One thing everyone is overlooking: our bench

[bfrombleacher]

This year's offseason was chaotic to say the least with Chris Paul stirring it up on top of it being compressed. On the surface, our team looks like the same, old (pun intended) team as our foes while our foes are getting better seemingly by the minute.

But there's one thing that everybody here seems to have overlooked. One thing that was going to be our edge over every other team this time last season. Our bench.

Unfortunately, due to injuries and injuries galore, it never manifested itself fully.

About half way through the season, the team was in shambles with Marquis Daniels's terrible injury trumping them all. As much as the Perk trade played a factor, I believe injuries were the main problem as not only did our bench never come together, our starting lineup was also destroyed. We somehow managed to have Shaq, J.O. and Krstic injured at the same time. Even Big Baby was injured, probably the cause of the post season disappearance (plus he was more worried about his next contract and there's that).

By the time we were facing the Heat, our team was essentially down to our core four, Jermaine O'Neal playing the first minutes of the season and a lost Jeff Green. We essentially gave the Heat the same looks on offense except we came back weaker every time as our core four became more and more beat-up.

Now, in the very short free agency period, Danny has quietly made something out of essentially nothing (with 6 players under contract and a few contracts eating our cap at the beginning). Once again, we have ourselves a bench that can beat sub .500 teams. This time, Danny seems to have taken health into consideration. Even with Jeff Green out, I think we'd be in for more than a few pleasant surprises this year.

[Roy H.]

Once again, we have ourselves a bench that can beat sub .500 teams.

I appreciate the optimism, but this is overstating things pretty severely, in my mind.

[hpantazo]

Excellent post bfrombleacher, TP. I have made a smilar argument in a few other threads. I fully believe that a big reason we lost to the heat is that our bench was injured (Shaq, Kristic, and even JO) immature, and selfish. Pierce also alluded to this recently in an interview. Ainge built a much more complete and mature bench this year, even without Green. This will be a huge boost for us, especially in a shortened season. Wilcox, a new and improved Marquis Daniels, Bass, and Dooling are excellent additions.

[bfrombleacher]

Once again, we have ourselves a bench that can beat sub .500 teams.

I appreciate the optimism, but this is overstating things pretty severely, in my mind.

I think they'd be able to compete with them and compete hard. Bass, Marquis Daniels and (to a lesser extent) Dooling can all be starters.

Celticsblog is a bit gloomy when it comes to their favorite team, which I'd take all day over obnoxious, blind and in-your-face fans some other teams have all day any day but its also kind of depressing sometimes. A bit of reasonable optimism can't hurt

Excellent post bfrombleacher, TP. I have made a smilar argument in a few other threads. I fully believe that a big reason we lost to the heat is that our bench was injured (Shaq, Kristic, and even JO) immature, and selfish. Pierce also alluded to this recently in an interview. Ainge built a much more complete and mature bench this year, even without Green. This will be a huge boost for us, especially in a shortened season. Wilcox, a new and improved Marquis Daniels, Bass, and Dooling are excellent additions.

Thanks for that

[lon3lytoaster]

Once again, we have ourselves a bench that can beat sub .500 teams.

I appreciate the optimism, but this is overstating things pretty severely, in my mind.

Have to agree. Someone always says something great about our bench, and it never really pans out that way. I think our bench has been a huge letdown for us every year since 08.

[bfrombleacher]

Once again, we have ourselves a bench that can beat sub .500 teams.

I appreciate the optimism, but this is overstating things pretty severely, in my mind.

Have to agree. Someone always says something great about our bench, and it never really pans out that way. I think our bench has been a huge letdown for us every year since 08.

In 2009 we had KG injured (Rondo carried us that year which is often overlooked) and in 2010, as we all know, Perk was injured so I don't really think it was the bench's fault.

Last year's bench was legit though if it weren't so injury prone. Shaq, JO and Perk was an amazing prospect. I think that statement holds true, really true, to last year's Celtics and I'd give you that.

[chambers]

Once again, we have ourselves a bench that can beat sub .500 teams.

I appreciate the optimism, but this is overstating things pretty severely, in my mind.

Have to agree. Someone always says something great about our bench, and it never really pans out that way. I think our bench has been a huge letdown for us every year since 08.

