Is there any reason we wont get a top 4 seed?

[DarkAzcura]

because the 6 teams that finished with better records than the C's last year will do so again as will Miami.  C's will be fighting Indy for the 8th slot.

C's didn't address their 2 biggest needs in a defending/rebounding center or a SF that can score with minimal help being set up. 

the 2 biggest acquisitions by the C's are 2 PFs, which the C's already had plenty of.  sure, they have more overall talent this year but the team still has the same overall issues as last year

Amir is going to have huge impact on the interior's defense as long as he stays relatively healthy. The Celtics didn't need a defensive center as much as they needed a frontcourt player that could play defense worth a lick, which is who Amir is. I'd say they did address a pretty major hole, though, it is obviously a short term fix until we can get a cornerstone piece in the frontcourt.

With the Amir acquisition and a hopefully improving Smart and Crowder, the Celtics need to be setting themselves a goal of being a top 5-7 defense. That's the type of improvement they need to see if they want to launch themselves into the top 4-5 Eastern teams, and I'd say it's pretty reasonable to believe it could happen.

I see no reason to have such confidence in teams like Washington, Toronto, and Milwaukee either. They are mid 40 win teams that shouldn't be garnering so much respect, imo. I don't see it as automatic that all 6 teams in front of the Celtics will still be in front of the Celtics. It'd be pretty boring if you could make predictions like that every single season. 

[sofutomygaha]

Curious who the OP sees as the top 3. I'm assuming Cleveland, Atlanta, and Chicago? I join in the pessimism on Toronto and Washington, and I also think the Bucks are being rated on their potential instead of reality at this point.

The Bucks and the Heat are definitely going to be tough, though.

[chambers]

The East is so bad that it's actually possible that we could make the top 4.

We're a long shot, perhaps odds of 25-1 or 20-1 being generous.

Realistically we'd have to hope that Miami, Washington, Chicago all have injuries and that Monroe and Carter Williams in Milwaukee turn out to be huge fails.

Are we good enough to be top 4 in the East? Talent wise, no, and to get into the top 4 we'd need significant injuries to key players on multiple teams. It does happen so who knows. We have serious depth at almost every position so that should help one way or another.
The great thing is that Stevens will balance development with wanting to win games so he'll give the rookies and new guys plenty of opportunity to prove themselves- somehow Jerebko is making $5 million this year and it's because of Stevens' willingness to throw him in there.

I think you'll find that this year our depth will really come into light once we hit post All Star break. Plenty of fresh legs to bear the daily grind of an 82 game season.

We could get anywhere from 10th (with some injuries to starters) and top 4.
Most likely somewhere between 6th-8th in the East with a possible first round playoff win or close series vs someone like the Wizards or Bucks etc...

[Moranis]

I would be surprised if Boston passed Toronto in the Atlantic and downright shocked if Boston ended up in the top 4 overall.  Toronto was 9 games better than Boston last year.  Yeah they lost Amir and Lou Williams, but they added Carroll, Joseph, and Biyombo who I think add more than they lost especially to roster cohesion.  That is a lot of defensive intensity added and Carroll, especially, is an excellent outside shooter (Joseph is pretty good in his own regard).  I fully expect Toronto to be right around a 50 win team again and well ahead of every other Atlantic team, including Boston.

[indeedproceed]

Re the OP: Overall talent.

[littleteapot]

http://southpark.cc.com/clips/154508/lack-talent

[PhoSita]

With the Amir acquisition and a hopefully improving Smart and Crowder, the Celtics need to be setting themselves a goal of being a top 5-7 defense.

I'd like to see what Smart - Bradley - Crowder - Mickey/Jerebko - Amir could do defensively.

[SparzWizard]

Yup, Miami and Indiana are coming back. Milwaukee getting stronger after their offseason acquisitions.

Cleveland will continue to dominate the east. Atlanta should fall slightly down from where they were last season. Chicago still contending, but will get bounced in the second round as usual.

Washington may have lost Paul Pierce, but they should look solid with Porter.

Unless injuries occur to other teams, I see that we are a 7-8 seed team again. Even with our offseason acquisitions. But I hope the Celtics strive higher!

[Granath]

The better question is whether there is any reason to thing we can repeat the quite improbable trip to the playoffs from last year.

I have said before that the Celtics could be a significantly improved team and still miss the playoffs this year.

[DarkAzcura]

I would be surprised if Boston passed Toronto in the Atlantic and downright shocked if Boston ended up in the top 4 overall.  Toronto was 9 games better than Boston last year.  Yeah they lost Amir and Lou Williams, but they added Carroll, Joseph, and Biyombo who I think add more than they lost especially to roster cohesion.  That is a lot of defensive intensity added and Carroll, especially, is an excellent outside shooter (Joseph is pretty good in his own regard).  I fully expect Toronto to be right around a 50 win team again and well ahead of every other Atlantic team, including Boston.

Continue to ignore the Celtics roster through the first 41 games was entirely different than the roster over the last 41 games..

Toronto was 9 games better, sure, but to bluntly state it like that without investigating/understanding the circumstances, your initial assessment already begins with a huge, glaring flaw.

With the Amir acquisition and a hopefully improving Smart and Crowder, the Celtics need to be setting themselves a goal of being a top 5-7 defense.

I'd like to see what Smart - Bradley - Crowder - Mickey/Jerebko - Amir could do defensively.

Me too.

[kozlodoev]

With the Amir acquisition and a hopefully improving Smart and Crowder, the Celtics need to be setting themselves a goal of being a top 5-7 defense.

I'd like to see what Smart - Bradley - Crowder - Mickey/Jerebko - Amir could do defensively.

Whatever they can do defensively will be offset by the fact that they're one big fat zero offensively.

[SparzWizard]

And the last time the Celtics were a top 4 team (Or the #4 seed) they went on to play seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The time before that? They went on to play seven games in the NBA Finals.

I think I like the number 4. Just would be even better in improving that seed!

[PhoSita]

With the Amir acquisition and a hopefully improving Smart and Crowder, the Celtics need to be setting themselves a goal of being a top 5-7 defense.

I'd like to see what Smart - Bradley - Crowder - Mickey/Jerebko - Amir could do defensively.

Whatever they can do defensively will be offset by the fact that they're one big fat zero offensively.

Well, sure.  But I mean, that's the team we've got.  Brad can put lineups out there that can probably score pretty well, and lineups that can probably defend pretty well, but he can't put a lineup out there that will do both.

I know, let's play Smart - Bradley - Crowder - Jerebko - Amir for 24 minutes a game, and IT - Hunter - Young - Sullinger - Olynyk the rest of the time.

[Greyman]

I wouldn't predict top 4 in the East but I won't be totally surprised if it happens. CBS is a year better prepared, Amir and Lee could be very positive additions, Sullinger could produce the game we have hoped for from him and Smart (plus others) might improve to a level they haven't reached before. There is a lot of dependence on things going right there and even if they do, we might still not get to be top 4.

I do believe we have a team that will win the majority of tight games, defend really well and maintain a positive approach. I think we can safely make the play offs. We shouldn't under estimate the talent we have on this team and coaching roster.

[max215]

Lack of talent. With internal development, trades, or overachievement we could be top 4 though.