Contending for an NBA title isn’t easy, and the Boston Celtics know that. Which is why Brandon Bass needs to be in the starting lineup.
After a complete roster overhaul this past off-season, the Celtics have plenty of options at almost every position, a luxury they were not afforded last year. Such depth has created embraceable quandaries, like who to start in the front court.
Kevin Garnett is a given, obviously, but Boston has not decided who his low-post counterpart will be. Does Doc Rivers go with the small-ball lineup and throw-in Jared Sullinger or Brandon Bass, or does he opt to move Garnett back to his natural position at power forward and throw Darko Milicic back into the fold?
The first part of the question is easy—Rivers must continue to utilize Garnett at center. He excelled there in the postseason and has a mobility and range advantage over almost every other true center in the league.
Now is where it gets murky, though. As Greg Payne of ESPNBoston.com notes, the Celtics must decide whether start the ever-improving Bass, or relegate him to the bench to strengthen their second-unit, instead starting the rookie Sullinger.
The answer there? Bass, a million times over.
For the Celtics, it has to be about beating teams like the Heat, about contending for a championship, about putting their best starting five on the court. And Bass would round-out their best starting lineup. He’s familiar with the workings of Rajon Rondo, knows how to play alongside Garnett in the post and took great strides toward refining his two-way impact last season.
And that’s not to say Sullinger cannot play a vital role, because he can. Any spark he provides off the bench will be a major bonus. But for a team looking to capture another championship ring, starting an unproven rookie right out the gate is dangerous. Because while the Celtics are plenty talented, they aren’t LeBron James-Dwyane Wade talented, in the sense that they just need to rely on two guys.
So, while it seems like an actual dilemma, there is really no dilemma at all. Boston opted to chase experience this offseason over a rebuilding era. And it’s time the team embraced experience over the unknown once again.
Simply put, if the Celtics want to have a shot—the best possible shot—at contending for a title, Bass must start over Sullinger.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com. Follow @danfavale on Twitter for his latest posts and all things NBA.
