Woody needs to get Teague more experience & get more out of the bench than Jamal.

[Blunt91]

This thread is a 2 part question. One about Teague and the other about our playoff situation. Woody seems to just want to win as many games as possible during the regular season but winning 55 or 56 games will all be for nothing if we get swept in the 2nd round of the playoffs. We are going to need more production from our bench other than Jamal come playoff time. You can't develop Teague given him token minutes. Woody plays him a little in the 1st half and then either doesn't play him at all in the 2nd half or he comes in with a few minutes left in the 4th after the game has been decided. He should let Teauge start a few games the rest of the way, just to help him get comfortable out there. The main reason we need Teague to play better is because of guys like Jameer Nelson. The reason we are losing to Orlando is because we double Jameer Nelson when he drives to the hoop and we are doubling Dwight Howard too much. If we can get Teague to play with a little more confidence he could guard Nelson in the playoffs without our perimeter guys having to leave their man to give Bibby & Jamal help.

That is the key to being competitive with Orlando, don't double Jameer Nelson and Dwight Howard every freaking play. Help on the Boards and stay home on your man who is sitting at the 3 point line. Woody hasn't figured this out. Since Sund want get us a defensive pg to stop all this penetration then we have to develop Teague now and not later despite whether he has a clue out there or not. Woody will be sorry he didn't come playoff time in the 2nd round.

[ATLNY7]

I totally agree.

[HawkWeisErrr]

If you look as bad as Teague looks when he's in the game you'd be thankful to even be allowed off the bench to cheer when one of the guys on the floor does something exciting. Teague has shown me nothing when he's in the game. In fact, after Jamal, and an occasional good play on defense from Joe Smith, our entire bench is horrendous.

[AHF]

My position remains the same on this. Teague should be given consistent minutes in a limited role. Him playing 5 minutes or less in more than 50% of his games is not doing this.

[Wretch]

My position remains the same on this. Teague should be given consistent minutes in a limited role. Him playing 5 minutes or less in more than 50% of his games is not doing this.

I'm in agreement. I don't think it's so important right now. It's funny, but 3 or 4 years ago all people wanted to do was keep the rookies on the bench and try to win games. When I argued that it was less important to a losing team to try and win with vets (that wouldn't be around in a few years) and more important to give young guys PT. There is a time a place to bench rookies and that is when your team is winning.

Now that the time has come, people are screaming to get young guys PT - when we should be more concerned about wins. Teague is going to be the player that he is going to be and I think he fits in Woodson's system. But as AHF's saying, limited role and a steady diet of limited minutes IMO.

[Deeman]

True but Woody is coaching for a new contract, he is not going to risk wins, just so Teauge can develop.

[Diesel]

Last night, I was pleased to see Teague, Joe Smith, Mo, & Collins in the game at the same time. I hope to see more of this as the season progresses. The learnnig moment from years past is that we might need to guys to step up in the post season. We won the game against a good Grizz team... so my point is that no harm done. We should quit with all this bellyaching and let Teague learn the game. We've bellyached that he should play more. When he plays more we bellyache that he wasn't so good. IMO, if Woody can get Teague and these others in the game and not lose games, then he should do that. We will need everybody to step up come April!

[BrazilianHawk]

True but Woody is coaching for a new contract, he is not going to risk wins, just so Teauge can develop.

In that case, Woody should be fired ASAP. He's squandering another rookie PG in order to get his new contract. 50+ wins won't suffice if the team gets swept come playoff time.

[Colin]

Teague hasn't really shown much when he is in, what do you want Woody to do? If Woody played Teague more minutes, and he stunk it up, blowing leads when he is in the game, you'd be calling for his head for managing the game wrong.

I have more of a beef with Zaza not playing enough to feel comfortable off of the bench. That could be a problem come playoff time.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

(( perplexed look ))

The more wins we get, the better chance we have at winning the division. And if we win the division, we could possibly have the #2 seed and home court advantage in the 2nd round.

Yet, people are more worried about the playing time of the bench and Teague, than winning every game we possibly can? I don't get it.

This is the same bench that immeadiately came into last night's game, and fell behind. We do not have a good 2nd unit outside of Crawford. We just don't. The bench, when inserted into a game as a unit, has routinely gotten outplayed all year.

Teague hasn't proven to be an offensive asset or a defensive stopper. He's made a few real good hustle plays, but that's it. He can't guard a vet PG like Jameer. Don't be surprised if he doesn't get ANY playing time during the playoffs.

