Boston Celtics: 10 Adjustments Doc Rivers Must Make for Pierce and Aging Core

Paul Pierce and the Big Three are only getting older, as it inevitably raises question as to just how much they will bring to the table this season.

This is the fifth season they will be together as a unit with the Boston Celtics, as Pierce is the youngest at 33 years of age. Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett are both 35 and Jermaine O'Neal, tentatively the starting center for the Celtics, is 32.

It is an aging lineup that head coach Doc Rivers needs to work with to make adjustments in order to better suit the needs of the ball club.

Here are the 10 more critical adjustments Doc Rivers must make in order to get the most production out of the veteran core.

Give Jeff Green Minutes

With the Boston Celtics, Jeff Green has had his minutes drop from 37 minutes a game to just 23.5.

In those 23.5 minutes per game, Green put up 9.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and shot 48.5 percent. Outside of the numbers, Green was also a key player defensively by making life difficult for players on the perimeter throughout the regular season and playoffs.

Green might not be as talented as Celtics All-Star forward Paul Pierce is, but he deserves a bigger chunk of minutes during the regular season.

Pierce will need his rest going into the postseason and doesn't need the wear and tear that a 35 minutes per game in an 82-game season.

Reduce Paul Pierce's Playing Time

If there's one thing that has to happen next season for the Boston Celtics, the team needs to give Paul Pierce more rest throughout the course of the regular season.

After putting up 22.3 points per game against the New York Knicks in the first-round sweep for the Celtics —including a 38-point night—Pierce was held to just 19.6 points a contest on 45.5 percent shooting against the Miami Heat.

LeBron James and the Heat played Pierce well defensively, yet more than anything Pierce seemed to be a step too slow in the series, showing signs of fatigue early on.

If the Celtics want to move past teams like the Heat or Chicago Bulls next postseason, captain Pierce will need to be on his "A game."

Starting Jermaine O'Neal vs. Giving Him Starters Minutes

As Celtics center Jermaine O'Neal is the projected starter for the team next season, it is important that Doc Rivers, and the organization understand that O'Neal cannot play anything close to starters minutes.

With the free agent market still on hold due to the NBA lockout, the Celtics have not had the chance to shop for a player at the center position.

Getting another center would help O'Neal's production and ultimately help the team fill the gap they have been missing for half of last season.

Since Kendrick Perkins left the team, the Celtics have not had a true answer at the center position, as the team cannot expect O'Neal to fill the void. He can produce in short spurts of playing time and could possibly even start ball games, yet giving him the starting job is different from giving him a solid 25 to 30 minutes a game.

If the Celtics want to move forward and add youth to the rotation, O'Neal getting starters minutes is anything but the answer.

Allow Kevin Garnett to Get More Involved Offensively

After the Celtics traded center Kendrick Perkins to the Oklahoma City Thunder halfway through the season, Kevin Garnett took on a bigger role defensively for the team.

Although Garnett is a player known for his consistent play on the defensive end, many forget the guy has got game on the offensive end of the floor.

Last season, Garnett averaged 14.9 points per game for the team, a figure Garnett could improve if the team gave him the ball more on the block.

That baseline jumper could open up the Celtics offense and ultimately get players like Ray Allen and Paul Pierce better looks at the basket.

It will also add another element to the team's game offensively, as it seemed the Celtics got away from getting the ball inside and forcing teams to play more interior defense.

Limit Ray Allen's Minutes

Ray Allen is 35 years old and will be 36 years old by the end of next season. As a result, the aging will inevitably be taking a toll on how many minutes he will able to contribute positive minutes for the team.

After putting up career-high numbers last season, it would seem outright unfair limit Allen's minutes. Rivers said himself that Allen is in as good of shape as any player on the team.

The problem is he is human, he is not superman and eventually will start to see big minutes taking a toll on his game.

Next season it is important to give Allen his fair share of rest, as Pierce and Garnett will likely get more minutes on the bench as well.

Allen is most effective late in ball games for the team as he is known for hitting big baskets and making it happen offensively, as more rest makes him as effective as possible for the team.

Understanding the Limits of Allen, Pierce and Garnett

Although it could be said that the Big Three need more rest to produce more, it is even more significant that Rivers is able to give them rest in the postseason.

When it came playoff time, Pierce, Allen, and Garnett were playing well on both ends of the floor. The issue was the fact that the bench production was nowhere to be found.

Whether or not the bench produces or not is not necessarily something Rivers has direct control over. Picking up the right players in free agency and making the offseason adjustments necessary to fill voids in the rotation is something he does have control over.

Pierce, Allen and Garnett are great players and are potential Hall of Famers when it's all said and done, yet if the Celtics hope to win another NBA championship, it will take production outside of the Big Three.

Work With Rajon Rondo on the Offensive End of the Floor

Yes, it shall be said again, Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo is an incomplete offensive player.

In a league where point guards are beginning to take on a greater role scoring the basketball, Rondo lacks a jump shot and ability to hit his free throws.

Shooting under 60 percent from the line and consistently having defenders play 10 feet off him are two disadvantages that prevent Rondo from optimally contributing to the Celtics.

Rondo might be a top-10 point guard, possibly even a top-five talent at the position. Yet lacking a jumper and an ability to earn points at the strike could be costly to his legacy as well as his contributions to the team.

Develop the Rookies, JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore

JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore are promising talents as rookies in the league, as they will need to produce early and effectively for the Celtics to improve as a ball club.

Both are young players who have the ability to score the basketball. There is no doubt that offensively the Celtics make two big pickups by drafting both Johnson and Moore in the 2011 NBA draft.

In addition, the C's add two players that give both Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen a much needed rest throughout the course of the regular season.

Giving Johnson and Moore the proper time training this offseason could be key in just how far the Celtics can go this postseason.

Focus This Summer on Rebounding the Basketball

Last season the Boston Celtics were the second-worst team rebounding the basketball, grabbing just 38.8 boards a contest. It is an area the team knows the must improve upon heading into next season.

In the playoffs last year, Garnett led the team with 10.9 rebounds a game, with point guard Rajon Rondo following with 5.4 a contest. Despite his skill on the glass, if Rondo is the second-leading rebounder for the team in the postseason, there are problems.

Losing Kendrick Perkins to the Oklahoma City Thunder is a tough loss in this department, as the Celtics have to find answers in this regard. Garnett can't do it alone for the team on the glass.

Sign Players When the Free-Agent Market Opens

The Boston Celtics are in need of another shooting guard and center, two voids that must be filled going into next season if the team expects to win basketball games.

At the center position, the Celtics could target a player like Nene Hilario, who has shown steady improvement throughout the course of his career. Last season, Nene was one of the big reasons the Denver Nuggets were able to improve late in the season.

When it comes to the shooting guard slot, there are several things the team can do. They could simply re-sign Delonte West and incorporate E'Twaun Moore in the rotation or go out and sign another free agent.

Others available include Jason Richardson from the Orlando Magic and Jamal Crawford from the Atlanta Hawks, two veteran scorers who could possibly take a pay cut with the incentive to win a championship next season.