The Celtics have had a lot of people in and out of the lineup this season. Between injuries and rest, the Celtics have put together two dozen different starting lineups in an 82-game season. They’ve had 12 different guys start games for them this season, including Noah Vonleh.
But they’ve never turned to Malcolm Brogdon. Not once.
Brogdon decided to accept a bench role coming to Boston, and he’s been committed to that the whole time.
“I didn’t know what it would be like,” Brogdon said after dropping 29 points in a win over the Raptors. “I knew I’d be coming off the bench, but the Celtics, Brad were very up front about that coming off the bench. But I was all for it—am all for it—and I knew it would be a very fluid situation. And for me it’s about understanding that, embracing it, and continuing to embrace it for 82 games and the playoffs. I feel like that’s what I’ve done.”
That's exactly what he’s done for 66 games in Boston. That's the most games played for him since his rookie season, and at least 10 more than any season in Indiana. But in accepting this role, his minutes per game have dropped to 26, the lowest of his career.
For a guy who has built a reputation for being injury-prone, this role seems to have suited him well.
“The humility that he brings to our team, he takes that pride in the second unit,” Joe Mazzulla said. “In order to be a great team, you have to have people like that and we have that from top to bottom. Different guys do different things and Malcolm has come in here with patience, humility and understanding.”
It’s an approach that has helped him lead the Celtics all season long. Obviously, he came to the Celtics with a gravitas that would draw in his teammates. But he has become the poster boy for sacrifice, and on a team as deep as Boston’s, sacrifice is something everyone has to be willing to do.
“It’s tough, it takes a lot of maturity throughout the roster,” Brogdon said. “But I think it starts at the top … I think they put together like-minded guys that are willing to sacrifice. And then once you have those guys together, who is going to coach them?
“I think we have a great young coach in Joe that’s managed us well. There’s a lot of egos. Even on a team full of good guys, there’s ego. I think Joe has managed it well. And we’ve bought in. We’ve bought into Joe being our coach, we’ve bought into the game plan every night throughout the season, and we’ve bought into embracing each other, and I think that’s what’s going to pay off at the end of the day.”
There are two ways this will pay off. On a personal level, it could give Brogdon his first major award since winning Rookie of the Year. He’s in line as a Sixth Man of the Year frontrunner, competing with New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley.
However, Quickley has started 18 games for the Knicks, putting up some of his best numbers in extended minutes. As a starter, Quickley has averaged 39 minutes per game, putting up 21.2 points on 46.7% shooting (38.3% 3pt). But as a reserve, Quickley is scoring 12.3 points on 43.5% shooting (35.2% 3pt) in 25.6 minutes per game. He’s been having a nice season for the Knicks, but even the most basic numbers show he’s been a good starter for New York, but somewhat pedestrian reserve.
Brogdon has been critical as a reserve for the Celtics, and recognizing him as such would be meaningful to him for a couple of reasons.
“It would be great, to be honest. It would be great,” he said. “I think it would be a testament to the team. I think we’ve got guys on the team that are accomplishing a lot this year. We’ve got two All-Stars, probably two All-NBA guys. Derrick (White) might make the All-Defensive team. It’d be another award for the team for sure. That’s not my focus. That’s not the team’s focus.”
The team’s focus is the second way this pays off for Boston. Because no matter what the starters are able to do in a playoff series, they will have a starter-level guy coming off the bench for them who is able to drive and collapse a defense.
“Malcolm is great. Malcolm any given night, he can come out and be one of the best players on the floor,” Jaylen Brown said. “His decision making, his poise, his athleticism; Malcolm is definitely a game changer for us being on the ball or off. He finds ways to make an effect on the game and games like today, where you don't pay attention to him, he'll light you up.”
Brogdon is showing us his best at the right time. He’s playing his best basketball to close the season, averaging nearly 19 points a game on 49.3% shooting over his last five games. He’s stepped up on nights, like this one against Toronto, with Boston missing high-powered players.
He’s making a strong case for Sixth Man of the Year, an award that would highlight what he’s given up as well as how well he’s taken to a really important role on a potential championship team.
But it’s that potential for a championship that drives him. He didn't take this role to add an individual trophy to his mantle. He wants to drive the big trophy around Boston in a duck boat in June.
“That’s everything to me. I want to win,” Brogdon said. “The last two seasons for me were rough, not being able to win. I’m a winner. I feel like I’ve been known as a winner. I want to be known as a winner when I’m done playing in this league, and I want to win at the highest level, and that’s winning a championship. So being in Boston, being a Celtic fits me perfectly.”