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There are very few teams we can predict for certain that would make the NBA playoffs. The Boston Celtics do not feature on that list.
They blew up their roster in the off-season with the view of building a younger team for the future. With no Big 3 assuring them a playoff spot, the C’s are in a spot of bother:
Brad Stevens as new head coach:
Stevens was announced as Doc Rivers replacement and the new head coach of the Boston Celtics this off-season. A young coach making his transition from college basketball to the NBA, Stevens is good at identifying his players’ strengths and using them to their full potential. Unlike Rivers he focuses on putting pressure on the offensive glass and would certainly enjoy having Kris Humphries and Jared Sullinger in the roster.
The Celtics’ philosophy of playing strong defence will continue to prosper under Stevens. His Butler Bulldogs were ranked consistently in the top 10 among 347 teams for points per game allowed. If the combination of him and Gerald Wallace, a fierce man to man defender, clicks the Celtics defence could soon be a team opponents would not enjoy playing against.
Rajon Rondo’s recovery:
The last thing the Celtics want is having their floor general in point guard Rajon Rondo injured for a major part of their rebuilding. It is crucial that the team does not rush Rondo into making a return before he is fully healed.
Being the only member on the roster who has spent more than two years with Celtics and given his talent, it is safe to assume that the team would be built around his skills of running the offense.
They could make it through the season without him by running the half-court offense through Jeff Green. However his return would not give the C’s a guaranteed ticket to the post-season as he would require time to get his rhythm back and they would certainly require him at his best for them to make a run ending the regular season.
Playing just 38 games previous season before tearing his ACL in a game against Miami Heat, Rondo averaged a double-double for the third consecutive season in his career. Although Danny Ainge, President of Basketball operations for the Celtics, announced he would be ready for the training camp, an ideal recovery time table from a torn ACL in March puts Rondo’s full recovery in December.
Off-season picks:
Surprisingly, their best addition for the future was a young centre, who was drafted as the 13th overall pick in this year’s draft Kelly Olynyk. His unique offensive game, coupled with his impressive size and handle, should allow him to score at the NBA level.
Stevens witnessed Olynyk’s summer league performance first-hand, and the new head coach had to be impressed with what he saw. Though he has a defence which could be debated on, the Celtics can’t really be picky with their current roster.
The load on Jeff Green:
Jeff Green will have his task cut out on the offensive end leading the Celtics till Rondo’s return
This was his first season with team after failing a physical with them the previous reason when he was diagnosed with aortic aneurysm. He took some time to find his groove and exploded out of the gates post the All-Star break. He averaged 17.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg and 2.7 assist while shooting 49.3% from the field.
His performance in the first round of the playoffs against the New York Knicks, got analysts across all channels agreeing that the coming season could be his breakthrough year with him being the centre of offense for the new look Celtics.
In the playoffs he averaged 20.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg with 2.3 apg while shooting 43.5% from the field. For a man measuring 6 foot 9, he impressed all with his shooting beyond the arc in the season with 3-point field goal percentage of 45.5%.
However impressive his game was, it is believed that his talent is capable of producing bigger number keeping in mind he averaged 43 minutes in 6 games of the playoffs against the Knicks. His play especially on the offensive end is crucial to the Celtics till Rondo makes his return.
Play on the court:
The number of turnovers the Celtics recorded in the post-season was highest amongst all teams: 17.3 and 13.9 for the regular season. They have to handle the orange better in order to reduce empty possessions.
Another point they need to focus on is their offense. Despite a ranking sixth in the league in shooting percentage, they average only 96.5 point per game ranking 18th in the league under this category.
Another point Stevens would put focus on is their rebounding. Boston averaged 39.3 rebounds per game as a team. Those stats take them as high as 29th in the league and an 8.1 offensive rebound average ranks them right at the bottom.
However, Stevens is known to focus on offensive rebounding with his team and this problem could be addressed during the course of the season.
Playoff hopes:
Looking at their roster, everybody would say there is no debate about the fact they are not going to make the Playoffs. In their best case scenario, I certainly beg to differ with that argument. If Rondo makes his return in December, we could see his pre-injury self by mid-January. Keeping in mind that the Celtics are not a total lost cause, even if they could muster up a sub .500 record of 39-43 they can set their eyes on the last playoff spot in the east just like the Milwaukee Bucks grabbed it this season.
