Celtics Return to Scene of the Crime

Anyone remember this game?

I sure do.

It was the first game I really thought the green had a chance to live up to their pre-season hype ('85 Bears defense, 70-win season, etc). To refresh, the Boston Celtics dismantled the Philadelphia 76ers 105-74 in Philadelphia, making the Celtics 5-0 for the season. While Paul Pierce scored a team-high 21 points, it was the Celtics bench that left fans with mouths agape.

Led by Rasheed Wallace, who scored 20 points on 6-8 shooting from 3, the bench poured in 62 points, helping turn an 8-point halftime lead into a runaway blow out. Shelden Williams, 5-8 from the field with 7 rebounds in 23 minutes, was +28 for the game. SHEL-DEN. SHEL-DEN.

Alas, it was just a tease, and a criminal one at that. Not long thereafter, various Celtics started getting injured, the team chemistry went into the crapper, and the team's heart was lost on a flight somewhere during a long road trip in January. Indeed, the same team that trashed Philly on the road in game #5 lost to Philly at home in game #25 and almost lost to them at home on another occasion, escaping with a 3-point victory.

But just as Celtics fans were filing out of the stadium, ready to call it quits on their championship aspirations in 2010, what Mike Gorman likes to call the Bench Brigade showed signs of life earlier this week, scoring 38 points against Detroit, almost single-handedly resuscitating the season in nine minutes of play over the course of quarter numbers three and four. For an encore, the bench tallied 46 points the following night against Charlotte, again looking more like a unit with an identity than the first team has for most of the season.

So it's only fitting that tonight Boston returns to Philadelphia, the place where it all began earlier this season. Can the Celtics continue their climb back to championship-level basketball or will their improved play this week prove to be just another tease in a season that ultimately leaves us disappointed?

Nate Robinson: Already What Marbury Never Was

On back-to-back nights this week, the Boston Celtics guard came off the bench and provided instant offense in a pair of victories. Robinson, acquired from the New York Knicks on Feb. 18, had 14 points in 15 minutes against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night, then scored 16 points in 21 minutes against the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday night.

“That’s Nate,’’ said Coach Doc Rivers after his team’s 104-80 victory over the Bobcats at the TD Garden. “Nate’s going to do that. He’s our X-factor in a lot of ways. I don’t know if we need him to play great to win, but I know when he plays great, it’s tough for us to lose.”

“Nate’s pure energy,’’ Kevin Garnett said. “I’ve said from Day One that we hated to lose E-House, but not only is he pure energy, he’s good energy. He’s almost like fresh air. He fits right in on our team.

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When you see the word X-factor, it's difficult not to think of Stephon Marbury, who was acquired this time last year. Marbury wasn't an unmitigated failure, but he was less productive and more disappointing than Sam Cassell in 2008, and that says a lot.

The Boston Celtics' second unit looks like it's own team again for the first time since early in the season when the bench was scoring 50 points a game, sometimes outscoring the first unit and even outplaying them.

Having a bench that plays together is huge. Bringing in random pieces-parts off the pine is really just another way of saying "hold the fort, guys. That's all we expect." When a bench comes together and develops its own identity, the message is different: "OK, boys. Go have at it. Wreak some havoc. Leave some destruction in your wake."

Not Fade Away

84-82, Celtics. 4:18 to go in the game. The Kings just closed to within two after being down 7 earlier in the quarter. Sheed bricks up a three, and some guy in a white jersey makes a three. Kings lead. Wait. I think I've seen this movie before.

The teams then proceed to trade baskets after which Ray Allen rims out a jumper. Kings have the ball and the lead. Now I'm certain I've seen this movie before. I know the ending! The Kings go on a binge of three-pointers and uncontested lay-ups, while the Celtics struggle to even get a decent shot off before the clock expires.

Only that's not what happened.

This time.

Instead, the Celtics, after giving up what could have been a crucial offensive rebound, get the ball back, and give it to one of the greatest shooters of all time (by the way, the link is interesting. But Bob McAdoo was not a better shooter than Paul Pierce), who drains a three. The Celts don't relinquish the lead again. Game over.

Not a game that makes you feel great about the green. Not a particularly heartening win. On the other hand, you have to start somewhere. We'll call it a building block. Oh, Rasheed "This is my Time of Year" Wallace played well off the bench: 5-9 from the field (three of the misses from three, where he was 1-4), 5 rebounds, 3 blocks, 1 steal, and 17 points in 24 minutes.

On Tuesday, the Celtics actually trailed 12-4 early and went nearly six minutes without a point with the starters on the floor in the first quarter.

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Six minutes without scoring a point. It's hard to imagine this ever happening to the second unit. Possible. But difficult to imagine.

