Seeing all those threads and votes about who should start, I am really confused. I don't understand why which player starts is so important to you guys. In my opinion, to come up with a consistent lineup and a solid rotation is what we really have to focus on right now. How many minutes should each player get and when? That's much more important, imo. I think we should stick to the starting lineup we have been playing the past two seasons. Those guys are familiar with each other. Meanwhile, starters are not necessarily better than reserves and playing more minutes than reserves, we should see which lineup works well and stick to it. If wafer plays well continually, put him in the 2nd unit, I don't think that will affect his contribution, he will still produce for us. Same with Brooks. Manu for the spurs, Odom for the lakers, Terry for the mavericks and Barbosa for the suns, all good examples.
hmm well if you read through the posts and threads you'll find what you're saying is the crux of the debate. wafer plays well of yao, drives and takes it to the hole. t-mac, well, we all know how he is, no point commenting. but what do you do with 21 million dollars? you can't very well have him get less time than vonderful. and we probably DO need him playing well come playoffs, so better to throw of the cobb webbs now than later. people are saying start wafer and give him the minutes until t-mac earns it back, which i am inclined to agree with. but you're right, it's balancing the minutes and who plays with who, and with what chemistry that is important.
Apparently it is important to Adelman, as he keeps running the starters out there to blow leads. So put in the guys that are actually the most effective as starters. VON-- cough cough. DD
Exactly. Adelman seems so intent of putting his starters back end at the end of games to finish them off that he might as well start the people he knows will finish a game off for him. If it include Yao, Ron, and/or T-Mac, great. If not, great. Just quit sticking the current starting lineup back in the game when they can't hit the ocean from a boat with the basketball.
Our original lineup has been proved successful(remember the first time we lost to the Utah in the 1st round, all we say is that our bench is not deep enough), why, because T-mac and Yao can attack and also attract double teams and find open guys, so it's best to put players who can shoot and defend around them, that's why JVF chooses Battier, Alston, Juwan Howard. Artest has started in a lot of games he played. Why is he taking so many 3s? All I can think is that he is taking the Battier's role in the starting lineup, find the open spot and wait for the ball. that's why I think Von should not be playing in the 1st unit, his ability will be fully and properly used when he steps up from the bench where there is no Yao clogging the paint or Rafer sets pick&rolls with Scola, drives and kicks out.
Great coaches play the players who perform regardless of contract. Plenty of high priced players are benched due to lack of playing well. Time for Adelman to do the same. DD
Its not about who starts but who finishes!!! Yao Artest Battier McGrady Rafer/Brooks Theres your close-out line-up right there!!!
As far as direct effect on the game? It's not too much. Obviously the first 5 minutes goes a long way to setting the tone, which really is crucial. But as everyone knows, it's who finishes the game that have the most influence on the outcome (assuming it's still up for grabs in the 4th). However, starting roles are a critical part of many players psyche. Some guys just do not handle coming off the bench without becoming sullen, even if they're returning from an injury (Iverson once had a near meltdown when Larry Brown intended to do so following an extended absence). Some guys prefer coming off the bench. Ginobili has excelled in that role. With our situation - McGrady would almost certainly quit on us if he were asked to come off the bench. I doubt Wafer cares. Artest, if only as a contract year ploy, is good with coming off the bench. I don't think Battier would have a problem coming off the bench either. In my opinion, limiting Artest and McGrady's minutes is the best stick Adelman has to getting them to play within the offense. Of course, there's a great likelihood that McGrady wouldn't take small minutes or little 4th quarter play well. This is, after all the guy that complained about the number of shots he was getting while shooting with one of the lowest percentages on the team. Evan
Apparently they failed last time in Big Apple,blowing the leads and couldn't answer back. If who finishes the game off is far more important than who starts,so bench T-Mac and put Von back in the starting 5 along with Battier,Yao,Rafer,Scola.
Agreed. That & total minutes played are a better guide to who is most important to the team. However, the starters and the finishers are often the same... Typical NBA rotation has most of the starters out in the middle of the 4th so they can come in fresh to finish the game. Unfortuanately our rotation often results in the 2nd team building a good lead in the middle of the 4th, then Adelman putting the starters/finishers in, resulting in the other team catching up!! Not sure why they keep persisting with this, other than that player rest.
