7.24.2012

Selling Jason Terry as the Back-Up Point


An element of the Celtics last season that ailed them most was their inability to score when needed; more specifically the anemic output of their reserves most of last season. To remedy that problem, Ainge secured the services of sixth man extraordinaire Jason Terry to back up both guard positions.

LINK

You may recall the Celtics first West Coast trip during the 2007-08 NBA season. Most pundits (OK, nearly every pundit) were forecasting doom for the Green, expecting them to fall flat on their faces against the tougher, more talented Western Conference.

Remember what happened?

Sweep!

As in the Celtics won all the games, and comfortably I might add.

For the purpose of this piece, what I'd like to call your attention to is the Laker game, where Rajon Rondo was injured and none other than Tony Allen, who can barely handle the ball effectively as a wing, was asked to takeover at the point. I must say, he acquitted himself well.

In a subsequent season, the Celtics tried to add Marquis Daniels to this experiment, projecting him as a back-up point guard.

I'm not sure that worked out as well.

Indeed, it is difficult for me to say with a straight face that the Tony-Allen-as-a-point-guard experiment was a success beyond that one game at Staples.

Anyhoo, as you can see from the above quote, and at least a couple references from Danny, the C's may take a third stab at this approach to backing up Shorty.

I certainly won't have any say in the matter.

But let's just say I will be curious at best and dubious at worst.

Howsa bout you?

7 comments:

Lex said...

The Celtics owned Dooling's rights, but will re-sign him at a one-year, minimum deal. Dooling, who will earn $1.35 million (of which the Celtics are responsible for only $854,389) is taking a pay cut (he made $2.2 million last season), but clearly enjoyed his time in Boston and wants to be part of another title quest.

Lex said...

or maybe we'll actually play it by the book???

FLCeltsFan said...

Terry will definitely play some point if Bradley returns to the starting line up and the 2nd unit has Terry, Lee, Green, PF, C. But if Lee starts in place of Bradley, we'll see Dooling at the point for the second unit in my opinion.

Lex said...

or if we go small, ab, lee, jt might all be out there with jg at 4?

FLCeltsFan said...

That's a good possibility since Lee can play the 3 with his size. Doc has a lot of flexibility with this roster. Sully at the 5?

Lex said...

sully at the 5, yes

I will be interested to see exactly how doc uses him and makes him look better than he might for a different team

FLCeltsFan said...

Putting Sully beside KG will immediately make him look better than on a different team. KG has that effect on players.