What do you guys think about DOC's rotation last night ??

DieselCeltic · Post #1 » by **DieselCeltic** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 11:49 am

I'm not really impressed to be honest. Why is he putting Powe at 5, who happens to be under-sized center now. I'd rather have POB replace Perk and Powe replacing KG. POB is a true C while Powe is not. Also, why is HOUSE our backup PG ??? He can't bring the ball up court to save his life. Why did we invst in Pruitt all this time.

I'm not happy that

Walker didn't get any playing time
Gabe didn't get any playing time
Pruitt didn't get any playing time.

Doc, don't get spoiled with your ring man.

GregB · Post #2 » by **GregB** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 12:07 pm

The lineup was exactly as I expected. It was unrealistic that any of the new young guys would get any run early in the season. It Docs MO to slowly work his young players into the rotation. Pruitt will be very lucky to see any PT this year. Unless House is absolutely getting abused by the press.

Our Rotation is basically the same as last year minus Posey. Which means we should expect greater contributions from Tony Allen, Leon Powe and Eddie House with Big Baby getting around the same minutes as last year. Looks like a pretty clear 9 man rotation. I can see Walker and POB getting minutes occasionally too.

BakersDozen · Post #3 » by **BakersDozen** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:02 pm

my only complaint was no time for Gabe...

MVP16 · Post #4 » by **MVP16** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:14 pm

I thought our rotation was great last night. I think it's good to have a shorter rotation the first few games and let the top 8-9 guys shake off the rust, get in shape and get some chemistry going. After a few games, and maybe even earlier if we start blowing people out, we can start playing guys like Pruitt and O'Bryant.

As for POB, he isn't that good right now. He has a lot of tools to be a pretty good player, but he is still pretty raw. Playing Powe/Big Baby as our backup bigs gives us a better chance of winning even though they're undersized because they're simply better right now, play harder and know the schemes. The hope is that POB can work with Clifford Ray throughout the year and get some spot minutes and by the end of the season he can contribute for 10-15 minutes a game when we need his length.

cloverleaf · Post #5 » by **cloverleaf** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:14 pm

I think Doc wants to have the established team pick up where it left off last year, as well as having started with the 9 guys who really are the top 9 in his rotation right now.

You know how Doc likes having a full '2nd' team and Gabe would fill that out right now, so I think he gets a few minutes soon enough. POB has clearly disappointed them with how steadily he plays hard, so I think Doc wants him to stew for a bit anyway. That is, I think there's room in the rotation for Gabe right now, but POB is going to have to pick up his intensity and either bump Baby back to the bench or be the beneficiary of an injury to get more than the occasional garbage minutes.

Rocky5000 · Post #6 » by **Rocky5000** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:27 pm

Gabe and POB need to play themselves into the rotation. I kinda thought Gabe did in the preseason, but I guess it wasn't enough.

BillessuR6 · Post #7 » by **BillessuR6** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 1:34 pm

The rotation was what I expected. But we need to slowly bring Pruitt and POB along. We need size! And the only guy that can give us that is O`Bryant. Having two 6-8 guy under the rim is worrisome...

I thought Pruitt would get a few minutes after a poor showing from Eddie but I guess Doc doesn`t truest Gabe yet. If House isn`t making shots he is useless, so Rivers needs to go with Pruitt in these instances.

But we do miss Posey. When Tony was on Lebron, it looked a bit scary. TA looked half his size. Maybe Walker or Giddens will be able to help in this area toward the end of the season...

Fencer reregistered · Post #8 » by **Fencer reregistered** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 2:14 pm

If Big Baby could hit his mid-range jumpers, he'd be a decent player.

Give him a chance. A lot of other guys weren't hitting shots (including FTs) last night too.

Dave_From_NB · Post #9 » by **Dave_From_NB** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 2:59 pm

I was fine with it. The three guys I thought would be in street clothes, were. Celts were pretty rocky starting, so I was comfortable with Doc staying with the rotation he did, given those were the players he would be most comfortable with.

Scal didn't get off the bench, a good thing IMO.

Sam didn't dress, I'm relieved at that.

I do want to see Pruitt and POB in extended rotation, but given the slow start, that all regulars should be rested and healthy, and the need to get the season off to the right start with a W, I think what Doc did makes sense.

TommyPoints · Post #10 » by **TommyPoints** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 3:22 pm

I wasn't too surprised by the rotation either. Doc is going to work in the young guys and if they are ready they'll earn their minutes. I hope Pruitt is going to be ready to backup Rondo. I like Eddie when he is hitting his shot, but he is kinda shaky out there otherwise.

humblebum · Post #11 » by **humblebum** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 5:03 pm

I thought the rotation was fine. Doc has a clear philosophy when it comes to earning PT. Gabe and POB have a ways to go to earn favor over Eddie House and Glen Davis. Eddie and Glen have weaknesses but they also are very well educated in the defensive rotations and have some plus skills offensively.

What I hope for is that Doc finds a way to better mix and match our frontline. It's clear that the top 4 guys are KG, Perk, Powe, Davis. But the pair of Powe-Davis playing long stretches is really tough for the team. If Doc can find a way to keep Perk or KG on the floor as much as possible the Celtics will be in much better shape. Basically, it comes down to Perkins being able to stay out of foul trouble and Doc allowing him to play big MPG when he does.

TheSheriff · Post #12 » by **TheSheriff** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 5:07 pm

I'd like to see Walker dress instead of Scal.
I'd like to see Gabe get some minuets instead of Eddie House or even get minuets with Eddie House. In fact i would love to see at some point
Pg: Pruitt
Sg: House
SF: Pierce
PF: KG
C: Powe
That unit would run and score like cray causing all kinds of matchup problems on offense.

