Camp Questions: Will The House/Daniels Combo Work?

by Jeff Clark on Sep 25, 2009 4:10 PM EDT in Boston Celtics Articles

3 Days Till Camp! Leading up to the opening of training camp on Sept. 28 we'll be taking a look at several questions that should be resolved by the end of camp.

So far, much to my chagrin, Danny hasn't signed anyone to be the backup point guard. So we're left with creative solutions like using House and Daniels as a hybrid PG combo. Hollinger explained:

Look for him to pair with Daniels off the bench: Daniels will handle the ball while House spots up on the wing, and the two will trade assignments on defense.

We've also heard Daniels referred to as a "point forward." I'm skeptical, but I also see the method in the madness. Bringing in a backup PG does limit the time House is on the floor to backing up Ray Allen and serving as a 3rd PG option. Throw in Daniels as an option to back up Ray Allen and Pierce and you have a bit of a minutes crunch.

My main hesitation revolves around the fact that I love true point guards and I believe very strongly in their ability to orchestrate the flow of the offense. The good ones can sense when we need to push it and when to pull it back. When to feed the post and when to drive and dish. Having a guy like Daniels get the ball over half court and hand it off to Pierce sounds like it would make the offense a little slow and predictable.

But I could be wrong. Maybe I'm underestimating Quisy. Maybe everything will work out fine. Maybe this is the best possible solution.

Or maybe Lester Hudson will wow everyone and force himself into the equation. Or maybe the team will surprise us and bring in someone at the last minute who wins the job. Or maybe the team will once again look on the post-trade-deadline scrap heap for a PG cut loose from their contract.

All I know is that I'll be interested to see how this whole point forward thing works out.

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Comments

How many?

How many true point guards are there? How many were in the finals last year?

by liamail on Sep 25, 2009 4:17 PM EDT reply actions

you need a nap

Is it Soup Yet?

by Master Po on Sep 25, 2009 4:35 PM EDT reply actions

I could us one...

by funkstarrdeluxe on Sep 25, 2009 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Tinsley

I want to hear some rumors that we are working out Tinsley!! Why not? Let’s have some fun with it!

by funkstarrdeluxe on Sep 25, 2009 4:59 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah right...

I’d like to hear that we are working out Mike Taylor I’d like to see what he’s got… or I’d like to see us trade Scal and TA for Antonio Daniels and then hopefully Minnesota would buy out Scal and we could resign him for the vet minimum.

by Mike-Dub on Sep 25, 2009 5:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Antonio Daniels

How about Antonio Daniels.

The Minnesota Star quoted Minn GWM David Kahn:
* He put Daniels in the same category as traded-away Quentin Richardson and absent Mark Blount. Daniels, 34, was acquired from New Orleans earlier this month mainly because Kahn opened more cap space for next summer by trading Darius Songaila and the two years remaining on his contract away. Daniels wants to play significant minutes so he score another sizable contract next summer, a prospect that, barring injury, isn’t likely with the Wolves committed to Jonny Flynn and Ramon Sessions at point guard."

A trade of Scal and TA works under the salary cap. Also, so we are no worse off in the salary dept. Daniels gives us a big PG to pair with Eddie. His size also provides some depth behind both Ray and PP.

by badax33 on Sep 25, 2009 8:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh man!

This would be out of sight! That’s almost too good to wish for. To see another Daniels in green would be so good and a great match together and both want to prove their stuff this season for a fat deal somewhere next year. And Scal back as The Insurance (Salesman) that no one can say no to. And Tony Allen to MN I could live with and would love to see him break out here and MN gets room to deal next summer. Perfect scenario for both teams. I’m off to bed to dream of this deal.
PS… Imagine for fun the huge (size) bench lineup of Daniels, Daniels, Baby, Williams, Sheed.

"I don’t think in the past. I don’t think in the future. You grasp the moment." -KG

by SotaPop on Sep 26, 2009 1:24 AM EDT up reply actions

this is a mistake

Daniels is injury prone and he is not that good as a dribbler to bring the ball up against a press. Rondo has no one backing him up still, and if he goes down we are really in bad shape. I also am not crazy about Daniels being the back up for Pierce and Rondo. In the end I am afraid that Paul wil end up playing too many minutes.

by gustusias on Sep 25, 2009 5:16 PM EDT reply actions

They’ve already worked out Mike Taylor but have said nothing further about him.

Will a Daniels/House combo work? Well, “work” is a relative term. It probably won’t work against teams that can put two quick guards on the floor. It probably will work against teams with slower backcourts.

And I keep coming back to the same question: if Daniels is playing the point, who is backing up Pierce and Ray Allen? I gues it’s going to be Tony Allen, because neither Walker nor Giddens appears ready for the rotation.

by Brickowski on Sep 25, 2009 5:32 PM EDT reply actions

I thought House was backing up Rondo...

