Celtics need to send IT back to the bench

[Celts17Pride]

This is one man's opinion and is certainly open to debate.

I believe the Celtics need to bring IT back off the bench as the 6th man and start Marcus Smart for a few reasons.

If people can remember in the beginning of this season the Celtics had an aggressive defensive identity to start games which lead to easy offense (yes the offense did struggle on the first unit) but they would set the tone and then IT would come off the bench and clean up. I believe the Celtics have lost this identity and need to get back to that as a unit.

When IT starts and then goes to the bench the Celtics have no offense. Zero. IT then has to come into the game and play hero ball just to give them a chance. Game after game IT as a starter puts up 30+ points and the Celtics lose. If the goal is to get IT to the all-star game then this is the way to go. If the goal is to win I don't think this is the right path.

Secondly, the Celtics need to find out is Marcus Smart is the player they think he can be and is he part of the future. The only way they are going to find out is if the play him heavy minutes. Smart needs minutes to improve if he is going to improve.

IT can come off the bench and play with Lee, Jerebko, Young, Zeller, Sully, Hunter etc. and score points. Turner and Smart can not. This is not a knock on IT at all in fact it's kudos that he can play with anyone.

I believe what's best for the Celtics is IT back as the 6th man. If the Celtics stick to IT starting I believe you are going to see a lot of IT scoring 30+ points and the Celtics losing. Celtics are 1-3 when IT scores 30+ points this season. This doesn't help anyone because the Celtics lose and they still won't know what they have in Marcus Smart.

Your opinions are appreciated.

[2Mas]

Lol i'll tell you that this is not the time to be making this thread.

[TheOGJabroni]

Potentially playing IT, most likely our best player, less minutes and upsetting him after two terrific games for Marcus Smart, who is shooting 31% and is not quite the ballhandler/playmaker IT is, in the starting line does not seem to be a good idea. What we need are players that can match IT's ability; not hold him back and forcefully push other players forward that don't deserve it. And FWIW, I am a big Marcus Smart fan.

[return2glory]

Sometimes it's better to keep opinions to yourself.

Let's put our best player on the bench.

This team starting losing ever since Smart came back.

IT is some of the best PG's in the East. Enough with this stuff.

[KJandHondo35]

In a vacuum I'm okay with bringing IT off the bench but as it's been said he's played better than most even in these losses. He's a measurably awful defender so if this team was actually good I hope he wouldn't start, and honestly I think his ball dominance screws up the rhythm of the rest of the team as they just start watching to see what he does because he's looking for his shot first.

For now I'd drop AB back and let Smart start, because coming off the bench is just tanking his confidence and this team.

[Ben-N1ce]

It doesn't really matter. They are in plenty of close games down the stretch and he's on the floor surrounded by nobody even close to his offensive level and play making. Coming off the bench or starting isn't going to change the final 6 minutes of nut cutting time when games are won and lost.

[24istheLAW]

Potentially playing IT, most likely our best player, less minutes and upsetting him after two terrific games for Marcus Smart, who is shooting 31% and is not quite the ballhandler/playmaker IT is, in the starting line does not seem to be a good idea. What we need are players that can match IT's ability; not hold him back and forcefully push other players forward that don't deserve it. And FWIW, I am a big Marcus Smart fan.

Well said.
On a contending team, Isaiah Thomas comes off the bench. The fact that he is starting is a symptom of the fact that we are not a contending team.
I don't know what the hell happened to Smart's scoring. He wasn't a GOOD shooter last year but he's tanked this year. His FT% is still quite low as well at .681. Extremely worrisome.

[KJandHondo35]

This team starting losing ever since Smart came back.

high quality deductive reasoning.

[Celts17Pride]

Sometimes it's better to keep opinions to yourself.

Let's put our best player on the bench.

This team starting losing ever since Smart came back.

IT is some of the best PG's in the East. Enough with this stuff.

You know you say this but the Celtics as a team the last few years have had more success with IT as the 6th man as opposed to IT being a starter.

That's not an opinion, that's a fact.

[Edug27]

Sometimes it's better to keep opinions to yourself.

Let's put our best player on the bench.

This team starting losing ever since Smart came back.

IT is some of the best PG's in the East. Enough with this stuff.

You know you say this but the Celtics as a team the last few years have had more success with IT as the 6th man as opposed to IT being a starter.

That's not an opinion, that's a fact.

Not sure I agree fully. But you best argument would be

Smart as a starter: 29-17
Smart as a reserve: 13-25

But a lot more goes into that.

[Gant]

The problem is not in the backcourt. The backcourt performs pretty well no matter what the rotation is.

The problem is the frontcourt, which performs inconsistently and is overmatched no matter the rotation. You can't make up for a lack of length with a lack of athleticism.

Try Jordan Mickey. Has anyone suggested this?

