I think the Celtics could be a surprise team this year.

[OhioGreen]

I feel like they'll be a 6-8 seed and first or second round out, but they could be a surprise and not make the playoffs at all!

[Vermont Green]

Would being the #4 seed be considered a surprise?  Is that "better than people think"?

These are open ended questions that you really can't answer.

I hope the surprise is that they fine a PF.

[liam]

 

Gotta stay healthy.

Health would be the number one path to improvement.

[tstorey_97]

If you could predict the future with 90% accuracy, Las Vegas would be at your door the next morning with a job offer.

The Celtic's success this coming season relies on the other "three ECF  teams" and all their foibles.

Nets
Lakers
Bucks
Golden State
Suns
Jazz
76'ers

This year's list from Vegas. The Celtics are 5 more places back at 50:1 to win the championship.

As is true with any team, each are flawed to varying degrees. Were the Milwaukee Bucks the "best" NBA team last year? No, but things happen and they win it all.

Last season did not go well for the Celtics. The team is improved this year and I assume they will be in the final four in the ECF. From there, injuries will play a major role as they always do.

Tatum will improve
Brown will improve...can these two carry the team to the finals? Solid "maybe" right there, they are still young.

Richardson improves this team defensively.
Schroder's play will assist with the above "improvements."
Horford improves the frontcourt and like Schroder, makes Tatum and Brown better.
The bench is very much improved as the team is older than last.

Wild cards
Do the Celtics have a championship frontcourt?
Only if Robert Williams is playing most nights.
Perhaps only if Stevens acquires a big before the playoffs
Will Smart get channeled into an effective role?

I don't think the "young guys" will be direct contributors during the playoffs this season beyond brief rotation minutes. I do think there is a possibility they will it's just they are still growing.

Very good team that needs the Nets, Bucks and Philly to hit some speed bumps.

Langford can play playoff minutes on defense..has already done so.
Nesmith can play playoff minutes also, on defense.
Pritchard can play minutes as a "spot shooter."
Grant like the above on defense.

No game changers here, but they get a chance to grow.

Final 4...

Nets
Bucks
Celtics
Philly

Vegas says "no" but they don't pay me so I say "yes."

[Roy H.]

The potential is there for sure. I would feel more comfortable if we had a couple of more shooters on the team, and I’d love to have Paul Millsap as a natural power forward to play 15 to 20 minutes per game.  But we have the potential to finish in the top three in the East.

[Neurotic Guy]

The potential is there for sure. I would feel more comfortable if we had a couple of more shooters on the team, and I’d love to have Paul Millsap as a natural power forward to play 15 to 20 minutes per game.  But we have the potential to finish in the top three in the East.

In terms of shooters, what do you think of Hauser?  I was expecting nothing from him, but I saw great size, quick/release, smooth stroke.  If he can handle the speed of the game he looks like a Korver sniper (great role for this team).  Obviously I have huge doubts about him adjusting this year, but I liked watching him in summer league.

[Walker Wiggle]

The Celtics can absolutely take a leap this year. People forget how unbelievably snake-bitten they were last year. Just returning to normal will be worth a few wins, plus you've got young players that each have the capacity to take a leap.

However, I don't see any realistic possibility that this team wins the title in 2022, UNLESS they make a huge trade deadline move. If you're asking if, for instance, a starting lineup of Smart-Brown-Beal-Tatum-R Williams has enough to contend, I absolutely would say yes.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Sounds good and all...But, they need to actually be ready to come out and play--too many times in the past few years, we get down by bunch of points early and then need to come back. Bad policy, hopefully Ime addresses this. Easing into games is horrible.

[Celtics2021]

Would being the #4 seed be considered a surprise?  Is that "better than people think"?

These are open ended questions that you really can't answer.

I hope the surprise is that they fine a PF.

It’s not quite the same thing, but the current betting odds have us with the 6th best odds in the East to win the title and tied for 5th best with Atlanta to make the playoffs, so that points to a top 4 finish as being generally surprising.

[ETNCeltics]

We have Jayson Tatum. We would have to get as far as the ECF for me to be surprised. For all the bellyaching, I think only MIL, BRK, and maybe Miami have better rosters.

