What will the Celtics rotation look like in the playoffs?
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In this episode of Still Poddable, hosts Sam Jam Packard, Jay King, and Brian Rob dive into the Celtics' projected playoff rotation following their regular-season finale. The discussion centers on minutes distribution, with a detailed spreadsheet exercise estimating player usage based on performance, health, and strategic considerations. Key topics include Jason Tatum's minutes cap, Jalen Brown's potential to lead the team in playing time, and the critical role of Payton Pritchard and Derrick White. The conversation highlights the importance of depth, especially with young wings like Baylor Shireman, Ugo Okoye, and Ron Harper Jr., and debates whether the Celtics should lean on the offensive prowess of Lucas Garza over the defensive liabilities of Tacko Fall (Vooch). The hosts also explore the possibility of Jordan Walsh seeing limited minutes, despite his energy and defensive effort, and emphasize the need for matchup-based adjustments. A recurring theme is the balance between preserving star players' health and maximizing the team's identity through high-energy, versatile role players. The episode concludes with a sponsor segment for Prize Picks and a brief but heartfelt discussion on writing, with Jay King promoting his new writing coaching service.
Jason Tatum is projected to play around 37 minutes per game in the playoffs, with a potential cap near 37 due to recent injury concerns.
Jalen Brown is expected to lead the team in minutes, potentially playing 39 per game, reflecting his increased role and durability.
Neemias (Nemi) is considered essential, with a projected 30 minutes per game to maintain defensive versatility and rim protection.
Lucas Garza may earn more minutes than Tacko Fall (Vooch), given his superior offensive efficiency and rebounding, despite defensive limitations.
The Celtics' depth is a major asset, with young wings like Shireman, Ugo, and Harper Jr. likely rotating based on matchups and performance.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Welcome & Episode Overview
The hosts introduce the podcast, welcome listeners, and outline the episode's focus: projecting the Celtics' playoff rotation based on recent performances and strategic considerations.
Minutes Projection Exercise Begins
The hosts launch into a detailed spreadsheet exercise to project playoff minutes, starting with Tatum, Brown, White, and Pritchard, while questioning the validity of Joe Mazzola's minutes restrictions.
The Role of Neemias and the Bigs
“I'm 100% of the belief that it's possible Luca Garza deserves more minutes than Voodoo.”
Young Wings & Rotation Depth
“I feel like Ugo's not going to play a lot of second halves, but he's going to give you a damn good stint in the start of the second quarter.”
Strategic Trade-offs & Freshness
“You need to be the energetic team. You need to be the crashing team. You need to have those guys guarding the best players on the other team for at least stints.”
“I'm 100% of the belief that it's possible Luca Garza deserves more minutes than Voodoo.”
“You need to be the energetic team. You need to be the crashing team. You need to have those guys guarding the best players on the other team for at least stints.”
“I feel like Ugo's not going to play a lot of second halves, but he's going to give you a damn good stint in the start of the second quarter.”
Hosts
Jay King
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Jason Tatum
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Neemias
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Sam Jam Packard
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Jalen Brown
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Tacko Fall
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Derrick White
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Lucas Garza
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Payton Pritchard
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Baylor Shireman
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