BOSTON — The Celtics’ starting five and rotation have felt a bit like a mad science experiment this season, but it appears Brad Stevens finally has found the perfect formula.
For now, anyway.
Since Avery Bradley returned from a calf injury four days ago, the Celtics head coach has opted to start Isaiah Thomas and Marcus Smart in the backcourt while bringing Bradley — who had been a staple in the starting five — off the bench.
The switch has helped jump-start Boston’s offense, which has hit triple digits in all three of its contests since then. At the center of it all is Bradley, who has poured in a combined 53 points in those games.
Bradley played the role of super sub again Wednesday, blitzing the Dallas Mavericks with 12 points in a span of less than two minutes in the first quarter to help the Celtics open an early 18-point lead.
Stevens has said he’ll continue to tinker with his lineup until he finds the right fit, and at least in this small sample size, it looks like he has a strong candidate. Yet the C’s coach still doesn’t want to make too much of a fuss with who starts and who doesn’t, especially where Bradley is concerned.
“I don’t think it matters, starting or off the bench,” Stevens said. “I just think he’s a good player. And (he) came in and made a bunch of shots in a flurry (Wednesday night). He’s very capable of doing that, whether he starts or not.”
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Let’s hit a few more notes from Celtics-Mavs:
— The Celtics’ defense has been its calling card this season, but it failed Boston down the stretch.
Boston entered the fourth quarter with an eight-point lead, but Wesley Matthews capitalized on a pair of second-chance opportunities with two huge 3-pointers to put Dallas within striking distance.
“Killers,” Stevens said of Matthews’ shots. “Both off offensive rebounds, right? … First of all, it takes a lot of toughness to hit that second one after you miss the first one in one possession. But those are killers. Those are big moments in the game.”
— Jared Sullinger continues to be a double-double machine.
The Celtics big man tallied 18 points and 12 rebounds to earn his fourth double-double through 11 games. He had 12 double-doubles in 49 games last season.
— Count Mavs coach Rick Carlisle among those who think the Celtics will be playing past April 13.
“That’s a really good team,” Carlisle said. “They are gonna definitely be a playoff team in the East. They’re young and athletic (and) play solid defense.”
— Mark Cuban was in the house Wednesday night. In addition to offering his hot take on Deflategate, the Mavericks owner also had a brutally honest response when asked about his ill-fated decision to trade for Rajon Rondo last December.
“(Expletive) happens, right?” Cuban told a small group of reporters, via CBSSports.com. “There are a lot of risks I’ve taken that have worked out just fine. They’re not all going to work.”
Yet Cuban was quick to point out the Mavericks still have one player on their roster left from that deal, and that he’s doing quite well.
“I think when it’s all said and done, that (Jae) Crowder-for-(Dwight) Powell trade will be a break even.”
Thumbnail photo via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