The Bill Walton Effect

There are many things I remember about the 1985-86 Boston Celtics' bench. Jerry Sichting shooting .570 from the floor and .924 from the stripe. The Celtics' posting a 15-3 record with Scott Wedman filling in for an injured Kevin McHale, and more than holding his own. Rick Carlisle coming up big against the Lakers in the Forum. David Thirdkill making the most of his minutes. And Bill Walton totally dominating Kareem in two games against the Fakers that season.

But the most vivid memory I have is the look on the faces of opponents when Bill Walton got up off the bench and walked over to the scorer's table. You could see the heads and shoulders of opposing players slump. Others cursed in disgust. Think Kobe Bryant after Paul Pierce hit his second three in a row during game 1 of the NBA Finals (I absolutely love this vid. Kobe's entire body slumps. Also note that right before the second three, PJ Brown rejects Kobe!).

Now let's turn our attention to this year.

If you read any Sixers' blogs, you'll find that their fans were congratulating themselves for playing our starters close in the first quarter of last night's game. Bravo. But then the Celtics' reserves came in, and the momentum of the game changed--immediately. This is par for the course over the first 5 games of the 2009-10 NBA season. If this continues, it won't be long before the sight of Celtics' reserves standing up and moving over to the scorer's table will strike fear in every opponent Boston faces the rest of the year.

Fakers' Bench Scores 6 Points in OT Win over OKC

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Yes, that's right. Five quarters. Six players. Six points. Will this give the pundits pause before droning on and on about how deep the Lakers' bench is this season???

Indulge the Guilty Pleasure

The Celtics, who are 5-0 and are outscoring opponents by an average of 22 points per game, won easily without significant contributions from Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Kendrick Perkins. Both Garnett (23 minutes) and Perkins (20 minutes) had 3 points and six rebounds, their teammates jokingly accusing them of taking the night off.

The Sixers pulled within 15 after three quarters, but the Celtic reserves turned it into a rout. Eddie House and Rasheed Wallace hit 3-pointers in the first 5:53 of the quarter, and a Lester Hudson trey increased the advantage to 95-61 with 4:59 remaining. “They take a lot of pressure off us,’’ Paul Pierce said. “We saw it early, the potential of our bench. Hopefully, they’ll continue to do the things to make them play great. “The more rest the better. That means we’re playing well, and, knowing it’s a long season, it’s going to pay off late in the season.’’

Pierce said the intrasquad scrimmages have improved both the starters and the second unit. “It’s tough to stop them, actually, and that’s why I think our defense is so good,’’ Pierce said, “because if we stop them, we can pretty much stop anybody.’’ Wallace scored 20 points and was 6 for 8 on 3-pointers.

“The best part is, when one guy has it going, they make a concerted effort to make sure that guy is getting the next shot until somebody stops him. You don’t see that a lot from a lot of benches. “They’re veterans, they understand the game, they’re playing to win, they have no agendas. Those three guys [Marquis Daniels, House, Wallace] kind of set the table.’’

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Go ahead. Admit it. The thought has crossed your mind. The Boston Celtics' bench is better than their starters. There's nothing wrong with this guilty pleasure. It's not even a four-letter daydream, depending on how you go about comparing the effectiveness of the first and second units. There is no doubt the second-unit plays every second on the floor like the starters played every second of the 2007-08 season.

Let's get a couple of things straight. The 2009-10 Boston Celtics' bench is ahead of schedule. If the barometer is the 1985-86 bench, then the 2009-10 bench is way ahead of schedule. Look here and you'll see how Bill Walton embarrassed himself in the first game of the 1985-86 season. Look here and you'll see that the bench was still underperforming and disappointing as late as December 11th, 1985. It wasn't until the end of December 1985 that the 1985-86 bench started to gel and show some promise.

So my question is if the 2009-10 bench is playing this well now, what will they look like come December and January, especially as we start to prepare to play that one team from the other coast?

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.

The Bench: Part 3

Last game it was Sheed who got the hot hand in the second half. This game? Eddie House. 10 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals.Combined with Squisy's 9 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block, the bench found itself another successful combination. I'm really starting to think there will be games where the starters aren't getting it done, and Doc just leaves the second unit on the floor well past their designated allotment of time.

The Bench (Part 2)

Will opponents now have to start devising game plans to defend against the Celtics' second unit?

Boston's second unit was unimpressive in the first half, but more than made up for it in the second half. Rasheed Wallace, who ended the game with 13 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 assists in 22 minutes, pretty much had his way during his second-half stint, including a bomb from about 35 feet out. Not to be outdone, Brian Scalabrine and Eddie House were also raining down from range. Even Glen Davis showed a spark in his play, grabbing 8 boards in 16 minutes, and throwing in a Heinsohnesque hook to cap it off.

If you want to know the difference between last year's bench and this year's bench, watch the Celtics' fourth string play basketball (Scalabrine playing with the second unit is my third string). The fourth string is totally discombobulated, lacking any semblance of coherent team play. This year's second unit pretty much goes in there and gets after it. I'm not even sure they run the same offense as the starters. The Celtics' second unit might be this year's big story, game in and game out.

