Celtics Playoff Chances (Current Roster)

[keevsnick]

The 3 point shooting is potentially brutal. Smart and Richardson shot 33% last year from 3. Langford doesn't project as a shooter. Nesmith and Prictchard both will have to hit 40+%.

Team still needs a big wing like Rudy Gay, Otto Porter or eve Paul Millsap in addition to one sniper like shooter.

[Celtics2021]

I do think there’s one move coming that will bring a useful player at the 4.

That said, I’m not nearly as down on this roster as most people.  Our defense was disappointing at best last year.  The number of open threes and easy drives to the basket was embarrassing, and I think giving a lot of Walker’s minutes to Richardson will help in that regard, as will having Al quarterbacking the defense.

The offensive ability on the team is taking a step back, no question, but if the offensive execution improves, we’ll still look better relative to last year, which was a disappointment.  Hopefully an offense that features more ball movement will get better looks for everyone, particularly some of our younger shooters.

A starting 5 of Smart, Richardson, Brown, Tatum, and Horford is better defensively than what we had most of last year, and is still good for 80-90 points on its own.  The bench needs a vet or two, because right now it’s Pritchard, Langford, Nesmith, TimeLord, and I don’t know who.  Grant? Parker? Dunn, which means we play small a lot?  As I said, I think there’s one move coming for someone who will start or be one of the top guys off the bench and primarily play the 4.

I think we finish with the 3rd best record in the East, although without a PF, as we are today, I’ll drop that to 5th.

I told a friend the other day that if we resigned Fournier and turned Tristan Thompson and a 2nd rounder into a PF like Kyle Anderson, I’d be happy.  We got Richardson instead, which I’ll accept because Fournier went for more than I was comfortable with.  If we still somehow turn Thompson into Kyle Anderson, I’ll continue to be pleased.

3rd place in the East? Are you serious?

Posted before I meant to.  I did explain myself in an edit.

[Who]

Aside from the 3 point shooting, it is the lack of quickness and dribble penetration that concern me most on offense. The lack of playmaking from the guards. The lack of ability to get into the paint, draw the defense and create easy shots for others. The lack of ability to push the ball in transition and create easy transition dunks/layups and spot up 3s.

There is a lot of easy high percentage scoring attempts that this team is going to miss out on because of it's lack of quickness and dribble penetration in the backcourt.