[hpantazo]

In terms of surprise, last year's Celtics team was one of the surprise teams of the season in a bad way. The national media was having a field day with it. Surprise is not always  a good thing.

[Vermont Green]

Would being the #4 seed be considered a surprise?  Is that "better than people think"?

These are open ended questions that you really can't answer.

I hope the surprise is that they fine a PF.

It’s not quite the same thing, but the current betting odds have us with the 6th best odds in the East to win the title and tied for 5th best with Atlanta to make the playoffs, so that points to a top 4 finish as being generally surprising.

I know I nit pick, I am an engineer and can't help myself, but to ask are you over or under the Celtics as the 6th best is a specific question.  I would bet better than 6th best.  But I never actually bet on my home teams.

[Celtics2021]

Would being the #4 seed be considered a surprise?  Is that "better than people think"?

These are open ended questions that you really can't answer.

I hope the surprise is that they fine a PF.

It’s not quite the same thing, but the current betting odds have us with the 6th best odds in the East to win the title and tied for 5th best with Atlanta to make the playoffs, so that points to a top 4 finish as being generally surprising.

I know I nit pick, I am an engineer and can't help myself, but to ask are you over or under the Celtics as the 6th best is a specific question.  I would bet better than 6th best.  But I never actually bet on my home teams.

Right.  The betting odds are will team X make the playoffs?  4 teams in the East are given less payout, and thus deemed to be better.  There's also over/under win odds -- Celtics are again tied with Atlanta for the 5th most wins in the East, with the O/U at 46.5.  Heat are at 48.5 in the number 4 spot.  Just shows that coming out in the 4th spot means that the Celtics would have finished better relative to predictions.  Maybe not hugely so.

If I bet on anything ever, I would confidently take the over at 46.5, and would very confidently bet on the C's to make the playoffs.

[Roy H.]

The potential is there for sure. I would feel more comfortable if we had a couple of more shooters on the team, and I’d love to have Paul Millsap as a natural power forward to play 15 to 20 minutes per game.  But we have the potential to finish in the top three in the East.

In terms of shooters, what do you think of Hauser?  I was expecting nothing from him, but I saw great size, quick/release, smooth stroke.  If he can handle the speed of the game he looks like a Korver sniper (great role for this team).  Obviously I have huge doubts about him adjusting this year, but I liked watching him in summer league.

I don't know what to think, honestly.  He looks like he'll be able to knock down open looks, but I'm not sure if he can provide anything outside of that, particularly defensively.  I like him on a two-way, and I'd trust him in end-of-quarter situations, but probably not much beyond that at this point.

As a tangent...  Would it be worth it for teams to employ a guy who can do absolutely nothing but shoot for these types of situations?  Somebody who literally plays 3 minutes per game, for offensive only possessions?  The answer seems to be no, because if it was worth it for teams Kyle Korver would still be playing.  Still, I wonder if a specialist like that would add more value over the course of a season than Carsen Edwards.

[Neurotic Guy]

In terms of surprise, last year's Celtics team was one of the surprise teams of the season in a bad way. The national media was having a field day with it. Surprise is not always  a good thing.

See this is the thing about the upcoming year.  Last year's team was a disaster.  No cohesion, no heart.  Smart played poorly.  Tatum was sick, Smart was sick, Fournier was sick.  Kemba was hurt, Rob hurt, Thompson was not ready at the start of the year... And the team from jump was falling behind regularly.  And the bench was a disaster.  They showed no ability to start a game and sustain good energy all year.   Yet, they finished .500 and 7th seed -- 5 games from 4th seed. 

Obviously things need to turn in the right direction, but if you've got confidence in Ime and the Jays, and in Smart's ability turn his energy back to into a positive.  And the addition of Horford as a positive influence on and off. And additions of Richardson, Schroder, Kanter.  And expected growth, shoring of the rotation, and sharpshooting from Nesmith and Pritchard. And if Rob is healthy...  I think this team will have a rebirth as a high energy, confident, fighting, not wilting, team on both ends with a solid starting 5 and a solid bench.  I think that puts them in the mix at 3 or 4 seed.