STARTING 5!!!

[RoyalShock]

I wouldn't worry too much about who starts. Wait until the end of the game and look at minutes played.

[Aargh]

Should be locks to start:

SF - Griskenas
PF - Clemente
SG - Cooz

Competitive spots:

C - Thomasson/Durley
PG - Braeuer/Mekel

The Sr's are the "safe" players. GMek and JT can do things PT and MB can't do, but they're more likely to make mistakes. One of the things GM can do is be 6'3". There may be situations (tall PG on the other team) when Mekel starts, but I expect MB to get most starts.

PT is going to have to bust his backside to start ahead of JT. JT is going to have to mature quickly to start ahead of PT. This could go either way. Starting JT is an investment in the future and appears to be a more natural post player than PT.

After seeing JT at Shocker Madness, if he improves some areas the next few weeks, he starts ahead of PT.

[SubGod22]

Gal will be better than Matt. I don't think anyone has ever said otherwise. But if I were coach I'd want my starting PG to be a leader who could be trusted and that's Matt. Not that Gal can't be that person but Matt fills that role better at the moment.

Matt
PJ
Mantas
Ramon
Phil but I'd like to see JT.

Although, when Ehimen is here he starts.

[forevershockerfan]

Early on, we could have several starting line ups based on performance and competitive efforts. We have some spots up for grabs.

1st Semester----> PT, PJ, RC, MG, MB

2ND -----EO, PJ, MB, MG, RC

Look for these players to earn some starts from time to time as well also. AE, JT, GM.

[The Mad Hatter]

In regards to the "who starts" debate about Matt and Gal, it really doesn't matter.

There is a reason that conferences give out 6th man of the year awards. Almost every good team has somebody who doesn't start but coming off the bench makes an impact.

The fact is that the Spurs have Ginobili coming off the bench, behind Brent Barry or Michael Finley. At this point in their careers, are either better players than Ginobili? Of course not, but who starts is not merely a function of who is most talented.

[Maggie]

I agree with the Doctor. To begin with the starting five will probably be:

PG MB
SG PJ
SF MG
PF RC
C PT

The only "safe" starters I see are, Clemente, PJ, and MG. I think WuDrWu is correct about MB. While I give MB a ton of credit for sparking the team during its Sweet 16, he is too much of a defensive liability to be a starter. He just does not have the size. Personally, I think GM should give Mekel the nod early on and let MB provide a change of pace of the bench. If Mekel doesn't work out, which I don't think will be the case, then MB is a good player to fall back on. I am not big on the experience factor or seniors getting minutes because they are seniors – it was one of the things about Turgeon that bothered me. As for the 5 spot, PT concerns me and according to people I talked to JTD looked pretty good last night. I suppose I would give PT the first shot and let JTD displace him, if he can. It would be a close call for me – much closer than the PG. So my starting five, in as much as I can make such a statement, would be:

PG Mekel
SG PJ
SF MG
PF RC
C PT (with a very short leash)

MB would be first off the bench to spell Mekel or PJ (which Mekel sliding over to the 2 spot). Ellis would be the primary back up for MG, if Ellis is not ready PJ can slide down to the 3 from time to time (possibly giving minutes to Preadom at the 1 or 2). JTD I already addressed. Preadom, Butler and Hatch will get spot minutes where required.

As far as Orukpe, who knows? Assuming he can play, he is going to get minutes at the 5 which leaves JTD and PT free to rotate between the 4 and 5 spots where necessary.

[shocker22]

I agree with Doc on Matt vs Gal. My "sleeper" is Hatch. If Hatch can create his own outside shot and hit threes in game situations, how do you keep him out? Defense is unknown; did he pick Matt last night??

If you are thinking about the play that I remember, Spangler, it was actually Bret Michael that stripped him.


Personally, I will be astonished if GH gets much playing time this year.

Bret had the steal, but it wasn't a strip from Matt, Bret stepped in the passing lane and made the steal on the pass.

