The Boston Celtics have all the pieces in place to be a legitimate NBA contender. Except, of course, the most important one.
The Celtics enter season three of the Brad Stevens era with plenty of reasons for optimism. Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley make up a lethal defensive combination in the backcourt, while first-round draft picks Terry Rozier and R.J. Hunter have shown signs of promise in the preseason.
High-energy swingman Jae Crowder looks poised to build on a solid 2014-15 campaign, while president of basketball operations Danny Ainge bolstered Boston’s frontcourt by signing free-agent big men Amir Johnson and David Lee.
What Ainge didn’t do this offseason, however, is sign the “transcendent” player this team has lacked since the Big Three went their separate ways. So what’s the outlook for a team whose leading scorer, Isaiah Thomas, came off the bench last season?
Here’s what to watch for as the Celtics open the 2015-16 campaign against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night:
Key storyline: Rotation, Rotation
Much has been made about who the Celtics will start on opening night. But head coach Brad Stevens has stressed that he’s more concerned with which players work best with one another than who’s on the court for tipoff.
Playing time will be at a premium in both the backcourt and the frontcourt on this deep roster, and some important players might get left out. Stevens plans to bring Thomas off the bench again, but will that last the whole season? Jared Sullinger has played behind Tyler Zeller and Kelly Olynyk this preseason, but can he earn Stevens’ trust and parlay that into a minutes increase?
Boston enters the season with a lot of moving parts. Stevens will need to put those parts into place quickly to give this young team the opportunity to gel as a unit.
Most important player: Marcus Smart
Smart proved last season he can be one the best defensive guards in the league. But if the Celtics want to get anywhere this season, they’ll need more from him on the offensive end.
Smart struggled to find his shot early in his rookie campaign, and with Thomas currently shouldering the offensive load, he’ll need to knock down big shots when it counts this season. The 21-year-old has shown improvement as a facilitator: He had eight assists in the first half of a preseason game against the New York Knicks. If Smart can take the next step offensively, it will go a long way toward this team’s success.
X-Factor: Danny Ainge
We’re previewing the Celtics as they’re constructed now, but who knows if this will be the same team in February?
As long as Ainge is around, there’s always the possibility of Boston swinging a major mid-season deal. The Celtics certainly have the depth to unload some of their resources, and if Trader Danny manages to trade for a star before the Feb. 19 deadline, it could change the entire outlook of this season.
Projected finish: 44-38, No. 6 seed in Eastern Conference
The Celtics found success down the stretch last season after unloading disgruntled stars Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green. There was a bit less roster turnover this offseason, and Lee and Johnson add a solid veteran presence to this young, hungry squad. Stevens has emerged as one of the best young coaches in the league, and he appears poised to lead a Boston team without a single All-Star back to playoffs for the second consecutive season.
The Celtics’ lack of a star will be on full display in the postseason, however, as this team seems destined for another first-round exit.
Thumbnail photo via Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports Images
