There will be lots of open shots for JR in this offense as defenses key in on STAT & Melo as they go into beast mode.

I can see the hesitation about starting what is virtually a rookie backcourt with Lin/Shump. Bring Shumpert along slowly as he continues to work on consistently hitting open jumpers.

End the madness with Starting Fields at SHOOTING guard who can't SHOOT who is really a bench SF/Swingman and would only start if Melo was not on the team. Then he would put up his numbers on broken plays near the hoop. With guys like Melo, Amare you need guys who can hit WIDE open shots.

nyk4ever wrote:whats the point of starting jr smith when the coach just said he was going to ride the stars? let him get his shots with the backup unit. i like the lineup of him and novak on the floor at the same time - really stretches the defense and allows the other guys to do their thing.

You start him because you need a floor stretching guard. We don't have that in the lineup. It balances things out.

nyk4ever wrote:whats the point of starting jr smith when the coach just said he was going to ride the stars? let him get his shots with the backup unit. i like the lineup of him and novak on the floor at the same time - really stretches the defense and allows the other guys to do their thing.

I don't think Melo & Amare are going to be taking every shot. I think Woodson is just trying to get his star players going because he knows without both playing well he is as good as gone.

No matter how good you are defenses will key in on your best players and guys like Smith, Lin & Tyson should get wide open shots. Which Smith can hit on a much more consistent basis than Fields or Shump

Knixkik wrote:

gunsnewing wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:Not interested in a starting SG who's shooting .380. He's gotta earn that starting spot.

he's been back in the nba for what a week? He shot 40% from 3 last year!

Exactly.

Then if he plays well for a few games, he will have earned the SG spot.

gunsnewing wrote:I know but Fields doesn't fit with Melo in the starting unit. I guess it doesn't matter who starts its who finishes and that will be jr or shump.

Problem with starting Shump to is the defense will leave him to double until he hits open shots but at least he plays world class defense and doesn't need to score. Just do the little things as a glue guy this year.

I think they can find a way to make it work with JR starting but I see what you're saying.

Hey Shump or Smith its a toss up. Gut feeling tho it will be Smith. They already tried Shump and he struggled although it was 5mins of 1 game Dantoni made up his mind anyway and re-inserted Fields the very next day.

TRU wrote:Wilson chandler should start at the to. Oh well.

I miss Will the Thrill too. Solid 2 way player and you can plug him anywhere in the lineup. Too bad Nuggs going to lock him up for 5 years.

SupremeCommander wrote:I am not a JR fan... however, this move makes a lot of sense. Woody should reign his bad chucking in. We know Amar'e and Melo will bully down low. Someone has to hit the threes to have a true inside-out offense.

Woody probably wants to bench Lin for Davis too but I can't see that happening. The negative press and international revolt would be the kiss of death for his chances to coach next year

I'm not a JR fan either, but i understand we need a player to stretch the defense. If it isn't working, then we should look at players like Courtney Lee, Brandon Rush, etc over the summer. Players who stretch the D and play good D as well. But with this current lineup that includes Melo, Stoudemire, and Chandler all doing their best work from 15 ft and in, we need a shooter. Lin is fine where he is, but someone has be shoot it.

And I go back and forth between it making more sense for Lin or Baron to start at PG. I think Lin has some special tools and if the plan is to keep developing him here he should keep starting.