Conflicting Interests

I’m probably in the minority here, but I agreed with what Doc did in the 4th quarter the other night against the Bobcats.

He needed to see what these kids could do in a pressure situtation heading into the 4th quarter. Granted we lost, and everyone is assuming he tanked.

But, consider with the season the way it has gone and were down to the last 14 games or so, don’t you want to see what Rondo, Green and company can do when the game is on the line.

Isn’t it better to have these kids develop mentally as well as physically on the court ?????

I know I’m in the minority on this, but I for one agreed with what Doc did the other night.

To be honest, I really don’t care if they win or lose these last remaining games. The wins have no effect on what happens next season.

These kids have to develop a “Mental” toughness on the court.

I agree with you Ancient Red. Nothing would be gained from puting Pierce back in the game, watching him take 10 shots and maybe eeking out a win. It seems from what has been reported that he has made his point with the whiners on the bench. I don’t envy Doc’s position right now or during this whole season for that matter. He had no chance to succeed with all the injuries and the age of the team.

I disagree with Stillaceltsfan. i think danny has done a decent job with only a couple bad moves. every gm makes them. i think this issue has been debated enough on this site.

I agree with Roy Hobbs that doc is coming back or he would be overy playing guys to get a few wins..

I’m pretty sure that even he doesn’t know what he’s going to do from one minute to the next.

You could have stopped your entire article at that point in the intro, IMO. ;)

I wrote this in another thread. Agree with Ancient Red.
  Players don’t get playing time for a reason, they don’t earn it. But it shows something when those players complain. Perk went thru this, worked hard and earned his playing time as did Al, Gomes and Delonte. Banks went thru it and concentrated on pouting. Now he’s pouting on another team’s bench. Scals doesn’t get much time, but he doesn’t pout. Some of the lack of playing time is because the players don’t mesh or some do better starting and some do better coming in off the bench. All this needs to be worked out. GG plays better when he starts and is in with the better players. He was lost in the last game because he just didn’t fit with the other players on the floor. I think GG will get it. Danny said in pre-season that he liked his players individually, but didn’t like the mix. The roster needs tweaking and this is a process. I think Doc and Danny know our needs, but doing what Doc did last game will show which players respond when put in a similar situation. In this regard, Powe seems to be a keeper. I think GG will learn. I think Telfair will not. I think Allen Ray is on the bubble, but I don’t think he’ll be here in a year or two. I also think the roster should be limited to 13 or 14 players, possibly 12. The only reason to keep more is in case of injuries or expiring contract situations. I’d rather see us keep 12 and bring in players for 10 day contracts if needed. I’d also love to see Perk name names, but I know he won’t. Rambling over and out.

Whether you agree or don’t agree with “evaluating the kids” or just getting them PT the issue in Wed game was that you should always play to win. The team Doc had on the had on the floor and very little chance of winning or succeeding. There was no scorer on the floor, except for GG. We had Gomes coming back from sitting out 3 weeks. Powe was playing center. When I saw the team on the floor, I thought they’d be out there 3-4 minutes and then Doc would bring back the starters. And that is what should have happened.

If we get the 1 or 2 pick that’s great, and I’m all for it. But this was TANKING pure and simple. I’d almost say the game in NO/OKC was another tank job. We’re up double digits after one and Doc basically puts in the same guys and the game turns completely around.

There’s an old saying the success breeds success. Basically when things are going well you want to keep it going that way and not try to see what happens by throwing in obstacles or changing the dynamics. We are already playing a lot of kids – DW, Al, Rondo, Perk – who also benefit from PT and playing in a good rythym (SP).

