Apr 13, 2013; Orlando, FL, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers against the Orlando Magic during the second half at the Amway Center. Boston Celtics defeated the Orlando Magic 120-88. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

On Saturday, Doc Rivers went with a seven man rotation and only got four points off the bench in the loss to the New York Knicks. He only called on three bench players throughout the entire game and none of them could contribute enough to put a dent in New York’s armor. Among the players who never got off the pine, Chris Wilcox, Terrence Williams, and Shavlik Randolph, who proved that they can make an impact in games, sat on the bench and helplessly witnessed Game 1′s downfall. This cannot happen tomorrow.

During the season fans believed that Jason Terry’s value would surface in the playoffs, and after Saturday it’s now time to question whether he was a good signing at all. He was given multiple opportunities at high percentage shots on the perimeter, but failed to drain any of them, and to cap it off, “The Jet” was denied flight on a dunk attempt as he was rejected taking the ball to the rim. When people say that Terrence Williams should be getting his minutes, I can’t agree more. Terry is a liability on defense, and if he’s not knocking down shots, he’s just a body that the Celtics are putting on the floor.

Jordan Crawford wasn’t given enough time, playing only 10 minutes in Game 1. Putting him with Terrence Williams in the backcourt worked to perfection in the regular season, and Rivers should go back to that as it was successful. If they have Williams in, that takes a lot of pressure off of Crawford, and because of Williams height and length, he is not confined to playing the guard positions, but can also be moved to small forward when Jeff Green or Paul Pierce are on the bench.

The New York Knicks went with a ten man rotation which kept their starters from getting worn out during the game, and keeping them fresh against Boston’s weary legs. Not one forward off the bench for the Celtics came into the game. They were having difficulty boxing out on rebounds, but never went to Chris Wilcox, Shavlik Randolph, or even DJ White. You can’t win basketball games being reluctant to attempt to matchup against the other team. Kenyon Martin was looking young out there because Garnett, Green, and Bass were drained both physically and emotionally. Wilcox and Randolph may not give you 20 minutes of consistent playing time, but at least they’ll be doing something rather than watching the game like the millions of fans who tuned in on Saturday.

Doc Rivers needs to go with a bigger rotation. In 2008 he had plenty of options to go with, and now with the injuries, he has to rely on players he probably has no confidence in. But it works both ways. These guys who are watching won’t benefit just sitting, witnessing their teammates doing all the work. They need to be involved and start playing. The team may have looked winded in the fourth quarter because all the energy that could have been reserved was used trying to keep up with the Knicks offense.

New York may have great players, and they may be the better team. However, if Boston goes deeper into their bench, they can send waves of fresh players with rested legs who can match the Knicks, not with ability or talent, but at least staying in front of their man and giving the starters time to rest.

The bench is my key to victory in this series and for the rest of the playoffs. The reason Boston’s bench hasn’t been good the past few years is because Doc Rivers isn’t using them. If he goes with a nine or ten man rotation, I guarantee the effectiveness of the starters late in the game will have more of an impact than in Game 1. Now it’s up to the coaching staff to act and make adjustments. This series can’t be won by the starters alone, it has to be from everyone, including the last man on the bench. This series isn’t over by a long shot, but another loss like Saturday, and the fight within this team will be gone.

Mar 8, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics players cheer during the first half of a game against the Atlanta Hawks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

Since Rajon Rondo’s season ended, the Boston Celtics bench has stepped their game and are one of the reasons why they’re contending for a higher seed in the Eastern Conference. At this point, it’s become cliché to say that this playoff run all started when Boston’s star point guard went down with a season ending ACL tear, but no matter what side of the spectrum you’re on the results don’t lie, Boston is winning games. How is this all possible? Well, let’s take a deeper look into this current playoff run by the Celtics, and how the bench has been a major contributor to Boston’s success since January.

It all starts with the “we not me” philosophy. The entire team has bought into playing as one, and they know what is required and expected of them. Everyone knows their role, and when their number is called they immediately have an impact on the game. Players like Jordan Crawford, Terrence Williams, DJ White, and even Shavlik Randolph have stepped up in the time they’ve played and have become important pieces off the bench for Boston. These are the same players who have struggled to find a permanent home in the NBA, but somehow they’ve  produced numbers that no Celtics fan could have expected them to contribute, considering they joined the team halfway through the season.

• Jordan Crawford – 7.0 ppg 2.5 rebounds 1.4 assists in 11 games played
• Shavlik Randolph – 3.3 ppg 4.3 rebounds in 3 games played
• DJ White- 2.8 ppg 1.5 rebounds in 4 games played
• Terrence Williams – 2.6 ppg 1.2 assists in 10 games played

Now these numbers aren’t impressive, and certainly not something that ESPN would give an honorable mention to, but these players are producing numbers for the Boston Celtics. Both Randolph and White have had to play, and not in garbage time when they game is over. These guys have been put into games during the second and third quarters. Doc Rivers confidence in these players have had an effect on their own individual games and they’ve made an impact in the limited time they’ve seen on the court.

