Who would win in a 7 Game series between 2013 Celtics and 2015 Celtics?

[LarBrd33]

Stumbled across this thought in another thread.   Ainge literally traded everything of value from the 2013 Celtics (KG, Pierce, Rondo, Jeff Green... even Doc),  got back mostly future assets that we have yet to receive, and yet here we are with arguably a better basketball team than we had 2 years ago.

In 2013, Rondo was having his best statistical season to-date.  He started the season chasing his assist streak.  The team was 20-23 when Rondo got injured.  They were in the midst of a 6 game losing streak at the time.   With Rondo gone, the team rallied.  They finished the season 41-40.   They went on to lose in 6 games vs the Knicks in Round 1.

In 2015, Rondo was having his best per-minute statistical season to-date.  He started the season averaging 12.2 assists and 8.5 rebounds per 36 minutes.   The team was 9-14 when Rondo got traded.   With Rondo gone, the team rallied.  They finished the season 40-42.  They went 24-12 over their final 36 games.


So who wins?  Aging, old, post-prime KG/Pierce-lead Celtics?  Or scrappy, well-coached, Brad Stevens-lead Celtics?

2013 Celtics
PG - Avery Bradley (22 years old)
SG - Paul Pierce (35 yeras old)
SF - Jeff Green (26 years old)
PF - Brandon Bass (27 years old)
C - Kevin Garnett (36 years old)

Noteable Bench players:  PG/SG - Jason Terry (35 years old) averaged 31 minutes in the playoffs... Jordan Crawford and Courtney Lee were on the team, but they averaged 12 and 10 minutes in the playoffs. 

2015 Celtics

PG - Avery Bradley (24 years old)
SG - Marcus Smart (20 years old)
SF - Evan Turner (26 years old)
PF - Brandon Bass (29 years old)
C - Tyler Zeller (25 years old)

Noteable bench players:  Thomas, Crowder, Sully, Olynyk and Jerebko all figure to hold significant roles. 

Experience goes to 2013 Celtics.  Depth goes to 2015 Celtics.  I think the 2015 Celtics make more sense as a basketball team (legit center, proper guard rotation, etc).  Who wins?   

[GC003332]

Offensively that 2013 playoff team was brutal, credit the Knicks for their d, one could argue that Pierce, Green(leading Celts scorer that series) would have the potential to drop 30 in a big game as opposed to possibly only IT on this years team. The thought of Avery Bradley trying to consistently score against his or Marcus' d is a bit frightening.
That 2013 team was still had a 10 defensively rating for the year though.
Given their lack of depth it would be interesting to see Green and Pierce being run around defensively for 40 plus minutes per game by CBS.
PP wouldn't have to guard Carmelo in this series though so he would be able to break out some bigger scoring games to help that 2013 team just get over the line in 7 games.i would also think that KG and PP's playoff experience would pay off at some point in the series on how to grind out a win.

[BudweiserCeltic]

From a roster standpoint, the 2013 team easily. The problem is that while you mention they rallied after Rondo went down, even then, that team underperformed.

So it's very hard for me to say one way or another, considering how they played the 2015 team would take them, but considering how they should've played then 2013 should take it.

The first and major error of 2013 was having Bradley play PG for us. So that's a coaching error, so it can't be excused and fits under the parameters of what a coach brings to the table. When Rondo went down, we were bringing the ball up by committee, we were passing the ball forward to whomever was available for early offense opportunities. Then after 6-7 games of that working beautifully, Rivers decided to give the keys to Bradley as the sole PG, he stopped running the floor, instead going back to get the ball. And we all know how he sucks as a PG, and then his defense became mediocre during the playoffs in part because of his worries on offense.

Then you have Doc Rivers benching Courtney Lee even though after the first couple of months, in which he struggled, he was having his most efficient season to date, and we saw how he continued that on the following seasons.

Then you have Rivers over-playing Jason Terry. Enough said on  that.

I don't recall the health situation though.

Anyways, given all the facts, even though that 2013 roster should've been that much better, I'll say the 2015 takes them. In fact, the 2013 should've been the best if not one of the best teams we fielded in the Pierce-KG era, it became a disaster... mainly because of Doc Rivers doing his worst coaching job of his career.

Funny thing about 2013 was Ainge trading Collins away just so Doc would stop playing him, though Crawford eventually got us some value.

[jonaslopes]

2013.

