Celtics have been losing bench battle, but Jason Terry hopes to even score

By Frank Dell'Apa

Globe Staff / November 5, 2012

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Other potential contenders have been struggling, also.

“They got new pieces,” Terry said of those teams. “Even Oklahoma, what they did — made a trade right before they got started — so there’s an adjustment period here for everyone involved.

“We’d like for it to happen fast but sometimes you’ve got to do things slowly, just so you get every little, small detail. And that’s why we’re working hard, trying to shore up the things that we know we’re going to need down the stretch. And that’s setting good picks, little things, getting each other open, knowing who we want to get the ball to, and defensively, knowing your assignment and executing within the system.”

. . .

Rajon Rondo is averaging 41:30 of playing time per game.

“I’m concerned, not as far as him getting tired, but I don’t want him to save himself on the floor,” Rivers said. “So, there’s a minutes number for him, we don’t know what it is, where he can play his minutes at a full pace — instead of knowing he’s going to be on the floor too long and then he starts pacing himself. We need him to be a fast, quick, aggressive player. I think it’s in the 39s, 38s, not that much lower than 40, but in that area.”

Frank Dell'Apa can be reached at dellapa@globe.com.