Game#...III RapsHeat III Tuesday February 1st 7:30pm on SN (and TNT!)

[Garbo]

I wonder if OG is developing a bit of a bad rep in the league for leading with his knee on those drives to the basket? He seems to do it a lot, and it’s a dangerous and awkward move. Like the guy at the Y that swings his elbows after every rebound..

Great game though! It’s crazy that we could miss that many bunnys and free throws and still beat the second seeded team in the east. Things are looking up.

[golden]

They gotta bottle that up, these 5 together are developing a very solid chemistry together. You can tell they're getting used to each other's game; the defensive rotations are crispier, they're anticipating the move of the primary help defender, and are ready to rotate to cover that spot, sometimes with a tertiary defender right there already. Some of these defensive rotations in film are the stuff you teach and they're executing really well. Comes from playing together (and also being good defenders of course)

Yeah, you called it early, ITP. Just start your 5 best players. It's an easy decision with this team this year because the drop-off to 6th man is pretty steep. Only problems are the potential injury ramifications of undersized guys banging with centers and minutes overload over a full season.

[DanH]

Another hell of a game.

I love the top 5 guys as a closing group. I hate them as a starting group. They consistently start slow. Seems like the defence they need to play with that group requires everyone to have their juices going to be effective and it's just rarely there out the gates. Need a steadier look to open games, then unlock the crazy stuff later on.

If they do manage to add a C (alternatively they can just start Khem), I am starting to lean to leaving Gary in the starting group and bringing Barnes off the bench, if only because a) the starters will be staggered through with the bench anyway, but mostly b) Barnes really looks like he needs a break. Cut back his minutes a bit to more like 30 a night, have him play against bench opposition more, still give him closing minutes. He's really struggling out there, flatfooted a lot, but is great and still making it work. Just think it could work out at least for a handful of games to let him catch his breath. And maybe it sticks or maybe you try something else.

But back to the game: I thought Precious did well defensively (mostly) and terribly offensively (mostly - but he can hit threes now??) - actually, he hit like all his shots, so really can't complain on either end even with him mucking up the offence a bit. Still, net positive, I think. Managed to provide non-disastrous minutes. Banton was good for his stretch, love seeing him out there more consistently. Boucher is all hill and valley as usual, but I liked his energy for the most part. We even got a little dash of Champagnie! OG and Pascal both around 35 minutes! Fred under 39! Scottie and Gary took their turn being run ragged but still!

[DanH]

Following on my point about the small starting 5.

On the year they are now up to almost 200 minutes, a nice large sample for a lineup where a lot of the noise will have boiled off, and they are still not quite breaking even on the year (-0.6 net rating). They have been... fine, on both ends. Their defence has been better than fine but they get caved in on the glass on that end so it ends up washing out.

In 1st halves, they have 73 minutes of that 200 minute sample (almost all in the 1st Q). They have a -9 net rating in the first half.

The other 125 minutes of their sample comes in the 2nd half/OT, with a +5 net rating.

Love them to close is probably strong, but can definitely see why they are interested in pursuing that. It's yielded overall good results.

Starting those guys has NOT. Very much not.

[The Claw Reborn]

Lol…. True to form like golden said, backpedaling.

now you want Scottie off the bench and Gary starting. Then subtly inserting the idea of Birch as a starter while Masai able to acquire a C.

then followed your point with the sample sizes.

whats next? Earning minutes?

old story and no need to extend yourself to prove your crooked point

[DanH]

Lol…. True to form like golden said, backpedaling.

now you want Scottie off the bench and Gary starting. Then subtly inserting the idea of Birch as a starter while Masai able to acquire a C.

then followed your point with the sample sizes.

whats next? Earning minutes?

old story and no need to extend yourself to prove your crooked point

Huh?

I've changed my mind on what's needed, not because I don't still think Gary would be ideal off the bench, but because Scottie looks extremely worn down of late. And Scottie is probably the one they'd be least concerned about re: ego about starting, at this point. It's very much a secondary concern of course (if there was no other reason Gary could just go tough it out).

I want them to go get a legit starting C, but if they don't they should still start Birch to maximize the depth they do have. Just now there's the added bonus of Scottie getting a slight reduction in load. On merit and style I still prefer Gary as a (heavy minutes, 6th man) bench scorer, but he's been great lately and I don't think there's an issue with acknowledging that? And taking it into consideration in the short term at least.

When have I ever said anything about earning minutes? I'm quite opposed to the idea of players needing to "earn" their minutes, players should be utilized where they best fit.

[The Claw Reborn]

Huh?

I've changed my mind on what's needed, not because I don't still think Gary would be ideal off the bench, but because Scottie looks extremely worn down of late. And Scottie is probably the one they'd be least concerned about re: ego about starting, at this point. It's very much a secondary concern of course (if there was no other reason Gary could just go tough it out).

I want them to go get a legit starting C, but if they don't they should still start Birch to maximize the depth they do have. Just now there's the added bonus of Scottie getting a slight reduction in load. On merit and style I still prefer Gary as a (heavy minutes, 6th man) bench scorer, but he's been great lately and I don't think there's an issue with acknowledging that? And taking it into consideration in the short term at least.

When have I ever said anything about earning minutes? I'm quite opposed to the idea of players needing to "earn" their minutes, players should be utilized where they best fit.

Whatever you say dude, lol.

you are all over the place today, roaming around the Trent hate.

[Yuri Gagarin]

Cmon delano gotta make those in the big league! Rooting for ya