The Lineup Change the Celtics NEED
The Celtics fans were chomping at the bit all summer about how Boston was the clear-cut second-best team in the NBA. Then, the season began, and they got a nice punch in the gut real quick. The Celtics are hovering right around .500 in the early stages of the season. On top of that, they just came off a horrendous west coast road trip where they finished 1-4. They should have finished 0-5, but luckily the Suns absolutely suck and couldn’t hold on to their 20-point lead. There is no reason to freak out yet, but something needs to be done.
Send Tatum to the Bench
Yes, this idea is going to come with some backlash, but it’s the smartest possible solution. Jayson Tatum should play the same number of minutes. His play just does not mesh well with Kyrie on the floor with him. When he is on the floor, he looks for any shot for himself rather than the open man. His play would be better suited in the second unit alongside Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier. Those guys are tremendous facilitators and would allow Tatum to get the open shots. The switch to the bench does not need to be permanent. Just until Tatum realizes he needs to be unselfish with the ball should he be on the bench. The team will benefit from his scoring punch off the bench as well. The ball movement from the starting unit will allow the second unit with Tatum to come in with a good chance of having the lead.
Marcus Morris should Start
Morris moving into the starting role would be a good fit over Tatum. Again, he should play the same number of minutes he did whilst on the bench. The key change here is the timing of when Morris and Tatum are on the floor. Morris’ defense is able to stop a majority of big men in this league, whereas Tatum cannot currently. It should be noted that Morris has, after Kyrie, been the best player on the Celtics thus far. People believe that Hayward or Brown should head to the bench in exchange for Morris. Both Hayward and Brown have struggled offensively, so putting them on the bench would just lead to a more stagnant offense when the second unit comes in. Brad Stevens, listen to me and swap Morris with Tatum while keeping their minutes. The team will benefit tremendously.
-Brandon Black (Follow @bhblack02)
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