What's the purpose of the bench? Give rest to GPA and maintain the spread.

[TitleMaster]

Once something goes wrong the bench needs to be able to step into the lineup, execute, and win. Not only that but in any single game the bench needs to take advantage.

Well, unlike KC Jones, the present day coaching staff is using many of the components, including Scal, who'd been given the Greg Kite treatment, by much of this board, for the past two years. In contrast, KC had no faith in substitutions w/o a near star-like player, during interims, to maintain the momentum.

So all and all, I don't really worry about the bench too much because it's a pretty good one. Now, Rondo's becoming an extraordinarily mature player but at the same time, he can't be expected to log 40+ mins per game so it's nice to have a sub, who can show up and make Rondo's former defender, give up in trying to keep up. Starbury is exactly that guy, he'll make everyone work and if the others (House, BBD, Powe, one of the GPA) don't have a clear look, he'll hoist one and at some point in time, draw double teams. That's when the opponents will get exasperated because let's face it, that's what happened to Bird's team against both the Lakers and Pistons, who had deeper bench during the mid-to-late 80s. Except in this case, we're the Pistons of the late 80s w/ our own Microwave.

[TitleMaster]

Ok, after tonight's grand entrance, by Marbury, I rest my case about the bench.

The Bird Celts were a completely benchless squad, and the result was that they'd lost both '85 and '87, as a result, and possibly '84, if it weren't for Henderson's steal. Think about it, the Bird years could have been '81 and '86, two years with a series of losses in the middle.

In '85, both MacAdoo and Kupchak, did the grunt work while the Lakers starters were resting and by '87, Thompson and Green. By '88, the Pistons had a Microwave, along with Edwards.

Now, we have what Bird didn't have, Starbury not Wedman, off the bench. Imagine if KC Jones had a 20 ppg, shooting combo guard, off the bench, for all those years? The Celtics would of had a quattropeat ('84-'87).

[QuinielaBox]

If Bird had Bias and Walton hanging around we would have kept winning titles until the Micheal Jordan era.

[TitleMaster]

If Bird had Bias and Walton

Well, Walton broke his foot on an exercise bike, something which even I couldn't do, w/o really slamming it, during the offseason. He was a guaranteed '86-only, one time event.

And it's yet to be seen if Bias's Maryland career would have translated into a bonafide franchise player. I think that's a part of our lore and I'd rather not use that as another "Bambino" event. We could have still tried to shore up the bench a little.

The truth is that when the Pistons finally had Mark Aguirre, they were a complete squad with plenty of punch, off their bench. On the other hand, the Bird Celtics had a benchless path where in effect, they lived and died by the health of either DJ's legs, McHale's ankles, or Bird's back/wrists. All and all, DJ was the healthiest of the bunch and if Starbury was backing him up, forget about it, Bird would have found him for numerous plays. DJ would have been completely rested for a Q4 slaughter feast. In fact, I could even imagine the final minutes with DJ/Starbury, putting Ainge on the bench, and the Big Three completely neutralizing both the Lakers and Pistons. Even with a bad shooting wrist, Bird could have played w/ his back to the basket w/ Marbury roaming the perimeter.