[manl_lui]

2013

2013 Avery Bradley vs 2013 Avery Bradley
2013 Bradley was a defensive stopper and probably 4th option on offense vs our current Bradley
- I think they cancel each other out

2013 Paul Pierce vs 2015 Marcus Smart
Paul Pierce hands down, even at this age, he has a variety of moves from 3 pointers, step back, post moves and just getting to the rack. Marcus Smart's D is great for a rookie but he won't stop Pierce

2013 Jeff Green vs 2015 Evan Turner
Jeff Green - that season, after Rondo's injury, Green was averaging 18 or 20 pts the 2nd half of the season as a 3rd option.

2013 Brandon Bass vs 2015 Bass
cancels each other out

2013 Kevin Garnett vs 2015 Tyler Zeller
KG also, better jumper, better defensive player, more consistent.

Therefore 2013 over 2015

Though I do wish KG and PP was still here as a mentor to Smart and Young, and any young players on the roster.

[dark_lord]

2013

[Roy H.]

I'm not betting against KG and Pierce.

Who gets home court advantage, haha?

[BudweiserCeltic]

I'm not betting against KG and Pierce.

Who gets home court advantage, haha?

LOL, but in 2013? I think you would, at least against Pierce. He was quite bad for us in the playoffs and his defense had deteriorated for us quite a bit.

Garnett was quite solid, the problem was than once you put him on the bench our defense was obliterated.

People seem to forget how deep we began that season and how thin we finished it.

Then you had players like Wilcox, who was scoring at 71% from the floor, getting DNPs left and right, sometimes in favor of playing Bass center, and earlier in the season in giving the skeleton of Jason Collins a starting role.

I never understood how that team was coached, it still infuriates me.

Then of course, we don't know how 2015 will look in the playoffs, but outside of Green and the limited role Garnett managed to give us, our playoffs looked very ugly from top to bottom.

[PhoSita]

Over a seven game series I'd expect the coaching advantage to really show for the 2015 version, and this Celtics team could probably outrun and outwork the old guys to a large extent.  That 2013 squad had no depth.

It would last at least 6 or 7 games though, and it'd probably be a very messy series.

[TheFlex]

2015.

[slamtheking]

gut says 2013 in a playoff series based on the rosters but think the 2015 version would make it a toss up simply because I consider Stevens a much better coach than Doc.  I don't have to worry if the 2015 guys will come to play because they will.  The 2013 guys?  might play hard in the playoffs, might not.

If it was a regular season game, I'd take 2015 team all day because Stevens gets the guys to play hard every game whereas Doc didn't get anyone to play hard in the regular season after the 2009 season.

[jpotter33]

That's a rough one. I think I go with 2015, because that 2013 team was really slow and lackluster. I think the 2015 team's youth would run them to death. Plus, I think our stretch bigs would really give an aging KG problems.

[celticsclay]

2013

2013 Avery Bradley vs 2013 Avery Bradley
2013 Bradley was a defensive stopper and probably 4th option on offense vs our current Bradley
- I think they cancel each other out

2013 Paul Pierce vs 2015 Marcus Smart
Paul Pierce hands down, even at this age, he has a variety of moves from 3 pointers, step back, post moves and just getting to the rack. Marcus Smart's D is great for a rookie but he won't stop Pierce

2013 Jeff Green vs 2015 Evan Turner
Jeff Green - that season, after Rondo's injury, Green was averaging 18 or 20 pts the 2nd half of the season as a 3rd option.

2013 Brandon Bass vs 2015 Bass
cancels each other out

2013 Kevin Garnett vs 2015 Tyler Zeller
KG also, better jumper, better defensive player, more consistent.

Therefore 2013 over 2015

Though I do wish KG and PP was still here as a mentor to Smart and Young, and any young players on the roster.

I don't see how the 2015 Bradley isn't better than the 2013 Bradley? He has had a really good season and even better second half.

[Fafnir]

I'm not betting against KG and Pierce.

Who gets home court advantage, haha?

It'd be close just because of how tired Pierce got due to handling against Prigs/Felton/Kidd/etc.

Smart/Bradley would take that pressure to another level.

[Pucaccia]

I Love this question...

The 2015 would beat the 2013 Celtics in 6 games.
This team would exhaust the old team.
the X Factor would be Stevens would out coach Doc.
Doc's adjustments would be "Play Harder" where as CBS would come up
with specific strategies to to exploit weaknesses and strengths.

If Stevens coached the 2013 team, I would have picked the 2013 team.