What starting lineup would you like to see on opening night?

[manl_lui]

I keep forgetting Bass is still on the team

Rondo/Bradley/Green/Bass/Sully

Bench of

Pressey/Smart/Turner/Oly/Zeller

[Donoghus]

Rondo/Bradley/Turner/Sully/Zeller

Smart first one off bench.

[2short]

I am going to put the starting lineup I think will be on floor.
rondo
bradley
green
ko
zeller

[Piasecki8]

We need our best defensive players to play the other teams starters. Everybody wants Sully in their starting 5, but there was a reason we aquired Zeller and Sully could thrive against second units, at least until Bass is gone.

My Lineup:
Rondo
Bradley
Green
Bass (I love this guy, true professional that deserves every minute he gets)
Zeller/Sullinger

2nd Team would consist of instant offense at almost every spot and they wouldn't need to be too worried about defense as much because they will be guarding other teams bench most of the time. Put your head down and run, run, run (cue Tommy) and put some pressure on the other team to stop you.

Smart
Thornton
Turner
Olynyk
Sullinger

[saltlover]

There is no real reason to give Wallace playing time at this point, why not give it to the young wings and see how they go?

By all accounts, Wallace is a great teammate, works hard, and shares the ball (to a fault) - I think that deserves some playing time. His contract has become a major negative focal point, as well as his lack of offense, but he is a seasoned veteran that can offer guidance to the younger guys. He's one of the best defenders on the team and doesn't need the ball to be productive - a stark contrast to much of the rest or the roster.

Sometimes he likes to throw his teammates under the bus when he feels like they don't give the same effort as he does

I feel like he gets to be bad cop so Brad Stevens can be good cop.  And I like that.  Wallace leaves it out there on the floor.  He doesn't have the ability he once had, but he still brings it.  And I'd rather have that type of veteran on the roster with a bunch of guys learning their way in the NBA than having an Andrew Bynum, for example.  Is he overpaid?  God yes.  He's got a guaranteed contract, and could get himself sent home like Bogans, or released like Glen Davis in Orlando, and just go, sit home and collect his $10 million per year.  But instead he plays hard and tears up his knee, because he still has his pride, and can still lead by example.

If you're going to be a rebuilding team with a couple of bad contracts, you could do a lot worse than having Crash as one of those players.

If Crash should shut up and stop talking to the media, that's Brad's and Danny's call, not this message board's.

[PaulAllen]

it will be the same lineup as last year.. sully, bass, rondo, bradley , green

[pearljammer10]

I honestly wouldn't mind seeing Smart start next to Rondo. Why the heck not right? We aren't winning a championship this year, let the kid get the run and show what he can do. If it fails, it fails so what. Bradley is more fit to come off the bench anyway.

Rondo
Smart
Green
Bass
Olynyk

Second unit of:

Bradley (unfortunately)
Thorton
Wallace
Sully
Zeller

Young and Turner to fill out my12 man roster.... (Oye to the later).

[beklog]

it will be the same lineup as last year.. sully, bass, rondo, bradley , green

Oh hello small ball!! Nice to see you again

Hope Sully could slide down to his natural position as PF.. and Zeller will be the starting C

[saltlover]

it will be the same lineup as last year.. sully, bass, rondo, bradley , green

Oh hello small ball!! Nice to see you again

Hope Sully could slide down to his natural position as PF.. and Zeller will be the starting C

If Sully's diet doesn't go well, I'm not certain you can call any lineup he's in "small ball".

[saltlover]

I think it will be Smart, Bradley, Turner, Sully, and Zeller.  Rondo and Green are traded in the next month.

(This isn't how I want it, I just think it's happening).

[mmmmm]

Wallace was such a beast, he's washed up now but you're really not doing him justice talking like that

Well, he's not doing himself any favors by talking like that, either.  I hate guys like him an Jason Terry, for the simple reason that they can't back up what they're saying on the court.  Terry was nothing but chatter when he was here, and then Lebron posterized him, in addition to 'the jet' being terrible while he was here.  If you're going to talk the talk, you'd better be able to walk the walk.  I'd feel embarrassed if I was a teammate of his last year, with him constantly calling guys out but never cementing his words on the court, aside from when we played Charlotte.  I just think that, when it comes to Wallace, less is more and none is perfect!

Actually, Terry was fantastic when he was "here" -- as in, in the Garden.

He was just terrible on the _road_.

Terry's home/road splits were ridiculous as a Celtic:

home:  48.7% FG%, 42.7% 3PT%, 112 ORtg, 104 DRtg.
road:  37.5% FG%, 31.3% 3PT%, 96 ORtg, 112 DRtg.

The top line is a fantastic one.   The bottom line is just miserable.

Terry's weird, extreme road/splits actually started the season before, in Dallas.    Before that, he wasn't especially different home vs road.   This last year, in Brooklyn, he mostly returned to 'normal'.

[mmmmm]

Realistically, of course.  ...

The first words of the OP are "Realistically, of course.", so naturally, people have posted lineups:

That has Smart starting over Rondo  (I guess they think it's realistic that Rondo will be traded?).

That have Avery Bradley -- freshley signed to a new 4 year, 32M contract -- coming off the bench.

That have 6' 4" Marcus Thornton starting at SF over Jeff Green (or Wallace or Young).   Wow.

That have Greg Oden (when did we sign him?) starting at center.    Double wow!

Uh... that's all pretty entertaining, I guess.   And I guess these folks would "like" to see those things.  But I'm having a hard time seeing any of those as "realistic".

Barring trades or injuries, I suspect the following would be the starting lineup on opening day:

Rondo
Bradley
Green
Sully
Zeller

Olynyk will be the first big substituted in and he, Sully & Zeller will get the bulk of the minutes at 4/5.  Bass will be the 4th big.

Wallace (when he returns), Young & Turner will be the back-up wings at SF.  Turner will likely get his chances early in the season if Wallace is still recovering and if Young gets sent to Maine for a while.

Thornton will likely be the first depth at SG.

Smart will be first depth at PG.

Pressey, Faverani and Anthony will be the deep bench.

All that said, I expect Danny to make at least one more trade before things are set.   The above 15-man forces him to just burn Bogan's non-guaranteed contract.   I don't think he wants to do that.

So look for him to do at least one transaction that results in a reduction in the number of guaranteed contracts.

For example, combining Bogans + two other players going out (possibly along with picks) to bring one player back.   That sort of move can fit a huge variety of possible targets.

[mmmmm]

it will be the same lineup as last year.. sully, bass, rondo, bradley , green

Except ... that lineup only played a grand total of 84 minutes together last year!

[BigDogPitbull]

Rondo Bradley Green Sullinger Zeller
Smart Thornton Turner Bass KO

[fantankerous]

I think it will be:

Rondo
Bradley
Green
Bass
Zeller

I think there are a few variations that are also realistic however.  Sully or KO could start at PF or Fav could start at center.  I can envision Sully or KO starting at center as well, but that would mean both Zeller and Fav are stinking up the joint.

Barring a trade, I think Rondo-Bradley-Green are set as starters  Subjectively, I dislike that trio (although I like each individually), but I would be really interested to know what the stats say about that them together.  Although, not interested enough to look it up myself.