My choice will be : 5 - Yao (34) 4 - Stro (28) 3 - TMac (36) 2 - DA (22) 1 - Skip (34) Bench (minutes) 5 - Deke (10)/Stro (4) 4- Howard(20) 3 - Flyin Ryan (4)/DA (8) 2 - DW (13)/JB (13) 1 - DW (4)/Luther (9)/Mooch (1) JVG's choice will be: 5 - Yao (34) 4 - Howard (25) 3 - TMac (38) 2 - Dw(20) 1 - Skip (34) Bench (minutes) 5 - Deke (10)/Stro (4) 4- stro (23) 3 - Flyin Ryan (4)/DA (6) 2 - DA(15/JB (13) 1 - DW (4)/Luther (9)/Mooch (1) If neither Stro or DA is not a starter, I will be disappointment .
PG: Alston (30) / Mcgrady (15) / Norris (3) SG: Wesley (23) / Barry (15) / Head (10) SF: Mcgrady (30) / Anderson (18) PF: Howard (24) / Swift (24) C: Yao (35) / Mutumbo (13) All of these numbers are just averages in my mind. I don't see 11 guys getting significant minutes every night...however, the rotation will vary depending on who we are playing. Against a quick, up-tempo team (like the Suns), Head gets more minutes than Barry at backup SG. Likewise, Swift takes away some minutes from Mutumbo at Center. Against slow it down teams (like the Spurs), Barry gets more minutes at backup SG. Mutumbo gets the backup Center minutes. There will be select times of course when Bowen gets minutes, as he seemed to do last year. I think Howard deserves to start, and it's better for the team if he does. Last year when Mo Taylor was starting, Howard was practically useless off the bench. He's one of those guys that needs to get into the flow of the game early...whereas Swift is an instant energy guy off the bench. Like Worrell said, you shouldn't lose your starting job to injury. I think Van Gundy likes Wesley, so he'll start him. When Sura gets back, it really gets interesting how the minutes will go.
Initially I thought it would be easy to tell JVG's starting lineup. I figured Yao, Howard, Tmac, Wesley, Alston. Yao and Tmac are the givens. I figured JVG would go with Howard to start the game because of his shooting and experience in the system. And Alston is the PG by default because he just is the best passer/PG defender combo we have. I figured JVG would go with Wesley because of his quickness defensively if for no other reason. But from what I have seen lately I think Derek Anderson might be the starter at SG. He seems to do a good job of passing the ball, sort of a more athletic Jon Barry. Wesley looked better coming off the bench the last few games. I think initially the starting unit is Yao, Howard, Tmac, Anderson and Alston. But I really think our lineup will fluctuate quite a bit. And down the stretch of games our "full" starting lineup might not even be on the floor other than Yao and Tmac.
Starters beginning of season: Yao Howard McGrady Anderson Alston Rotation beginning of season: Mutombo Swift Bowen Barry Wesley Starters by mid-season: Yao Swift McGrady Anderson Alston Rotation beginning mid-season: Mutombo Howard Barry Wesley Sura
A picture of your starting lineup is on the front page of the Chronicle's early Sunday edition: TMac, Yao, Swift, Alston, and Anderson.
