Boston Celtics: 4 unanswered questions for the playoffs

Who will be the fourth guard in the Boston Celtics playoff rotation?

The Boston Celtics have three players who will be playing minutes at the guard spots. But in the playoffs, they will need a fourth even if he does not have a massive role. The three options are Carsen Edwards, Brad Wanamaker, and Romeo Langford. Each of them has their strengths and notable weaknesses, which is why they have only played limited action so far.

Starting with Carsen Edwards, why would he be a good option, and why should the Celtics maybe consider someone else? Edwards came into Boston expected to be a scorer off the bench. Due to his size, he was never going to be an impactful defender, but his explosiveness at Purdue was something the Celtics could not pass up.

In the Summer League, he continued to scorch defenses left and right, until the regular season started, where his production dropped dramatically. In the few times he has played, Edwards has missed dozens of wide-open jump shots all over the court, shooting 33 percent from the floor, and is unable to get the strength to get into the inside.

There is no question that Edwards can be a great scorer, but so far either because he is overthinking, not big enough, or just having trouble with his shot, Edwards is not prepared to play playoff basketball for the Boston Celtics.

The next and most likely option for the vacant spot is Brad Wanamaker. Wanamaker has been the team’s number-four guard all season, being used mostly for his reliability from 3. The 30-year-old sophomore has become a 37.0 percent 3-point shooter and shoots 92.6 percent from the free throw line.

In the last few games, during the bubble, Wanamaker has also proved that he can defend, rebound, and pass particularly well. Wanamaker has had some issues playmaking earlier in the season, whether it has been the lackadaisical defense the team has been facing or if Wanamaker has been working hard during the hiatus, he has begun to improve. If Wanamaker can continue what he has been doing, there is no doubt that he will be playing in the playoffs.

The third candidate is Romeo Langford. Before the NBA’s hiatus began, Langford was starting to find time in the lineup and was pretty effective. However, in Orlando, Stevens has not given Langford much of an opportunity to do much. Just like Williams last season, Stevens has nurtured Langford this season.

Right now, it looks like Wanamaker is going to be backing Walker, and maybe either Edwards or Langford will get a few minutes, but it is looking unlikely. Still, it will be interesting how Brad Stevens approaches the situation.