Does anyone have a clue on how Doc thinks

[boykins_2]

Here he is considering starting TA at point guard in a huge game.
There are signs that point to this being a good move, history, his size etc.
But at the same time TA hasn't gotten any meaninful minutes in the playoffs up to this point, which tells people that Doc doesn't want him to play.

Make no mistake TA could have contributed more if given the chance throughout the playoffs. But no, Cassell has put in countless times and given numerous opportunities.
What kind of expectations is that putting on an ice-cold player to play PG no less, where there is a lot more pressure.
Giving an opportunity to Powe in one game and playing well then snacthing that opportunity away in the next game.

Is this just normal coaching given the reality?
Or are we not giving an unbiased opinion considering we're fans.

[bruno sundov]

with his brain? Just a guess though.

[Celts17Pride]

Here he is considering starting TA at point guard in a huge game.

I don't think it's a bad idea. It's not like Cassell and House are Hall of Famers. TA did a great job filling in at the point against the Lakers earlier in the season. TA's defense would be huge. My big concern is TA hasn't played in a while and is rusty.

I hope Rondo is OK to play, that's the best scenario.

[Ant]

Actually, Doc has gained a lot of respect from me during the playoffs. I think the halftime camera in the locker room has played a part along with some of the adjustments and play calls I've seen him make. Funny... having decent players can make you look really good.

[Gomes3PC]

Here he is considering starting TA at point guard in a huge game.
There are signs that point to this being a good move, history, his size etc.
But at the same time TA hasn't gotten any meaninful minutes in the playoffs up to this point, which tells people that Doc doesn't want him to play.

Make no mistake TA could have contributed more if given the chance throughout the playoffs. But no, Cassell has put in countless times and given numerous opportunities.
What kind of expectations is that putting on an ice-cold player to play PG no less, where there is a lot more pressure.
Giving an opportunity to Powe in one game and playing well then snacthing that opportunity away in the next game.

Is this just normal coaching given the reality?
Or are we not giving an unbiased opinion considering we're fans.

If Rondo can't go, who would you start in place of him? Allen at least plays D, unlike Cassell, and if he struggles House can come off the bench and play well. Allen doesn't do well off the bench, so start him and see what he gives you, and if it's not much, pull him for House.

He hasn't gotten the chance because other than guarding Kobe it wouldn't have been a wise matchup. Doc's love for Cassell is perplexing, but only because he should've used House off the bench, not Tony. Only place Tony should come off the bench for is if Ray Allen or Pierce got a serious injury (ie- miss the rest of the game). He's like the young backup QB and the veteran. If Brady goes down midgame you use Damon Huard/Testaverde, but if he's out befor the game starts, use the young guy with upside in Cassel/Davey.

Powe, like most 2nd year guys, has not played well on the road. He struggled on D and was not drawing the fouls he was the game before. Big surprise, as I'm sure Jackson made sure he told his big guys not to let Powe burn them again. He'll never have another game like he did in Game 2, but at the Garden he can be a big threat; on the road he's a big gamble to be a positive influence.

Honestly, I thought Doc did a very good coaching job Tuesday, up until the last two minutes. By leaving Ray on Kobe alone, he ruined a shot at victory. Double him and force the jumpshooters to beat you with a guy running out at them. Only Vujacic was shooting well, so force it to someone else like Gasol or a struggling Fisher to make a long jumper.

Other than that, he did well. He adjusted a lot in the 3rd quarter to get the D playing better and the guys to attack the basket. He saw Ray was hot so he made sure he got consistent looks. He also made sure that KG kept shooting, because whether he's hot or ice cold, we need KG to be a leader on offense. He used House over Cassell, and Eddie rewarded him (again!). Overall, it was a very good management game for Doc despite a putrid start to the game by the offense and an injury to our PG. The last few minutes were killer, but if PP and KG had just shot it okay, not horribly, we would've won.

[Kefa461]

He's a genius.....thinking outside the box....we just can't see the greatness in it yet....

[Taget]

If House and Cassell aren't getting the job done behind Rondo and Rondo is hurt how many other options are there? Besides playing Tony the only other option I can think of is starting Ray himself at PG.

[nyhuskyfan]

Alas, I think it is a year or two too late to play Ray at point guard. He could do it effectively in his prime, even though he was always better suited for the 2, but he just doesn't have that extra gear to turn the corner past defenders off the dribble any more. Maybe an offseason of rest will give him that gear back for one or two more years.