I do not want to see Big Baby and Powe on the floor at the same time.

kakopedi1 · Post #13 » by **kakopedi1** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 5:28 pm

I think Doc did a good job last nite, maybe Gabe & POB should've played but its no big deal.

But the game was too important for us last nite so I didnt mind not seeing the young guys. I mean it would've been devastating if we'd lost to James, Mo and the Cavs.

Doc and the players are last night's over, esp with the win, now they can focus on bball and getting back to form from last year.

Rocky5000 · Post #14 » by **Rocky5000** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 5:51 pm

I think Doc just needs to come out and admit that he prefers to go small. He talks about their only being 5 or 6 teams in the league with 'True Centers', so there's not such a big need for height. The thing with O'Bryant is, if we throw him out there, the other team needs to match up against our 7 footer. Those teams with True Centers, have a weapon that we lack, but O'Bryant is a good chance to develop one. Just because you can go small, doesn't mean you should.

Last night, Mike Brown intentionally went to his small lineup (with Bron at the 4), apparently he's in love with the idea of small ball too, so perhaps Doc would have worked O'Bryant in if Brown hadn't been going small as well.

celticfan42487 · Post #15 » by **celticfan42487** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 6:43 pm

Rocky5000 wrote:Gabe and POB need to play themselves into the rotation. I kinda thought Gabe did in the preseason, but I guess it wasn't enough.

And from what I saw both are a long way from doing that. We were one of the most effiecent teams last year in terms of turnovers.

Now we have TA as a regular rotational player.

O'Bryant and Pruitt need to at least make as little mistakes as TA before they can be considered a regular rotation guy.

I don't think Pruitt has a shot for at least the first half of the season with Doc's scrutinty of PG's decisions.

O'Bryant might, but if he did then he would be good enough for GS to never let me walk for free. It will be a breakthrough for Patrick if he can learn to be a bench player and be consistent effort wise as well as turnover wise.

Mahoney_jr · Post #16 » by **Mahoney_jr** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 7:00 pm

Everything's fine. That nine guys were battle-tested last year and nobody should expect to play the unproven Pruitt or O'Bryant against the 2nd best team in the East!

keltickings · Post #17 » by **keltickings** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 7:33 pm

This was expected.
For last night being what it was maybe I would have put Pruitt in for a bit but otherwise perfect.

How can I complain? Last night was poetry, the ceremony, the tears, the team. What a great night!

Being the ring ceremony game I assumed we would not see the rooks or POB and Doc would play the team that won the championship. They earned this. Not that if he did I would complain but didn't expect it.

Game one's rotation is not the entire seasons rotation.

House was definately a bit shaky bringing the ball up and did not have his shooter's touch; Pruitt could have played, yes, but a championship coach lets his better players battle through bad play. This builds confidence. Ray looked weak last night but he's still a threat, KG was sub-par too but he is still one of the two best players on this team.

I understand fans wanting to see Walker, POB, and Pruitt especially. I can't wait to see what these three bring, as well as, Giddens but not on ring night against the Cavaliers. Even though one loss means nothing, if we had played these guys and lost would we have been happier? I know we still could have won but this game was no blow-out and the Cavs played like this was game 8 of the Eastern semi-finals.

I can't wait to see what the rooks, POB, and GABE show us they bring but I just can't complain that they did not play for game one against the Cavs?

What a great beginning. I LOVE THE SLIGHTLY ALTERED NEW UNIFORMS WITH THE GOLD TRIM. Reminds me of the old yellow trim of the eighties on the warmups but with a classy feel.

Scalabrine will not dress for the majority of the season barring injuries, but game one I think he deserved to dress.

Rocky5000 · Post #18 » by **Rocky5000** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 7:41 pm

celticfan42487 wrote:
Rocky5000 wrote:Gabe and POB need to play themselves into the rotation. I kinda thought Gabe did in the preseason, but I guess it wasn't enough.

And from what I saw both are a long way from doing that. We were one of the most effiecent teams last year in terms of turnovers.

Now we have TA as a regular rotational player.

O'Bryant and Pruitt need to at least make as little mistakes as TA before they can be considered a regular rotation guy.

I don't think Pruitt has a shot for at least the first half of the season with Doc's scrutinty of PG's decisions.

O'Bryant might, but if he did then he would be good enough for GS to never let me walk for free. It will be a breakthrough for Patrick if he can learn to be a bench player and be consistent effort wise as well as turnover wise.

No TOs for TA last night, let's hope he keeps that up. He started a little bit shaky, but came around as the game went on.
PINKIE RING!

TheCelticTruth · Post #19 » by **TheCelticTruth** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 7:51 pm

the only thing ill disagree with is i would prefer to have scal inactive than both giddens and walker. i would like to see either giddens or walker active every game. who knows when we can slip them in for garbage time minutes, or might need the athleticism shot for energy

i expect to see powe and allen more than any other bench guy. i guess id like to see a little gabe pruitt every game too, even if its just a few minutes

TheCelticTruth · Post #20 » by **TheCelticTruth** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 7:54 pm

Mahoney_jr wrote:... nobody should expect to play the unproven Pruitt...

except for the fact that eddie house just cant bring what we need some nights. he didnt look terrible, but when ray was the only one of the big 3 out there and we were struggling for a spark, house was not helping and pruitt may have.

not going to nitpick much but thats a spot where i think we could