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Nothing can be taken away from the Boston Celtics' 2021-22 NBA season opener as they went toe-to-toe with the New York Knicks. Although they lost the game in the second overtime, the second unit pulled their weight in the matchup.
The Boston Celtics used only four players in the rotation of the ten available. As things progress, we will undoubtedly see more players integrated into the lineup and given the chance to contribute to the team's winning efforts.
In the 2020-21 NBA season, the Boston Celtics did not get much production from their bench, with only starters averaging double-digits in points. But seeing the caliber of players brought in during the offseason and how their first game of the new season unfolded, that will change.
Which players will make significant contributions off the bench for the Boston Celtics?
The Boston Celtics had a decent offseason, adding decent two-way players to the roster. They are big on defense, which explains why they chose to follow that route compared to teams that focused on getting offensive firepower.
Youngsters Aaron Nesmith, Romeo Langford and Payton Pritchard are exciting prospects for the Boston Celtics. They all had decent showings in the preseason, especially Nesmith, who showed up in a preseason fixture against the Orlando Magic with 23 points in 26 minutes. However, the aforementioned players will not be the ones to make the most impact off the bench for the C's.
On that note, here are the three bench players who will be key to the rotation for the Boston Celtics.
#3 Grant Williams
Grant Williams was called up to the starting lineup for the Boston Celtics' first game of the 2021-22 NBA season following Al Horford's unavailability due to covid-19 health and safety protocols. While he contributed 15 points, he had a difficult time defending against Julius Randle, who put 35 past him.
Williams did not have the best sophomore season, averaging only 4.7 points per game. However, he did make the Boston Celtics better on the defensive end. If he can continue to deliver the goods defensively while making little offensive improvement, he would be a significant piece in the Celtics' title hopes.
#2 Josh Richardson
A migraine kept Josh Richardson out for the Boston Celtics' season opener, but he should be good to go for their second game against the Toronto Raptors. He was the likeliest option to partner Marcus Smart on the backcourt, but with all signs pointing to head coach Ime Udoka playing Horford and Robert Williams together, Jaylen Brown will be the team's shooting guard.
Udoka is excited about what could become of Richardson's time with the Celtics. It is clear that he was brought in for his versatile defending, but he will also need to make improvements in shooting the ball.
Richardson's three-point averages have consistently dropped in the last three years with three different teams. Getting used to new systems might have been difficult, but he remained effective defensively on and off the ball. Coach Ime Udoka shared his thoughts on Josh Richardson's shooting struggles. He said:
“Didn’t shoot it that well last year, but we’ll get him back to that. He’s a better shooter than he showed in Dallas. But Josh is another guy you can plug into a lot of different areas, small or big, or your point guard. Defensively, he can guard all of those positions.”
#1 Dennis Schroder
Dennis Schroder was an absolute steal given what he brings to the table for the Boston Celtics. He was signed to a one-year $5.9 million deal, an exciting opportunity to show his abilities after a rather hot and cold 2020-21 season.
Pundits have rightfully predicted that Schroder might be in the conversation for the Sixth Man of the Year award, given how much he has to prove himself once again in the league. He started the new season with a decent 12-point outing. Added to that are three rebounds, eight assists and two steals.
Also Read: Who is Dennis Schröder’s wife, Ellen Ziolo?
Guess the Lakers players!
