What Does Fatigue Got to Do With It?

The talk was a few games into the season, is currently, and will be for the remainder of the year about what the minutes of the Big 3 are. I brought it up in a Ginos Jungle post only 3 games into the season titled “No Issue With Big 3 Minutes” when there was question about why certain players such as Ray Allen were still in games in which we were up by a decent amount. Seeing how we are 1/5 of the way through the season (the season is going by very fast) I decided to revisit the issue and see where we are. Afterall, the games that matter the most are the ones that come in late April, May, and early June.

Kevin Garnett: This year: 30:36 mpg / 07-08: 32:47 mpg

Garnett’s minutes are lower but this doesn’t come as any kind of a surprise. If any one of the Big 3 were to have their time cut, and have more rest it would be KG for obvious reasons. Doc is more knowledgeable than to throw out KG for the same kind of minutes he has played throughout his career coming off a knee injury. As far as his minutes are concerned, I am sure we will never see him by the end of the season averaging anywhere close to 32:47 mpg.

Ray Allen: This year: 35:23 mpg / 08-09: 36:23 mpg / 07-08: 35:53 mpg

So far so good for Ray Allen. I am hoping that by the end of the year his minutes can stay down around the 35 minute mark. Last year he had to carry the load with Paul Pierce and put big time into games to make up for the loss of Garnett. It took alot more hard work for Ray during the regular season, which gave him issues with small nagging injuries that we never heard about until after the season was over. Therefore, for a well rested Ray at the end of the year, who came into the season in great shape, I am sure he will be fine at where he is or a little less- hopefully not much more.

Paul Pierce: This year: 35:47 mpg / 08-09: 37:30 mpg / 07-08: 35:53 mpg

Clearly last year was way too much for Pierce. This year he is but a mere 6 seconds off pace of where he was during the championship run. Good or bad? Well looking at him right now I would have to say there isnt a problem. The only thing is it doesn’t matter what he looks like now. However, again, with the shape Pierce has come into this year, I would have to say there would be nothing wrong with him holding these kinds of minutes. Clearly it would be more beneficial for him to have less, but if at 37:30 last year, and he still does what he did in the playoffs, I can live with a little under 36 minutes per game.

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What inspired me to write this post now, at what just so happens to be 20% of the way through the season, is noticing the expertise Doc has with his control of the time these players are in the game. Last night, there were times in which you would expect Pierce to be in the game, but the game was close enough that Doc kept him on the bench. This year more than any other year, the team is going to focus on the future. If it means resting the starters throughout the game, only to find a way to win by about 5 points in the end, then so be it, as long as the veterans get their rest. Really what does it matter how much we beat someone by (except for a fans blood pressure), so long as we chalk it up in the win column.

The Celtics will not go all out on every night to put up huge numbers and destroy teams because how we win right now doesn’t matter. Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, we have the Lakers who for whatever reason have it in their mind that they must beat teams by large margins. They hold a record of 13-3, yet in games they are winning by 10+ points, Kobe is regularly playing minutes far above his career average. We can let them do it how they want to do it. What matters is being in good enough position come May and June, and I feel at 13-4 with these kind of minutes for the Big 3, we are putting ourselves in great position to do big things.

(Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)