our SGs

[hurdler]

We need to start dealing with our age. We are not the same team we were 2 years ago. Obviously we will be better when KG and MD return, but you can't assume that they will be everything we hope for. Ray is the old man of starters although KG is feeling it with such high minutes and Paul as been bumped around more than either of them. Ray would be ideal coming of the bench. I think he keep up most of his scoring in just 20-25mpg off the bench. The other 15-20 mpg are pacing and ball control. But if you take the other oft-injured SGs we have and adjust them to Ray's minutes, there isn't a huge drop off.

RA 36.3mpg 16.3-3.2-2.8 .8stl, 1.7TO
TA (36.3m) 13.5-6.2-3.9 2.6stl, 3.4TO
MD (36.3m) 10.1-3.6-3.7 1.1stl, 1.6TO

I know you cant linearly project minutes, but it is one way to compare. We could start TA for now and then Daniels when healthy for about 25 - 30 mins counting SF mins. TA combined with R2 will reduce Ton'ys turnovers (and assists). The biggest concern is that neither would have a jumpshot, which can be managed by a more aggressive Rondo who doesnt have to wait 6 seconds every possession for ray to come off of 4 screens. When Daniels is healthy, he takes over the starting for tony and there are more options on offense.

Our bench with Ray and Sheed becomes more of a strength than a weakness. They keep their legs, and they are fresher to finish the game. The last few minutes with Rondo/house-Ray-Pierce-KG-Sheed could be quite formidable when they have fresh legs. Situational defensive subs of Rondo, TA, and Perk could round things out.

The east is too deep to continue to run the old guys down all season and expect them to put in another 20 games in the playoffs. The 2nd and 3rd rounds are guaranteed to be tough in the east, plus they havent exactly made things easy on themselves in the 1st round have they. I think 4 of the top teams are in the east, so the lakers could have an easy walk to the finals with mostly younger players. We can't play 2010 like it's 2008. We are older, more injured, and more tired.

[apc]

i agree, i would be nice to have ray coming of the bench, maybe he can be as productive as Ginobili or Terry.
Either way it would be OK to sacrifice a few games for health. even if that means losing home court in the playoffs (we are not doing so well at home anyway). i would love to see what JR or walker can produce in 25-30 minutes, no one gave TA any credit, but when he got Paul's minutes he did all right!

[hurdler]

This isn't an open door for anyone on the roster to get minutes. Guys like tony and quisy have shown they can contribute consistently. There is no reason to beat the starters up just because the bench doesn't have the same skill sets. Ray will always take care of the ball better and shoot better than tony, but TA is always a better defender. OTOH, giddens and walker are probably more mistake-prone than TA and get less respect from the refs and don't shoot or dribble significantly better.

[nighthob]

The team desperately needs to reshuffle the deck at this point or they're not contending for the title, and this is really their last shot at the ring. I guess they could try to deal Ray Allen & Glen Davis to Utah for AK-47, salary, & New York's #1 and gamble on the 2010 draft carrying them forward. Something like Ray, Davis, and expirings for AK-47, Boozer, & New York's #1. They could always try to move Boozer to Detroit after. Right now without Garnett to cover up all the holes we're strictly pretenders.

[CaptChris]

So we get the let Tony do it again. Seems we have been waiting for this for his whole career. Right Hurdler? The sad truth is that Tony has never lived up to his potential. Injury and mental lapses have restricted him to a secondary role. In fact, his mental lapses have kept him out of play-off games, or being on the court in crunch time.

I was very surprised when the Celtics re-newed his contract for 2 years. We gave him $2.5 million a year for 2 years. Wonder if that $5 million could have bought a back-up PG?

Problem is that Ray spreads the floor -- Tony doesn't. Wish he did!

[hurdler]

So we get the let Tony do it again. Seems we have been waiting for this for his whole career. Right Hurdler? The sad truth is that Tony has never lived up to his potential. Injury and mental lapses have restricted him to a secondary role. In fact, his mental lapses have kept him out of play-off games, or being on the court in crunch time.

We let Tony do it again??? TA is now basically what he was projected to be a defender and a slasher. He was never a PG, even though there has been experiments. He was never a shooter, even though that's what Doc values. Has he been foolish at times... yes. Have his injuries been frustrating... yes. TA, although has different skills, is roughly the same as West and a lot of other late 1st round guards. He's a mediocre starter or a solid bench player. And THAT is his potential. Just like this old ESPN draft bio:


Summary: Notes: Named Big 12 Player of the Year. Led Oklahoma State is scoring (16 ppg) and steals (2.1 spg) this season.
Positives: He's got a powerful, NBA ready body. A good athlete who is as tough as they come. Can fill up the stat sheet when he wants to. Likes to slash to the basket. One of the best on the ball defenders in the country.

Negatives: He gets to the free throw line often, but only converts 67 percent from the charity stripe. His outside jumper needs a lot of work. He shot under 30 percent from behind the arc this year. He's undersized for the position.

Insider prediction He's been working out well, but had just a so-so pre-draft camp in Chicago. The fact that his agent had to drag him there didn't set well with many GMs. There's a chance he could slip into the late first round, but more likely he's a second rounder.

And he's a stop-gap until Daniels starts. My main point is that Ray is best suited to be instant offense off the bench and stop playing him 38 mpg because he's the only guard over 6' with a jumpshot. The game is 'basketball', not 'H-O-R-S-E'.