Are we headed for the dreaded too deep bench?

[Emmette Bryant]

A dreaded too deep bench?

Is that like too much fun?

Or too much power?

Or too much garlic?

[Brendan]

Actually now that I look at minutes above, if they could bring in Camby or another true center to backup KG and resign Steisma as insurance they'd be fine. Just means Ray playing minutes at SF and Green playing a lot at PF.

If everyone is playing well, then Doc will need to work to cut minutes for Pierce and Allen without them getting out of their grove.

[BballTim]

PG - Rondo
SG - Ray
SF - Pierce
PF - Bass
C - KG

I guess Bradley and Terry get the guard minutes off the bench.  There is no Dooling now... some combo of Rondo, Ray, Bradley and Terry will get all of the guard minutes.

Jeff Green is a SF who should be playing SF, but I imagine he can play some backup PF if needed.  

But I guess we'll have some combo of the young unprovens playing backup minutes at the big slots.  WE really relying on the 21st pick (Sullinger) and a d-leaguer (Stiesma) to give us significant minutes?  

I have almost no expectations from Mayo, JaJuan Johnson or any of our 2nd round guard scrubs.  I don't really consider that "deep"... unless I'm missing something, we are 8 deep and possibly 9 or 10 if you want to include Sullinger and Stiesma.  

Are we signing Wilcox?  That's probably a little help.

 I wouldn't be surprised to see Wilcox or another big, but Stiemsma gave us significant minutes last year. Are you assuming that his having played in the D league will somehow prevent him from doing so again next year?

Bottom line Stiesma is not very good and half the guys on our roster haven't done lick squat to prove they can be relied on.  Merely having bodies doesn't equate to "depth".

  Stiemsma isn't bad for a 5th big.

[Boris Badenov]

Many benches that seem too deep on July 5 seem much thinner on May 10.

[bfrombleacher]

A dreaded too deep bench?

Is that like too much fun?

Or too much power?

Or too much garlic?

Too much ketchup!

[#1P4P]

From Doc and DA's quotes, they plan on giving the veterans as much rest as possible. If the second unit can hold and even extend leads, the rest of the team will get more than enough minutes. The C's bench did a terrible job of holding leads last year... terrible (especially large ones). If that trend stops, players will get their minutes; if it doesn't, the starters will take up the minutes they've taken up in the past.

The depth has its advantages: limit veteran minutes (limiting wear and tear) in a season long preparation for another strong playoff run and having been plagued by injuries for the last 4 years... this gives us more than serviceable backups.

If anyone can manage player minutes, distribute accordingly, and not have the bench complain or sulk, it's Doc. If Popovich and the Spurs can do it, why can't Doc and the C's? Barring injury, it'll all come down to the second unit's ability to hold and extend leads.

[Brendan]

From Doc and DA's quotes, they plan on giving the veterans as much rest as possible. If the second unit can hold and even extend leads, the rest of the team will get more than enough minutes. The C's bench did a terrible job of holding leads last year... terrible (especially large ones). If that trend stops, players will get their minutes; if it doesn't, the starters will take up the minutes they've taken up in the past.

The depth has its advantages: limit veteran minutes (limiting wear and tear) in a season long preparation for another strong playoff run and having been plagued by injuries for the last 4 years... this gives us more than serviceable backups.

If anyone can manage player minutes, distribute accordingly, and not have the bench complain or sulk, it's Doc. If Popovich and the Spurs can do it, why can't Doc and the C's? Barring injury, it'll all come down to the second unit's ability to hold and extend leads.

Nice first post. TP4U sir.

[#1P4P]

Nice first post. TP4U sir.

Appreciate it...

[thenotoriousjts]

I'm going to try to turn my rage into a constructive response, but are you bleeping kidding me? We were playing Leon Powe, Tony Allen, Eddie House, James Posey, PJ Brown, Sam Cassell, and Glen Davis off the bench in 2008. The DREADED deep bench? What kind of  bizarro Celtics blog am I reading?

