Boston Celtics: 3 keys to the Celtics’ current winning streak
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3. Bench Productivity
Now, bench productivity, in this case, does not mean that the bench is coming in and dropping jaws of viewers at home and in the arena. With the amount of talent that the Boston Celtics have in the starting lineup, they only need the bench to be good. They don’t need to be amazing.
With players being called up day-in and day-out, they have stepped up and have done what has been asked of them. Players like Brad Wanamaker have stepped up in their winning streak, hitting double-digit scoring in games against the 76ers and the Hawks.
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Players like Romeo Langford and Grant Williams, two rookies, have had solid performances as well.
Langford, in particular, showed out with 16 points against the Hawks on Friday night. Enes Kanter and Marcus Smart, when the team is healthy, are also off the bench and provide the team with different abilities once the starters come out.
If you were to look at the Celtics’ bench numbers, they really don’t stand out in any category. They are averaging 32 points a night, and sit top 10 in the league in +/- with a 1.4 rating in the last 6 games, which have been all wins (NBA.com).
For a team that relies so heavily on its starters and hasn’t had a chance to use a consistent bench unit, all you can ask is that they play well enough to complement the starters. That is exactly what they are doing.
They are also in the middle of the pack in turnovers, which is not too bad either. Once the team is healthy, and Smart and Kanter find their roles off the bench, those numbers will get even better.
This Celtics team can be 7-8 players deep, they just haven’t had the chance to showcase that. Hopefully by the time the playoffs roll around, they’ll have that opportunity.