Ray Allen needs to be the 6th man for game 7, Posey or TA needs to start

[Bahku]

How about Tony Allen to start? He does better as a starter and can change the dynamics of a basketball game. I just think Ray Allen has to be injured, he has been god awful this series.

I actually like that Idea a lot. He is actually someone who goes to the rim other then Rondo and Pierce no one else really does, he is also a guy who can be a defensive force if his head is in the game. The only thing I would worry about is that he has barely played in the last 2 months, but then again the same could have been said about house before tonight and he took advantage of his opportunity. I would like to see TA start the more that I think about it because then you can come with Posey and Ray off the bench. TA can stay with Wally I have no doubt about that and I think he could cause a few turnovers when guarding him. Ray Ray can still play 35 mins in the game , but let him get a majority of those minutes against Cleveland's bench .

I like your ideas here, guys, but I respectfully disagree on one point: You can't sit Ray for the start of the game. He's in a slump, yes, but making him a non-starter is such a major slap-in-the-face, and a show of loss of faith.

I like the idea of using Tony more, but Ray should be starting, whether he's struggling or not. These "down" times for Ray don't last - the never have - and the thing that breaks him of it is to keep shooting.

I'd have no problem with subbing him a lot earlier than usual if he's cold, but I would never bench one of the Big Three for the start of the game. Not only would it affect Ray negatively, it would make the rest of the team a bit shaky, too ... at a time when we need to be building confidence, not breaking it down.

[greenhead85]

I totally agree with changing the starting lineup. Rondo has to start but in place of Ray Allen it should be TA in his place and let PP stay at shooting forward. Doc has to learn to confuse his enemy by coming up with a new starting lineup. He should let his new starting line up jump the gun on the Cavs then make the necessary substitution as to who among the Cavs come in. Man for man we are way ahead than the Cavs - except for Lebron. Mike Brown was subtituting his players depending on who are the Celts on the playing court. It shows Brown has a better game plan than Doc because he has gotten to a level to put in somebody on whoever is on the floor. Brown seemed to have already mapped out a game plan for a player-for-player approach.  He was busy and quick in substituting and answering on whoever Doc sends in. 
I noticed that once House was there, he would put in Gibson.  Of course it backfired on him initally because House delivered and Gibson missed his shots. But not for long because he immediately sent in West who did better defending and pressuring on House on the defensive end.
Doc please change the starting line up because the present one is awfully very predictable.

[noelmayo]

actually....that might be a good idea...you don't have to be   such a basketball genius to figure that "ray-ray" is really on a terrible slump...that's what he really needs to  get, a slap on a the face plus a gallon full of cold water to wake him up from that funk...just imagine last all-star weekend, he wasn't even included in the east all star roster, last minute he was inserted,and whoa!!! i even thought he should be the mvp...his performance was impeccable,talking about psyching him up to show up in all important games...just a thought...

[kenmaine]

No way would Doc do that. But just maybe, at some point, after yet another useless performance he might play him less minutes! If this is just a "slump" it sure is a long one! He's been awful for weeks now.
For some reason, the worse he plays the more minutes he gets. He can't get himself open, he's not a really good ballhandler, not a great passer,  doesn't take it the basket very often(but that's pretty difficult against Cleveland), and he's missing shots when he is open. Rondo, Leon, Baby, House all get the quick hook from Doc, but never Ray.
I'm sick of hearing how Ray draws the other teams defense(Wally?), or how "I'd rather have Ray Allen than....", or how he "just needs to get it going", or how his teammates "need to get him involved". Face it- right now(not at some point 4 or 5 years ago) the guy is a huge minus.
Obviously, Doc isn't going to bench him, but you'd think he might wake up and play him less- a lot less.
OK, I feel better now.

[rmcc4444]

I know Ray has been the starter all year , but he isn't getting enough opportunities to get his offense going. I think it would be best to start Posey on Lebron that way Paul Pierce doesn't have to waste all his energy by defending Lebron at the beginning of the game. I think this will let Paul get his offense going by moving him to the SG  spot. Ray Allen comes in for PP as the 6th man so he can get more shots when Pierce goes out and he is playing against 2nd stringers.

