Larry Bird: Offseason Bench Additions Are Boosts for Celtics

He didn't see much of the bench during his days tearing up opponents at the Garden in the '80s and early '90s, but Celtics legend and current Pacers president Larry Bird says that bench additions Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels are key components of this C's team.

"Picking up Wallace is going to help them, and we know Marquis Daniels. He’s going to be a major plus for them," Bird told The Boston Globe before his Pacers beat the Celtics 113-104 at Conseco Fieldhouse on Saturday. "I talked to [Celtics president] Danny [ Ainge] and told him if you can get him, you’d better get him, because he will make another bench player that can get a lot of things done."

The Celtics of Bird's era could rely on the original Big Three: himself, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. This year's Celtics team is led by its own Big Three in Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett , who are in their third season playing together. But in addition to the deep bench and Big Three, this C's team also has an All-Star-caliber point guard in Rajon Rondo and a force underneath in Kendrick Perkins, making them a very balanced and talented force.

"Overall, they are very talented, and they are going to win a lot of games," Bird added.