Doc Rivers preparing his rotations for Avery Bradley's return

Courtney Lee made his return to the starting lineup this weekend and that might have more to do with what Doc wants to do with his lineup than it does with how well Lee has played.

Avery Bradley completes first practice of season -Celtics blog - Boston Globe basketball news

"I want Jason off the bench. You could see how well he's playing now. He's comfortable there," Rivers said. "We're just keep starting Courtney or whoever. I like Jason off the bench. I don't think it helps the starting lineup right now but you put him on the starting lineup and then our bench struggles. It's one or the other. "Honestly, Jason and Courtney are really great in the second unit together. They really move the ball. The last three or four games our second unit has really come in and made runs for us."

Sounds to me like Doc has already decided that he wants Avery Bradley to start along side Rajon Rondo and have a JET-Lee backup backcourt. Of course he's not going to just say that.

"Yeah (but) he's got to get it," Rivers said of Bradley eventually returning to the starting lineup. "But he'll have to earn that and get it but I think on paper, it looks better. But you have to wait and see how it works once he gets back."

That's the right thing to say. Of course, everyone's hoping that Bradley is the linch-pin that will make everything fit more snuggly together. One can also hope against hope that Bradley will be able to fill in a little more at the backup point position. Not that he'll be able to do what Rondo does (who can?). But giving Rajon some rest and providing a defensive change of pace guy might be just what the doctor ordered.