15/16 vs 16/17 Celtics team

[vgulab]

I've decided to do a comparison between last season and this season. I will try to analyze last year team and compare it to this year team. I will also try to predict this season rotations.

2015-16 Boston Celtics 48-34

Rotation: Johnson, Sullinger, Olynyk, Jerebko, Crowder, Turner, Smart, Bradley, Thomas.
Didn't play much: Zeller, Hunter, Rozier, Young, Mickey

This team played fast paced basketball and score a lot of points because of it (5th in ppg). Also very good defensive team who finished the season 4th in defensive ratings. Impressive wins against the Cavs and Warriors, but loss in the first round of the playoffs.

When last season ends nobody was dissapointed because all Celtics fans know that there is better season coming. High draft pick, lot of salary cap, potential for major trade...

Now summer is finished, Durant didn't sign with Boston, major trade didin't happen but other ggod things happen. So new season is about to start and everybody is excited but the question is: Are the Celtics better this season? And if they are in what?

2016-2017 Boston Celtics

new players in: Horford, Brown, Green, Jackson (Yabusele, Zizic, Bentil -probably won't be on roster this season)

players out: Sullinger, Turner

This year rotation in my opinion will be: Horford, Johnson, Olynyk, Jerebko, Crowder, Brown, Smart, Green, Bradley, Thomas, Rozier

Won't play much: Zeller, Hunter, Young, Jackson, Mickey

This season Brad Stevens will use more players in the rotations simply because this is much deeper team than last season. Maybe it doesn't look like the team improved much except for Horford, actually the team adressed other weaknesses and became deeper in every position.

Big men: We lose Sullinger we gain Horford. Starting big men will be Amir and Al because they are perfect fit and compliment each other with their versatility and being able to do a lot of things. Horford addition is great step for this organization because he is complete big men with great attitute and versatility, meaning he can fit in any system easily. No need to change the system because of him, no matter that he is a star. Amir is similar player to Al who does a lot of things, just not so good like Al. Together they form great frontcourt without weaknesses. Solid rebounders, solid shot blockers, really good defenders, both are able to play the 4 and the 5 plus Horford is really good in scoring and passing. Big men from the bench will probably be Jerebko and Olynyk who really fit Stevens system of play just they are bad rebounders and not good enough defenders.

Frontcourt verdict: Improved: scoring, passing, versatility, shot blocking, defense
                              Not Impoved: rebounding

Small forward: Crowder will continue to be our starter and Turner is replaced with Brown. Crowder is impving every year and if this year is able to shoot more consistently he will be one of the best wings in the league, but even if he doesn't improve his toughness, versatility, defense makes him very valuable. Brown is a guy i doubt but after seeing him play i saw hiw raw potential. Not ready to play more that 12-18 min but i belive in his all star potential. I think Turner won't be missed a lot because he played more minutes as a PG than SF so Crowder was basicaly without backup last season. Also Crowder and Brown athletism makes them able to play the 4 if needed

Small forward verdict: Improved: Depth, Versatility, Defense
                                   Not improved: Shooting

Backcourt: This year Celtics will have the same starters in PG and SG as last season. Bradley looks like he expanded his game and i believe that he will add passing and rebounding to his game this season. Thomas has his super speed and scoring combined with Bradley's off ball play offesively and great defense they form very strong backcourt. Smart also looks like he improved his shooting and leadership. This year roster is also deeper in gurds with Green and Rozier. Green is very good shooter so if problem with injured players, team has expirienced shooter to step up. Rozier is addition to this team because he will hame much biger role this season than last season. The kidd improved drastically since last year and he and Marcus will be second unit ball handlers - role that last year had Turner. Overall backcourt is much deeper and if we had this depth in last season playoffs to better replace Bradley when he got injured we could have beat the Hawks.

Backcourt verdict: Improved: Depth, Shooting, Ball handling, Passing
                              Not improved: In my opinion there isn't weakness not addressed in backcourt

Final Verdict: Team improved in many areas and will be much better, at least 55 wins this season i believe. At least second round playff team.

How far is this team from championship? One shooting wing (someone like Middleton or maybe Crowder or Brown will develop into consistent shooters) and one rebounding / shot blocking big man ( someone like Noel)

[Donoghus]

How far is this team from championship? One shooting wing (someone like Middleton or maybe Crowder or Brown will develop into consistent shooters) and one rebounding / shot blocking big man ( someone like Noel)

I think they're a conference finals team right now if nothing else is done.  Probably a Lebron James injury away from winning the east.  Although, I'd love to see how a 7 game series with CLE would play out.    If they somehow made the Finals, they'd have their hands full with Golden State, though. 

They're certainly positioned to be an Eastern Conference contender for the foreseeable future.   An upgrade on the offensive end is almost certainly needed but they're getting there and fast.  Agree that they need to upgrade rebounding too. 

[vgulab]

How far is this team from championship? One shooting wing (someone like Middleton or maybe Crowder or Brown will develop into consistent shooters) and one rebounding / shot blocking big man ( someone like Noel)

I think they're a conference finals team right now if nothing else is done.  Probably a Lebron James injury away from winning the east.  Although, I'd love to see how a 7 game series with CLE would play out.    If they somehow made the Finals, they'd have their hands full with Golden State, though. 

They're certainly positioned to be an Eastern Conference contender for the foreseeable future.   An upgrade on the offensive end is almost certainly needed but they're getting there and fast.  Agree that they need to upgrade rebounding too.

