CsBsSoxPhins wrote:Do we see any changes to the starting lineup? I know we're on a roll but the numbers suggest Brown & Hayward being on the court at the same time haven't been great. Obviously with Hayward's play last game (and really the past few games), he's starting to look comfortable again.
I would like to see:
Irving / Smart / Hayward / Tatum / Horford starting with a bench of Brown, Morris, Rozier & Baynes rounding out the team. Smart looks terrific starting right now. Brown can play 30 mpg off the bench and be more of a focal point that way.
Thoughts?
I think offensively Smart doesn't have a role in a lineup with Irving and Hayward on the court. His value offensively is solely ball handling and running plays.
Or rather, Smart's maximized offensive value.
Morris also has been our best scorer by true shooting percentage, and we have been playing at a high level offensively results wise. Or defense is slipping though, but the offensive increase has been dramatic and more than makes up for the drop off defensively.
So I wouldn't change the starting lineup yet. If Hayward suddenly proves he's back, the only change I would make is have him take Smart's starting role and run the offense instead of Smart.
But Hayward has only provided one game this year that would suggest his production demands he be in the starting lineup (last game).
Let's continue running the second unit with him being the focal point, and the punch off the bench if the starters need it (like last game in the first quarter he played that role although he wasn't anything special in it). Ideally he'll still work himself back into some consistency on offense and regular controlling of the offense back like he did when he played in Utah there. I have no worries on missing out and starting Hayward too late in the season, if Hayward is back his play will force him to be in the starting lineup...and Stevens will likely be on the early side jumping the gun for that if his track record on Hayward's minutes this year are any indication of the love affair between the two still being strong.
