Matthes Manifesto II: Where do the Indiana Pacers stack up in the East?
The Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics aren’t the favorite because of their starting five, although the quintet is impressive. Boston’s lineup embodies everything contemporary basketball nerds lust after: “Stop! You’re telling me they surround Kyrie Irving with three switchable wings and Al Horford!? ”
If those five stay healthy and judging by Irving’s injury history that’s a big “if”, they would be a worthy foil for the Golden State Warriors.
But the key to Boston being the East’s best team is not in those five; the key Boston’s supremacy lies in whom they can mix and mingle with the starters. The Celtics aren’t just a small-ball team, with Marcus Morris, Aron Baynes, and draft pick Robert Williams the Celtics could also be big. With Marcus Smart and Semi Ojeleye, the Celtics could also be a stout defensive unit.
The Celtics are a high-powered chameleon that can adjust to whatever matchup is the most favorable on any given night. And one can safely assume that one of the game’s great coaches (and Zionsville, Indiana native) Brad Stevens will more often than not figure out which lineup that is.
Can they thrive as third (at best), fourth or fifth options in a lineup flooded with all-stars? The safe money would be on Stevens and Boston figuring it out. However, it wouldn’t be surprising if a pair of 20 year-olds bristled at ancillary roles.
Most nights Stevens and the Celtics won’t have to think that hard. Horford is not a five-time all-star by accident. His game is complete, Horford can fit in any lineup iteration. Irving is both a clutch and, when necessary, high-volume scorer. Gordon Hayward, coming off of his gruesome injury, is a plus scorer at any level on offense. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown demonstrated last year that they have the potential to be leading scorers in their own right.
On paper, there are few legitimate reasons to pick against the Celtics. They should be able to cover for injuries to almost any of their key players. Hayward, Brown and Tatum can all fill in for each other.
Any injury would just mean that Morris would start, which is a good failsafe. If/when Irving goes down (he has played more than 70 games in a given season thrice in seven seasons, and even then it was: 71, 75 and 72), they have Terry Rozier. Horford’s the only one who isn’t directly replaceable. But a bigger concern is how Tatum and Brown handle demoted scoring roles.
Can they thrive as third (at best), fourth or fifth options in a lineup flooded with all-stars? The safe money would be on Stevens and Boston figuring it out. However, it wouldn’t be surprising if a pair of 20 year-olds bristled at ancillary roles.