Greg Stiemsma: Let Him Play
In their past five losses, which mark the longest losing
streak since the unification of the Big Three, Stiemsma has only averaged 4 measly
minutes per game. The young defensive
minded center has already gone from a fan favorite, who had performed well enough to be ranked 9th among the NBA's top rookies, back to being just an
afterthought. “Oh, the Celts lost
again? I wonder… did Greg Stiemsma play
at all?”
However, perhaps the most disturbing stat that I came across
when looking at Stiemsma’s numbers was the 0 field goals that he has attempted
since January 2, when he put up 13 points on 5-7 shooting in his first career
start.
Doc Rivers is a fantastic coach, and it is important to
embrace all of his coaching decisions with an open mind since no one else has a
better understanding of the Celtics’ players, the establishment of their
individual roles, and knowing when the young guys are ready to contribute. With that being said, Doc needs to welcome the
‘Steamroller’ back into his game plan, so that the former D-League standout can
continue to develop into a functional backup center, even on offense, while
providing energy and defense to a team that is struggling in both those
departments.
With the Celtics plummeting in the power rankings, and age allegedly
at the root of their problems, Stiemsma’s play and improvement had been one of
the lone bright spots of the young season along with Allen’s deadly shooting
percentage, and Rajon Rondo and Brandon Bass’s high level of energy. Ultimately,
Stiemsma needs to be allowed back onto the court. His leash needs to be cut, and the Great White
Beast must be released unto unsuspecting opposing squads. His shot blocking ability is already
phenomenal, but with increased minutes, his defensive footwork and IQ will
improve as well, along with his offensive awareness and scoring ability. His jumper is actually much better than we
had previously expected, at least when he shoots with confidence, and a backup
front court of Bass and Stiemsma could be more effective than any other Celtic duo.
Garnett simply looks old, and Jermaine O’Neal only really
shows up to about half the games. Bass
is trying his best, while Wilcox can’t seem to stay healthy. First round pick JaJuan Johnson is clearly
not ready for NBA minutes, but I believe that Stiemsma has proven that he is
ready. The Celtics paint presence has
not been the same since the Perkins trade, and while Stiemsma obviously still
has a lot to learn, giving him 15-20 minutes per game off the bench is a big step
in the right direction, since game time experience would be the only realistic
way that he will continue to learn and improve.
I say let Stiemsma play.
