Celtics coach Brad Stevens said Tuesday that the Celtics will open the season playing only four big men, CSN New England's A. Sherrod Blakely reports. "My thought right now is we won't play more than four on most nights," Stevens said. "Whoever those four may be, may depend on the night, may depend on how they're playing, may depend on who is healthy."

EDGE Analysis

Stevens didn't commit to four players, but his early preseason rotations have had Tyler Zeller and David Lee starting with Amir Johnson and Kelly Olynyk first off the bench. That means newly slimmed Jared Sullinger is on the outside looking for playing time. Sullinger was a sneaky sleeper pick last year, but it appears he'll have to wait for coach Stevens to experiment more with lineups before he has a chance to shine this season.

Sullinger chipped in seven points (2-6 FG, 3-4 FT), an assist, six rebounds and two steals over 11 minutes in Thursday's 111-96 victory over Real Madrid.

EDGE Analysis

Sullinger, already battling for playing time after the Celtics' off-season acquisition of David Lee, saw a drop in playing time from the exhibition opener, when he logged 15 minutes on the court. Nevertheless, the 23-year-old power forward was active and productive on defense Thursday, collecting five of his six boards on the defensive glass and adding two swipes. Although he clearly finds himself behind David Lee at the moment, the 32-year-old starter's likely minutes cap could very well help buy Sullinger extra time on the court over the course of the season. Due to the existing questions about his usage however, Sullinger's draft worthiness remains uncertain at present.

Sullinger played 15 minutes in the Celtics' preseason opener Tuesday against Italian club Olimpia Milano, scoring 14 points (7-10 FG) and adding four boards.

EDGE Analysis

Considering the level of the competition, not much should be gleaned from Sullinger's performance, despite his highly-efficient numbers. Perhaps more notable was the fact that Sullinger wasn't among the Celtics' first four big men to enter the game, according to Scott Souza of the MetroWest Daily News reports. At this juncture, it appears coach Brad Stevens is leaning toward using David Lee and Tyler Zeller as his starters in the frontcourt, with Amir Johnson and Kelly Olynyk ranking as the top bigs off the bench. If that trend holds, there may not be many minutes available for Sullinger when the regular season opens.

Sullinger finished the 2014/15 regular season having appeared in 58 games (49 as a starter) averaging 13.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 0.7 blocks and 0.9 made threes per game. A late February foot injury was supposed to knock out Sullinger for the rest of the season, but he was able to make a surprise return in April and average 20 minutes per game during the Celtics four playoff games. Still, GM Danny Ainge made it very clear that Sullinger must improve his conditioning if he wants to maintain a prominent role with the Celtics. Sullinger has averaged 59 games played per season for his first three NBA Seasons. His 6-9 frame is generously listed at 260 pounds. Sullinger has two more years remaining on his rookie contract.

Sullinger (tailbone) came off the bench Sunday in a losing effort to the Cavs in Game 4, but still scored 21 points (9-17 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 2-5 FT) and had 11 rebounds in 28 minutes. Sullinger had his best scoring performance since Feb. 6 when he scored 22 points against the 76ers. He didn't contribute much in the round one series against the Cavs, only recording one assist in the four games and playing about 23 minutes per game.

Sullinger (tailbone) is available for Sunday's game against the Cavaliers, Mark D'Amico of Celtics.com reports. Previous indications were that Sullinger would be a game-time decision, so there's still a possibility he stays on the bench. However, one game from elimination logically means Brad Stevens will do what needs to avoid a sweep and try to spark an improbable comeback.

Sullinger didn't practice Saturday due to a bruised tailbone, but his availability for Sunday's game against the Cavaliers is merely probable, MetroWest Daily News reports. Sullinger's absence from drills appears to be a precautionary measure, as he's expected to take the court with the Celtics facing elimination. In the first three contests of the first-round series, he has earned modest run, averaging 9.3 points (on 57 percent shooting), 5.7 rebounds, 0.7 blocks, and 0.7 three-pointers in 18 minutes.

Sullinger collected 10 points, 8 rebounds, and one block during an efficient 17 minutes off the bench Thursday. Sullinger, at one point thought lost for the season, played well in a limited role. Boston had to shift to a small-ball lineup for most of Thursday to keep up with the Cavs' spread offense. This limited Sullinger's minutes. He and the Celtics hope to avoid elimination on Sunday.

Sullinger came off the bench to seize 14 points, fuve rebounds and two made-threes versus the Cavs Tuesday night. Sullinger and Isaiah Thomas were the lone bright spots during Boston's second playoff loss in Cleveland. Coach Stevens is mixing minutes between Sullinger, Tyler Zeller, Brandon Bass, Kelly Olynyk and even Jonas Jerebko, making it hard to rely on strong stats from any of the Celtic big men.

Sullinger recorded five points, eight rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two blocks in 19 minutes off the bench against the Cavaliers on Friday. Sullinger seems to be locked into a role off the bench for the final few games of the season. As a result, he remains a lackluster option while limited under coach Brad Stevens.