Get the F out of our way, cuz here we come.

That seems to be their motto.

Wedman, Walton, & Sichting: Do I Hear a Challenge to Their Throne?

Perhaps the most celebrated second unit in Celtics history, the 1986 reserves, played the starters better than most opposing teams. That pattern could be replayed this season. “It is happening,” coach Doc Rivers said. “Our second team is good. I think it was like that two years ago for us too. They just didn’t take any crap from the first unit. That’s when you have a bunch of veterans on your second unit.

“I played on a team with the Spurs late in my career and it was myself, Terry Cummings, Moses Malone, Chuck Person. I mean, that’s an old team coming off the bench. We routinely gave it to the first unit, and even if they were beating us, we physically beat ’em down because we could."

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As I said during the game, the Rockets didn't look like they belonged on the floor with the Celtics' first unit, and that didn't change when the Celtics' reserves took the floor. Scott Wedman, Bill Walton, and Jerry Sichting actually started slow during the 1985-86 season, but began showing signs of life at mid-season, and then really hit their stride down the stretch. In one game, KC Jones actually started his bench and won. At the end of the year, the Celtics' best reserve--Bill Walton--was honored with the NBA's Sixth Man Award.

Could the 2009-10 Celtics' bench give them a run for their money?

Doc and the Five Strings

The starters came out strong at both ends to start the game, but looked cold and flat when the second half commenced. The second unit consisted of four players, Sheed, Squisy, Baby, and House Afire. The second unit looked as good as the first, which is to say them demonstrated the disparity of talent between them and the opposition. The third unit consisted of Brian Scalabrine, while the fourth string included Give It to Me Big Shelden and Lester Hudson. The fifth string included injured players Tony Allen and Bill Walker.

Sheed left the game in the first half with 6 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 blocks, and didn't add much in the second half. If he plays like he did in the first half for a better part of the season, we may have ourselves the Sixth Man winner. For the most part, Marquis Daniels looked good, too, both bringing the ball up the court and as point-forward in set offenses. He's not afraid to hoist it from anywhere, which might be a problem, as he overshot the entire basket on a three-ball from the corner. Baby looked out of sorts, and I'm not really seeing the slimmed down, chiseled physique everyone has been talking about.

By contrast, Give It To Me Big Shelden does like he's in good shape, much thinner than I expected, certainly thinner than Bambino Grande. Early on he failed to box out, and got out rebounded by someone standing behind simply because that opposing player was taller. He made up for it later, when he grabbed an offensive rebound with his right hand and slammed through the put-back all in one motion. The play brought KG and Sheed off the bench. Scalabrine had a memorable Tommyesque rolling hook. He's made these one or twice before, but this one suggested he's mastering the skill. Neither Lester nor JR made much of an impression.

The Second Unit is All the Buzz

It was a good week, Pierce said. We all fit in pretty good. We had a chance to hang out away from the court, had a chance to go to dinner a couple of nights. The new guys fit in well. This has been a great camp. I think this is going to be a special group. Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels have fit in seamlessly. They can play, and they have the kind of attitude that could make the second team into something big.

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I actually don't think last year's bench sucked as much as everyone else does. What it lacked was an identity, something it had with James and Eddie leading the way. Eddie's still here, but now we have Squisy and Sheed to pick up where Nails left off. To quote Rasheed, Hell yeah!

Doc: Our Bench Stunk Last Year

NEWPORT, R.I. -- The doors to the gymnasium at Salve Regina University swung open at the end of the first day of training camp, and soon coach Doc Rivers appeared wearing a look of genuine contentment that hadn't been seen on his face in a good year and a half. "The biggest thing that stood out was the second unit. The first unit had to play today because the second unit was capable," Rivers said. "First time in two years I've seen that."

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Ok. Ok. It pains me to say this. But maybe Mark Heisler was right last year. You remember what he said, right? The Celtics' reserve unit was short and lacking in talent. Maybe once Leon Powe went down, sure. But even before then? Ok, a little PJ Brown height and James Posey outside shooting and defensive presence wouldn't have hurt last year. Funny thing, Sheed is tall can shoot from the outside, and can play some defense.

Sort of a combo Posey/Brown if you ask me.

C's Bench

As composed, the C’s will have eight players that are capable of starting for the majority of NBA teams in the league. With the starting lineup back in form, we all know what this unit is capable of, steamrolling out to a 27-2 record last year, routinely putting games out of reach before the 4th quarter. Last year, the bench had trouble maintaining these leads but the new and improved 2nd unit should match up well with any other benches in the league, and some starting units too for that matter. Expect a lot of nights with only 25-30 minutes needed from the starters, with a C’s bench now that could hold its weight.