fool problems? not night in and out.... McD is the only one who averages over 3 a night at 3.2. mins for him are a concern for us because we fear burn out but his legs really have been resting the last couple years with his mins, i wouldn't want to depend on him the next 3 years with those sort of mins but for this year i think he's going to be fine. still want AJ to get every min that he can handle though, some nights its going to be more then others and the season is still young.

Foul problems get hidden by the stats. Watching the games, its easy to see when the other team is getting easy shots near the basket because a starter does not want to pick up another foul and have to sit. Note, there is nothing wrong with this, as a starter is expected to pick and choose when he fouls. But when you have good depth, you simply can tell your starters not to worry, play solid D and someone else will come in and do just fine if you pick up that foul.

But I don't think Flip totally trusts AJ to come in and contribute in meaningful minutes unless there are two other bigs in foul trouble. It looks, however, that AJ gets a nod over Brezec.

Lindsey was inactive tonight, and Stuckey was the first guard off the bench. He came in for Rip with a couple of minutes left in the first quarter. So it was CB and Stuckey for the next 4 minutes or so, and then Rip came back at around 10 mins left in the 2nd for CB, with Stuckey moving over to the point. Stuckey then committed his 3rd foul just two minutes later, so CB came back in. AA came in for Rip with about 4 mins left in the half.

Stuckey's foul trouble threw things off a bit, I think. It appears that this is what Flip might have in mind for the first half guard rotation:

-- Stuckey replaces Rip late in the first qrtr, plays with CB for the next 3 or 4 minutes
-- Rip comes in for CB after a minute or two in the 2nd quarter, Stuckey moves to the point
-- CB and AA replace Stuckey and Rip with a few minutes left to finish the half

Or something close to that. Looks like Flip doesn't want Stuckey and AA out there together unless it's garbage time, which makes sense. But maybe one or the other will be out there for most of the second quarter.

I like giving Stuckey some time at SG. No matter what a press release says, he is still a natural SG with some PG skills on the side.

That is correct. But the Pistons drafted him to become our future point guard. It is going to take time and hopefully he will become better at it than Hunter who was also a combo guard in college.

He is not smooth with his shot release (hitch) and he must prove in can hit the threes. This may come in time.

Right now, he must learn game situations and flow patterns. He is very aggressive going to the basket and hence, will get some rebounds. He should study Bonzi Wells on moves around the basket. Of course, most coaches frown on their PG getting many rebounds. I wonder why?

Right now

Rip lowest MPG in 5 years
C-Bill lowest MPG in 5 years
Tay lowest MPG in 4 years
Sheed lowest MPG in over a decade
Dyess most MPG in 6 years, which was his last year with Denver, which is the year he blew out his knee.

Dyess needs to go under 30 mpg and those minutes should go to Amir.

AJ's defense isn't good enough at this point.
Neither is his jump shooting that good right now so it would change the whole offense by playing AJ rather than Dyess.

In principle I totally agree with you, but I just don't think AJ is ready. He already has more minutes this year than Maxey had is rookie year.

Maybe if AJ works hard enough and improves enough during garbage time he will be good enough to get into the regular rotation before the year is over.