Over a 30-year span from 1957 through 1986, the Boston Celtics won an unprecedented 16 NBA titles. And every crown the fabled franchise won was due in part to an innovation that has become a staple of basketball history and the sport’s lexicon.
Necessity was the mother of invention for Celtic head coach Red Auerbach. Due somewhat to an excess of guard talent in the mid 1950’s, he originated the sixth man role to help make a top non-starter happier and more importantly, to give his team a needed lift off the bench.
The sixth man might also be able to take advantage of other team’s reserve players who were not as good as him, or a bit tired when he entered.