For those of us who are masochists, I have some more gloomy numbers to report. I stumbled across an old piece that I wrote indicating that Doc Rivers was using his bench on average more than 80-minutes-per-game during January and early February of last season. I couldn't beleive it. I don't have the bench's playing time committed to memory this year, but I am pretty sure they aren't playing that much.
So I did some spot-checking here (feel free to do additional research, if you feel so motivated). In seven random games, I found the bench averaging a mouthdropping 85-minutes-per-game this time last season. To wit, on January 4th, the bench clocked 80 minutes in a four -point win over Memphis. The next night they logged 80 minutes in a seven-point win over Detroit. Four days later the bench labored for 76 minutes against the Bobcats, a game which the green lost by 12. On January 31, the Celtics bench logged 94 minutes in a 6-point win over Dallas. On February 5th, the bench played 83 minutes in a one-point loss to Cleveland. Finally, on February 10th, the bench played 96 minutes in a win over San Antonio.
Then I contrasted those numbers with the minutes logged by the bench over their last ten games this year: 52, 75, 66, 50, 57, 60, 100, 99, 58, 69. This works out to be an average of 68 minutes per game, or a difference of 17-minutes-per-game between this year and last. But keep in mind that none of the games from my sampling last year were blowouts. Two of the games from this year were blowouts, meaning Doc could play the bench without fear of suffering any repercussions. In the lopsided victories over Sacramento and Phoenix, the 2008-09 Celtics' subs logged 100 and 99 minutes. If you remove those two games from the equation, this year's bench is averaging just 60 minutes per contest or 25 fewer than they were this time last year.
I wonder what accounts for the difference?
2 comments:
I think the consistency of James Posey is the difference. This season, we don't have any player who has been consistent game in and game out that Doc can put out there and leave on the court for long periods. He also used 5 bench players on the court much more than he does this season. Without Posey in there to be the leader on the court he most often plays 4 reserves along with either Pierce or Ray.
I think Doc should have been playing Gabe and Walker more all along to develop them because I really think both of those players can make an impact for us if they get enough playing time to build confidence.
Sad to say, but we miss the Pose!!!
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