Celtics NBA Picks
The Boston Celtics enter the 2014-15 season coming off a disappointing year. Year two of the Brad Stevens era figures to be a better one as the team added some pieces to a good young core. The story line for the Celtics all year long will be what they decide to do with Rajon Rondo.
2014/15 Boston Celtics
Eastern Conference
2013-2014 Record: 25-57
Odds to win Title: 200/1
Odds to win Conference: 75/1
Odds to win Atlantic Division: 33/1
Posted win total: 27
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Top Newcomers
The Celtics picked up Oklahoma State point guard Marcus Smart through the draft. The former Sooner has all the intangibles necessary to be an elite point guard in the NBA, but teams really figured out how to slow him down in the latter stages of his college career. Smart is not effective when shooting from distance, so opponents were playing off and forcing him to attempt long jumpers. If he can get that worked out, the Celtics will have a much easier time parting with Rondo.
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The Celtics also added Tyler Zeller from the cost-cutting Cleveland Cavaliers, picking him up on the cheap. Zeller could very well end up as the team’s starting center from day one.
Top Players
The Celtics have a trio of guards that figure to eat up the bulk of their minutes in the backcourt in Rondo, Smart, and Avery Bradley. All three are tenacious defenders, so the team figures to be plus in that department, and all three are very competitive, which will make for long night’s for opposing guards.
Jeff Green was once a top five pick and was the Celtics’ best players last year, just two years removed from missing the entire 2011-12 campaign with a heart condition. He can score at the rim and away from it, averaging 16.9 points per game last season.
Strengths
Brad Stevens seemed to make a lot of good calls in his rookie season. This year he’ll have a little more to work with should each of his backcourt members stay healthy.
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That trio of Rondo-Bradley-Smart is a good group to have if used effectively.
As for the team’s rebuild, the Celtics added a future first-rounder from the Cleveland Cavaliers, and brought in a former first rounder in Zeller. They will also have the Clippers’ first round pick in 2015, and a future first rounder from the 76ers and Nets.
Weaknesses
Most teams in the midst of a rebuild take and start off with a high draft pick, but the Celtics made the playoffs in 2013 and were left to plunk Kelly Olynyk from the middle of the first round.
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He’s a good piece who can eat up some minutes, but he’s not the kind of high end talent that rebuilding teams often bring in as a centerpiece to build around.
Marcus Smart could be that guy as he figures to do a lot of the same things as a pro that Rajon Rondo has, so if they can get a nice haul for the veteran Rondo, and add that to the high draft pick they figure to get on their own, they could be right on their way.
4* FREE NBA Prediction: 29-53
This year is all about building for the future. The Celtics and Danny Ainge have done a good job of being patient and adding young pieces and draft picks, and this year will be judged on what kind of return the team can get for Rondo. The team should improve in the win column, but not by much.
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