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Question: How do you expect to see the 4 spot used next season? Should we expect to see more Brandon Bass (or Ryan Anderson) at the four and Rashard Lewis at the 3 more often? – Jef Wilder
Otis: I think it will be a combination of both. I don’t think we will stop playing Rashard Lewis at the four. But you’ll see him play some spot minutes at the three. What happens at the four behind Rashard will be determined by Brandon and Ryan. It would be premature for us to say what’s going to happen at this point. Preseason will determine who we play, how often they play and the minutes they are given there. Guys have to find a way for a coach not to play you. And that adjusts your lineups. You want your best players on the floor all the time.
First year guys historically with Stan Van Gundy always have an adjustment period. Our whole team went through an adjustment when he came. Rashard went through an adjustment, Vince Carter, Mickael Pietrus, they all go through an adjustment with Stan’s system. So I expect Brandon to be a little bit better and Ryan to be a little bit better than they were a year ago, just because they’ve picked up on terminology and what it takes to play.
Question: Could you envision having Mickael Pietrus in the starting lineup next season? – Juan Delgado
Otis: That’s really not up to me. That’s up to Mickael Pietrus. I’ve envisioned him in the starting lineup since he got here. But he doesn’t envision himself there. He would prefer to be a backup for whatever reason. So I am hoping he starts to envision himself as a starter. That’s who it’s up to. It’s not really up to anyone else. I think he has the skills that it would take to start on this team at the small forward position, which is someone who can defend, hit open threes and make shots. We went out and got Quentin Richardson for similar reasons.
http://www.nba.com/m...tis_091410.html
Otis: I think it will be a combination of both. I don’t think we will stop playing Rashard Lewis at the four. But you’ll see him play some spot minutes at the three. What happens at the four behind Rashard will be determined by Brandon and Ryan. It would be premature for us to say what’s going to happen at this point. Preseason will determine who we play, how often they play and the minutes they are given there. Guys have to find a way for a coach not to play you. And that adjusts your lineups. You want your best players on the floor all the time.
First year guys historically with Stan Van Gundy always have an adjustment period. Our whole team went through an adjustment when he came. Rashard went through an adjustment, Vince Carter, Mickael Pietrus, they all go through an adjustment with Stan’s system. So I expect Brandon to be a little bit better and Ryan to be a little bit better than they were a year ago, just because they’ve picked up on terminology and what it takes to play.
Question: Could you envision having Mickael Pietrus in the starting lineup next season? – Juan Delgado
Otis: That’s really not up to me. That’s up to Mickael Pietrus. I’ve envisioned him in the starting lineup since he got here. But he doesn’t envision himself there. He would prefer to be a backup for whatever reason. So I am hoping he starts to envision himself as a starter. That’s who it’s up to. It’s not really up to anyone else. I think he has the skills that it would take to start on this team at the small forward position, which is someone who can defend, hit open threes and make shots. We went out and got Quentin Richardson for similar reasons.
http://www.nba.com/m...tis_091410.html
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