Should Anfernee Simons start for the Celtics?

Simons is often getting less than 20 min a game. Pritchard is getting the starter role and 30+ minutes.

All this with Tatum injured. The Celtics need more offense. Pritchard technically gives it to them with distance shooting. But something seems off with their defense; most recently giving up 123 to Orlando.

Simons is not known for his defense; but his D has come way up since being taught by the Celtics. Simons "has posted the second-lowest opponent field goal percentage as the closest defender in the NBA through the first games of the season (31%), just behind Victor Wembanyama."

Seems like he has the athletic talent; just needed the right defensive coaching. On offense, Simons history of scoring 20+ points / game - if given playing time.

Should he be getting more minutes?

He's averaging 14 points and 1.6 assists on 41% shooting. Maybe he's a guy that just plays better as a starter but nothing he's done in Boston has shown him to be better than Pritchard. It wouldn't make much difference which of them started as what really makes the Celtic defense fail is the failure to grab defensive rebounds. It doesn't matter how well the guards defend if you're not going to get the ball back until the opponent scores.

Well is he any good?

Because if he is he should be traded to Lebron.

And if not I dont give a **** what happens to him.

Simons is 26. Let's stop being hopelessly optimistic. He is what he is already.

A poor defense, electric scorer who's a bit up and down offensively, but more up than down, and cannot pass so puts a coach in an awkward position on figuring out lineups.

That said, I said from the start that the Celtics if they stick with their current rotation will be an outside-looking-in (9th - 10th) play-in team.

If I were the Celtics President, I would tell the coach to start him so that we can trade him. If he's starting, he will put up a nice on-paper statline that intrigues some desperate middle pack team (think Rozier in 2024 and Heat trading for him).

Celtics need to bottom out and not risk any major injury to Brown or White. If Brown sits with knee soreness, the NBA cannot question them and they can tank.

[QUOTE=bdonovan;15041681]Simons is often getting less than 20 min a game. Pritchard is getting the starter role and 30+ minutes.

All this with Tatum injured. The Celtics need more offense. Pritchard technically gives it to them with distance shooting. But something seems off with their defense; most recently giving up 123 to Orlando.

Simons is not known for his defense; but his D has come way up since being taught by the Celtics. Simons "has posted the second-lowest opponent field goal percentage as the closest defender in the NBA through the first games of the season (31%), just behind Victor Wembanyama."

Seems like he has the athletic talent; just needed the right defensive coaching. On offense, Simons history of scoring 20+ points / game - if given playing time.

Should he be getting more minutes?[/QUOTE]

He hasn't done anything to take Pritchard's minutes. The limited On/Off data is not favoring Simons right now either and that's with Pritchard struggling to make 3s thus far. The +/- is flawed given that Pritchard spends way more minutes on the court with Jaylen Brown, but he still makes more sense to be in that role given that he's been on the team for years.

Simons is going to have to earn those minutes but I think he's just a rental anyway so why would they elevate him and take away minutes from the guy who's going to be there past this season?