01-08-2021, 08:17 AM
A few lineup/rotation thoughts...
We saw more good results from Luka and Brunson sharing the floor together. The best run of the game was the 10-0 run (15-5) the last 4:19 of the third. This is the stretch that got us back in the game (down 2 to end the third). It also included Powell, Maxi and THJ. We also saw a +4 Luka/Brunson pairing in the first half and a +1 Luka/Brunson pairing in the 4th. The last two games of this occurring is in stark contrast to last season when the pairing didn't happen often and didn't work well when it did. The Brunson w/o Luka segments have been hit and miss this season. But Brunson with KP is killer, so I suspect that will fix itself soon.
The starters played good D again, but the results were mixed to start the game (especially offensively). The group didn't come back together to end the second and only played a little to start the 3rd as WCS picked up his 4th foul. The group was +10 for the final 5 minutes of the game and OT.
We did have brief spurts of Powell as stand alone big or Boban as stand alone big, but they were brief and didn't kill us.
Playing a good opponent on the road probably gave us a glimpse into what will ultimately be a much tighter rotation down the road. Put KP in instead of Boban and the players who got 10 minutes or more were Luka, JRich, DFS, THJ, Maxi, WCS, Brunson, Powell (and KP). That ultimately makes Boban, Johnson and Burke specialists who have to "always be ready".
Green was back in the 2nd quarter developmental slot this game. This is something Carlisle has done for years (brief minutes in the second and no minutes in the second half). I suppose the theory is you get the guy in the game for some full speed action at a point in the game that isn't critical. The spacing of the unit Green plays with is poor, but that should change when KP returns. The effort to get Green acclimated to the speed of the NBA game is a good sign. A great sign that they like Green will be the moment you see him play in the second half in a situation not brought on by injury or foul trouble.
We saw more good results from Luka and Brunson sharing the floor together. The best run of the game was the 10-0 run (15-5) the last 4:19 of the third. This is the stretch that got us back in the game (down 2 to end the third). It also included Powell, Maxi and THJ. We also saw a +4 Luka/Brunson pairing in the first half and a +1 Luka/Brunson pairing in the 4th. The last two games of this occurring is in stark contrast to last season when the pairing didn't happen often and didn't work well when it did. The Brunson w/o Luka segments have been hit and miss this season. But Brunson with KP is killer, so I suspect that will fix itself soon.
The starters played good D again, but the results were mixed to start the game (especially offensively). The group didn't come back together to end the second and only played a little to start the 3rd as WCS picked up his 4th foul. The group was +10 for the final 5 minutes of the game and OT.
We did have brief spurts of Powell as stand alone big or Boban as stand alone big, but they were brief and didn't kill us.
Playing a good opponent on the road probably gave us a glimpse into what will ultimately be a much tighter rotation down the road. Put KP in instead of Boban and the players who got 10 minutes or more were Luka, JRich, DFS, THJ, Maxi, WCS, Brunson, Powell (and KP). That ultimately makes Boban, Johnson and Burke specialists who have to "always be ready".
Green was back in the 2nd quarter developmental slot this game. This is something Carlisle has done for years (brief minutes in the second and no minutes in the second half). I suppose the theory is you get the guy in the game for some full speed action at a point in the game that isn't critical. The spacing of the unit Green plays with is poor, but that should change when KP returns. The effort to get Green acclimated to the speed of the NBA game is a good sign. A great sign that they like Green will be the moment you see him play in the second half in a situation not brought on by injury or foul trouble.