Follow the San Antonio Spurs? Deep Boston Celtics will consider resting players during regular season

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Follow the San Antonio Spurs? Deep Boston Celtics will consider resting players during regular season





Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens said he will consider resting players during the regular season. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)


Jay King | mjking@masslive.com By Jay King | mjking@masslive.com



WALTHAM -- With so much roster depth that a big man who nearly averaged a double-double could be fifth in the frontcourt rotation, the Boston Celtics could decide to rest players for certain games during the regular season.

Head coach Brad Stevens said the tactic, used most famously by the San Antonio Spurs, has been a talking point within the organization.

"It's something that we've had a lot of discussions about," Stevens said after Monday's practice. "But we don't have a plan, per se, in place to do that. We'll kind of see how it goes because I think once you communicate – especially early on – that you've got a plan for resting, and then you have a couple of injuries, now all of a sudden that plan for resting's out the window. So it's something that we'll talk about, and we'll continue to talk about, and we'll make those calls as they happen. But it's certainly an option for us."

Asked what makes that possibility intriguing, the coach replied, "Matchups. Certain matchups that we think won't be as good against certain teams that might be better against others. I think any time you can give these guys an opportunity in a long stretch to get a break, whether it's a practice off or a game, or whatever the case may be, it's a positive thing. But we've got a lot of young guys too so you have to balance all of that."

The Celtics have hired a sports scientist, Johann Bilsborough, who tracks data that should help explain the impact of rest, among other things. Interestingly, Stevens suggested he leaned on Bilsborough to determine how much players should play in the final preseason game.

"It's helpful in situations like the other night where I don't want to play people very many minutes," Stevens said. "But is there any harm – or is there a benefit? – of playing a guy 8 to 12 from the physiological standpoint?"

Bilsborough must have believed there wouldn't be much harm, as Avery Bradley played the first 10 minutes before getting the rest of the night off.

"I think right now (Bilsborough's work is) validating what we thought," Stevens said. "I think you can tell from an individual standpoint who can benefit from what. But you can also tell from a team standpoint when we don't have the same legs. So it's been a good validation."

If Stevens does decide to rest regular during the regular season, consider veteran Amir Johnson on board. He said he has never been rested before but likes the idea.

"I think it's great," Johnson said. "I think Brad said he's not gonna play guys over 20 or something minutes and I think it's smart, resting your players, and coming back strong the next game so I think it's the smart thing to do."

"I think it's just probably gonna reenergize me," the big man added, "because when I get on the floor I play so hard, I get a chance to kind of rest and come back and do the same thing over. I think it's gonna help me out."


Starters still not set

Two days before the regular season opener, Stevens said he still hasn't decided on a first unit, but is leaning toward the same group that started the final two preseason games: Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, David Lee and Tyler Zeller.

While Stevens indicated he hasn't completely ruled out switching the starters based on matchups, he continued, "I'm not dead sold on that."

"I don't know what the right answer is there," the coach explained. "I think each team is a little bit different in that regard. But we certainly have that kind of flexibility up and down our roster. Again, I'm not worried about (the starting lineup).

"And I understand an easy narrative is who's starting. And it's a lot less important to me than who plays well together. And I know it's important and something that you have to talk about with individuals and I know it's something that you have to talk about certainly when we (reporters and Brad) all get together. But, at the end of the day, guys are all playing. They're all going to play a lot of minutes, they're all going to play a big role. Whether you start the game or not, it's kinda inconsequential in a lot of ways."


Olynyk suspended for opener

Kelly Olynyk will serve a one-game suspension against Philadelphia for the hard foul that injured Kevin Love during last season's playoffs.

"The only thing I know for certain is that Kelly isn't playing, obviously, because he's suspended for the first game," Stevens said. "Other than that, I think that I feel comfortable throwing any of the other 14 guys in."

"I talk to everybody about where they stand on Day 1," the coach added, "with regard to the rotation against the Philadelphia 76ers, which can change Friday night against the Toronto Raptors."



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