This is an ideal situation for Austin. His skills are valued here and fits extremely well. Not to mention I think he has something extra (in a good way) being Doc Rivers son. Always had tremendous amount of respect for Doc.
He’ll play a lot more than 8 min and he’ll def play a lot more minutes if he keeps playing as good as he has these first 3 games. He’s our best guard defender now and moving forward and he’s a legit ball handler and playmaker. He’s had 4 and 7 assist his last 2 games. I think he still sees 20-24 min a game when the team is at full strength. I think we will play a lot of 3 Guard lineups and he’ll get burn that way. He’s just too good of a player to only get 8-10 min a night.
Honestly, I would play cp3 20-24 minutes when he gets back and give Austin 25+ minutes, have to save cp3 for the playoffs
The only way he sees 20-24 minutes, team fully healthy, is if we move Gordon for a non guard. I just don’t understand where the minutes are available. There’s only 96 minutes between the 1 and 2 and Harden, Paul and Gordon are going to eat almost all of that up over Rivers. Look I’m as excited about the defense he has given us as anyone, but historically he has made Harden look like a lock down defender. His defensive numbers are atrocious. He was traded and cut and not claimed for a reason. If he keeps it up great, but I’m not expecting it. What he brings, as we can all see right now, is a competent backup guard who can actually create when one of our top 3 is out. He just won’t be as necessary when everyone is good to go.
I think EG is being more aggressive driving to the basket when harden takes a break. When CP3 is Hopefully we will have that problem. That means everyone is healthy. If we can keep winning until then, I would make an effort to work CP3 back in very slowly. I mean 15 to 20 minutes per night slow. Harden is on a tear but he needs to cut back his minutes too. The way I see it, we are never going to have everyone healthy at the same time. EG and CP3 are known to be injured alot. Anyway, if we are healthy, CP3 and Harden need their minutes reduced. We can play small some to cut in to the GreenHouse minutes. Rivers deserves and can get 25 minutes if he keeps playing like this. If he flames out and we are 100 percent healthy then reduce his role. Even that depends on how well CP3, EG, and Greenhouse are playing though.
that buzzer beater wasnt a coincidence.. i remember he hit several of those tough impossible looking shots vs rockets and I thought to myself back then 'that was an outlier'
If we can beat warriors without cp3, it means we find our final puzzle to get the championship for NBA finals
Watched the Grizzlies broadcast tonight, the color commentator describes Rivers' play style as "herky-jerky," which I think is just perfect. Austin Rivers is the opposite of smooth on the court.
