Boston Celtics’ Aron Baynes is more valuable than advertised

Aron Baynes has put in some key minutes in the Celtics’ triumphs so far in December.

It might not appear so, but an easy way to figure out which games the Boston Celtics have won and lost so far in December rests in the amount of minutes center Aron Baynes has received.

Baynes was a game-changer on both ends of the floor in Saturday night’s too-close-for-comfort victory over the Grizzlies, making six of his eight field goals for 13 points and six rebounds in 28 minutes of action.

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He was given the same amount of playing time last Wednesday night in a home contest against the Nuggets, and the end result was the same: a victory over a Western Conference squad.

Baynes put up 17 points, his highest scoring output since November 8, while taking over 10 shots for just the second time all season. These were not ill-advised looks either, as Baynes converted on eight of his chances, doing everything from knocking down 15-footers to finishing at the rim.

His rebounding total last Wednesday equaled that of Saturday’s output, as he finished with six boards to help the Celtics catch the win in the rebounding column.

Friday night’s loss to the Jazz was a different story. With center Al Horford returning to the lineup after missing a night of action due to rest, Baynes saw his minutes plummet to a minuscule 16, three minutes below his nightly average for the season. He garnered just four shot opportunities, making just one basket for a measly two points, while harnessing a scant two rebounds.

He did not even receive enough time to record a personal foul. The result of the rebounding battle was telling, as the Celtics were manhandled on the glass, 55-31, a statistic which included nine offensive rebounds for the victorious Jazz and two for Boston. Baynes has tracked down 46 percent of Boston’s offensive rebounds so far this season. When his presence is lacking, the Celtics ability to secure second-chance points is negligible.

One week earlier in San Antonio, Baynes was missed for a different reason. While Boston had a chance to win the game at the buzzer on a Kyrie Irving three-pointer which nearly sunk through the net, their 102 points should have been enough to seal a victory. The Spurs frontcourt dominated offensively, and Baynes was forced to watch the majority of the loss from the bench.

LaMarcus Aldridge strutted his stuff to the tune of 27 points and 10 rebounds while Pau Gasol brought back memories of 2010 with 14 points and 11 rebounds. The Celtics opted to go small with Marcus Morris playing 25 minutes and Daniel Theis receiving 11, but it was to no avail as San Antonio’s big man tandem danced on Boston all night.

Had Baynes been out there for more than 14 minutes, the result could have differed. The six-year veteran’s 94.9 defensive rating is by far the best of his career, and he could have prevented Aldridge from capitalizing on the multitude of scoring chances he was gifted in the paint.

Two nights later in Detroit, Baynes was tapped for 27 minutes and helped neutralize center Andre Drummond in the post. After torching Horford for an absurd 26 points and 22 rebounds on November 27, Drummond was capped at six points on just five shot attempts in 31 minutes while being saddled with a plus-minus of -14. With Baynes latched onto Drummond, Boston walked out of Detroit with a 91-81 win after allowing 118 points to the same group not even two weeks earlier.

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Baynes has popped up as an unsung hero for Boston this season, someone who could see more 28-minute nights in the coming week with Hassan Whiteside of the Heat and Kristaps Porzingis of the Knicks on the horizon.