So my bottom line is play to win and if we lose and get the top pick or 2nd that’s fine. If we get the 3 or 7 th pick cuz we won and passed some team that’s okay to.

stillaceltsfan said:
  I’m amazed that no one is talking about the horrible job Ainge has done. If Doc is not tanking, then he has such a hapless cast of characters—Ray, Telfair, Scal, Kandi, Green, Rondo, Perk, Powe
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Mid to late first round draft picks, 2nd round draft picks, undrafted players. No quality free agents at reasonable cost. I would remove Scal, Green, Rondo, Perk from the above list. Kandi is being paid $100,000 and is only here for injury backup. Al, Delonte, T Allen, Gomes. Vin Baker’s contract remnants. Took over a team heading nowhere from a poor management situation. PP buys into Doc’s approach. 4 high school players. etc. etc. How could he have done better? [(Leave out Doc because this has been beaten to death, leave out Blount because Danny had no choice (I think the centers now on Dallas and Philly were available at that time and I believe they are getting $10,000,000/yr and Perk and Al are both better than both of them). The days of Red fooling everyone else are over, rules were made to keep control of stupid GM’s and Owners. ETC.)] And also, Danny is well-aware that we need a better player mix.

Did this post of Jeff’s remind anyone else of The Princess Bride during the battle of wits??

No it’s not ok to get the 7th pick because we win a few meaningless games late. The difference between Oden and the 7th pick is ok??? I don’t think so.

“He can’t flat out play to lose, because the league wouldn’t like that, karma wouldn’t like that, Pierce wouldn’t like that, Wyc wouldn’t like that”

Pierce wouldn’t like that? I think this is something Celtics fans really don’t understand. Look, Pierce is under contract. If he demands a trade, there is no reason the Celtics have to go along with his demand. See Pau Gasol. These guys aren’t Shaq, they haven’t won anything and are viewed as non-franchise players throughout the league. Pierce can gripe and grumble, but he got the biggest contract of his life thanks to the Celtics, and if he demanded a trade, the majority of teams would pass simply because of his contract. He does not, repeat does not, have the ability to hold this franchise hostage.

Haha, thanks Jeff. I was reading it and smiling the whole time. That scene is one of my favorites of the movie and I couldn’t help but think of it.

You don’t “always” play to win, that’s rediculous…when a team is out of playoff contention, has established a core, and has a bunch of non-established young prospects to evaluate it is perfectly justifiable to play them…

The team has decisions to make on these players…if the players were playing to lose, that would be tanking…the players on the court were doing what they could to show their worth to the team, they lack group identity and experience, but they’re trying to play their best to win a spot on the team or in the rotation…

That’s not tanking…

had we won with those kids in the court, would it have mattered or would he still be accused of tanking.

Doc doesn’t care about the pick because he’s auditioning for his next gig. It’s a dangerous, dangerous position for an organization that needs the highest pick possible to retain a coach desperate to win games. Look at the Bucks and Grizz, just can your coach if you want to lose. When Doc implores his team to “expletive” the pick, what he’s really saying is, please help me get another coaching job in this league. He should have been fired at the break..

Not surprising, Acient, Truegreen, I’m right with you! You too Terry Duerod…and my best post goes to Birdbrain, because not only did you hit the truth on the head, you made laugh…and man we need that these days. Eric W. you filled in as usuall with your rational objective insigth and took what my post was going to say…and for that thank you because you have way more credibility…and Jeff I’m right with you on, ugh, I can’t believe we have another 2 months till the Draft Lottery (May 22) – too long to wait …never can thank you enough for the great site keep the faith, restore the pride!

Here’s one for ya…Danny’s been watching Oden and Durant since grade school, knows we need to have them available to us…so he begins his chess match…send Ricky and Blount to Minny…bring in Wally who would compliment Paul, but for the fact that his wheels are about to fall off…Wally goes down and Pierce comes up with some crazy stress reaction that none knew about during the game…Hark!…a Meadowlark…Now just keep that indecisive coach checking every possible combo without commitment…and voila…second worst record in NBA…Now he’s got expiring contracts, Pierce locked up, some younguns that are just about ready and a strong possibility to get either Oden or Durant…shades of Red on Bill Russell(scrach that!), but Brilliant!!!…give that man a Guiness!
…And if we’d kept some others like Ricky, Blount, Banks, or even ’Toine…we certainly would not be anxiously awaiting May 22, and perhaps the final piece in the #17 banner puzzle…