Six Celtics Doing almost 90% of Scoring

December 21, 1984

CELTICS' 'BIG SIX' IN NEED OF HELP

The Celtics have a guady record, but folks are beginning to question their depth. NBA axiom No. 99 holds that you have to be more than six deep to avoid the deep six when the playoffs roll around.



The top six players on the Celtic roster are getting 83 percent (5164 of 6250 minutes) of the playing time and scoring 89 percent (2731 of 3079) of the points. In the last seven games, the top six have scored a whopping 95 percent (758 of 801).

Check the box scores. When the Celtics beat New Jersey, 107-98, Larry Bird, Robert Parish, Dennis Johnson, Kevin McHale, Danny Ainge and Cedric Maxwell scored 105 points, while Scott Wedman, Quinn Buckner, M.L. Carr, Rick Carlisle, Carlos Clark and Greg Kite contributed two. One night later, the big six scored 126 of 128 against the Hawks. When the Celts routed the Knicks this week, was it necessary for the big six to play 211 of 240 minutes?

The Celtics will need some depth for the Indiana Pacers tonight (7:30). McHale has a partial ligament tear in his left ankle and will be out for at least four or five days. This will be the first time in his five-year career (354 games) that McHale hasn't played.

K.C. Jones addressed the bench problem yesterday. In the wake of Wednesday's 107-92 loss to the Bucks, he let his tired stars goof off and worked his subs for an hour and a half.

While Bird, Parish, Maxwell and Ainge took a few jumpers and went home, the second six worked three-on-three under the supervision of all three Boston coaches.

"I had to give the untired guys a run," said Jones. "We need more production from the bench and that's the purpose of this. We'll get 'em some work and get 'em familiar and then throw 'em back in there.

"I want to get them thinking defensively and offensively. They have to be in the proper positon on and off the ball. That's why we did the three-on- three. We worked on execution. It wasn't a schoolyard game."

Resident legend Red Auerbach attended the practice and expressed some concern about the team caste system. "The second unit is not getting the playing time and they're not putting the points up there, that's true," said Auerbach.

"They are role players. When we call on Wedman, he does what we ask him to do. Buckner has been in and out (six shutouts in his last seven games). M.L. does what you want. Carlisle and Clark are not playing."

Auerbach isn't worried about the fatigue factor of the big six. "A lot of people talk about that, but I don't believe in it. I say, 'Win now, worry later.' At this time of life, these guys are young enough that a day of rest takes care of everything."

Dennis Johnson and McHale got some extra rest yesterday. DJ didn't dress for the workout due to a pulled groin muscle, but he'll probably play against Indiana. McHale went to the hospital to have his left ankle X-rayed. "His will be a day-to-day situation after about four of five days off," said trainer Ray Melchiorre.

Without McHale, Jones will be forced to bring Wedman and Carr off the bench earlier. McHale's absence also means that Kite is the only legitimate center to back up Parish.

The Celtics routed the Pacers, 132-115, on Nov. 12. Indiana comes to Boston with a 7-18 record, 2-10 on the road. The Celtics beat the Pacers five times in six tries last year. Indiana starts Clark Kellogg, Herb Williams, Steve Stipanovich, Jim Thomas and Jerry Sichting.