Boston Celtics: 3 players who need a big final month
There are a handful of players on the Boston Celtics that could benefit from a solid final stretch in order to establish their role before the playoffs.
It is widely known that the Boston Celtics are a top-heavy team. They have four All-Star caliber players: Gordon Hayward, Jaylen Brown, Kemba Walker, and Jayson Tatum. To support them, the team also rosters underrated big man Daniel Theis and defensive force Marcus Smart.
Altogether, that is about six players that can be counted on each game. When some of them don’t have it going, it is more than likely that the others do. That type of balanced scoring attack has made it difficult to scheme for the Celtics, and is a reason they sit fifth in offensive rating at 112.8.
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Throughout the course of the season, the Boston Celtics have had to weather the storm known as the “injury bug”. Kemba Walker is the current victim of that, as he has missed the team’s last four games after playing heavy minutes in the All-Star game.
The injuries that the team has sustained have opened the door for other players to showcase their talents. Names like Brad Wanamaker, Grant Williams, Semi Ojeleye, and Romeo Langford have all had chances to give head coach Brad Stevens a reason to play them.
Among those names, none have particularly stood out. They have each had solid performances, but it isn’t possible to look at a box score and say any of them contributed greatly.
The reason this is all matters is for the playoffs. Depth matters less in the playoffs because the best players play more, but in case of injuries or foul troubles, you can’t have enough competent players to cycle in for emergencies.
One of the most famous examples of that is the 73-9 Golden State Warriors. After Draymond Green‘s suspension in game five, the team failed to have a serviceable player in his place. The Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James and Kyrie Irving win that game and the rest is history.
Long story short, depth is a necessity for contending teams. Therefore, there are a few players on the bench for the C’s that could benefit from a strong stretch through the last month of the season in order to get postseason minutes.