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Four volume scorers in Celtics starting unit is overkill

The Boston Celtics current makeup may not require drastic alterations, but a change in the starting-5 may be in order. Among the current first-stringers, Jaylen brown, Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward and Kemba Walker are all capable of scoring 20-plus points in any given game. Last season, one of the negative issues was the fact there were too many mouths to feed. We may have a replay of that this season.

One member of that high-scoring quintet may need to transfer to the second unit, and the best choice may be Gordon Hayward. Kemba needs to stay where he is, and neither member of the Jay team would take kindly to becoming substitutes. We are not talking demotion for Hayward here, but rather a shot at using his many skills to better advantage.


So who gets added to the starting-5? Enes Kanter does. Kanter at center and Daniel Theis at power forward needs a look. Enes is a reliable scorer down low when given the chance, and he is an excellent rebounder. Brad Stevens can devise schemes that will somewhat nullify his weaknesses on switching defenses.

Acquiring a seasoned vet, like Derrick Rose, that can hit from the perimeter - putting Rose, Hayward and Marcus Smart on the second unit - keeping either Kanter or Theis in the center spot for most of the game - and employing spurts of small-ball with neither big in the lineup - may just work. And Rob Williams has to come back some time. Brad Stevens keeping Boston's wealth of riches all in the game at the same time has faltered somewhat of late, and a change may be in the offing.

Stevens has always been a small-ball aficionado, and I doubt he favors a 2-big front court. But he is also known as a coach that uses what he has and brings out the best in his troops. Gordon has the right mindset to head to the second string and understand that it may be the best situation for both him and the team. It is worth a shot.

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