Our bench is the best bench we've had in the Big Three era.
It is very strong and could probably compete with some bottom dwelling teams.
That being said, our competition has improved significantly compared to the improvement on our bench.
The Bulls, Heat, Knicks- even Philly are much better than when we won- heck the Nets might get Dwight Howard and they'd be a threat next year.
All this has happened while our big three have gotten older, Rondo has 'leveled out' to pretty much his ceiling- his shooting/free throws are never going change and now he's getting nagging injuries to boot.

I love the optimism and people are severely underrating our bench.
Problem is while our bench got better, our team's core has stayed the same/deteriorated and our opponents cores have all exploded.

The ironic thing is that we caused the snowball that turned into an avalanche of superstars teaming up to create championship contenders.
Losing Jeff Green, god bless him, is basically the nail in the coffin for us- we had a slim chance of making the ECF this year with him in the line up.

Just enjoy the ride and who knows, maybe D wade or Lebron will twist a knee and we can get past the Bulls.

Not giving up on our guys- they are warriors and I will watch every minute of every game. Just giving a realistic counter view to the OP's outlook.

[green7]

Once again, we have ourselves a bench that can beat sub .500 teams.

I appreciate the optimism, but this is overstating things pretty severely, in my mind.

Have to agree. Someone always says something great about our bench, and it never really pans out that way. I think our bench has been a huge letdown for us every year since 08.

nope nope nope our bench before the perk trade last season was great

[Jon]

Well, before Jeff Green went down for the year, a lot of things had to go right for us to win it all.  Now even more things have to go right, including the bench.

I think it's possible the bench could be quite good; however, it's far from a sure things. 

On the upside, when Wilcox was given starters minutes earlier in his career, he did put up 13 and 7.  The downside was that was 4 years ago.  Furthermore, he's not exactly a bulky go at the 5 spot.  Still, I have hope for him.  Shaq proved last year that if you can finish around the basket (something that Wilcox is very good at) there's a lot of points to be had playing with our starters.  Just remember how many times Perk (and to some extent BBD) botched or had blocked 2 footers around the basket. 

I also think Bass will be a nice addition.  The downside?  Can he create his own offense.  I think he'll play quite nicely with the starters in smaller lineups, hitting the weakside jumper.  However, like Wilcox, I question whether he can be that go-to bench scorer that Jeff Green was supposed to be. 

The one big hope is Marquis Daniels.  Is very good off the dribble and in the post.  He could be our bench scorer. 

Overall though, while I think our bench can be effective, I think Doc is going to have to be creative with his rotations to ensure that we always have 1-2 starters on the floor at all times.  I think this bench has a nice support cast, I'm just not sure if anyone good enough to push an entire "green team" for extended minutes. 

[pearljammer10]

Once again, we have ourselves a bench that can beat sub .500 teams.

I appreciate the optimism, but this is overstating things pretty severely, in my mind.

With Jeff Green we have a bench that can beat sub 500 teams, I highly believe that... Dooling, Daniels, Green, Bass, Wilcox is a lineup the Cavs or Raptors could throw out on the floor. However, without Green the second units production drops significantly.

[vinnie]

Once again, we have ourselves a bench that can beat sub .500 teams.

I appreciate the optimism, but this is overstating things pretty severely, in my mind.

+1

[Surferdad]

I don't think losing Green is as big a deal as posters here are making it out to be.  C's lose some depth, for sure, but if the team can stay fairly healthy (obviously a BIG if), then the main bench guys are Bass, Wilcox, Daniels, Dooling which is not shabby at all.  That's 9-deep with experienced players (Sasha could be #10.)

What they lose is Doc's occasional desire to go small with KG & Green at the 5 and 4 positions.  I'm not a fan of small lineups so this is not an issue, IMO.

[lon3lytoaster]

Once again, we have ourselves a bench that can beat sub .500 teams.

I appreciate the optimism, but this is overstating things pretty severely, in my mind.

Have to agree. Someone always says something great about our bench, and it never really pans out that way. I think our bench has been a huge letdown for us every year since 08.

nope nope nope our bench before the perk trade last season was great

It was... In theory. If Jermaine, Shaq, Delonte were healthy and if Nate Robinson wasn't garbage all year, those guys would have made the best C's bench in recent memory. But they weren't and we really didn't have much going on with our bench last year. Glen Davis, that's about it.