…leaving Daniels to backup Ray Allen and Pierce. At least, that’s probably the case defensively.

by Tai on Sep 25, 2009 5:43 PM EDT up reply actions

If KG's knee is OK

the rest will be fine me thinks……

Is it Soup Yet?

by Master Po on Sep 25, 2009 5:42 PM EDT reply actions

PO knows...

If KG is NOT 100% healthy…all we`re doing is rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic!
It won`t matter who backs up PP, or Ray, or Rondo…The ship will be going down.

But, if the team is healthy {especially KG}…the Celtics will NOT be denied!

by Title 18 on Sep 25, 2009 11:30 PM EDT up reply actions

True

by latin on Sep 26, 2009 8:05 AM EDT up reply actions

but his knee isnt fine sir, even if its 100% (wont be the case) there will be alot of mental for him to get over

not to mention the reaching of 40000 minutes…

by latin on Sep 26, 2009 8:06 AM EDT up reply actions

How I see it

The way I see it, either House plays PG, he is paired with a bigger guy that plays PG, or he doesn’t play very often. In other words, I do not want to see House paired with a smaller PG. Period.

by droopdog7 on Sep 25, 2009 5:58 PM EDT reply actions

Daniels at the Point

I like Daniels and House bringing the ball up with Tony Allen at SF. On “D” House takes 1, Allen 2 and Daniels plays SF. For a second team that’s pretty good offense and acceptable “D”. Team them up with Wallace and Williams and you have two long ballers, two slashers and the all important blue collar. I think that they would make a very exciting combo (barring injuries). If all the “ifs” fall our way, that may be the best second team in the league.

Davis has to get playing time, but I think it will be on the first team (shared with Wallace) if Garnett is in street clothes for the first 20 or 30 games.

by The Cooz on Sep 25, 2009 6:12 PM EDT reply actions

Williams isn't getting in over Davis

Come on, now.

by Tai on Sep 25, 2009 11:18 PM EDT up reply actions

What worries me

is that Daniels NEVER played point at Indy. Has Danny seen what no one else has seen, or is it just wishful thinking?

"People don't understand, if you can't live the rest of your life off one year in the NBA, you can't live off 21." -- Keon Clark

by Eeyore III on Sep 25, 2009 6:30 PM EDT reply actions

Have no fear

He played point in Dallas a little while if I’m not mistaken, and was rather successful.

by misterx2day on Sep 26, 2009 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions

A Point of Concern

I think its a big risk….I know its a big risk, heading into a championship caliber year trying to “experiment”. I dont like the plan to use a Daniels/House combo in the backcourt, doing so takes away from Daniels versatility. Instead of possibly posing mismatch problems for opposing teams when the oppurtunity presents itself, Marquis will be stuck in the 1 or 2 positions no matter what the situation.

Bringing in a point guard will, allow Daniels to actually use his versatility, not being forced to use only 1 or 2 aspects of his versatility. I mean seriously…..is danny really thinking this through…..Our two backup pg options, are two people who have never played the position for more than half a game over an extended stretch of a season, or their careers for that matter……..two people who AREN’T point guards….what sense does that make!

I have been proposing for a while now what i think is the perfect solution.
A trade involving Tony Allen specifically, to get him out of Boston. I’ve been on espn.com and realgm.com and the trade works.: Tony Allen to Golden State for Acie Law IV. a natural point guard- with size (only an inch shorter than Tony) so he could play alongside Eddie. He would be a player coming in not expecting to play 25-30 mins. and is not an overbearing presence, as to hinder Rondo’s development, and fit in as a bench/role player w/ the 2nd unit.

by fanofgreen on Sep 25, 2009 6:50 PM EDT reply actions

Hmm...

Acie Law has been a player of some interest for me. After being a big time clutch player in college (Captain Clutch) he could never get a real chance to play in Atlanta.

I planned on following his development (or lack there of) in Golden State.

He is kind of a forgotten man at this point. I don’t even know if he is a true point guard. I havea feeling that he may have some untapped talent, though.

I guess the question is whether this team needs an experienced back-up PG more than someone to develop at the position.

by Tom Halzack on Sep 26, 2009 9:32 AM EDT up reply actions

Maybe but its not the preferable way

House and Daniels may be able to work in tandem with House solely concentrating on shooting and Daniels running the floor.

The C’s though should not go into the season hoping such a experiment will work out.
They should have a legit back up point guard on the roster behind Rhondo to make sure the back up point guard position is solid.

That player can be Hudson, Marbury or another vetran as long as the player is a solid legit point guard who can run the team, dish the ball and bring the ball up under pressure.

The C’s should not just count on Daniels being the back up point guard, because if he can’t do the job properly or if Rondo suffers a injury the C’s will be in big trouble.

Getting a back up point guard is not a hard thing to do, they are a dime a dozen in the NBA and Danny should be able to get one easy and cheap if Hudson can not do the job.

by fordescort on Sep 25, 2009 9:20 PM EDT reply actions