DA is very patient and i believe he didn't wanted to destroy this depth the teams has know and that is why he didn't pushed for some trade where he would overpay. He knows this team depth is probably the biggest strenth. So now the team is really good but missing one or two pieces of the puzzle and DA will wait for some trade mid season or will use the nets pick to select someone really good in the draft or sign someone in free agency because next summer team will again have some money to spend. Meaning - a lot of options for improvment next season without giving to much and destroing this roster depth

[Chris22]

We need Olynyk back.

[Snakehead]

We need Olynyk back.

The offense with Horford and Olynyk on the floor together should be ridiculous.

[Denis998]

Currently #1 in the east
http://www.nba.com/standings
not too shabby.

[jpotter33]

I think it's time to put the rebounding issues to bed.

Over this preseason in roughly 18 minutes a game, Horford is putting up 11.5 pts and 7 rebs per game, which is pretty impressive for those minutes. I think when he's getting his normal 30 minutes per game, he'll easily reach double digits in rebounds.

I don't think we'll have any bigger issue with rebounding this year than last year.

[chilidawg]

Currently #1 in the east
http://www.nba.com/standings
not too shabby.

You're kidding right?  It's preseason, and we haven't even played a good team.

[SHAQATTACK]

I think this team is going to shoot considerably better than previous years ,  which will not be as many rebounds available . 

[MJohnnyboy]

The one factor that no one is talking about here is David Lee. Remember that when David Lee was in the rotation last year, the Celtics were 19-18, which barely kept them above .500. The Celtics finished the season at 48-34 which was good for 29-16 when they stopped playing Lee, which was a 53 win pace (could have very well been higher had Crowder/KO not gotten injured). Factor in the all-around upgrade in Horford and the Celtics should by all accounts win 55+ games this season as long as they stay healthy.

[Csfan1984]

Every team should be compared to the 2013 team because that is where the rebuild pretty much started.

[billysan]

I think it's time to put the rebounding issues to bed.

Over this preseason in roughly 18 minutes a game, Horford is putting up 11.5 pts and 7 rebs per game, which is pretty impressive for those minutes. I think when he's getting his normal 30 minutes per game, he'll easily reach double digits in rebounds.

I don't think we'll have any bigger issue with rebounding this year than last year.

I disagree, we lack bigman quality depth. Beyond Horford we have Johnson, Olynyk,  Jerebko and Zeller. Olynyk isnt healthy yet and Johnson has chronic  foot trouble.  Jerebko is ok in small ball lineups and Zeller is an emergency end of the bench guy in our system. If Johnson  and Olynyk  falter we barely win 45 and see another first round playoff exit.

[alldaboston]

The one factor that no one is talking about here is David Lee. Remember that when David Lee was in the rotation last year, the Celtics were 19-18, which barely kept them above .500. The Celtics finished the season at 48-34 which was good for 29-16 when they stopped playing Lee, which was a 53 win pace (could have very well been higher had Crowder/KO not gotten injured). Factor in the all-around upgrade in Horford and the Celtics should by all accounts win 55+ games this season as long as they stay healthy.

what really surprised me was how good Lee looked in that preseason. he looked like a perfect fit. could pass well, rebounded pretty good, brought the ball up at times.

In some ways, you can argue he looked like a broke and homeless man's Al Horford, when comparing the impact they had on the team. then it all fell apart lol.

[CelticPride2016]

We are much better this year than last. I was forced to watch the Knicks' game broadcast. The color guy is Wally Szczerbiak. I thought he was pretty good at working t.v., but that's a digression. He said he thinks we have passed Toronto and are the #2 seed behind Cleveland.

This is all addition by subtraction. Don't worry about rebounds. We have smart players who get them. Maybe it is a team rebound or a guard helps out. I see no problem so far with rebounding. All these guys are good at it. It was Sullinger's best skill, but he held us back in many other ways.

Turner is the interesting change. I think it's been a transition in the Brad Stevens' Era from Rondo to Crawford and Thornton to Turner. The best part of Gerald Green is that he doesn't need to ball hog to fill it up on offense. Turner was a small forward playing point guard. Crowder is better than him. Rozier and Smart are now in the pg picture. We will not miss Turner. Bradley continues to make leaps. Having Horford is a leap in itself.

We need Olynyk back soon. That is the last question mark. I think Zeller is his back up. I hope Kelly isn't too rusty and somehow I am rooting against Zeller tricking us with a good game or two.

Tyler Zeller is one-dimensional or average. Olynyk says he will shoot more and I look forward to Jaylen Brown as part of the rotation. I don't take Jerebko for granted and agree with most that Zeller is on the deep part of the bench as insurance and with a good contract to help finish off trades.

I like dynamic players. Olynyk has that potential. I think he should start with Horford, then bring in Amir and Jerebko. The only potential for David Lee nonsense is if Zeller keeps popping up. Mickey is still raw at least a year away and then he will be in the Hunter/Young sweating box.

I would play Horford and Amir like we did with KG. Thirty minutes. Or not too much more. I can see Horford losing a step by the end of his contract.

But I think we are meant to take it one game at a time, one season at a time. So when we win the title as underdogs next July, #18 if my math is correct, everything after that becomes gravy like with what happened with the 2004 Red Sox and 2001 Patriots. Then we can get greedy and root for total domination of the next decade. We'll have 28 titles by 2035, something like that.

[chilidawg]

But I think we are meant to take it one game at a time, one season at a time. So when we win the title as underdogs next July, #18 if my math is correct, everything after that becomes gravy like with what happened with the 2004 Red Sox and 2001 Patriots. Then we can get greedy and root for total domination of the next decade. We'll have 28 titles by 2035, something like that.

Yup.