Predictions for the Celtics Upcoming Season

[hpantazo]

While we wait for it to get going, I thought we can post our predictions for the Celtics for this upcoming season. Here are some of mine:

-Tatum will take another step this season. Yes, I think he has it in him and I believe several factors are lined up to have him do it this season. Ime will help, so will having Horford back, and so will adding more muscle which he is doing.


-Schroeder will be the starting PG by mid-season. I think Smart will have a bounce back year, but Schroeder is hungry and talented, and will assert himself as the better fit at the PG spot.

-Nesmith will become the 3rd scorer this team needs to become a contender. He showed flashes last season, and this season he will make us forget about guys like Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro.

[slamtheking]

putting on my Carnac turban:
- Brown takes his game to yet another level by becoming a better distributor and a more dangerous scorer because Ime doesn't stick him in the corner to play decoy.
- Romeo shuts his critics up.  Kid plays solid D while providing 8-10 points off the bench on limited shots
- Nesmith improves his offense to provide 10-12 points off the bench.  his D improves.
- Pritchard takes a step backwards but plays well enough to be our 3rd PG on the depth chart.
- Schroder outplays Smart for the season.
- Timelord is only able to be healthy to play 2/3 of the games this year.
- Richardson plays ok all around basketball.  will have a number of people complaining we didn't keep Fournier instead for his shooting.

[LilRip]

Here are my predictions for each significant player:
- Tatum vaults himself into All-NBA status. He probably still won’t start the all-star game though. But he will be 2nd or 3rd All-NBA by year end. I think he has a big year ahead of him
- Brown more or less plateaus. A few added wrinkles to his game, still worthy of an all-star selection, and you’ll have many posters here saying that he should have the ball more because his handle looks tighter, but ignoring that he’s not really an advanced playmaker. Still, a great season for Brown is in store!
- Horford has a huge impact on ball movement. By being a threat away from the basket, he makes the Jays look even better because he knows where to position himself and knock down open shots. But there will be many nights where he looks cooked on D.
- Smart is decent. His shot selection will improve, his D will improve (vs last year) and his assists & turnovers will both hit career highs, which will divide the board if he’s actually helping us or hurting us by handling the ball so much
- Schroder will be mostly a disappointment and will wear out his welcome quickly with the fans. He will play selfishly and there will be games when he will shoot us out of it. But he will have big games too and that’s when we’ll look unstoppable (probably during the start of the season)
- Richardson will also be mediocre. His defense and shooting will be passable enough to not draw the ire of many fans, and he’ll generally fly under the radar, although he will be a popular “throw-in” candidate to many trade ideas
- Timelord will look like a monster in the 40 games he plays
- Pritchard will hit a wall and we’ll wonder where the fearless rookie went. Don’t worry. It’s a sophomore slump and he will figure it out. He’ll bounce back, hopefully in time for the playoffs
- Nesmith though, I’m excited for. I think he’ll find his place and hit a good % of his shots. He’ll still be a step slow on D but he’ll maintain his Crash nickname
- Romeo will be injured

[Vermont Green]

This is a really hard team/season to peg.  Lots of new pieces, new coach, and coming off a year where the team probably underachieved.

My predictions:

I expect Schroder to be a good fit and to have a good year and emerge as at the #1 PG.

I expect our "PF by committee" (Hernangomez, Parker, GWilliams, Fernando) to play more than people think, probably collectively 24-32 minutes per game.

I expect both Brown and Tatum to improve and both be really good.

The result will be 48-50 wins and 1 playoff round win, just too many other really good teams.

Adding one more:  I think Fourier is going to be exposed as a somewhat of an empty stat guy.  He will still be decent, but not what you would think seeing his numbers in Orlando.  Richardson is going to be just fine for us.

[Celtics4ever]

I predict Grant plays less this year with the new personnel and does not get an extension

52 wins, We are going to play defense this year.   We got bigger across the board and added some pesky defenders.

I think we'll try to flip Schroder at some point, after the season.

I think Richardson will out perform many folks expectations. 

 I think we will run more and move the ball and will be fun to watch with the bench scoring droughts being less a factor.

[hwangjini_1]

the celtics will go 82-0, as they do each and every year. there will be no difference this season. 

langford and nesmith will not get important minutes early on since this year will be their development period, with training camp, practices, etc. they will be prepared to step into a bigger role by the end of the season and next season.

i look for langford to bring the ball up court often when he is in the game.

smart will shoot less. he only shot a high volume last season due to injuries to team mates. with more scorers onboard smart's days as a volume shooter will be limited.

the celtics will play much better defense this year and will be fun to watch... unlike last year. 

it should be a good season. let's see what PBS and Udoka do. 

[Celtics2021]

I predict Grant plays less this year with the new personnel and does not get an extension

52 wins, We are going to play defense this year.   We got bigger across the board and added some pesky defenders.

