in the year when Rob was playing. Jeesh!

[BK_2020]

Of course he needs his full health and athleticism and less selfish play from his teammates, but I suspect also a better coach than Joe. Joe seemed intent to come down hard on Rob in a way that he never did with other players (except, I'd guess, maybe Grant) and I think that made it harder on Rob as the year went on.

But Joe is also the classic coach looking to force his players into his system instead of being capable of crafting his system to bring out the best of his players. He completely misused Rob earlier in the year, finally shifted to using him more like Ime did on D, but then tried to tell Rob all the ways he had to play differently on O for the postseason.

Rob didn't play earlier in the year bro.

That I thought was obvious, pal. I of course meant earlier in the year when Rob was playing. Jeesh!

Eh, I think Rob played poorly in his first games back because of rust. He wasn't good in the playoffs though. He still has too many mental lapses.

[cloverleaf]

Rob didn't play earlier in the year bro.

That I thought was obvious, pal. I of course meant earlier in the year when Rob was playing. Jeesh!

Eh, I think Rob played poorly in his first games back because of rust. He wasn't good in the playoffs though. He still has too many mental lapses.

Anna Horford, is that you?