San Antonio did the exact same thing with Ginobali last year and it worked out great for them in the Playoffs. I don't expect to see it happen, but I think it would be the best thing for Ray and the team.

i've been saying this the entire series.  if he isn't scoring, he's pretty much useless.  lets see if others can catch fire.  ray isn't feeling it this series.

[Bankshot]

Posey has been pretty terrible himself this series, both offensively and defensively.  I wouldn't start him over Ray.  I'd bring in Tony Allen early off the bench to see what he's got.  Doc keeps saying they need to get to the basket and make them blow the whistle, but he doesn't play the only guy who ALWAYS goes to the basket on offense... Tony, and he makes his free throws too.

[Tenacious D]

Been saying this since game 3. As did Simmons in his sports guy rant. Now seems to be the consensus. 

So, Glenn, you the coach. What does you, and you brain trust, see that we sideline QBs dont, keep going with Ray? Or is you just stickin with you VETS and hoping Ray and Sam I Am will get it on? Well, cryin waiting hoping wont get it done. Play Tony.

[Potapenko Boxout]

guys, we are UNDEFEATED at home in the playoffs. cut his minutes a bit, sure. don't bench the guy. dance with the lady that brought you.

when Ray comes around I want you all to be ashamed of yourselves.

[Roy Hobbs]

I like your ideas here, guys, but I respectfully disagree on one point: You can't sit Ray for the start of the game. He's in a slump, yes, but making him a non-starter is such a major slap-in-the-face, and a show of loss of faith.

I like the idea of using Tony more, but Ray should be starting, whether he's struggling or not. These "down" times for Ray don't last - the never have - and the thing that breaks him of it is to keep shooting.

I'd have no problem with subbing him a lot earlier than usual if he's cold, but I would never bench one of the Big Three for the start of the game. Not only would it affect Ray negatively, it would make the rest of the team a bit shaky, too ... at a time when we need to be building confidence, not breaking it down.

I agree with Bahku here.  By all means, limit Ray's minutes (I'd probably find more minutes for Eddie at off-guard, because I'm not the world's biggest Tony fan).  However, don't drop Ray from the starting lineup.  If you do, I get the feeling that you're only going to prolong his slump.  His "borderline OCD" means he insists on a routine, and totally changing his role at this point can only be counterproductive.

The team needs to find more open looks for Ray.  Every time he gets the ball, he's got a man in his face, and when he goes by Wally, the Cavs are rotating over another defender to help.  The team needs to rotate the ball more, and set some more screens to get Ray going.

[CelticInsomniac]

Come on, people are really talking about giving Tony Allen serious minutes in a Game 7 when he has played ZERO important minutes all series?

When Ray is not scoring, which he CLEARLY hasn't all series, he is USELESS out there and should not be logging major minutes.  But TA is not the answer.  An increase in Posey's minutes, maybe a line-up with more bigs like playing Pierce at the 2 could work, but Tony Allen is not the answer.  For a team that has struggled with turnovers at key junctures of the game, placing TA in the line-up sounds like playing with fire...

[CoachBo]

Playing Tony Allen is arguably the worst lineup idea I've heard in the playoffs.

People, with Perkins on the floor and sometimes Rondo and Pierce, we've got too many mental mistakes to begin with. Adding Tony Allen and his low basketball IQ is a recipe for disaster. You can't be serious about adding a mistake a minute guy to the lineup.

[uccs34]

Completely agree with Hobbs - we've got to get Ray some more touches. He's obviously having a tough time this series but it seems there are so few plays that are run for him. He's got Wally on him fo God sakes...why hasn't Doc used more screens to get him going?

Also, why are Baby and Perk taking shots in the last minutes when we need a big basket? Not right. We do have 3 all stars on our team.