Boston's Big Bench?: Celtics Role Players Step Up

The big story for the Celtics this year was the transition from first to worst with the two big additions, Ray Allen from Seattle and Kevin Garnett from Minnesota.

The Celtics front office was quite busy this offseason, also obtaining defensive stopper James Posey, back-up point guard Eddie House, and veteran center Scott Pollard.

Combined with the improvement of Tony Allen, Rajon Rondo, and big man Kendrick Perkins, the Celtics have showed life outside the big three. Many people assumed that if Garnett or Pierce ever went down, the Celtics bid at yet another championship banner would come crashing to earth.

With a much improved bench, the Celtics certainly wouldn't be as dominant without one of their top three, but they could still be playoff contenders in the much-improved Eastern Conference.

Although the big three are responsible for well over half of Boston's points, these stats do not factor in the crucial three-point shots to stop runs, or the great defensive plays to save the game that the bench has produced.

As I conclude, just consider this—when there was fifteen seconds left in a one-point game in Miami, and Dwayne Wade looking to take the game-winning shot, who did Doc Rivers trust to shut him down? Pierce? Allen?  Nope—James Posey.

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