The Boston Celtics finished with just 25 wins in coach Brad Stevens’ first season. However, steady improvement from 40 to 48 and, now, to 53 wins and an Eastern Conference finals appearance has some believing Banner No. 18 isn’t too far away for the C’s.
Count among them Jeff Van Gundy, who said “absolutely” when asked if Gang Green could win an NBA championship within the next five years.
“They’re well-positioned with the team they have now and with their cap situation, their draft-choice situation,” the coach-turned-ESPN analyst told “Pillow Talk Show” host Max Berkowitz two weeks ago in an interview that will run Tuesday on NESN.com. “I don’t think there’s any doubt — I think what they’ve done in quickly rebuilding their team has been nothing short of miraculous.”
The big question, of course, is this: Can the Celtics land the marquee free agent who so far has eluded them?
“I would think so,” Van Gundy said. “If you want to play in a great, tradition-based organization that treats its players right, I think they’re going to get somebody they want.”
That somebody could be Gordon Hayward or Blake Griffin — or both, depending on what rumors you believe. It should be quite an interesting offseason in Boston, which hopes to take further strides toward overtaking LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference.
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