People are taking his comment way incorrectly. He started over Randolph for ONE GAME. Randolph is hurt, he needs to get healthy before the season starts, that’s all.

Seeing how crapily (if that’s a word) Randolph played in his last few preseason games, I too would have him come off the bench.

When Randolph isn’t healthy enough to hit the boards and defend aggressively, he’s hardly better than M’gette in those areas, and that’s what the coach referred to in ‘how we need him to play’. Even when Randolph heals, there will be opposing line ups that favor M’gette starting, just as there will be nights that aren’t favorable to Curry starting.

In no way does it hurt the team to have starter-quality players on the second unit in the Nelson scheme, because it gives him a big edge over most coaches in counter moves and adjustments in the line ups. The Auerbach green teams had plenty of bench players incl. Nelson who’d end up finishing the games, and playing as many or more minutes as the starters. An energy-booster to the line up like Randolph is very appropriate for the 6th-7th guy, a role similar to what Barnes did in his time.

If AR is healthy I think he will start. If not that’s just stupid. We saw how Maggs played as a starter and AR is one of our bright spots for the future. He should start opening night.