Boston Celtics Minutes Management Paying off

As the regular season comes to an end, the Celtics don’t need to worry about resting overworked players

The Boston Celtics conclude their regular season schedule Wednesday against the Milwaukee Bucks. If they win the game, Boston clinches the top seed in the eastern conference for the first time since the Big Three era.

They have a good chance at that, since the Bucks have confirmed that they will rest Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middelton and other key players. The Celtics can also clinch the first seed if the Cavaliers lose against the Raptors, and Cleveland decided to rest LeBron James for the game.

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Teams decide to sit players out this late in the season because either the games don’t have an impact on the standings, or they want to give their best players time before the playoffs. Brad Stevens has stated that he does not plan on resting healthy players in the season finale against Milwaukee. While Boston shouldn’t be resting players due to the seeding implications of the final game, they don’t have to worry about their players being overworked going into the postseason.

Brad Stevens has managed his player’s minutes beautifully, keeping everyone fresh and playing at a high level coming into the most important part of the year. While other eastern conference foe’s best players have played heavy minutes all year, Boston’s stars have been used responsibly.

Dec 9, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; The Boston Celtics react after a play against the Toronto Raptors in the second quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /

Here are some notable minutes per game averages for players that Boston could face in the playoffs.

LeBron James: 37.8(1st)

Kyle Lowry: 37.7(2nd)

Jimmy Butler: 37.0(4th)

John Wall: 36.4(6th)

The best players on the four most likely playoffs opponents are in the top ten in minutes. The highest Celtics player on the list is Isaiah Thomas(30th). The next highest players are Jae Crowder(50th) and Al Horford(51st). Stevens has used his bench well this season to give his best players sufficient rest. Now the bench players are more experienced and seasoned, while the starters aren’t drained from the grind of the regular season.

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This gives the Celtics an edge in the playoffs against top heavy teams. The added bonus is that after basically sacrificing higher quality of play throughout the year, Boston will most likely end up with the top seed in the east. Stevens continues to

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