[shocker22]

I agree with the Doctor. To begin with the starting five will probably be:

PG MB
SG PJ
SF MG
PF RC
C PT

The only "safe" starters I see are, Clemente, PJ, and MG. I think WuDrWu is correct about MB. While I give MB a ton of credit for sparking the team during its Sweet 16, he is too much of a defensive liability to be a starter. He just does not have the size. Personally, I think GM should give Mekel the nod early on and let MB provide a change of pace of the bench. If Mekel doesn't work out, which I don't think will be the case, then MB is a good player to fall back on. I am not big on the experience factor or seniors getting minutes because they are seniors – it was one of the things about Turgeon that bothered me. As for the 5 spot, PT concerns me and according to people I talked to JTD looked pretty good last night. I suppose I would give PT the first shot and let JTD displace him, if he can. It would be a close call for me – much closer than the PG. So my starting five, in as much as I can make such a statement, would be:

PG Mekel
SG PJ
SF MG
PF RC
C PT (with a very short leash)

MB would be first off the bench to spell Mekel or PJ (which Mekel sliding over to the 2 spot). Ellis would be the primary back up for MG, if Ellis is not ready PJ can slide down to the 3 from time to time (possibly giving minutes to Preadom at the 1 or 2). JTD I already addressed. Preadom, Butler and Hatch will get spot minutes where required.

As far as Orukpe, who knows? Assuming he can play, he is going to get minutes at the 5 which leaves JTD and PT free to rotate between the 4 and 5 spots where necessary.

With this team starters and non-starters will not make that big if a difference. Everyone except for PJ and Ramon will get equal minutes. We will be able to run out a ten man rotation and really get after some teams. I think we will run ALOT and wear teans down.

[WuDrWu]

The good thing about this year's team is that we have the ability to create mismatches in our favor without losing too much.

We could go really, really big (even without EO)


Gal, PJ, Ellis, Phil, JT. That's some really size with a fair amount of width.


We could, for short bursts, go PJ, Ellis, Ramon/Phil, JT, EO after the 1st semester. That would be a BIG 6'4", 6-9, 6-9, 6-9, 7-0. Admittedly that group wouldn't exactly pressure the ball all over the court or run the break but they would cause matchup nightmares for every team in the Valley.

[MikeShox]

Starting Point

MT continued starting MB last year while many fans thought GM should be starting. Now it seems, from everything I have heard HCGM say that he will be starting MB (in spite of all the fans who could tell him he is making a mistake).

From what Coach Marshall said Monday, I don't see Gal taking over the starting job until he completely buys in to Coaches way of doing things (get rid of the one handed pass turnovers).

I guess I'm seeing two very successful Division One coaches who thus far have chosen to stay with Matt over Gal.

I guess I'm amazed that both of these coaches are so much dumber than so many fans.

I personally love Gal and believe that he can rise to superstardom. However, to do so, I believe that he might want to learn that he is not necessarily smarter then his coaches.

I for one certainly got a bit of that feel in Chris Allison's interview of Gal Monday. When discussing that Coach Marshall does not like the one-handed passes, Gal says that the one-handed pass is his game and if it helps the team he will do it. Coach says he doesn't want it and he is the one who will decide who plays.

My opinion? As soon as Gal decides to listen and learn from his coaches, he will dramatically cut down on his turnovers and will be a true star.

[WuShockFan]

While I give MB a ton of credit for sparking the team during its Sweet 16, he is too much of a defensive liability to be a starter. He just does not have the size.

Don't forget that Matt has led this team in steals for the past two years. From what I understand of Marshall's system, he likes to run full-court presses often and create scoring opportunities off of turnovers. Fast, agile players like Matt work well in that system defensively. Matt might be a defensive liability in half-court sets, but he is one of our best assets in the full-court press.

[shocker22]

One area that keeps MB in the game is his quick release. He has the ability to get shots off from beyond the arch much quicker than a set up shooter like Gal. Also he is much more accurate.

[RoyalShock]

We could, for short bursts, go PJ, Ellis, Ramon/Phil, JT, EO after the 1st semester. That would be a BIG 6'4", 6-8, 6-7, 6-7, 7-0.

After I fixed the heights (Wu, you're such an optimist!), I thought with that lineup on the floor, throw up a zone defense. I dare teams to shoot over or pass through that kind of size!

[DPruett2333]

PG - Matt Braeuer
SG - Gal Mekel
SF - P.J. Couisnard
PF - Ramon Clemente
C - Phil Thomasson

[shocker22]

PG - Matt Braeuer
SG - Gal Mekel
SF - P.J. Couisnard
PF - Ramon Clemente
C - Phil Thomasson

We will ne Mantas in the lineup for help defense on the block.

Line up:
MB
PJ
MG
RC
PT/JT

or possibly

MB
PJ
RC
PT
JT