What 1980s Celtics tradition where rookies don't play? There is at least one 1980s Celtics rookie with whom Coach McHale has been acquainted for years who played all 82 games of his rookie season for a total of 1600+ minutes. Terrence Jones is not ready. Even in limited minutes, he keep on missing defensive rotations and attempting low efficiency shots-- basically how Marcus Morris looked last season. McHale, like all coaches, is just trying to win. Right now, the PF that give the team the best chance to win are Morris and Parsons and the C that give the team the best chance to win are Asik and Smith. These guys simply have a better clue about how to help the team than the Jones and Motiejunas at this point in their respective careers. Some of you need to relax. Just because a guy rarely plays as a rookie doesn't mean he cannot improve to a point where he earns regular minutes even as soon as perhaps even the next season. If you want examples, all you have to do is to look at Marcus Morris and Greg Smith. A player simply needs to work hard, develop his skills and learn to execute the team's scheme in practice and things will work out. It takes time to master one's NBA craft.
The tradition of the Larry Bird, Kevin McHale Celtics teams was the rookie doesn't play. That tradition did not exist when Bird and McHale were drafted. Marcus Morris at the 4 isn't going to hold up against the better teams in the league because Morris neither rebounds, nor defends. Unlike Terrence Jones who is taller, longer, stronger and far more capable in those areas.
Let's wait until Morris starts to falter before knocking on him, mkhay? People said the same thing about Morris in the HOU-MEM pregame thread - Zach Randolph was going to cream him, we're definitely going to lose b/c of Morris, etc etc - but Morris did a fine job disrupting Randolph's game.
1. There was no "tradition" that rookies don't play. Rookies on the Celtics had a hard time earning playing time because these teams typically won around 60 games a season, meaning that they typically get low draft picks and have a lot of capable players already on the depth chart. Their one high draft pick after the formation of the "Big 3," Len Bias, died right after being drafted. Otherwise, he had a good shot of getting some minutes. When circumstances presents themselves, a rookie, even one who isn't a high pick Hall of Famer like McHale and Bird, has played significant minutes. For example: Brian Shaw. This whole "Rookie don't play" "old school tradition" talk is just bull****. Coaches will play whoever gives them the best chance to win under the circumstances. A lot of rookies don't get to play because they are not the guy that gives the coach the best chance to win. 2. As for Morris not holding up against the good teams. He held up against the Knicks and the Grizzlies, two very good teams with two very good, and very different PFs. 3. Kevin McHale's young team just beat NYK, PHI, MEM and CHI, each by a significant margin and looking much improved compared to the start of the season. I think this might just show that his coaching staff know what they are doing with young players, at least during the past 4 games.
And some people think that playing Terrence Jones now might cost you a few games in the short term but win you more in the long term.
And some people are wrong. Sitting Terrence Jones and holding him up to a standard of readiness before putting him in a game and, meanwhile, making him improve through practice, training, and D-League games can win you games both now and in the long term. Playing Greg Smith, Marcus Morris and Chandler Parsons, who are young players with potential and are ready to play will help you win games right now and help you win in the future when they become better.
Sitting Terrence Jones and holding him up to a standard of readiness before putting him in a game and, meanwhile, making him improve through practice, training, and D-League games can win you games both now and in the long term. Throwing unready players on there to get slaughtered in the name of getting experience is not the only way to "develop" a player, and is likely not even be the best way to do so under the circumstances. Playing Greg Smith, Marcus Morris and Chandler Parsons, who are young players with potential and are ready to play will help you win games right now and help you win in the future when they become better. Playing guys who are ready will help young guys like Jeremy Lin, Omer Asik and James Harden experience correct NBA play and success, assisting in their development. Why do some people want to "develop" Terrence Jones even at the cost of ruining James Harden's life?
I don't disagree with that. But playing Terrence Jones minutes right now could be beneficial to the team too. There is no secret formula for how certain guys will respond to d-League v early minutes etc. Lin showed nothing special sitting on benches and getting sporadic benches but thrived when he was just thrown out there. Things are different for every player. Maybe Jones going to the dleague is best or maybe he needs minutes to improve. Both ways have worked in the past.
Giving Jones 10-15 minutes is not throwing him out there to get slaughtered nor is it going ruin James Harden.
You play who can give you the best production right now. The Rockets are winning with their current rotation at the 4. Jones will have his time.
The whole team is young and inexperienced, it's hard to give the rooks some burn, when you have to give your young starters and bench a lot of pt.
Terrence Jones sent to D-League (Parsons injury day-to-day, need depth insurance) Terrence Jones called back from D-League (Patterson rejoins, minutes unavailable) Terrence Jones sent to D-League again (Rockets have too many back-to-backs, not enough practice time) Terrence Jones sent to D-League again (Rockets then have games far apart, more team practices) Terrence Jones called back from D-League (Motiejunas emerges in depth order) Terrence Jones sent to D-League again That seems a typical hypothetical approach how Rockets use their D-League. It is working like its supposed to, then still its almost like its using it for any reason simply to justify that they can use it
Lol I keep telling people how McHale is... It's 1986 in his mind. He logically knows he has to have some brothas due to the nba being dominated by brothas l. McHale has been doing better with the rotation lately. I like that the time is being distributed in a way to keep our players fresh especially Harden and Asik.
