I'll get to the matchups in a subsequent post... i'm still looking for updated Knicks + Pistons rosters...
Orlando:
1) Canning the "GM speak", do you have any concerns about your bench? I like Harpring, but that's about it. Also, any concern that nobody in your second unit hit even 30% of their threes last year?
right b/c we're the only team to use "GM speak"
Sure, of course we've got concerns -- but not big ones. While we would like to have a little more offense off the bench, we built our bench a little different than most teams in that we see their role as (1) defense first and (2) opportunistic offense since we plan on having 1 of Billups or Duncan out there for most of of the game for the offense to run through.
And unlike some of the other contenders out West we have no questions about guys on our bench accepting their roles, in no small part due to Coach Brown's commitment to a 10-man rotation that spreads out minutes, keeps older players fresh and asks our bench guys to step up and deliver.
We think that we need between 30-33 points/gm from our bench and that that's pretty doable: Harpring (9), Barnes (8 ), Telfair (8 ), S. Williams (5) Foyle + other big (4).
- Harpring, Barnes and Foyle all played key roles off the bench for 50+ win teams last year.
- Telfair has matured on the court since his days in Boston and is finally a legit backup. Remember he'd be a rookie next year if he'd gone to college (as he should have). Should he revert to being Bassy, JWill is ready to step in.
If 3PT% is our biggest concern, i"m happy. Outside of Granger and Billups though we're hoping to de-emphasize the 3-pt shot overall and focus on ball movement and a midrange game (Harpring, Billups, Granger, Miller) to go with Duncan's frontcourt dominance.
(Though, FWIW, Harpring is career 33.5% shooter from 3pt (but only took 10 last year); Matt Barnes is a career 32.4% but playing for Nelson was allowed/encouraged to take quick 3's out of the offense; and Devin Brown shot 30.8% last year)
3) Others -- not myself -- seem to think you need a clear hierarchy in who takes the "last shot". Is this a problem with Chauncey and Duncan sharing that role?
None whatsoever, in fact we think it's one of our strength.
We think that the issue is not so much the need for a hierrarchy as it is for the "last shot"
options to be clear and agreed upon. The question was sort of silly last year for the Celts b/c everyone knew that each of KG, PP and RA would take some "last shots" but that the looks would go to Pierce and Allen -- often times through KG. As the playoffs went on Allen some big shots late, but Pierce clearly became the guy to "take the last shots". It developed organically through the team.
As important as who "takes the last shot" is (a) do those players agree and (b) did the team get the best "last shot"? Billups (and the whole team) knows that Duncan on the block is the best "last shot" option, but will also know when he has the best "last shot" and won't be afraid to take it. Likewise, Duncan knows that Billups can and will make that shot, so kicking it back out or acting as a decoy will keep defenses off balance.
Our raising of this question with teams like POR and HOU had much to do with those teams having 3-4 very good options among younger players where there was an unclear general heirarchy. Among younger players (still trying to become "veteran all-stars) there's a much greater chance of second guessing and dissension than among veterans -- especially of the team-first caliber of Duncan/Billups.
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Topic: Celticsblog Mock GM Press Conferences: Southeast Division (Read 22752 times)