2013-2014 Boston Celtics Preview
The 2013-2014 season is just over a month away and the Boston Celtics have undergone a huge number of changes this offseason. It may not have been glamorous and fun to watch, but the Celtics have entered a rebuilding stage. For some, there’s a feeling of doubt and unease, but this team may end up being one of the biggest surprises this season in the Eastern Confererence.
2013 Recap
The Celtics went into last season with a lot of promise and expectations. Yes, Ray Allen was gone, but they reloaded and were looking to be a threat in the east. However, the one plague that had ravished the Celtics the past few years came in full on blast last season: injuries. Avery Bradley missed the first 32 games, which hurt the Celtics more than expected. Kevin Garnett missed 14 games too, but the kicker was when Rajon Rondo went down with the ACL injury in January.
From that point on, the Celtics were no longer contenders in the east. After losing to the Knicks in the first round, it was obvious that a change was needed in Boston no matter how painful it was to accept. The rights to Doc Rivers were acquired by the Clippers just days before the NBA draft, and then came the blockbuster trade on draft night when Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry were sent to Brooklyn. It may not have seemed real until the deal actually went through on July 12th, but Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce were officially no longer Boston Celtics. The 2013 season was a bit of a disappointment, but the new season is right around the corner, and it’s time to move on and look towards what could be a bright future.
Point Guards
Obviously, the question surrounding the Celtics is when Rondo will make his return. Although there’s been no definitive timetable for him, sources say that he likely won’t be back until December. That’s leaves big question marks surrounding who will take the starting job until his return. The Celtics have a lot of guards on their roster, but not a lot of point guards. Expect to see Avery Bradley as the starting point guard to start the season with Rondo sidelined. Bradley saw some action at point guard when Rondo went down, but had his struggles running the show. He’ll be backed up by rookie Phil Pressy. Once Rondo makes his return and finds his stride, the Celtics won’t have to worry about point guard play, but until then this will be a weak position.
Shooting Guards
With Bradley likely being first option as the starting point guard new head coach Brad Stevens will have to look at other options at the shooting guard spot until Rondo’s return. MarShon Brooks is definitely a frontrunner for the starting job for the time being. Brooks showed some flashes of brilliance during his rookie season, earning All-Rookie second team honors. Although he didn’t get the same playing time in his second season, Brooks has potential to be a quality scorer and the Celtics will need his scoring this year. If Brooks doesn’t pan out, however, there will be plenty of backups for the Celtics. Keith Bogans, Jordan Crawford, and Courtney Lee are all quality players. Once again, the success of this position hinges on the return of Rondo. Once he makes his return, Bradley can shift back over to the shooting guard position, and this will be one of the most dynamic backcourts in the league.
Small Forwards
Paul Pierce is gone but there was a bright spot in his departure: the emergence of Jeff Green. Green seemed to be out of place early last season, but he made tremendous strides as the season went on. He probably solidified his worth after his 43 point performance against the Miami Heat late in the season. In the playoffs despite the Celtics losing in 6 games to the Knicks, Green played very well in the series averaging 20.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, and 2.3 apg.
Green has earned the right to be the starting small forward for the Celtics, and has shown his potential, so now it’s time to see what he’s made of. Green will be backed up by Gerald Wallace, who was brought over in the Brooklyn trade. Wallace has been known as a top-notch defender throughout his career, and if nothing else he'll bring toughness and grit to the Celtics, who after losing Garnett, need all the toughness they can get.
Power Forwards
This position may be one of the brightest spots for Boston. They’ve added some quality depth at the power forward position and could be very effective there. The starting gig however should go to Jared Sullinger. Although Sullinger is dealing with a court case right now, he’s expected to be at training camp and with the promise he showed last season it would be wise for Ainge to hold on tight to him.
Boston has a lot of options at this position, though. Brandon Bass is returning as well, and while he wasn’t nearly as effective as he was the previous season, if he’s given the starting position he could step up his game with the absence of Garnett. Let’s not forget Kris Humphries, who was brought over from the Nets. Who cares about his scuffle with Rondo back on November 28th when both players were ejected, Humphries is all out hustle kind of guy. He wasn’t a big part of the Nets last season but the season before he averaged 13.8 ppg, 11.0 rpg, and 1.2 bpg. Humphries could also see some time at center, since the Celtics have no true quality center at the moment.
Centers
Center is by far the weakest position for Boston this season, and may be the difference in securing a playoff spot. The Celtics only have one player listed as a center on their roster, and that’s Vitor Faverani. This will be Faverani’s first season in the NBA - he was eligible for the draft back in 2009, but wasn’t selected by anyone. As surprising as it may be, Kelly Olynyk should be the starting center for the Celtics. Olynyk had a stellar season at Gonzaga last year and was a consensus first team All-American. He was an eye-opener during the summer league, and proved that he could be formidable in the post. He may be a power forward, but he’s seven feet tall and has a great upside. He’s still a rookie, and he’s not expected to come out and be a dominant big man his first year in the league. This is why Humphries may find himself playing some center for Boston this year. Olynyk does have the potential, but like with most rookies coming into the NBA it’s going to take some time.
Season Prediction
Does Boston want to make the playoffs, or be a lottery team and get a prospect in next year’s draft? It seems that a playoff spot would be a little more satisfying for Boston fans out there that had to endure the departure of Garnett, Pierce, and Coach Rivers. Boston has enough young pieces to build around already and pushing for a playoff spot should be the goal this year. New head coach Brad Stevens will have a lot of decisions to make regarding playing time, but that’s better than having no options at all to play. The bottom of the east has a little bit of a different outlook this season with numerous teams (Detroit, Cleveland, and Washington) all looking capable of making their own playoff runs. Boston is right in the mix with those teams this season. It’ll all depend on Rondo’s health and Coach Steven’s system. If those two can work out then Boston should be playing in April.
Predicted season record: 40-42
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