The players who are expected to do well, Jason Terry, Jeff Green, and Chris Wilcox have elevated their games, leading the bench in scoring and setting the tone for the rest of the bench. In the month of March alone, here is what they’re averaging for points scored in the last eight games.

• Jeff Green – 13.6 ppg
• Jason Terry -10.7 ppg
• Chris Wilcox – 4.8 ppg

With that type of offense coming off the bench, Boston has become a dangerous team, even when the starters are off the floor. It’s been a good five to six years since the Celtics could boast that they have a deep bench, not just on paper, but on a nightly basis during games. Recently, the Celtics have been able to put away teams without much help from the starters, which has given the veterans much needed rest in the fourth quarter. In 2010, the bench would rarely maintain or extend leads throughout games, but since January, this year’s Celtics team hasn’t had that problem.

The bench has been a vital part of Boston’s success without Rondo. They’ve carried the team far during the last few months allowing the starters to take a back seat for a few games and easing the pressure off of their shoulders. The Celtics have positioned themselves to be a dangerous opponent to anyone who faces them in the playoffs. If Boston wants to go far in the postseason, the bench will have to remain consistent. With the veteran leadership this team possesses, and their determination to win, I doubt we’ll see anyone slacking or not producing from here on out. This team is special, and if they continue to trust each other they’ll get past any opponent standing in their way.

Oct 20, 2012; Albany, NY, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jason Terry (4) reacts after making a basket during the second half against the New York Knicks at Times Union Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-US PRESSWIRE

Last night Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce didn’t play, so we got an extended look at the Celtics second unit and supporting cast, and what they displayed on the court should encourage fans heading into the season. The question has been asked since the beginning of training camp: Is this the deepest bench Boston has had in the Big Three era? After last night’s game maybe we finally have our answer. It’s clear that this team is deep, and they have multiple scorers off the bench who can supply instant offense when the starters are out of the game.

Being down by 20 points in the second quarter, Jason Terry, Jeff Green, Rajon Rondo, and Jared Sullinger lead the charge and successfully overcame the New York Knicks in Albany. Terry and Green combined for 47 points, and while Terry consistently knocked down three point shots, Jeff Green did everything from scoring in the paint to hitting shots from the perimeter. Having players who can produce numbers like this will definitely give the Celtics the advantage heading into games.

When looking at how deep this roster is, you really can’t compare this team to the championship year of 2008, just because of the vast differences between the rosters. Considering it’s only preseason and they haven’t played a game that counts yet, it’s probably too early, but needless to say this team may be the deepest team since 1986. The Celtics have veterans who can fill in for the starters, have role players who know their jobs, and they have a rookie in Jared Sullinger who is possibly the steal of the draft.

This year’s backcourt for the Celtics is no doubt the deepest in the league. If Rondo needs a break, Courtney Lee, Jason Terry, Avery Bradley (when he returns), and newly acquired Leandro Barbosa can fill in to help relieve the point guard duties off of Rondo’s shoulders. In 2008 Sam Cassel was the only other true point guard on the team, and while Eddie House played time at that position, his handling skills were a liability.

But the most important component of this year’s roster is the backups to Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. In the five seasons he’s been here, Garnett never really had a reliable replacement, and because of that he had to play a lot of minutes. With Brandon Bass, Darko Milicic, Chris Wilcox, and Jared Sullinger, Doc Rivers has options when taking Garnett out of the game for some rest.

In Pierce’s entire career, he was the main go-to guy. He never had a decent backup, and he really never needed one because in his prime he played 40 minutes a game. But within the last two years or so, the Captain has slowed down a bit, and especially last season when he had no backup to help him conserve energy and rest on the bench. This season Jeff Green, who has already surprised many fans in seven preseason games, is the answer to keeping Pierce’s minutes at a reasonable number. Green has the ability to score 20 points a night, and because he can play multiple positions, Doc can use him in the same lineup with Pierce.

If there is one thing that makes this year’s Celtics team the most unique in the Big Three era, it’s that Boston has players who can play multiple positions and roles. Doc can use many different lineups, and with them being interchangeable, he can confuse the opponents, especially on the defense. Also, the mixture of youth and experience is something that the Celtics have lacked in previous years, and with a good young core, this team can continue to move forward after the Big Three era.

This team has the chance to not only win a championship this season, but for the next few seasons to come. Jeff Green, Brandon Bass, Kevin Garnett, Jason Terry, and Courtney Lee are all signed for the next three years, and if they play to their potential, they could win more than one championship during this window of opportunity. I thought that maybe if the Celtics win this season Pierce and Garnett would retire, but looking at the supporting cast and the team Danny Ainge has built, it’s possible that they will stay until this final window closes.