With every game of the playoffs having either a day or two ( or sometimes 3 days in the First round ) between them, coaches will routinely shorten their rosters. It is more important that Zaza and Evans give us quality spot minutes, than Teague. And because he's a big, Joe Smith may be called upon as well.

Teague is the 10th man. Jamal can play the 1. Jamal will have to play 30+ minutes in the playoffs. JJ will play close to 40. Even if Teague plays, he's not going to play enough minutes to match up with Nelson, to affect how the Magic play us.

I just don't get all of this Teague talk, when Jamal can effectively play the 1 and the 2. And from what I've seen, Teague is not a defensive stopper.

It is what it is folks.

[BusBoyIsBack]

Woody is kind of being a win padder right now I admit. It would arguably be better in the long run to go through some growing pains with Teague than giving him such limited PT just to win a few more games.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

A "win padder"? Seriously?

Win padding? LOL . . what does that mean? That you PURPOSELY try to win, to make yourself look good? So is Utah "win padding"?

People need to understand that when you're just about a lock to make the playoffs, the ONLY THING that matters, is playoff seeding.

We're not a developing team anymore. That is no longer the priority here. We're a team fighting for playoff seeding. So "win padding" is exactly what we need to do. We need that #2 seed, seeing that it is definitely within our reach now. If the Cavs slip up in the 2nd round like they did last year, and we have the #2 seed . . . guess who has home court advantage in the Eastern Conf Finals?

WE DO!!!!

Just because a fan favorite isn't getting as much PT as people want, it shouldn't take their eyes off the bigger goal.

We should win as many games as possible. Go get that #2 seed By Any Means Necessary.

[AHF]

People need to understand that when you're just about a lock to make the playoffs, the ONLY THING that matters, is playoff seeding.

We're not a developing team anymore. That is no longer the priority here. We're a team fighting for playoff seeding. So "win padding" is exactly what we need to do. We need that #2 seed, seeing that it is definitely within our reach now. If the Cavs slip up in the 2nd round like they did last year, and we have the #2 seed . . . guess who has home court advantage in the Eastern Conf Finals?

WE DO!!!!

Just because a fan favorite isn't getting as much PT as people want, it shouldn't take their eyes off the bigger goal.

We should win as many games as possible. Go get that #2 seed By Any Means Necessary.

Some people think having a better roster in the playoffs is more valuable than a better seed. To that end, having a productive bench, rested starters and lower seed would be an acceptable tradeoff against an ineffective bench, tired starters and a higher seed.

I think we are going to be hurt for a lack of PG depth in the playoffs, personally.

[spotatl]

I think we are going to be hurt for a lack of PG depth in the playoffs, personally.

I agree- but to me thats a roster problem, not a coaching problem. I don't see any Signs that Teague can help this team win a playoff game. It will be hard to trade for a backup PG- but there should be guys that get bought out that can help.

[BusBoyIsBack]

A "win padder"? Seriously?

Win padding? LOL . . what does that mean? That you PURPOSELY try to win, to make yourself look good? So is Utah "win padding"?

People need to understand that when you're just about a lock to make the playoffs, the ONLY THING that matters, is playoff seeding.

We're not a developing team anymore. That is no longer the priority here. We're a team fighting for playoff seeding. So "win padding" is exactly what we need to do. We need that #2 seed, seeing that it is definitely within our reach now. If the Cavs slip up in the 2nd round like they did last year, and we have the #2 seed . . . guess who has home court advantage in the Eastern Conf Finals?

WE DO!!!!

Just because a fan favorite isn't getting as much PT as people want, it shouldn't take their eyes off the bigger goal.

We should win as many games as possible. Go get that #2 seed By Any Means Necessary.

You do have a point about that 2 seed which is why it's intriguing. But if we fall short of that, at what cost would it come?

DOes it mean that Jeff Teague could develop all of a sudden and be big time off the bench come playoff team? Maybe not but there would be a lot better chance of it happening if we gave him double digit minutes. I mean we live and die by Jamal Crawford right now. That's no recipe for making the ECF. He can't be on fire every night off the bench.

[AHF]

I agree- but to me thats a roster problem, not a coaching problem. I don't see any Signs that Teague can help this team win a playoff game. It will be hard to trade for a backup PG- but there should be guys that get bought out that can help.

Since we have not committed to developing Teague, I agree that we need to get a cheap vet in here before the playoffs.