Boston Celtics’ Front Court is too Chaotic
The Boston Celtics are one of the best teams in the league at utilizing their depth. The Celtics have many players that can fill multiple roles and that gives Brad Stevens a lot of flexibility. The problem is that all that flexibility is leading to one of the most inconsistent front court rotations in the league.
The Celtics are currently in the process of figuring out which of these many players are going to be in their long term plans but there is absolutely no continuity to the front court rotation, except for maybe Amir Johnson.
The starting rotation has been in shambles all season long because of the injuries to Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley but that is not the only thing shaking up the rotation. Jared Sullinger started for the majority of the season but he was benched in favor of Kelly Olynyk, only to return back to a starting role shortly after.
Sullinger, Olynyk, Johnson, Zeller and Lee have all started at least one game this season. The starting lineup has been changing all the time and the bench has been no different. Lee, Zeller and Jonas Jerebko have all had their share of games with extended minutes. They have also had their fair share of games with no time on the court. Jordan Mickey is trapped in the D League and the Celtics still do not appear to have a clear idea of when he will get his opportunity in the NBA.
The Celtics have suffered on the court because of the inconsistency but it is a necessary part of the process for the team. The Celtics saw their expectations sky rocket this year and that has lead to a lot of disappointment over this last stretch. The problem is the Celtics still need to find a balance between winning and rebuilding.
The Celtics have way too many pieces on this team but there is no sense in throwing away a young talent with potential. The Celtics have an opportunity to see their multiple options grow and develop and then they can make final decisions and settle into their rotation.
Perhaps it will be like last year. The lineup was constantly changing because of trades and there was no continuity in the lineup. This season, there are no trades but the rotation is just as unset. Theres no telling how the rotation will shape up following the all star break but for now they will continue to play around with all their options.
Having Sullinger being brought back into the lineup could also be a positive thing. Olynyk was given his opportunity and even though he played well, Sullinger earned his spot back. Lee had one game with significant minutes recently but other than that he almost never sees the court. The rotation continues to change but there has been progress.
The rotation problems were recently amplified because of bad timing. The same time that things were shaken up with Olynyk was right around the time that Smart returned, and Bradley left with an injury. The Celtics would be lacking a great deal of chemistry under any circumstances and things hit an all time low during the four game losing streak.
The Celtics remain on the fringe of the playoff picture but as long as their rotation remains inconsistent their play will follow. The Celtics have had some incredible stretches this year but they never manage to maintain it. The Celtics are the healthiest they have been all year and the hope is that things can settle a bit on the court.
The Celtics will continue to feel out their options but the team has proven that they can continue to be competitive as they rebuild. The trade deadline could be another definitive point. Even if the Celtics do not come out with a block buster trade, that is the same time they went on a run last season. The Celtics brought everything together when Thomas arrived and they settled into a consistent rotation.
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The Celtics will have an opportunity to do that again this year but if they continue to look at the long term results then the rotation could stay this way for the entire season. The Celtics can be frustrating but they are progressing and growing at an incredible pace and they continue to be relevant in the eastern conference playoff picture.