You would be hard-pressed to find many folks in and around the NBA world who would argue that there is a more talented roster than the Boston Celtics.
Each member of their preferred starting five — Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White — finished in the top eight in All-Star voting this season. That’s almost unheard of.
Including Al Horford, who rounds out Boston’s top-six, the Celtics’ six-pack has combined for 16 All-Star appearances, five All-NBA selections, and seven All-Defensive teams.
The talent speaks for itself. There is a reason the Celtics are 49-14 this season, beating teams by 10.9 points a night, and are widely considered the title favorites.
However, you don’t achieve the caliber of success Boston has enjoyed this season with just six players. This highlights one of the most overlooked aspects of the Celtics — their bench.
Whenever someone attempts to pinpoint a potential flaw for the Celtics that could impede their playoff performance, the first inclination is often to focus on the bench. That’s been the consensus since day one, dating back to the eve of training camp when the Celtics traded Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams to Portland in exchange for Holiday.
If you’re gunning for a title, you need a well-rounded roster. So, the concerns about the Celtics’ bench at the start of the season were valid. But now? They’re outdated. The Celtics have proven they possess a capable cast of reserves who can compete against tough teams. By now, they should have earned the fans’ trust for the playoffs. Saturday night’s win over the Suns further evidenced that.
“They were amazing. They were tremendous,” Joe Mazzulla said on the bench unit postgame. “I thought Payton changed the game with his defense, you know, him and Sam [Hauser] both are known for offensive guys, but I think it’s been their defense that’s really helped us this year. Luke’s ability to play versus the second unit and switching really gave us a great look. And then, when they went to touch, he was able to set great screens. That unit has been great for us all year, but tonight they were big time.”
Jaylen Brown offered a similar sentiment.
“They won us the game tonight,” Jaylen Brown said. “Payton, Luke, Sam, their energy, their plays, their effort. They’re the reason why we probably won the game tonight. It’s tough, but they always are ready. So shout out to those guys.”
It’s not the first time the reserved unit has stepped up and won the Celtics a game. They’ve really been solid all year. Sure, like any team during an 82-game season, they’ve had their ups and downs. But, apart from the first couple of weeks of the season, the Celtics’ bench has been extremely consistent.
Boston’s reserves consistently provide a burst of energy on both ends of the floor, and their significance shouldn’t be overlooked.
The Celtics' bench currently leads the league in plus-minus, outscoring their opponents by 204 points this season — the highest margin in the league. Notably, only two other teams (the Pelicans and Thunder) have a plus-minus exceeding +100 this season.
Additionally, they boast the top net rating in the league (5.3) by a significant margin and rank in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive ratings. They also excel in shooting efficiency, ranking fourth in field goal percentage (47.7%) and third in three-point percentage (38.3%). Meanwhile, opponents struggle against them, shooting a league-worst 44.5% from the field and 33.0% (third-worst) from deep against Boston’s reserves.
Their stats might not always grab headlines, but this unit consistently gets the job done every single night.
Looking ahead to the postseason, it’s likely that Sam Hauser, Payton Pritchard, and either Luke Kornet or Xavier Tillman, depending on the matchup, will round out the rotation come spring. Hauser, Pritchard, and Kornet have all proven their ability to impact games on both ends of the floor.
Although Tillman hasn’t seen much playing time with the Celtics, the Michigan State product brings valuable experience. With 340 career postseason minutes under his belt, he has held his own while guarding opponents such as Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns in playoff matchups.
With the roster overhaul during the offseason, Boston’s bench was put to the test. Specifically, Hauser, Pritchard, and Kornet saw increased minutes, and each has admirably fulfilled their respective roles.
Moreover, Brad Stevens further solidified Boston’s depth at the deadline with the addition of Tillman.
Looking ahead, this bench rotation is poised to swing a game or two in Boston’s favor.
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