Published 22:48, February the 17th, 2009
Keys to the second half
Three things the Celtics need to do to stay atop the NBA
NBA. Even with two long winning streaks and a mind-numbing slump, the Celtics enter the second half on pace to match last season‚s total of 66 wins. Here is a look at three things to keep an eye on as the regular season winds down and the Celtics (44-11) gear up for their title defense:Manage minutes
The starters‚ minutes increased a bit from last year, but it's not as crippling of an effect as it seems on the surface. Paul Pierce's playing time increased by 1.2 minutes, and Ray Allen's went up by 0.3 minutes (about 20 seconds per game) while Kevin Garnett's dropped by 0.3 minutes. The Celtics aren't going to run away with the Eastern Conference in March like they did last season, so Doc Rivers must manage the minutes of his older starters as they play in more intense late-season action. Burning out in June would waste this nine-month journey.
Bench leader
James Posey isn't walking through that door, so Tony Allen has to. Allen missed 15 games in the first half, and that number will rise as he continues to battle a tricky thumb injury. It's probably a bit much to expect Allen will emerge as the team's sixth man during the second half, but he's got to return to the lineup with better consistency in time for the playoffs. He is averaging 7.8 points in 19.1 minutes this season, but he's got to be more fluent in the offense when the starters are sitting and more dominant on defense to warrant late playing time.
Roster tweaks
Yesterday's trade of Sam Cassell reeks of a sign of moves to come. The Celtics traded Cassell and cash considerations to the Kings for a conditional second-round pick, which frees up a roster spot that could be filled before tomorrow's trade deadline (unlikely) or by a free-agent signing before March 1. There are a number of players who could get bought out by non-contending teams in the next two weeks as casualties of the economic hit the league is taking. Look for all of them to have interest in signing with the Celtics.