[LosAngelesCeltic]

I don't think we can have a too-deep bench. If Doc holds through to what he says we may not see only see combinations of the Big# against certain bottom level teams. We have proved that with this squad it doesn't matter whom we play in any round. So resting a KG/PP against a Bobcat or Wizard team really shouldn't diminish our chances of winning that game. Yes NY and NJ and Philly will be better but they all won't play better than us. Hey we caught Philly playing with half our roster, so winning another Atlantic crown will be child's play. But having a beef guy like Sully, another shot blocker like Melo, an improved quickness big like Johnson, and hopefully the young vet Wilcox, will make KG and Bass lives much much easier.

[mctyson]

I think that if Ray and Green are on the team, we're going to go small a lot. 

I could see something like this:

PG - Rondo 36, Terry 12
SG - Bradley 28 mpg, Terry 8, Ray 12
SF - Paul 32, Ray 12, Green 4
PF - Bass 25, Green 23
C - KG 28, backup center of your choice, 20

I really see no other way to pull off getting these guys significant minutes unless we go that route.  Sucks for the rookies unless we go really small with Sullinger or JJJ at center with Bass or Green at the 4. 

Pierce isn't getting 30+ anymore.  Jeff Green will get 20+ at the 3 every game.  There may be times we go small and Ray (if he is here) shifts down but that is it.

Rondo is going down in minutes, he has to to keep up his pace.  We have the bodies to do it, let him rest a little more.  I see him at 34 mpg this year.

Bass will vary depending on lineups.  KG will play some 4 when Stiemer/Wilcox/Sullinger/Melo play the 5.  I actually expect a lot of Sullinger at the 5 this year.  I think a Sullinger and Bass/JJJ front court would create serious problems for defenses.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

"the dreaded too deep bench"... what is this thing you speak of?   

oxymoron...........does not exist.....we know all too well we need a deep bench to help the starters as far as rest and scoring and defense are concerned. We have not had a good bench in years right?

[Jon]

I think that if Ray and Green are on the team, we're going to go small a lot. 

I could see something like this:

PG - Rondo 36, Terry 12
SG - Bradley 28 mpg, Terry 8, Ray 12
SF - Paul 32, Ray 12, Green 4
PF - Bass 25, Green 23
C - KG 28, backup center of your choice, 20

I really see no other way to pull off getting these guys significant minutes unless we go that route.  Sucks for the rookies unless we go really small with Sullinger or JJJ at center with Bass or Green at the 4. 

Pierce isn't getting 30+ anymore.  Jeff Green will get 20+ at the 3 every game.  There may be times we go small and Ray (if he is here) shifts down but that is it.

Rondo is going down in minutes, he has to to keep up his pace.  We have the bodies to do it, let him rest a little more.  I see him at 34 mpg this year.

Bass will vary depending on lineups.  KG will play some 4 when Stiemer/Wilcox/Sullinger/Melo play the 5.  I actually expect a lot of Sullinger at the 5 this year.  I think a Sullinger and Bass/JJJ front court would create serious problems for defenses.

People have been saying that Doc won't give Pierce (or Ray) 30 mpg for several years now.  I'll believe it when I see it.  He averaged 34 mpg last year.  Ray also averaged 34 mpg at 36 years of age. 

I think there's a very good chance that PP still plays north of 30 mpg, whether we like it or not. 

[Who]

I think that if Ray and Green are on the team, we're going to go small a lot. 

I could see something like this:

PG - Rondo 36, Terry 12
SG - Bradley 28 mpg, Terry 8, Ray 12
SF - Paul 32, Ray 12, Green 4
PF - Bass 25, Green 23
C - KG 28, backup center of your choice, 20

That team is going to get battered on the boards.

Bass and Green for 48 minutes at the power forward slot is a major liability on the backboards. Avery Bradley and Jason Terry in the backcourt. Ray Allen playing SF minutes. Pierce and Garnett gradually slowing down. Stiemsma a bit below average too.

I wouldn't be surprised if that team was at a deficit of 5-7 rebounds a night.

[bfrombleacher]

I actually wanted us to stock up on lots of young, high ceiling bigs that lack focus. I still think we should since Stiems is leaving, replace him with Anthony Randolph and we get:

Randolph, Sully, Fab Melo, JJJ, Sean Williams

Lots of insurance behind our starting bigs. Plus, with their high upsides there's a greater chance we get a contributor this year and a big of the future. And we get to really milk KG's contract for its worth.

I just really don't see why not.