Props To The Role Players: A Nice Win Against Miami

You really can't over analyze a blow out as the numbers are often skewed. But I do believe the following can be taken from this win...

The Boston Celtics were facing a team they should beat, and they did.

The role players deserve to be applauded. Yes, the win is against an injured and mentally defeated team. That said though, the Celtics were playing without two of there three all-star caliber players. Namely Kevin Garnett (abdominal strain) and Ray Allen (flu). In other words, the role players would be required to step up their game and find a way to win the game despite the losses of Allen and Garnett. More importantly the Celtics' role players would have to accomplish this by stepping up their game within the context of a team game. I say this because some players interpret stepping up as meaning "I have to score as much as KG or Allen." or "I have to try and take over the game." But more times that not, what leads to a victory is the stepping up of everyone's game within a team structure and not on various individual levels. The Celtics role players accomplished thus marvelously.

If I told you that KG and Allen were not playing tonight, who would you predict to be the leading scorer? Who would you predict would see the most defensive attention? I am guessing you all would have guessed Paul Pierce. Paul Pierce's numbers for the night: 28 minutes, 7 points, 2 for 9 (1 for 4 from behind the arc, 1 for 5 inside the arc), 2 for 2 from the line, 6 rebounds (1 offensive, 5 defensive), 2 assists, 2 turnovers, and 3 steals.

ROLE PLAYERS:

Brian Scalabrine:
13 minutes, 2 points, 1 for 2 from the field, 3 rebounds

LEON POWE:
22 minutes, 23 points, 8 for 12, 7 for 9 from the line, 11 rebounds (3 offensive)

Eddie House:
21 minutes, 20 points, 7 for 14, 5 for 7 from behind the arc, 2 for 7 from within the arc

James Posey:
15 minutes, 9 points, 2 for 5 from behind the arc, 3 for 4 from the line, 5 rebounds

Rajon Rondo:
23 minutes, 24 points, 8 for 10 from the field, 8 for 9 from the line, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 turnover

Tony Allen:
31 minutes, 19 points, 6 for 10, 2 for 2 from behind the arc, 5 for 7 from the line, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 turnovers, 3 steals

SIDE NOTE:

The Boston Celtics are 9-5 this month (good for a 64.2 winning percentage). If we were 9-5 anytime at anytime last season I would have been thrilled. Now, I'm irrationally annoyed the Boston lost 5 games this month. That's my irrational side. My rational side knows that you're not always going to beat all the teams you're supposed to beat. That said, it is nice to see that for the exception of the Charlotte Bobcats the Boston Celtics losses this month were at the hands of pretty solid Eastern Conference teams (twice against Washington and once against Toronto). Boston also made each of those losses a close game. In fact it should be noted that the Boston Celtics biggest loss in terms of the number of points they lost by is 12. Oddly enough, that is the game Boston lost to Charolotte.