The Bench +34, the Starters -4

Yesterday I asked whether the Boston Celtics' bench might outperform the starters on occasion this year, and last night we started to get our answer. The Celtics bench was a +34 for the game, while the starters were a -4. The bench committed only 3 turnovers, while the starters committed 11, which the Cavaliers translated into 16 points.

Of course, the bench played fewer minutes than the starters, and were matched up against the Cavaliers' bench. But the scenario I described otherwise played out. The Celtics' first team started slow, falling behind quickly and by a lot. Danny Ainge compared this team to the mid-80s Celtics last year, and it is even more true this year. What he meant was that the starters aren't going to get too worked up in the first quarter, even if they fall behind by a bunch. Instead, they'll just keep playing their game until they've worn you down and retaken the lead.

The bench, by contrast, enters the game on a mission. They're coming in to outplay the opponent, make their mark, and prove their mettle. This was totally lacking last year, and will make a huge difference this year. Paul Pierce acknowledged after the game that the bench got them back in the contest.

Oh yeah. One more thing. Shelden Williams didn't hurt us too much or otherwise get in the way.