is the bench too young?

[Csfan1984]

I know there is decent talent there but I think the bench is another year away from being good enough to help a deep playoff run. We just don't see that many young guys help a playoff team traditionally. It's usually a few older vets that step up and one or two young players. Not a bunch of under 4 years experience guys. I'd keep this in mind as the season goes on.

[footey]

Kelly, JJ and GG all have decent experience, but we lack a floor general with a lot of experience, good point.

[walker834]

Marcus is going to be really good this year I feel so no.

Marcus is mature beyond his years mentally. 

[mmmmm]

As others noted, veterans Kelly and Gerald have yet to play.

Further, in reality, once the regular season starts, Brad is not likely to leave the bench hanging out to dry with just the youngest players out there for long stretches like he did in the 4th period of the pre-season.   That's just something to do now, for development.

Not only will the starters consume another 10-12 minutes of game time compared to that night, but more than likely they will be staggered to overlap with the bench.   I.E., I expect one or two of the starters to stay on the floor for the first few minutes some bench players come in and I expect one or two of the others to come in early before all the bench players have subbed back out.

[CelticsFanFromNYC]

Whats unique is usually teams who acquire such high draft picks (Smart but more especially Brown) usually  aren't that good and have the main focus of developing players. This was going to be  a similar scenario with Wiggins on Cleveland. Rozier, Smart and Brown may be our future backcourt and those 3 developing together as a 2nd unit is borderline unheard of on my end. Its like having an "A" and "B" team and B can possibly be as good as "A".

ESPECIALLY if we draft a possibly cornerstone big.   And then Another one in "18!! The next 3 years will be some of the most unique player development possibly ever seen in the league. Were literally breeding potential superstar, a potential all start\, and a athletic ball of potential in rozier while having a separate 5 players competing for playoff glory.. INCREDIBLE

[alldaboston]

Yes. You can say "oh but we have Kelly and gerald". Do any of you seriously expect Kelly to show up playoff time? Gunslinger mentality, ready to go? Marcus has that. Terry and Jaylen might show that. Kelly? Nah fam. Gerald? Let's see.

And it's also not just mentality. None of these guys are scorers, yet. You can't give them the ball and say "go get be some baskets". And that's the biggest problem we have with our second unit. They lead us to offensive droughts. Maybe they prove me wrong, but as of now I think they are too young and also they don't fit the mold of a bench scorer

[Moranis]

Come playoffs, Boston will have at best an 8 man main rotation.  That doesn't mean only 8 players will play in the playoffs, just those would be the main guys.  Smart, Olynyk, and Green will probably be those 3 bench players while Rozier, Brown, and JJ will only be getting spot minutes.  So no the bench isn't too young, the real problem is the starting 5 isn't good enough to compete with the Cavs or the best teams out west.

[walker834]

I think jerebko will be utilized in some form all year and the playoffs.  I don't see our rotation getting that small this year.  Rozier should play too as well and KO, Marcus, Jaylen and whoever else steps up.  Most likely Green.  One of those guys may sit but someone else may step up too.  Our rotation even with Zeller is going to be pretty deep all year.

[Eja117]

Yeah, but this is the thing. Usually the reason it's vets on the bench is because due to financials and only limited spots you get guys that were never good enough to be starters in their whole career or you get former starters.

Our guys are in some cases talented enough to be starters on other teams or would be soon. It's a talent issue.

Our guys are all together here at one time due to Ainge having so many draft picks. Like Jaylen Brown vs Matt Barnes....by the end of the year I have faith Jaylen would be a LOT for Matt to handle.

Terry Rozier vs Shelvin Mack or Shaun Livingston

I'm not that worried about our bench.

[GratefulCs]

Yes. You can say "oh but we have Kelly and gerald". Do any of you seriously expect Kelly to show up playoff time? Gunslinger mentality, ready to go? Marcus has that. Terry and Jaylen might show that. Kelly? Nah fam. Gerald? Let's see.

And it's also not just mentality. None of these guys are scorers, yet. You can't give them the ball and say "go get be some baskets". And that's the biggest problem we have with our second unit. They lead us to offensive droughts. Maybe they prove me wrong, but as of now I think they are too young and also they don't fit the mold of a bench scorer

PLAYOFFS!?


Sorry, had to


Edit:now i've said playoffs so many times out loud it's lost its meaning

[danglertx]

I'm pretty down on the last 4 guys or so on our bench.  I'd probably keep Young, but let Hunter, Mickey, Bentil, and Jackson go if we can replace them with someone better.  Like Holmes from Philly probably won't stick unless the 76ers trade a big.  So I'd let Mickey go and pick up Holmes in a heart beat.

Of course, this is off SL, one preseason game and one scrimmage so...

[bdm860]

Yes, our bench is too Young.  Too Hunter too. 

[wdleehi]

Young, but most have had a taste of playoff basketball.



So, not all that worried. 

[BlackCeltic]

I feel like Rozier is the guy who is going to be packaged. Smart is going to be the playmaker with Jackson coming on slowly in a third string role. I actually thought Jackson setup the offense a lot better than Rozier did last game. Terry is obviously a volume scorer and needs to be a starter somewhere. i love his game but i dont think this team is right for him and vice versa. I wouldnt be surprised to see him go to Philly at all.

[LarBrd33]

Olynyk getting back will help because it either puts him or Amir on the bench.

I liked what I saw out of Smart and Rozier against Philly.  Only problem was that they were going up against terrible competition.  I'm anxious to see if they play well tonight.

I also wouldn't fully rule out the possibility of starting Smart + Bradley together and having Thomas go back to being instant offense off the bench.  I know that's crazytown considering Thomas is coming off an all-star season, but the thing is - if Bradley and Crowder keep showing offensive improvement, there is probably enough offense in that starting lineup between Bradley, Crowder and Horford. 

Though I do like the idea of having Rozier and Smart be the second unit back court.   Anyways - team has a lot of options they can try out.