Just a note on the minutes: The Celtics have had a light schedule so far. One game off after their opener, and then 2 days off after the Miami game. The Heat, meanwhile, were on the front end of a back-to-back.BenHogan had this excellent summary in the NBA game thread that deserves some more attention:
(2) If you're correct that there is not going to be any "second unit" as most teams play one, but rather a steady presence of starters on the floor at any given time, with both halves opening and closing with all of them - then aren't we at risk of running the starters too many minutes and raising our injury risk? Bench minutes our first two games, Horford included:
#1: 58' (NYK: 92')
#2: 62' (MIA: 79') - and this would've been 59' had KP not fouled out
We don't have a ton of data yet, but my impression is that we're playing our bench fewer minutes than most NBA teams usually do. White and Tatum are ironmen, but particularly for Porzingis and Horford (and to a lesser extent Holiday and Brown, for different reasons) I assume we really want to cut them more of a break. And that may mean a rotation strategy that doesn't lean as heavily on the starters for as much of the game as it has thus far.
Perhaps after we get in our reps for "learning how to play together", the middle third of the season will feature more bench development and seeing who can hang from the crew that's behind our top 8. With Kornet essentially interviewing for his job, Brissett already seeing the floor, and most of the other guys giving reason for optimism at some point in the preseason, I hope we can settle on the idea that a few of them are playable, or are likely to become so if given some reps and rope.
The Knicks bench minutes were influenced by Immanuel Quickley going off for 24 points on 5-7 from deep. Miami's bench usage was influenced by Spoelstra having to start Kevin Love.
I do expect the bench to find more minutes in the near future, as the Celtics schedule tightens up quickly after this week.