Depth pays off in first-round sweep

When the season began last October, one of the Celtics’ strong points was supposed to be their depth.

The top seven players in the rotation on a team that reached Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals returned and were joined by All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, who were back from injuries.

Add in capable frontcourt players like Daniel Theis and Semi Ojeleye, and the Celtics had a deep roster, making them the preseason favorite to win the Eastern Conference.

Dividing up the minutes and keeping everyone happy figured to be a challenge for coach Brad Stevens.

“It’s about how can we all help each other win,’’ said Stevens before training camp started last September. “You’ve got a chance with a team that has a lot of good depth and that depth has to be a positive and that’s the way we’re going to approach it.’’

The changing of roles and a reduction in minutes because of all that depth led to some bumps in the road for the Celtics during the regular season.

There was unhappiness as players who received so much playing time during the run through the 2018 postseason were asked to adapt to new situations.

Jaylen Brown, the second-leading scorer in the playoffs last spring, lost his starting spot in late November after getting off to a slow start.

Terry Rozier, who averaged 16.5 points while playing nearly 37 minutes a game in the playoffs as Irving’s replacement, played only 23 minutes a game.

Hayward struggled in his comeback from a gruesome ankle and leg injury and was replaced in the starting lineup in November.

The smooth transition that had been anticipated with Irving and Hayward joining the rotation didn’t happen, and it made for some complications through a 49-33 regular season.

Depth may have caused some problems during the long grind from October-April, but in the opening round of the playoffs, depth was a definite positive for the Celtics.

With Stevens having only eight players average double-digits in minutes and with roles clearly defined, the Celtics flourished in sweeping the Indiana Pacers, 4-0.

There were contributions throughout the series from starters Irving, Tatum, Al Horford, Brown and Aron Baynes while Hayward, Morris and Rozier were effective off the bench.

Irving and Morris led the way with 20 points each in Game 1, Irving scored 37 in Game 2, Brown had 23 points in Game 3 and Hayward finished things off by going 7-for-9 and scoring 20 points in the clincher on Sunday afternoon.

The depth was needed especially with Marcus Smart sitting out due to a partially torn oblique that will likely keep him sidelined throughout the second round that begins this weekend. Brown stepped back into the starting lineup and provided solid defense while missing only one shot in Game 3.

“They’re a deep team,’’ Pacers coach Nate McMillan said at his postgame press conference on Sunday afternoon. “They showed (in Game 4) that Irving is not the only player on that roster. He does a lot of things for them. They have solid players both in their first unit and their second unit. Those guys stepped up. I felt like they stepped up throughout this series.

“Morris had a big game the first game. Each night it’s been someone different coming off the bench or playing in that first unit. Irving does what he does, which is create for those guys. He’s capable of dominating a game one-on-one and, when you’re sending double teams, he’s getting the ball out of his hands and trusting his teammates and those guys are knocking down shots.

“So it’s a huge challenge to try to cover them when they’re playing so well.’’

The level of competition is going to rise considerably in the second round. The Celtics dispatched the Pacers, who were without leading scorer Victor Oladipo, but the next challenge is going to be a significant upgrade.

The Milwaukee Bucks, who went for a sweep of the Detroit Pistons on Monday night, are the likely second-round opponent with possible most valuable player award winner Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way.

The Celtics are going to need all eight of their rotation players to chip in, and they may also turn to Ojeleye for some minutes against Antetokounmpo, just like they did a year ago. Ojeleye made three starts in the opening-round series when the Celtics got past the Bucks in seven games.

There were definite issues with chemistry and the rotation at various points of the regular season, but the Celtics showed signs of figuring it all out in handling the Pacers.

“A lot of people downplayed Boston as a team, but we knew they would get it right come playoff time,’’ McMillan told reporters in Indiana. “Brad has done a good job holding the team together. Now that they’re in the playoffs, they’re playing good basketball. Their next opponent is going to see a good team.’’