Who's Left?

by Jeff Clark on Mar 9, 2009 10:28 PM EDT in Boston Celtics Articles

With all the injury reports coming one after the other, I thought it would be a good time to review who we have left on the roster. For at least the next game, here's our depth chart.

PG: Stephon Marbury, Gabe Pruitt
SG: Ray Allen, Eddie House, JR Giddens
SF: Paul Pierce, Bill Walker
PF: Leon Powe
C: Kendrick Perkins, Mikki Moore

Eddie can and will play some point guard but I kinda wish he wouldn't so we could get Pruitt some more time there and develop the Marbury/House tandem. Mikki will obviously see some time at power forward as well. Hopefully nobody gets into foul trouble or we'll be seeing a lot of small ball.

At the very least it looks like new editions Stephon Marbury and Mikki Moore will be getting tossed into the deep end. In addition, if Doc doesn't start playing Bill Walker a little more, he's gonna have some 'splanin' to do. Couldn't hurt to get Gabe and JR some burn too.

To his credit, Doc is already talking about getting Paul and Ray's minutes down.

“Somebody else has to step up and the challenge for me is not doing what I did (Sunday) with Paul and Ray, that can’t happen,” Rivers said. “Obviously, that was a different circumstance because the injuries happened during the game or right before the game. It’s tough to plan for but I still want to keep their minutes down, even in a time of crisis I want to keep their minutes down. We just have to find a way to win games.”

Thankfully the next five games are against teams hovering around .500 (Miami, Memphis, Milwaukee, and Chicago). If ever there was a time to patch the rotations together with duct tape and chicken wire it would be now.

And maybe it can be a positive thing in the end (at least that's how Doc is spinning it).

“This is a growth period for our basketball team,” Rivers said. “Clearly, we want to win the games but we have an opportunity to grow our team in this little stretch and get them closer together and get them all understanding how hard the work is going to be to win a title. In the long run, I think this might make us a better team.”

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Comments

Same Story, Different Day

Doc has preached keeping Paul/Ray’s minutes down for weeks, and he has failed to follow through. He’s saying all the right things publicly; it needs to happen, but I’ll believe it when I see it.

Go Celtics! Go Hoyas!

by CelticBalla32 on Mar 9, 2009 11:08 PM EDT reply actions

Yep

It’s at least the third different quote on the subject. Doc has no credibility on the minutes issue at this point.

All the negativity in this town sucks. It sucks, and it stinks, and it sucks. - Rick Pitino

by Roy_Hobbs on Mar 9, 2009 11:45 PM EDT up reply actions

I think ...

We’re all in for an interesting stretch of games. Time to find out who we’ve really got at the end of the bench.

by celts4life on Mar 10, 2009 12:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Trouble

It seems that at some point, both Perk and Leon are going to face foul trouble and Doc is going to have a tough time figuring out who to play inside. I’m glad we’ve got Mikki, but I have a feeling we’ll be seeing some of Paul and even Bill Walker at the 4. Let’s get some healthy bodies back soon!

by celts4life on Mar 9, 2009 11:10 PM EDT reply actions

Walker would be a small 4 if we were playing the Don Nelson Warrior’s teams from his first stint with the Warriors. Hell, he’s an undersized 3. Give him minutes at his natural position if he gets any at all.

Giddens is the better candidate for meaningful minutes. At least he has size to fit a 2-guard. Walker seems to have a higher basketball IQ between the two. But he needs to play a little more within himself.

by iowa plowboy on Mar 9, 2009 11:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Walker at the 4

Not against the idea, but Pierce is the more likely candidate to play the “4” and have Walker at the “3”. Depends on team and situation, but I’ve seen Paul D up bigger forwards quite well, and he can score on anyone.

That gives you a lineup of:

Perk / Moore
Powe / Walker
Pierce / Giddens
Ray / House
Starbury / Pruitt

Still real slim pickens.

by Brendan on Mar 10, 2009 2:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Deja vu

Well, Doc said this a week ago and Pierce played 45 minutes each of the last two games. My guess is this time Doc gets Paul involved in the half time show to get him more time on the court.

by furball2323 on Mar 9, 2009 11:12 PM EDT reply actions

10-day guy

with all the injuries piling up, shouldn’t Danny and Doc think about bringing in a power forward/center on a 10-day contract? I know it’s against their philosophy and we already have 15 players on the roster, but I think teams are allowed to sign another player once you have so many injured players (Clippers have done it this season). Maybe someone like Croshere or Adonal Foyle could help a little for a short period of time(another big body at least)

by MunichsNo.1CeltsFan on Mar 10, 2009 3:18 AM EDT reply actions

You’d need a free roster spot to do so. No one you’re going to cut to bring in someone for just a couple of weeks.

by theBird on Mar 10, 2009 8:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Close, but no cigar

What we need to do right now is cut Pruitt and sign Bonzi Wells, thus solving the problem of a backup for Paul. Bonzi plays good defense, is an excellent rebounder, can score in the post or off the dribble, and has playoff experience. I bet Doc would reduce Paul and Ray’s minutes if we had a reliable backup SF/SG. Get to it Danny – our title hopes depend on it.

by Celtics Fanatic on Mar 11, 2009 4:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Just stop talking Doc and do something…

by thebirdman on Mar 10, 2009 5:06 AM EDT reply actions

I'll believe it when I see it.

I can imagine he has a hard time though. losing isn’t a thing one does lightly, thus playing those two is a hell of a temptation to resist.