I think we'll try to flip Schroder at some point, after the season.

I think Richardson will out perform many folks expectations. 

 I think we will run more and move the ball and will be fun to watch with the bench scoring droughts being less a factor.

Grant isn’t eligible for an extension.  He has an option that needs to be picked up next month — are you predicting that gets declined?

[JBcat]

Timelord will have a big breakout season.

Smart will have his best season yet.

Romeo will quiet some critics.

Parker will be more useful than anticipated.

The rest will be what most of us expect.

The big question for me that I can’t make up in my mind to predict or not is if we will have a big in season trade. 

[Celtics2021]

The Celtics will pair a top-3 defense with a top-10 offense to finish in the top 5 of net rating.

Tatum makes the All-NBA team he deserved last year.  Jaylen has another All-Star season, and Smart returns to his All-NBA defense form.  Time Lord gets some All-Defense votes, but doesn’t play enough to get the honor.

We don’t make a significant trade at the deadline, and pay the luxury tax.

The team finishes 3rd in the conference, but loses a heartbreaking 7-game series to Brooklyn, who gets all of the calls in the decisive game.  I try really hard not to accidentally break my television — I succeed in sparing the screen, but the remote is toast.

[Surferdad]

Lots of decent predictions posted for individuals players.  I would not argue with any of them, including those that contradict each other!  As VG said, this is a hard season/team to peg, but peg we must because that's what we die-hard C's fans do in the off-season.   

My prediction is better chemistry overall.  With Kemba/Hayward gone, the team has two main offensive weapons and everybody else takes a supporting role.  I predict better offensive flow and better defense as well. The difference between the competitive teams in the EC is not great and these improvements could leading to a deep playoff run.  OVERALL PREDICTION:  52 wins, 4th seed in the EC.

[Hoopvortex]

-Schroeder will be the starting PG by mid-season. I think Smart will have a bounce back year, but Schroeder is hungry and talented, and will assert himself as the better fit at the PG spot.

I think that he’ll be starting on opening night. He’ll be on the floor with Smart a fair amount - with Smart off the ball. IU sounds like he wants the ball in Smart’s hands, which makes sense if he’s on the floor with Pritchard (makes sense to me, anyway, though Brad didn’t do it a lot) or Richardson; but I think less often when Schroeder and Smart are on the floor together.

Schroeder is better on the ball than off, at least if you go by his history; he was a less effective ball handler with Chris Paul and with LeBron James. I guess that makes sense. He has had several seasons in which his assist percentage was over 30, which is a good benchmark for a ball handler/distributor.

-Nesmith will become the 3rd scorer this team needs to become a contender. He showed flashes last season, and this season he will make us forget about guys like Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro.

Like you I have high expectations for him. He’s more than a shooter, he’s got a repertoire with the ball, a developing left hand, and good body control. He’s got star potential. But I don’t agree that this is the year that he claims that potential.

[trickybilly]

Brad pulls trigger on Brown, J Rich, Hernangomez and maybe a pick for Beal and Bertans.

[Celtics4ever]

Grant isn’t eligible for an extension.  He has an option that needs to be picked up next month — are you predicting that gets declined?

there is no way his play has merited this happening unless he is a different better player in camp.

[SHAQATTACK]

Grant isn’t eligible for an extension.  He has an option that needs to be picked up next month — are you predicting that gets declined?

there is no way his play has merited this happening unless he is a different better player in camp.

He just seems over his head talent wise and size wise being in the NBA . 

[nebist]

Scattered predictions:
1. Tatum will make All-NBA 2nd team and be viewed as a fringe MVP candidate, mostly on the strength of a better team record and increased FTAs per game.
2. Smart will start at PG consistently throughout the year and will have a better season both offensively and defensively than last year. Something along the lines of 14 points, 5 rebounds, 7-8 assists with somewhat better shooting percentages. He will re-establish himself as a core piece and clear starter.
3. Schroder will be a 6th man.
4. Romeo and Grant will not play consistent rotation minutes. One or both will be moved by the deadline in a smaller deal for a vet or as salary ballast as part of a larger deal.
5. Horford will play the vast majority of his minutes at the 5 and very sparingly at the 4.
6. Nesmith and Pritchard will both play rotation minutes, but neither will have a true breakout. The possible exception here would be if we deal Schroder at the deadline, which could launch one of them into a more featured role.
7. Jaylen will be very good again and make the all-star team along with Tatum, but he will stay at a similar overall level of play (partially because that level is already really good, partially because that wrist injury may have hampered his ability to make skill gains in the offseason).
8. Timelord will play well, but he will not eclipse an average of 24 minutes a game in the regular season due to health concerns, and the presence of viable alternatives in Horford and Kanter.