Boston Celtics tests

[WayOutWest]

Have they played a top tier team?

I'm looling forward (looking/drooling) to them playing the Suns/Mavs/Spurs, right now those guys are not really hitting their strides like Boston but it's still worth a look.  Has that happened yet?  I'd also like to see how they do against solid bread and butter playoff teams like the Rockets and Jazz.

Hopefully when those teams meet it won't be on a back to back night for either team.

[Lurker]

I was just thinking about this the other day.

As far as scheduling goes they have played Wash, Toronto, Denver, Atlanta and New Jersey.  None of those would be considered even a midlevel defensive team (well, maybe the Raptors).  So I am not sure that the Celtics have faced any true tests.  They just squeezed by the Raptors.

The other factor is that the Celtics are basically using a 6 man rotation.  G/A/P are all averaging around 40 minutes and Rondo is at 32 minutes.  Perkins and House are the other 2 getting regular court time.  This is great for the opening month or so of the regular season but will they hold up for 82 games? 

[Wolverine]

The other factor is that the Celtics are basically using a 6 man rotation.  G/A/P are all averaging around 40 minutes and Rondo is at 32 minutes.  Perkins and House are the other 2 getting regular court time.  This is great for the opening month or so of the regular season but will they hold up for 82 games? 

You mean their depth - or lack thereof - will come back to haunt them in the end?!?!

In all seriousness, I don't see the "Big 3" staying healthy for the entire season.  KG and Allen are north of 30, and Pierce is pushing close.  If they continue to average 40 minutes a game, a disastrous set of events will occur.  And because they really don't have any depth, they're FORCED to play their starters 35+ minutes a game.

And just to chime to in on the original topic, they really haven't played anyone.  I think Orlando gives them a run for their money, and Detroit is always a threat.  And then there's the West teams - and don't even get me started on how those match-ups go down.

[westkoast]

The other factor is that the Celtics are basically using a 6 man rotation.  G/A/P are all averaging around 40 minutes and Rondo is at 32 minutes.  Perkins and House are the other 2 getting regular court time.  This is great for the opening month or so of the regular season but will they hold up for 82 games? 

You mean their depth - or lack thereof - will come back to haunt them in the end?!?!

In all seriousness, I don't see the "Big 3" staying healthy for the entire season.  KG and Allen are north of 30, and Pierce is pushing close.  If they continue to average 40 minutes a game, a disastrous set of events will occur.  And because they really don't have any depth, they're FORCED to play their starters 35+ minutes a game.

And just to chime to in on the original topic, they really haven't played anyone.  I think Orlando gives them a run for their money, and Detroit is always a threat.  And then there's the West teams - and don't even get me started on how those match-ups go down.

Both Allen and Pierce are coming off nagging injuries so I am with you on this one.  Not that I wish ill on the squad (I am not bitter towards Boston like a certain poster is towards LA because of 80s battles) but you are kind of asking for it when you are playing them so many minutes.  I don't even get why they are avg 40 minutes a game when the few games I caught they were up by 15-20 points.

Boston is handling teams right now but they have not been tested by a team that has a solid big man and outside guys like SA, PHX, or even Houston.  Beating up on the Wizards when they started off 0-4 or whatever it was is not exactly that impressive IMO. 

With that said I don't see any other team in the east that is really going to challenge them other then MAYBE Detroit.  I know it is early in the season to count out Miami esp without Wade but the team looks old and terrible.  Shaq is toast at this point.

[Skandery]

Its looking worst for Boston than it will actually be in the long run and IF Doc Rivers isn't a complete idiot, which is a big IF.  That sentence didn't make much sense, let's try again.

Boston's rotation is thinner than it seems right now due to injuries to James Posey and Scalabrine.  You also have to think that Tony Allen will see more time as the season goes on.  Those 3 with Garnett/Pierce/Allen/Rondo/Perkins/House gives the team a 9 man rotation and that's not too bad.  Contributions from Leon Powe and Big Baby Davis will be a bonus.  I do agree that this 40 min/night stuff with the trio can't continue if Doc doesn't expect a late season/playoff letdown (that's the big IF in the previous sentence).

[WayOutWest]

How come we all see the 40 minute a game disaster comming except for Doc Rivers?

[atom2030]

How come we all see the 40 minute a game disaster comming except for Doc Rivers?

was that the answer or the question ?
 

[westkoast]

Its looking worst for Boston than it will actually be in the long run and IF Doc Rivers isn't a complete idiot, which is a big IF.  That sentence didn't make much sense, let's try again.

Boston's rotation is thinner than it seems right now due to injuries to James Posey and Scalabrine.  You also have to think that Tony Allen will see more time as the season goes on.  Those 3 with Garnett/Pierce/Allen/Rondo/Perkins/House gives the team a 9 man rotation and that's not too bad.  Contributions from Leon Powe and Big Baby Davis will be a bonus.  I do agree that this 40 min/night stuff with the trio can't continue if Doc doesn't expect a late season/playoff letdown (that's the big IF in the previous sentence).

Good point.  However even if one of the big 3 goes down it's going to be a problem.  Regardless if there rotation jumps up to 9 men.

I am assuming that Doc Rivers is playing them heavy minutes to try to speed up the gelling process of the big 3.  That is the only thing I can think of.  No reason for the big 3 to be on the floor when they are beating Wizards by 20 at one point.  If anything i'd try to split them up as much as possible to spread out the minutes.  If you could keep Kevin Garnett at 30 minutes a game for most of the season come playoff time....ARGH Doc Rivers is an idiot.

