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Ben Rohrbach of WEEI has the highlights of PP and KG's comments on the Boston going big for the playoffs (plus a little rumor mongering from Marc Spears about The Captain being a trade target *yawn* this summer). Here are some of the quotes:
Pierce: "I think it helps when you put me and Jeff [Green] out there, especially. You have to make a decision on who's going to guard who. The smaller guy is always going to have to guard one of us, and knowing that both of us are a strong post-up presence and good finishers at the basket, it causes a dilemma I think on the defensive end for other teams. So, it's definitely an advantage, because Jeff can guard 2-guards. He can guard pretty much the 1, the 2 and the 3, so it's really not a mismatch on the other end."
Garnett: "I think the reason people are going small is for the advantage. Obviously they're trying to be quicker, trying to increase the pace. I think we're doing quite the opposite. Obviously, we're still trying to keep a certain pace, but for the most part we're trying to have an advantage. ... I see why were doing it."
Garnett didn't seem as enthusiastic about the changes and stressed the importance of trying to find rhythm and consistency over the final five games of the regular season. The new lineup is certainly a nightmare for opposing teams, but Doc was quick to point out before the Brooklyn game that things could change in the playoffs:
Same Celtics starting lineup against the Nets tonight...Bradley, Pierce, Green, Bass, KG. But Doc says the playoff opponent could change it.
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) April 10, 2013
To me, that comment has Miami written all over it. As nice as a big lineup would be against the Heat, slowing down Dwyane Wade will be a priority and it might help to switch out Courtney Lee for BB at that point. With Spoelstra sitting players all week and probably for the rest of the regular season including Friday's finale in Miami, we probably won't see an adjustment to the starting lineup until we meet them in South Beach in the Conference Finals.