WALTHAMThe experimentation for who will be in the Boston Celtics starting lineup will continue on for a little while longer.
But as far as who will close out most games, C's coach Doc Rivers has a pretty good feel for his final five.
"What you want to do is have the right five at the right time," Rivers said following Thursday's practice. "And it's really the right two (players), that's what it comes down to."
Barring injuries or someone having a career-type night, look for Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to be on the floor during crunch time on most nights.
And after giving his end-of-game lineup a few more seconds of thought, Rivers conceded that there will likely be just one open slot.
So while it may seem Rivers has his hands full with trying to find the right player combinations, he concedes that, "it's not as difficult as you think" when it comes to deciding who will close out games.
In addition to Rondo, Pierce and Garnett, Rivers said Jeff Green will likely be on the floor in the game's final moments as well.
"It's a lot of options," Rivers said.
Among those options will be Jason Terry, who has made his mark in the NBA as a valuable sixth man. But if needed, he has proven he can be a solid contributor as a starter, too.
While playing with the first unit, the 13-year veteran has career averages of 17.3 points and 5.4 assists per game. Coming off the bench, he still delivers a respectable 14.3 points and 3.4 assists.
Terry's approach to the game doesn't change whether he's starting or coming off the bench.
"It's all about having confidence in yourself and knowing your skill set," he said. "I'm able to come off the bench and do what I do because I'm always ready. I'm always ready to score the ball and make an impact on the ball game. As a starter, I was a starter for four years in Atlanta and three in Dallas. So either way it go for me, it doesn't matter. When the lights are on, when the crowd is cheering or when they are going against us, it's when I'm at my best. So it doesn't matter, as long as it's game time."