04-20-2021, 01:58 PM
(04-20-2021, 01:15 PM)Chicagojk Wrote: It seems like this year the starting lineup has been much more fixed when we have a full team available. Last year things were a lot more fluid. In fact, I was frustrated with changing starting lineups last year depending on matchups. Although looking where we are now, I think I would prefer some experimenting. Especially considering our slow starts. I don't think our starting lineup can be counted on to consistently get us off to good starts. Especially when defenses tighten up in the playoffs or in important games.
It is interesting. Our starting unit is +5 in net rating in first quarters. When Brunson and THJ replace Luka and Maxi (lets call this unit a "Brunson" unit) they are really killing it in the first and second quarter. Our starting unit picks it up big in the third with the "Brunson" unit closely following. In the fourth we actually see a whole bunch of different line-ups, totally inconsistent. Starting unit played only 21 total minutes in the fourth (most of all line-ups) and have a monstrous +30 net rating in that time. I wonder why they are not used more. "Brunson" unit played only total 9 minutes in fourth quarters and have unbelievable -109 net rating. I think it was a short experiment in February and wasn't repeated again. Many different lineups are being used in the last quarter with a general rule - all units consisting THJ are bad, all the rest are good (only looking at units with 7 most used players). A lot of hate is going against Richardson but all 4th quarter units that have JRich but not THJ are excellent.
To sum up - first quarter units for the season are quite consistent when using the starting 5 and unit where Brunson-THJ replace Luka/Maxi (Brunson unit). Things get all over the place in the second quarter with a bunch of different lineups. Similar story repeats in the second half with the difference that first unit is performing much better than in first half and "Brunson" unit is worse. THJ is a disaster in the fourth quarter for the season.