- Dirk

by Kiorrik on Mar 10, 2009 7:50 AM EDT reply actions

Losing isn't the only alternative

Doc seems to get ‘some’ credit for not wanting to lose. That is why he plays the players he does so many minutes. But it’s a bad argument. Playing some of the players on the bench smartly doesn’t mean we’ll lose games. When you look at the development of the younger players that have got some run, they wouldn’t have gotten it if they would have sat on the bench.

Nevertheless, if Doc plays seven guys against Miami I wouldn’t be surprised. In fact, if I could bet on it in Vegas I probably would.

by amenhotep04 on Mar 10, 2009 8:29 AM EDT up reply actions

It is a bad argument! :)

You’re right, the argument of losing being the alternative is not a good one; however, that’s how Doc seems to see things at this moment in time.

I guess ’it’s hard for daddy Doc to let his little ones fly’, or something.

- Dirk

by Kiorrik on Mar 10, 2009 8:41 AM EDT up reply actions

I think

Doc gets a sort-of free pass vs. Clev. and Orl. because those are good teams – but against this next stretch we should be treating the games like a late season preseason

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V

by Jeff Clark on Mar 10, 2009 8:26 AM EDT reply actions

Cleveland, yes . . .

but not Orlando. Every now and then you have to shake the game up. If the starters look like they haven’t played an organized game in years, then bring in the bench and tell them to press, press, press. Tell them to create havoc. If the energy of the game changes, or in this case, if the Cs would have gotten some energy, then maybe it motivates the starters.

by amenhotep04 on Mar 10, 2009 8:33 AM EDT reply actions

doc obviously will have to go small and I would guess that Pierce plays some minutes at PF which I think he can do given his strength. He might match up against beasly. I guess they start Leon and Eddie and then bring marbury, moore and gabe off the bench with giddens and walker getting some pt as well. perk can not commit stupid fouls

by Red2 on Mar 10, 2009 9:03 AM EDT reply actions

You're probably right...

Red2. But it’d be a shame if we go through this stretch starting the two guys who should be playing 2, then subbing in together the two guys who should be playing 1.

by clover on Mar 10, 2009 9:15 AM EDT up reply actions

Is Mikki better than O'Bryant?

It’s just a question! I didn’t see enough of O’Bryant but what I saw was not nothing. And Mikki Moore has to be the skinniest “big” man since the big, big kid out of Utah.

by Wildblu1 on Mar 10, 2009 10:29 AM EDT reply actions

Bryon Russell to be added to the roster on a 10-day

Bryon Russell is not out of shape. He is now in better shape than a lot of the guys on the present roster. Boston is a hard working town who respects and enjoys a comeback story. This man has worked through his injuries. Took upon himself to work out with a hollywood renound strength coach, Jay Williams of www.jnetics.net to get himself back into better shape than he was in Utah. Plus I want to take in account all those former veterans as I am who scoff at the notion of Bryon Russell coming back at 38. How many of you veterans had colonels who beat you on your Physical examination test(PT Test) who was 60. The lay off actually did Bryon some good because he does not have the miles or wear and tear on his body of a 38 year old who has been playing that long. I want all of you to think outside the box for once. It is the history of the Celitics to give those players who have been exiled a new birth. During Larry Bird’s days, they did it with Bill Walton. Last year(during the championship year the did it with PJ Brown). This year it is time for Bryon Russell. With the uncertainity of Scalbraine coming back due to his concussions, it is vital to get Bryon Russell in there. Anyone who disputes that pickup games are not the same as real games have not seen the pick up games at UCLA with the Pros from the NBA and Europe. They are some times more intense than the games. This summer KG and Bryon Russell played on a team for one week and they won 90% of their games. It seemed like they had been playing together for years. This is why I highly suggest that they should at least bring him in for a 10-day contract and test him from there.

by sleepy21 on Mar 12, 2009 5:58 AM EDT reply actions

An older Posey look a like

Bryon Russell is a Posey look a like without the drama(dui and the like) Bryon Russell can score with Range from the outside, defend the other team’s best player(which frees up Paul and Ray at the offensive end) and gives them another veteran to deal with Marbury in the locker room when he gets into with Rajon Rondo when Marbury feels he is better or can run the team better than Marbury

by sleepy21 on Mar 12, 2009 6:02 AM EDT reply actions

Mikki

Mikki is ten times better than O’Bryant. He is a man. He understands the professional game of basketball and he knows how to except his role. He is this years PJ Brown

by sleepy21 on Mar 12, 2009 6:03 AM EDT reply actions

Mikki and O'Bryant

O’Bryant eventhough he was a lottery pick stayed in Nellie dog house for lack of work ethinc. Mikki came into the league through the D-league and growing up in SC. He got his butt kicked by Xavier McDaniel, Ty Corbin, and other guys from the neighborhood to make him tough. Therefore, you just have to give him time. He has two SC guys in Ray and KG to remind him of being at home. He is a perfect fit to them on and off the court. Now, all they need to do is add Bryon Russell and you will complete the set. All the big three love him(KG, Paul, and Ray) so what is the problem. Bryon “B-Russ” Russell. The big three call him B-Russ want him on the team. They wanted PJ and they got a championship. Therefore, why should the Celtics or the C’s as they call themselves these days break the tradition that they set for themselves. Like the old saying goes"if it is not broke don’t fix it"

by sleepy21 on Mar 12, 2009 6:10 AM EDT reply actions