Getting on a Roll with Role Players

I can really warm up to this one because I love role players. Maybe it's a function of always having been one myself—never nearly good enough to be hot stuff but at least a decent enough shooter to hit a couple of "biggies." Perhaps it's just that I've always been a fan of the underdog or someone who milks the very best out of his/her abilities.

But I prefer to think it's due to an abiding faith in teamwork in virtually all things. When I was a kid, I spent daylight hours practicing on the field or court. I spent evening hours practicing my clarinet because I really dug orchestral work. Homework was a chore to be squeezed in between the two passions of my life. Practice was always a mix of fun and work. But the "real thing" was electric excitement. And the essence of the thrill was identical in both cases. It could be described in one word: responsibility.

Whether passing a ball or playing a supporting riff, performing as part of a group places a premium on dependability. If you mess up, you're letting down others. If you succeed, you're discharging your responsibility to others. In either case, there are no second chances. You either come through or you don't. So, in one sense, whenever Sam Jones hit a game-winner, I vicariously hit a high note as well.

Now success is rather expected of a star. Appreciated yet expected. It's the stars' job to carry the burden...and often to do it in a number of ways. If he's having an off-night in one area, he can compensate in another because his multi-faceted talent gives him alternatives.

A role player is usually more limited in his options...more likely to be a specialist. If he has an off-night in his specialty, he's letting down the team without any recourse. So, in a sense, there's more pressure on a role player than on a star...fewer "mulligans."

Red Auerbach was exceptional in his approach to roles. He acquired very talented players. But most of them had one or two talents that were unusually strong. And he instilled in them the philosophy that those dominant talents were their roles. In essence, Red made everyone a role player.

Russ, Satch and Loscutoff were the defenders/rebounders. Cousy was the ball distributor. Sam and Heinie were the shooters. Havlicek (I'll never call him "Hondo" because I never heard another player call him "Hondo") and Ramsey exhibited the greatest "evenness" in their skill sets, so they became the sixth-man energizer bunnies, functioning as Jacks-of-all-trades.

Sure, those didn't stick solely to their dominant skills. Heck, seven or eight of them scored in double-figures every season. Seven or eight of them averaged at least four rebounds a game. Russell was sometimes second on the team in assists. But forays into areas other than their specialties were their secondary functions. The rule was that everyone focused most on his main job, and everyone understood, respected and facilitated the roles of all the others.

And do you know something? Doc has both the roster and the coaching acumen to adopt the same approach. KG and Perk are the defenders/rebounders. Rondo's the ball distributor. Ray, Paul and Eddie are the shooters. Daniels and Sheed give them two multi-position, sixth man candidates. (I believe Baby's still in the process of seeking out his primary role.)

I believe the Celtics over time (as least the more successful iterations) have usually observed this division of labor. I won't get into whether other teams have done the same because (1) I don't know in all cases and (2) I'm frankly not interested in comparisons. I'm interested primarily in another championship.

I have even conjectured recently that Giddens and Hudson could have the potential to become the modern day equivalents of the Jones Boys. K.C. and K.C. joined the rotation as a tandem that would replace The Cooz and Sharman and would amp up the pace, while disrupting the offensive flow of the opponents and (over time) beginning to contribute offensively. The foes didn't know whether to wish for the return or the starters, but they did know one thing. By halftime, they were gassed! I won't even get into the fact that K.C. and Sam became future hall-of-famers (oops, I just did), but I think we'd all settle for a couple of emerging disrupters at this juncture.

So let's hear it for the role playing potential that exists in all players. And, in addition to evaluating individual players and combinations of players during the preseason, try giving some thought to how well the totality of the roster is diversifying the focus on the main roles: defense, rebounding, ball distribution, shooting. And rather than expecting the young guys to excel in everything, focus on the potential of each of them to become a game-changer in one key dimension of the game.

Sam

Sam,

I think that of all the current role players on the Celtics, the one that brings the most excitement is Eddie House.

Many students of the game and hoops purists will lament about how the three-ball isn't really sound fundamental basketball. I don't know about that one for certain. I think you go with the hand you hold on any given roster, and if it's loaded with three-bombers...

Personally I'm not sure anything else gets the place rocking like Eddie hitting a couple of threes to extend a lead.

Regards

NYCelt

When House gets the ball behind the arc and has a bit of "blue sky" (we know he just needs an ever so brief parting of the clouds) the anticipation builds quickly and either is a awwwwww (letdown) or the other extreem that only gets bigger as the situation merits.

He is a gunslinger no doubt!

beat

NYCelt,

I agree. I don't happen to be a fan of either the three-ball or deliberate basketball, but I understand why the Celtics use both to very good advantage. You build around your strengths.

Sam

BB Davis looks mucho quicker to me. As does Perk. Quis Lookek good to me. Active. A pest on d.

NYCelt, talk about role players, Scal hitting a three at Fleet Center gives Eddie a run for his money in getting the place to "rock"!! The fans love Scal as much as they loved Henry Finkel!!!

With respect to Sam's comments about the Celtics' tradition of adding important role players, I applaud Danny for recognizing the value of Scal's role in all areas of the "team". Who else would break into the national press conference table after his DNP's when the C's won #17. He was hilarious!!

David

To me it looks like Eddie is seeing massive benefits from the new talent. I think he may average double figs this year.

I have also been surprised at how well the man can pass the ball.

I think this is going to be a lifetime year for those of us who groove on passing the basketball and the poetry of an assist.

Jeb