Coach Brad Stevens altered the starting lineup for Monday’s game at Charlotte, and he told A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston that it will probably happen again. Stevens opted for more size in the matchup with the Hornets, inserting center Aron Baynes into the starting five in place of Gordon Hayward.
“We’re not done probably tweaking the lineups,” Stevens said. “And so, I do think you’ll see more.”
Stevens is trying to spark a team that has stumbled to a 9-8 start after being the preseason favorite to win the East. Few of the combinations he has used this season have provided any consistency, so he continues to mix and match in hopes of shaking things up. Even so, Blakely adds that the Celtics are remaining patient and a major move is unlikely, at least for a while.
There’s more news out of Boston:
- Kyrie Irving made a verbal commitment last month to stay with the Celtics when he becomes a free agent next summer, but Blakely wonders in another story if he might be rethinking his decision. Blakely notes that when Irving made his announcement he believed there was enough talent in place that he wouldn’t have to carry the team every night. However, that may not turn out to be true.
- There are concerns about the locker room atmosphere in Boston in the wake of the disappointing start, relays Jay King of The Athletic. Veteran forward Marcus Morris suggests that the anxiety may be a result of having so many young players on the roster. “The mood swings are really high,” he said, “and I think that’s the difference between having a veteran team and having a young team. Veterans, game over, you get rid of it, you throw it in the trash, you get ready for the next game. I think our mood goes game by game. And I think to be a successful team down the road you can’t be that way.”
- Stevens is dismissing a social media message from Terry Rozier that some interpreted as a sign that he wants traded, writes Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports Boston. “Let’s do us ALL a favor,” Rozier tweeted Tuesday, before saying later that it had nothing to do with basketball. “I’m not going to pretend to read into tweets,” Stevens said. “I guess I don’t pay attention to that that much.”
Can see Irving and KD teaming up together somewhere, possibly NY or Brooklyn
KP/KD/KK/THJ/KI I like that starting 5
starting your death lineup every night isn’t a good idea. It’s great when use it at the end of games or in the playoffs. Generally death lineups defense is switch everything which can cause alot
of mismatches or breakdowns(by cutting and swinging the ball). Boston should just got with baynes and Horford. Then when playoff time comes start the lineup of Irving, Hayward, Horford, Tatum & brown.
That’s only part the problem. They don’t play a full 48 minutes. They keep falling behind by huge amounts and always have to play catch up. It doesn’t matter who is out there… these guys just don’t play a full game.
Cannot believe how Boston is just hanging on to the #8 seed in the EC, I mean I never thought they would be the #1, but rather the #3, behind Philly & Milwaukee, I thought they wouldn’t have a smooth season, couldn’t be as good as last year, but definitely this is very surprising. Anyway still is early in the season, no doubt will get better, still can finish #4.
They could still be top 2. It’s way too early, the one thing about the NBA everything comes full circle.
We are going to see how brilliant a coach our wonder boy is now. Honestly, he got too much credit earlier and will probably get too much blame if this doesn’t turn around.
Tough in the sophomore slump year when guys who over performed the prior year now think they all should be starting instead of focusing on team effort and not worrying about when they get the call and just playing hard every minute on the court.