In the 2001 playoffs with the Bucks, he averaged 6.0 assists per game (on a team that lacked post scorers). They would have him orchestrating a lot of the halfcourt offense and making plays with high screen and rolls.

[cisco]

If House and Cassell aren't getting the job done behind Rondo and Rondo is hurt how many other options are there? Besides playing Tony the only other option I can think of is starting Ray himself at PG.

No to Ray at pg. When he handles the ball too much, he always turns it over and is there a worse passer on the fast break than Ray Allen? He almost always throws it away trying to pass the ball in a fast break opportunity.

[tombattor]

I will actually gain a lot of respect for Doc, if he starts TA tonight because that's the best move. House is not a bad option, but his playing style suits coming off the bench.

With the first unit, TA doesn't have to do a lot of scoring. All he has to do is play tough D, which he can do, and when he gets the ball, take it strong to the basket, which is another thing he can do. Another benefit of having TA out there is that he can even cover Kobe for stretches and give Ray a little breather on D, so he can be more effective on offense.

If he really looks horrible out there, then they can easily go to House or even stick Ray at the 1.

[BigHands]

I will actually gain a lot of respect for Doc, if he starts TA tonight because that's the best move. House is not a bad option, but his playing style suits coming off the bench.

With the first unit, TA doesn't have to do a lot of scoring. All he has to do is play tough D, which he can do, and when he gets the ball, take it strong to the basket, which is another thing he can do. Another benefit of having TA out there is that he can even cover Kobe for stretches and give Ray a little breather on D, so he can be more effective on offense.

If he really looks horrible out there, then they can easily go to House or even stick Ray at the 1.

That is one good thing about Tony. If his head is elsewhere it is obvious right away.

The down side is that Tony has seldom played well both before and after halftime of a game.

Tony also usually needs some time to get in the flow. If he can get to the 9 minute mark without going bonehead, he will have a better chance of a good game.

[MyInsatiableOne]

I will actually gain a lot of respect for Doc, if he starts TA tonight because that's the best move. House is not a bad option, but his playing style suits coming off the bench.

With the first unit, TA doesn't have to do a lot of scoring. All he has to do is play tough D, which he can do, and when he gets the ball, take it strong to the basket, which is another thing he can do. Another benefit of having TA out there is that he can even cover Kobe for stretches and give Ray a little breather on D, so he can be more effective on offense.

If he really looks horrible out there, then they can easily go to House or even stick Ray at the 1.

Nice ideas, actually. Let's see how the game starts out with regards to lineups.

[daveisceltics]

You can start Ray as pg and move Posey in the starting lineup.
Not a bad lineup at all.

[Rocky5000]

Ok, I was peeved at Doc for not playing Tony and House in the playoffs, but here we are in the finals, so I can't be all that mad. He has made some good moves and some not so good moves, but not the point of making me get really angry at him. Even when he pulled Ray in the 4th last night, I started to say, "what the hell is Doc doing!" but then I thought, well maybe Ray does need a minute or two of rest, Doc would know. I guess I must trust him more than I used to... If he goes with Tony Allen at the point and it doesn't work out, he'll probably have a backup plan ready.

The little thing that has bothered me about his coaching are his pre-game speeches. Phil Jackson and the others coaches spend their time talking about basketball, with is apropos given the fact that they are getting ready for a game, but Doc has so far has chosen to speak about Tony Dunghy and the Colts, Apartheid in South Africa, Gandhi, and Muhammed Ali. Sure, you can draw parallels between social movements and other sports, but wouldn't it be easier to just stick to basketball? He seems to be acting more as a motivational speaker before games than as a coach. Certain guys might need that, like Rondo, Tony, Powe and Eddie House, who need a boost to their confidence, but for the BIG 3 and the guys who actually play, it must just seem a bit over the top. If you're in the finals, you oughta have plenty of motivation. Doc will also tell the guys, again and again, "if we run our stuff, we can't be beat, we are the better team", but sometimes I imagine 'our stuff' will need to be tweaked based upon the opponent we are facing and how the game is playing out. If you just run the same play again and again, you end up like the Cavs senselessly running failed pick and rolls at the top of the key with James and Ilgauskas.

[Fencer reregistered]

Allen at the point would probably throw the ball away a few times, but otherwise would perform pretty respectably.

That's true of either Allen.