Ok, we are no longer on pace to beat Chicago out for best record ever. I just checked. All our starters are at about 35 to 37 minutes per game at this point. Too much. Time to rest them a bit, and get our bench up and running. This does not mean Hunter nor Davis, two vets who at most will come in as defensive subs in the playoffs. Which means they don't have to be perfect on the offensive end. It would help of course, but you can go in to guard Shaq and and put every ounce of energy you have into that. Same with Hunter on Wade. If Hunter is in to guard Wade, let him solely just do that, maybe provide for an outlet for offensive sets up top. Little more than that on offense.

As for Evans, hey, we picked him up as a defensive specialist. For the mid-third of the season, same as Hunter and Davis. Sit on the bench.

Ok, starters, 30 minutes each. Less if a blowout. Thats 12, 12 and 6. All of the first and 3rd quarter. The last 6 minutes of the game. If we have a 14 point lead with 6 minutes to go in the game, let them sit. If it gets tighter later, send the starters in.

So, lets assume that one out of 4 games, we blow the other team out of the water. A good bet as everyone will be fresh and ready to go. Not to mention the fact that since the starters will be playing all their time together, they will be oh so much more efficient at destroying the other team.

30 + 30 + 30 + 24 = 114 / 4 = Lets call it 28 mintues a game average for the starters for the next 30 games.

Note, for the last third of the season, the starters begin to rev up, increase their minutes, starting to peak real well in the first round, and peaking fully by the end of that first round.

At that point, it just depends on what it takes to win each series. Play the starters as much as you have to win the series. Preferrably in 4 games. Yes, more practice is nice, but injuries can be avoided by a quick finish.

Ok, there are 240 player minutes in an NBA game. Our starters, for this middle third of the season, will be playing an average of 28 * 5 = 140 of those. This leaves 100 minutes per game for the bench. This is quite a change from the about 60 mintues per game the bench has been getting.

The bench plays the 2nd quarter, and the first half of the 4th quarter. There are 15 guys on the roster. 5 starters, and 3 guys sitting out this mid-third of the season (Hunter, Davis, Evans.) This leaves Seven bench players to get minutes. You start with each of them getting the same minutes, 100 / 7 = 14 minutes per game. For the mid 3rd of the season, Dyess just stays at 14. Why? We know what he can do already. Let him take it easy to an extent and rev it up down the stretch. Remember, this is his 2nd full year after a knee surgery, and he and his knee too went thru that so so close repeat try. Why push it?

Ok, you want to identify the 5 guys who you want to play those 6 minutes in the 4th quarter. I see a few ways to go on this, but I believe Arroyo, Acker, Delfino, Dyess, Darko are our best bet for that time. This unit has three capable guards in it, and should do just fine. However, instead we are going to go with Maxiell here, not Acker. Its just not easy to play both Amir and Jason up front at the same time. This separates the two a bit. ( So thats Arroyo, Delfino, Maxiell, Dyess, Darko)

Ok, Acker and Johnson each play the whole 2nd quarter. And they always play in any garbage time to make up for the fact that they only get 12 minutes a game usually. With 6 more minutes each 4th game from garbage time, it will get them close enough to 14 minutes per game.

Ok, lets just try something. Lets see how close we can keep our sub unit looking pretty much the same, patterning after the unit from the 4th quarter. How the minutes come out exactly, that can be fudged a bit later.

The 2nd quarter starts with:

Acker, Delfino, Amir Johnson, Maxiell, Darko.

This unit played 5 games together in the summer league. Why not give them a bit of time together to start.

Ok, after 6 minutes, Delfino, Maxiell, and Darko have all had their share of minutes pretty much. Target is about 13 actually per player in a non-blowout game. Delfino is easy enough to replace. Arroyo comes in for him, giving us an Arroyo, Acker backcourt. Dyess can come in for Darko at center. Again, no problem. But this leaves no one to come in for Maxiell. So Maxiell, who is our first round pick afterall, gets to play a few more minutes. Next night, Dyess comes in for Maxiell instead, giving Darko the extra burn.

Ok, so thats Arroyo, Acker, Amir Johnson, Maxiell, and Dyess for the 2nd half of the 2nd quarter.

The next night, that goes to Arroyo, Acker, Amir Johnson, Dyess, Darko for those 6 minutes.

Stick with this for 10 games. Eliminate one player out of the rotation amongst these 7 bench players. Either Acker, Maxiell, or Johnson. But that guy just goes down to 6 minutes average, not all the way out of the rotation yet.

Ten games later, eliminate one more. But again, this 2nd player goes to 6 minutes, not completely out of things.

For the last 10 games of this stretch, you now have whoever made it among the three rookies and Darko, Arroyo, and Delfino playing an average of about 17 minutes a game when you include garbage time. Remember, Dyess is staying at 14. And the two guys with 6 minutes each. Mind you, a guy eliminated in round one might get back in in the next round. So if it was Amir Johnson who originally was eliminated, he still might be the guy who makes it in the end to stick with the rotation.

Now, you are into the last third of the season. You make a decision on which 10 guys to include regularly in your rotation. At this point, Arroyo, Delfino, and Darko are at risk of not being amongst those 10 guys. Everyone had a fair enough shot at playing time. Time to go win a championship.

As the regular season draws to a close, you still have an established bench unit, but it slowly sees the starters playing amongst it more and more as their minutes ramp back up to around 34 minutes a game as the playoffs start.

The last 10 games, Davis and Hunter get 10 minutes per game, if they are going to be on the playoff roster. If not them, which ever two players besides your top 10 get those minutes to prep for the playoffs.