*

This was my night thought on Haslem:

If there has been one constant in this utterly unpredictable series it is the importance of starting aggressively and fast. *Updated. Ime Udoka today: "Obviously, going into [Miami], we want to start better...we have to get ourselves off to better starts, get ourselves easy baskets and not give them life early in the game."

Constant 1A: change things up. It flummoxes the opposing coach. For some fucking reason. We half-heartedly full-court pressed Atlanta and Trae Young. It gave him a few seconds less time to think. Think about it: your main ballhandler bringing the ball up. What's he doing? Looking. Seeing what defense the other guys are in, where they're spaced, where his guys are. Thinking. He counts on those couple of seconds of not being guarded to plot his next move. If you have him thinking, "Whoa! I've got a guy on me, better be careful, I'm going to get stripped!" then he's not plotting.

The main players are exhausted mentally and physically. Look at Bam. He's not himself. U.D. would own the paint. The few times in past years Haslem has played he has been like his own force field. He disrupts the energy of the entire game.

Boston is not mentally tough. They can be distracted. They can be intimidated.

So:

Aggressive. Haslem. Haslem would set the tone for the whole team.
Change. Dude, the "Celtics" would call a timeout before the jump ball if U.D. came out to take the center tip.
New energy. Haslem. Energy is contagious.
Distraction/intimidation. Whooo doggie, Haslem. 

Start Haslem. Fully awake, I still think it's a good idea.