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Can the Celtics keep using their bench this way?
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You might think the only dilemma the coach of a 26-2 team might be whether to have waffles or pancakes for breakfast. But Doc Rivers is about to have a decision on his hands.
Can the Celtics keep using their bench this way?
A pattern is emerging during Celtics games. Last night, the Celtics stormed out to a ridiculous 40-21 lead in the first quarter. But once the second unit came in, they gave up 37 second quarter points, and the Celtics went into halftime up 66-58. And while things ended with a lopsided win, some guys had to play much more than they should have.
Doc is using his bench a little bit differently this year. We're seeing 5 guys off the bench for much longer stretches in the second quarter. The trickle off the bench starts at the end of the first quarter. By the early second quarter, all of the starters are sitting. Doc's trying to get his starters some rest early in the season, but it's starting to backfire. Rather than extending or even holding leads, the second unit is giving back points, forcing Doc to get the big guns back earlier, and for more minutes. So what can he do?
Option 1: Keep on keepin' on.
Doc could just keep doing what he's doing, and hope that cohesiveness develops. Gabe Pruitt is starting to get more time, which is a new wrinkle to this second unit. He's a really good shooter, and he's progressing, but he spent a bulk of last year in theNBDL. At one point last night, the Celtics had Pruitt, Eddie House, Tony Allen, Leon Powe and Brian Scalabrine on the floor (Glen Davis didn't play because of a car accident). I'm betting these guys don't get a ton of reps together, so getting double-digit minutes in a December game should help them.
If Doc keeps on doing what he's doing, maybe these guys can grow into a good enough unit to handle the "hold the lead" duties in the second quarter.
Option 2: Change the rotations
Let's be honest. How often will that full second unit see the floor in the playoffs? As the Celtics move closer to the playoffs, the rotations will start to change. Instead of letting the starters play most of the first quarter, maybe a couple of them come out at the 6 or 7 minute mark, then come back to start the second quarter with a few bench guys around with them. However it happens, we'll generally see at least one or two starters on the floor at all times. This way, when things start to fall apart, they can look to maybe Paul Pierce or Ray Allen for a little leadership out there.
So if that's going to be the case later, some might say you should start it now. Get these guys used to their roles so they're humming at maximum potential by playoff time.
Personally, I'm all for keeping things as they are for now. There's a lot of talk about comparing this Celtics team to the 72-win Bulls team from 1995-96. But I couldn't care less about 72 wins. The only number of wins I, or any of the Celtics care about, is 16 wins it takes in the playoffs to win the title. So if some tinkering with the bench in December and even January can weed out the contributors from the water-boys, then I say go for it.
It's funny to think a team on this kind of roll would have issues. But no team is immune. Not only will the Celtics 18 straight wins mean nothing if they fail in the playoffs, the pressure to win a title grows with each passing win. The more historic the season, the more historic the collapse would be. The Celtics bench was a strength last year, and if they want to cap off this season the right way, they have to figure out how to make it a strength again.