[Derek Bodner]

In all seriousness, I don't see the "Big 3" staying healthy for the entire season.  KG and Allen are north of 30, and Pierce is pushing close.  If they continue to average 40 minutes a game, a disastrous set of events will occur.  And because they really don't have any depth, they're FORCED to play their starters 35+ minutes a game.

Just to play devils advocate, Garnett is playing only 0.4 minutes per game more than he did last year, when he played in 76 games.  Garnett is averaging 38.3 minutes per game for his career, and has missed only 15 games in the last 8 years.

Paul Pierce is playing 38.4 minutes per game, which is only 0.6 minutes per game more than his career average.  Last year he suffered a fluke injury that would be a stretch to call related to his minutes, and the 6 years before last (when he was playing 38+ minuets per game), he missed a combined 8 games.

Ray Allen for his career has averaged 37.5 minutes per game.  Last year he averaged 40.3.

Ray and Paul had injuries last year, but all 3 have logged major minutes in the past without injuries because of it.  None of the 3 are playing significantly more than they had in the past, so I think it would be erroneous to assume that this is the year they break down from the "increased" playing time their thin bench is "forcing" them to play.

[Wolverine]

Ray and Paul had injuries last year, but all 3 have logged major minutes in the past without injuries because of it.  None of the 3 are playing significantly more than they had in the past, so I think it would be erroneous to assume that this is the year they break down from the "increased" playing time their thin bench is "forcing" them to play.

Well, you have two options.  Either you play the starters a lot of time - 40+ minutes - or the back-ups are in there longer than you'd want them.

I'm not saying Garnett, Allen and Pierce CAN'T play 40 minutes a game - they've obviously shown in the past that they can - but their weak bench isn't going to give them much time off.

And considering all but one is on the downslope of 30, I'm willing to wait and see how this all works out.  Annointing them the number one team in the NBA is premature.

[atom2030]

derek, I agree, but none of these three hardly ever had to play an extended playoff schedule

In 12 seasons, KG has a total of 47 playoff games, just once beyond the 1st round (once to Conf Finals)
In 11 season, Ray has 37 playoff games, twice beyond round 1 (2nd, CF)
In 9 seasons, Paul has 37 playoff games, also twice beyond round 1 (2nd, CF)

The only extended playoff run came in 2004 (KG), 2002 (Pierce) and 2001 (Ray) respectively.

So I doubt anyone can predict how their bodies will react to such a heavy workload. Assuming they are in top conditioning it remains to be seen if this is enough to turn back time ...

[Skandery]

atom2030 hit the nail on the head.  They've all played massive minutes before but their combined playoff experiences have been well short of successful, also. 

Boston needs to take a page out Pop's playbook.  Flesh out that rotation to 9 men (at least) even if it costs you some wins here and there.  Reduce those minutes and stay fresh for the playoffs.  Otherwise Doc will just become "Mike D'Antoni East".  60+ wins (with a 7-man rotation) and not a damn thing to show for it.   

[JoMal]

Wow, talking about a 6-0 team's FAILINGS and how Rivers is overworking his three stars so the Celtics, what, remain unbeated for the duration of the season? Knowing that Boston is not going 82-0 this season just so when they DO lose, you can be the first to jump up and yell, "I told you so!"?

Rivers will reduce their minutes as the season progresses. Right now, maybe by playing them together most of the games is his way of seeing how each plays off the others and giving them extended experience with that oh, so important chemistry factor that eludes so many teams in championship hunts. The fourty minutes a game stat won't last any more then the winning streak to start the season. They will have a rough western road trip, like most eastern teams suffer, and the Celtic stars will look more human in the process.

None of these guys seem to me to possess Shaqalitis, or the inflamation of ego preventing playing hard until the playoffs begin. Whether they will have the staying power once they make the playoffs - and this team certainly will - has to depend on the fact that each must be starving for long post-season playoff runs. Let them have their early season success, their mid-season meltdown, and their late season gelling prior to vilifying their efforts against the weak east prior to meeting any of the monsters from out west that will prove your points once and for all.

[westkoast]

JoMaL I don't think anyone is saying the team is about to fall apart because 6 games into the season they are playing heavy minutes.  I think what most people are saying is that there is almost no need to ever have these guys playing 40 minutes a game.  No matter what the reason happens to be.  Playing them an extra 10 minutes a game is not going to speed up the gelling process anymore or less IMO.    I understand playing them all 40 minutes on a trip that includes SA, Houston, and Dallas but against lesser teams like the Wizards?  Hopefully when a few more guys come back they can stretch out the line up a bit more.

Skand is right.  Rivers should take a page out of Pop's play book.  I'd  suggest they do what Pop does with one of his big 3 and bring Allen or Pierce off the bench so the second unit has very little drop off.

[atom2030]

well, if i'm the coach i'd probably play them 40 minutes a game now too.

hey, we're 6 games into the season, you REALLY believe they learned all playbook wrinkles yet, fully understand how to take advantage of each others skills? No way. These are great guys and you can see where their instincts can already lead them, but to know "blindly" where your teammate is going needs time ... and reproduction, over and over.

One season might not be enough, but it's sure a great thing to learn early on against lesser competition.

We all know ... or assume, since Doc is considered a crappy coach ... Doc will continue having them log heavy minutes, but the jury's out on that. IMHO he's not at fault doing it now ...