[Celts17Pride]

Sometimes it's better to keep opinions to yourself.

Let's put our best player on the bench.

This team starting losing ever since Smart came back.

IT is some of the best PG's in the East. Enough with this stuff.

You know you say this but the Celtics as a team the last few years have had more success with IT as the 6th man as opposed to IT being a starter.

That's not an opinion, that's a fact.

Not sure I agree fully. But you best argument would be

Smart as a starter: 29-17
Smart as a reserve: 13-25

But a lot more goes into that.

Celtics have a better record the last few years with IT as a 6th man. I don't have the numbers right now but it's a fact.

[Celts17Pride]

Sometimes it's better to keep opinions to yourself.

Let's put our best player on the bench.

This team starting losing ever since Smart came back.

IT is some of the best PG's in the East. Enough with this stuff.

You know you say this but the Celtics as a team the last few years have had more success with IT as the 6th man as opposed to IT being a starter.

That's not an opinion, that's a fact.

Not sure I agree fully. But you best argument would be

Smart as a starter: 29-17
Smart as a reserve: 13-25

But a lot more goes into that.

and I think a lot of Smart's success is because IT comes off the bench.

[Fantaxp7]

The problem is not in the backcourt. The backcourt performs pretty well no matter what the rotation is.

The problem is the frontcourt, which performs inconsistently and is overmatched no matter the rotation. You can't make up for a lack of length with a lack of athleticism.

Try Jordan Mickey. Has anyone suggested this?

I agree with this.

Sullinger has streaks where he looks like he is finally putting it together, then we get crap for a few games or a spurt of offense like last night.

Then there's Kelly who looked atrocious last night. He is either good to great most games but has been inconsistent again.

Amir has been solid the past few games but he hasn't been that consistent either.

Then there's Zeller who is probably the biggest disappointment of the bunch. Seemed to be "the"guy who would be able to come off the bench and make a difference.

[Celts17Pride]

The problem is not in the backcourt. The backcourt performs pretty well no matter what the rotation is.

The problem is the frontcourt, which performs inconsistently and is overmatched no matter the rotation. You can't make up for a lack of length with a lack of athleticism.

Try Jordan Mickey. Has anyone suggested this?

I agree with you here. The frontcourt is a mess.

[Edug27]

You know you say this but the Celtics as a team the last few years have had more success with IT as the 6th man as opposed to IT being a starter.

That's not an opinion, that's a fact.

Not sure I agree fully. But you best argument would be

Smart as a starter: 29-17
Smart as a reserve: 13-25

But a lot more goes into that.

Celtics have a better record the last few years with IT as a 6th man. I don't have the numbers right now but it's a fact.

Right. But IT has only been here for 59 games and Boston has a winning record with him as a starter as well.

[Banks2Pierce]

The problem is not in the backcourt. The backcourt performs pretty well no matter what the rotation is.

Ya know, I actually disagree with this. The main problem on this team is that the offense is absolutely putrid when Isaiah sits. I don't know what the answer is, but the current status quo isn't getting it done. We at least need to give the internal options a shot over Turner.

[GuyClinch]

You don't put the teams best player on the bench because it fits some roster fantasy..

You put guys off the bench that you want to play less.. As I have explained like a half dozen times - playing guys major minutes off the bench will make them more tired - because when they sit at the start of the game - they are not tired. So it does not help.

[Gant]

The problem is not in the backcourt. The backcourt performs pretty well no matter what the rotation is.

The problem is the frontcourt, which performs inconsistently and is overmatched no matter the rotation. You can't make up for a lack of length with a lack of athleticism.

Try Jordan Mickey. Has anyone suggested this?

I agree with you here. The frontcourt is a mess.

Going a little further: What's happening now is not a players-don't-want-it-enough problem. What's happening now is not a Brad problem. It's a Danny problem.

Every night it's Sullinger against Gasol, or Olynyk against Porzingis, or Amir against Brook Lopez or Whiteside or Duncan or Vucevic or whoever.

Go out there, give up 4 inches of height every night and more in reach. Get outmuscled, outreached, and outjumped. When the bench comes in the mismatches generally increase.

It's not Smart, Thomas, or Bradley. It's the big men. It's been the big men for many years.

Please try Mickey stubborn guys-in-charge. At least he can match anyone's athleticism. The Celtics need a lively long body out there among the tall people. It won't solve the problem, but it's a start.

[Gant]

The problem is not in the backcourt. The backcourt performs pretty well no matter what the rotation is.

Ya know, I actually disagree with this. The main problem on this team is that the offense is absolutely putrid when Isaiah sits. I don't know what the answer is, but the current status quo isn't getting it done. We at least need to give the internal options a shot over Turner.

If they had a reliable positive mismatch down low instead of negative ones, the guards/wings would routinely have open looks. The offense wouldn't depend on one 5'9" guy creating amazing stuff all the time.