I'm at work and just thought of this...give me your feedback...

I think Theo Ratliff needs to be placed into the starting lineup, and bump Dyess back to the bench. Before, Dyess used to have a role, he used to be our "scoring off the bench", now that he's been placed into the starting 5, he really doesn't have a role anymore. He's the 5th option when he's on the floor, and can't seem to get into any sort of a groove. He's even gone on record saying he likes coming off the bench better. Plus you can limit the "wear & tear" on those knees...Dyess has no business playing 30+ minutes, as much as I love his defense.

Put Ratliff in the starting 5, move Dyess back to the bench, and have him and Maxiell spell Theo & Sheed. Obviously, this will cut into Amir's minutes, but lets face it, other than the 1st round of the playoffs, Flip isn't going to trust Amir as much as we'd like him too.

Theo's still got some game left, and is still a defensive presence. Let him pound Dwight Howard in the Semis, and have him go to work on Perk or KG (probably Perk) in the ECF...

Proposed
10 man rotation...

C- Ratliff/Dyess
PF- Sheed/Max
SF- Tay/Jarvis
SG- RIp/Dixon
PG- Mr. Big Shot/Stuckey

I love AA & Amir, and they will be able to get oodles of minutes towards the end of the reg. season, but in the playoffs (at least after the 1st round), it wouldn't shock me to not see them play


thoughts?

Dyess' role has changed to rebounder, which he is doing great at. I hate the minutes, but we have no guys who can work the defensive glass.

Also Dyess said he will not return to the bench, he now wants to start.

Dyess' role has changed to rebounder, which he is doing great at. I hate the minutes, but we have no guys who can work the defensive glass.

Also Dyess said he will not return to the bench, he now wants to start.


I agree he's done well at rebounding, but his role has been relinquished to doing all the dirty work. He's never been a defensive stopper. He gets in early foul trouble in 2 out of every 5 games. Let him come off the bench and score. He will get plenty of minutes, just allow him to have the opportunity to get his offensive game going...

And as for wanting to be a starter, I highly doubt he would be upset going back to the bench. McDyess is a good attitude player...

Dyess' role has changed to rebounder, which he is doing great at. I hate the minutes, but we have no guys who can work the defensive glass.

Also Dyess said he will not return to the bench, he now wants to start.

Holy shit, Ledezma and I are thinking the same.

As for Dyess he needs to do what's best for the team. Screw him. For years here in detroit he'd say he couldn't work out during the off season because of his knee and then coast during the first half before finally trying in the second half. Fast forward to Fall 2007 where he's now a starter and all of a sudden he's capable of playing more minutes and at a relatively high level to begin the year.

So what's the truth, antonio? Is your knee keeping you from preparing for the season or did you really just have a problem coming off the bench?

But hermy is right, this team really doesn't have anyone else that can rebound like mcdyess.....or is he really just the beneficiary of playing alongside Rasheed Wallace who is a great man-up defender which allows his fellow bigs to crash the boards? Jason Maxiell started alongside rasheed earlier this year and finished with 14 boards. And yes, I love using 1 game samples.

Is McDyess really a "great" rebounder??? Yesterday I saw Kendrick Perkins pretty much own him on the boards...

McDyess can't get offensive boards, and he gets in early foul trouble. Let Theo do it, if Theo gets in foul trouble, it won't matter, b/c he's not going to finish the games anyway...Theo can rebound better than Dyess IMO, and, I think most importantly, Theo starting would keep Dyess fresher...ANtonio doesn't need to be playing 30+ minutes, we gave him a 3 year deal last summer, and he's going to be out of gas by mid-season next year...

I don't take Dyess workout regime or character into question, the guy just wants a ring, I find it hard to believe he would make a fuss about going back to the bench...I think he would welcome it...

Is McDyess really a "great" rebounder??? Yesterday I saw Kendrick Perkins pretty much own him on the boards...

...

Perkins was on everybody. Put that on Dyess if you will. He's top 25 in rebounds and rebounds per minute with a lot of 10 mpgs in there above him. He has filled the hole well.

And if you think theo is a better rebounder than dyess..../thread.

how many over the back fouls does Dyess get trying to grab down a rebound over an opposing center whos got 2 inches on him?? at least 2 a game...

Who cares if he's in foul trouble when we want to limit his minutes?

I've said from the beginnning I'd rather have Max starting and Dyess off the bench. Everybody thought I was nuts.

Max disappears when he plays too many minutes... He's never going to be a starter in this league...

Again the same tired arguement I have to make...starting does not mean you play more minutes. Please see Manu, Barbosa and all the other 6th men that play more than the starters ahead of them.

Starting vs bench defines your role, not your minutes. You use Max as a solid defender along Sheed. Then you bring in Dyess for offense. He doesn't get in foul trouble and he takes pressure off Stuckey to do everything.

This isn't complicated, why does everyone make it so?

Instead we just throw Max, Amir, Stuckey, AA and Hayes all out there at once so Stuckey is forced to create for a bunch of players that can't get their own shot. On top of that, our two best pick and roll big men are on the bench, and our best pick and roll guard (Stuckey) is on the floor. This makes no sense to me. Dyess and Stuckey could work the pick and roll all night. If they send help you kick it to Hayes or dump it into Amir. This is basketball 101.

Dyess is too good a shooter to be a 5th option. Prince has a hard enough time getting shots most nights, and you only compound that with another unselfish player not getting any looks (Dyess). Or if you feed Dyess then you never get Sheed rolling in the post. Almost every single great team has a defensive role player starting to compliment the scorers. Grant, Harper, Horry, Bowen, Haslem and on and on. Instead we put all our scorers on the floor at one time and pray our bench can withstand their runs.

I would like to see Amir, Maxiell and Ratliff off the bench as your new 3-4-5 reserves.

I would like to see Amir, Maxiell and Ratliff off the bench as your new 3-4-5 reserves.

You'd probably have to go 2-3 zone with that. Flip only uses the 3-2 zone though.

I'm ok with going zone. Amir has the range to play in the 3-2.

I would like to see Amir, Maxiell and Ratliff off the bench as your new 3-4-5 reserves.


Swap Theo w/ McDyess. Somebody in that group needs to be able to score...

Jarvis Hayes is the most inconsistent shooter in the world. I wouldn't be sad if Herrmann were to trade places w/ him...

Swap Theo w/ McDyess. Somebody in that group needs to be able to score...


1. I think Maxiell scores more at the 3 against smaller players.

2. I think Stuckey has more room to drive because teams will be concious about staying with theo, amir and max on the offensive glass. The help will be much more reluctant.

3. I think Juan Dixon is capable of supplying consistent offense, if not offensive movement.

You have Max playing the SF in a 3-2? Who are your opponents, Bucks with Mason in? They don't need 3 point shooters pull Max away from the hoop.

When did I say Maxiell was playing the small forward on defense?

When did I say Maxiell was playing the small forward on defense?


Just making a reasonable assumtion when you put him there on offense. Since you have to put someone there on a 3-2, and you didn't take the time to mention the big elephant in the room with your plan, I took it upon myself.

Please K-stat, tell me, who will be guarding the forward on the perimeter.

Maxiell cannot be on the floor with more than 1 big at any given time...

I like pairing him up with either Sheed or Dyess, the second Max is on the floor w/ Amir & or now, Theo. The offensive production from the front court becomes non exsistent...

Please K-stat, tell me, who will be guarding the forward on the perimeter.


Amir Johnson. He'd definitely be better at it than Jarvis.