Playmakers Wanted

It’s easy to see why the great Celtics Sixth Men were so great. They were playmakers. Bill Walton blocked shots, rebounded, passed, and scored, and did it all well. John Havlicek was a multi-sport athlete, which he translated into playmaking ability at both ends of the floor: we remember him making the big steal against Philly, which sent the Celtics to the Finals, and we remember him hitting big shots in the Finals against Milwaukee and Phoenix.

James Posey drew charges, deflected, grabbed loose balls, drained big threes and gave man-sized hugs.

The Boston Celtics had hoped to replace James Posey by committee. Darius Miles was thought to be a candidate for that committee. He had Posey’s length, and was once considered a playmaker at both ends of the floor. Alas, Miles couldn’t crack the rotation. His injuries lingered.

The Celtics bench could still use another playmaker.

Tony Allen makes plays on defense, and, for the most part, is a pretty good finisher, at least when he’s not driving through tall traffic. Eddie House can amp up the crowd volume with shots from range. Leon Powe scores underneath from angles that even Cornbread Maxwell wouldn’t have tried. Glen Davis lays a wide body on opposing bigs, while Brian Scalabrine isn’t afraid to clog up the middle or hoist up a three.

But what the bench lacks is a difference-maker, an intimidator. A guy who, when he gets up off the bench and walks over to the scorers table, makes the other team curse under its breath.

Bill Walker and JR Giddens both have this potential.

Walker already sees his role as an in-your-face intimidator, while Giddens seems to be warming up to a possible role as a multi-faceted game changer. Talk about Giddens' defense all you want. That’s the Celtics mantra. But I say this kid has some Len Bias in him. He’s not as tall. But he can score in bunches, and he can do so from all over the court.

This is why you leave these two guys in the NBDL for a while. You let them develop their professional mojo. You let them build their stock, either for the Celtics or another team that might be scouting them.