Red Auerbach pretty much invented the sixth man role with Frank Ramsey and John Havlicek. It isn't always used as effectively as it should but teams are starting to put more emphasis on the role lately.
The Revenge Of The Sixth Man: Why They're More Valuable Than Ever In Today's NBA - SBNation.com
Some of the best teams in the NBA are winning games thanks to the contributions of bench players. You know about Jason Terry for the Dallas Mavericks, but he's not the only one. In Oklahoma City, James Harden is producing at an all-star level despite not starting over Thabo Sefolosha. In Philadelphia, three guys -- Thaddeus Young, Louis Williams and Evan Turner -- make up what Philly faithful call "The Night Shift," a devastating talent infusion that dominates the late-first and early-second quarter. In Los Angeles, Mo Williams, a former all-star, has accepted his role as the bench sparkplug and is having easily his most efficient scoring season as a pro. Those cases, plus the Nuggets' unique scenario, are the most striking, but they're hardly the only ones. The Sixth Man is back, with an all-new infusion of talent.
The Nuggets situation referenced above is George Karl's decision to start a couple of bench warmers in order to maintain his bench rotation - a tactic that Doc Rivers has used in the past when his starters have had short term injuries. That is also why I'd be tempted to start Wilcox if/when Jermaine O'Neal were to suffer an injury. I'd rather keep Brandon Bass attacking the opposing teams' second lines to provide some scoring punch to our defensive minded bench.
0 recs | 13 comments
Is he signed just for this season?
…cos if not, I sure hope he’s still with us next season.
japsuki - February 8, 2012
Bass has a player option for next year
but will probably decline it, making him a free agent.
mmmmm - February 8, 2012
Restricted or unrestricted?
GetYourSoxOn - February 8, 2012
I believe he will be an unrestricted FA.
mmmmm - February 8, 2012
Off topic but...
as I checked the current eastern standings… C’s (14-10) are actually well within reach of the 6th or even 5th spot in the east… If Magic (15-10) loses to Miami later, It think it puts the C’s to #6… and the Hawks (16-9) are well within reach for #5… I’ve never been a fan of the Hawks, except I guess the Dominique-Spud era, and I’m confident we can overtake ’em soon.
japsuki - February 8, 2012
Hate to say it
But I’m going to be a Miami Heat fan tonight.
SparzWizard - February 8, 2012
Through much of this season, Bass has clearly been our 'Sixth Man'
but lately, I’m thinking that the contributions of Pietrus, Wilcox and Bradley off the bench have been just as important.
That’s a good thing.
mmmmm - February 8, 2012
The sixth man and seventh ........................
Jeff, this is what’s on my mind at the moment, team depth, bench energy and the team’s abilities as a ten player unit or even more is of growing importance pretty much starting now. There have been some good signs in this area over the recent 10 games and we can now see if this carries over against the tougher level of competition on the horizon. The road is figuratively and literally about to get tougher.
First we had the non pre-season, then we have the pre-season (5 – 9), then we had the early season (9 – 1), and now check your schedule, we have the real (tough) regular season and then the playoffs. The next eight games will give us an idea about how well the team can potentially handle the next 40 games. We can begin to see if the team will mainly be just trying to get a spot in the playoffs and prepare for that with a fairly low seed, or if they have enough to move into a top three, four or five seed while they gear up for the playoffs. And one won-loss stat to watch will be how they do against solid playoff teams and then elite teams, especially in games that are not the second of back to backs to give us an idea of playoff potential.
After that comes the all-star break and then the schedule gets even tougher. We are about to move up in class and how the Celtics hold up in stamina and health, while finding ways to win with heavy minutes and contributions needed from the bench is the challenge and focus for the team and an area to watch for the fans. . I think the team may be close to ready for this test. They certainly have the potential to improve even more with more time to work together, with the big if they can stay relatively healthy caveat tacked on. Let’s hope so.
I’m guessing any thoughts you and the writing staff have on this will naturally be coming very soon.
SteveZ from Edgemont - February 8, 2012
My apologies if my comment above is a llittle off topic
The importance of the bench and how the starters and bench are used out of necessity and strategy will all be be very telling in how teams perform in this compressed season. Thanks for making me aware of how some other teams are appraoching this.
SteveZ from Edgemont - February 8, 2012
In a season
with more games in a shorter time frame the bench is even more important- I actually wouldn’t mind seeing starters come off of the bench to keep their legs fresh for the playoffs.
calc - February 8, 2012 via mobile
disagree
Why do people insist that the bench needs to give the starters rest every night.
It’s a good thing to keep starters playing a high number of minutes. The problem is that the bench needs to be effective when they come into the game, i.e. – don’t lose leads.
People expect the C’s to play possum again (2010). Won’t happen again. Never will with this team.
vgarcia890 - February 8, 2012
Possum in 2010? Is there a Need fo Rested Payers in 2012?
I don’t think the Celtics played possum in 2010, but it was all the effect of injuries and thier timing and guys regaining their form while the media and fans with short term perspectives wrote them off. Anything done was done out of that necessity.
As for rest, there is certainly a fresh / tired legs factor that comes into play every season and this season probably more so. There is a balance between giving guys minutes they need to find their form, stay there and stay in good game shape, but the bigger risk is tired players who make more mistakes and are more prone to injury, although injury has a very random element too that can happen at any time.
I’d say having confidence in and getting good +/- out of lineup with mostly bench guys on the floor will be important in keeping the starters’ minutes in low 30’s (Rondo a little more and KG a little less and JO a bit less) will be very big for consistency and for the health of the players team and as a consequence team defense and rhythm from consistent lineups and roles.
And getting this productivity and minutes from the bench will give them the best chance to get results in the 2nd games of back to backs and the 3 games in 4 night and 5 games in 7 nights stretches they are about to face for most of the rest of the season. There is probably no getting around this for almost any team this year, but especially for teams with older veterans in leading roles, like the Celtics.
SteveZ from Edgemont - February 8, 2012
Brandon Bass could be Sixth Man of the Year
Brandon Bass has been playing like the sixth man of the year; keep that fire burning and he’ll win sixth man of the year along with a banner with his name on it.
p-peazy - February 9, 2012
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