10 reasons for Celtics fans to be excited about the season
The additions of Al Horford and Jaylen Brown highlight an improved Celtics roster for the 2016-17 season
COMMENTARY
The Boston Celtics will kick off their highly anticipated 2016-17 campaign by hosting the Brooklyn Nets at TD Garden on Wednesday night. In preparation for the team’s opener, here’s a look at 10 reasons Celtics fans should be excited about the green’s season debut on the parquet.
Back in the national spotlight
The combination of a 48-win season in 2015-16 and the free agent addition of Al Horford has boosted Boston’s profile in the eyes of TV executives. The Celtics will make 22 national television appearances in 2016-17, including a matinee tilt with the Knicks on Christmas Day at Madison Square Garden. That 300 percent increase from last year’s national TV exposure (only seven appearances) should create plenty of excitement about the green throughout the year.
Dunk highlights should be plentiful
The Celtics were a fun team to watch on offense last year, but they didn’t exactly pack the highlight reel with high-flying plays. Boston ranked among the bottom five teams in the league for total dunks, but that’s a stat which should be on the rise this year thanks to the additions of Gerald Green and Jaylen Brown. Green, the 2007 NBA Slam Dunk Champion, still remains one of the best dunkers in the league at age 30. Meanwhile, the athleticism of Brown already has caught the attention of his teammates and coaches. Look for both to add an extra layer of excitement for Boston’s second unit this year.
Al Horford doing a little bit of everything
Very few big men in the NBA can grab a defensive rebound, jumpstart a fastbreak by bringing the ball up the floor, and set up an open man in transition in mere seconds. We found out this preseason that Horford is one of the few that can check off all those boxes, adding a versatile element to the Celtics offense. The $126 million man has a lot to live up to, but he’s already proving to be the kind of well-rounded weapon in the frontcourt that Brad Stevens has never had at his disposal.
Terry Rozier looks ready to make the leap
Rozier, one of the most widely panned first round draft picks in recent memory, is poised to prove those doubters wrong in his sophomore season. He followed up a stellar Summer League performance by standing out as one of the best players on the Celtics roster in eight preseason games (54 percent shooting, 60 percent from 3-point range), according to Danny Ainge:
“Terry has been I think by far the biggest surprise of training camp, and I would say the entire summer,” Ainge said last week. “He’s just continued to improve even more playing the same way he did in summer league against NBA teams and NBA players and NBA practices. Terry has been a very bright spot for us so far. I think he’s going to have a really good year this year.”
A chance to say goodbye to a Celtics Legend
New England fans may already have Feb. 5 (Super Bowl Sunday) circled on their calendars, but there will still be a big reason to save that date even if the Patriots fail to make it to the Super Bowl: Paul Pierce will spend the afternoon playing his final game at the TD Garden. The Clippers forward announced last month that the 2016-17 season will be his final one in the NBA. Barring an unexpected Celtics-Clippers Finals clash, Boston fans will have a chance to pay tribute to the future Hall-of-Famer one final time in the Sunday matinee matchup.
Brad Stevens getting creative with lineups
The third-year head coach has more talent at his disposal this year than ever before, and you can bet he’ll find unique ways to mix and match those pieces on the court. He’s got a effective anchor for his small ball lineups in place with Horford manning the middle, which will allow him to go with more athletic and defensive groupings over the other positions. Three-guard lineups consisting of Rozier, Isaiah Thomas, and Avery Bradley or Marcus Smart were quite common in the preseason, as were combinations that included rookie Jaylen Brown at the 4. Those lineups should open the door for some uptempo basketball that keep opponents on their heels.
Avery Bradley: the playmaker?
The longest tenured member of the Celtics took a long hard look at his offensive game this offseason and committed himself to improving his ballhandling and passing. The early returns have been quite encouraging as the 25-year-old became more than a shooter within Stevens’ offensive scheme.
“He’s growing,” Isaiah Thomas explained. “I mean, he’s just become a more complete player. He’s just making the right play. It is slowing down for him it seems like. When he comes off pick-and-rolls he’s not going so fast. He’s slowing down and really looking for all his options. He’s making the right play and you can tell he’s improved in a lot of areas. Not just scoring or defense, which he’s great at, but making plays for others.”
Unselfish and unpredictable play from Bradley could help transform the Celtics’ offense into one of the league’s elite.
Isaiah Thomas finally has some help
Only seven players in the league averaged more than 22 points and six assists per game last season, and the 5-foot-9 Thomas was one of them. His averages (22.2 ppg, 6.2 apg) were even more impressive when considering that he posted them on a team which failed to create adequate floor spacing around him most nights (C’s ranked 28th in NBA in 3-point shooting percentage). That should change this year with Al Horford in the fold at center, giving Thomas a reliable pick-and-pop partner to keep defenses honest and prove his All-Star season last year was no fluke.
A suffocating defense
The Celtics allowed the fourth fewest points per 100 possession in the NBA last season, primarily based on the strength of their perimeter defenders. Those players (Bradley, Smart, Crowder) should become even more aggressive this year now that a versatile defensive backline is in place behind them with Horford and Amir Johnson.
“I think Al will help us out a lot (on defense),” Bradley said last month. “He really helped a lot as far as talking. But Al, having that leadership and having that experience, he’s been to the playoffs multiple years in a row. So he knows what it takes to be a great defender, and I know he talks well. I can tell for how disciplined their team is. I’m just happy to have him behind me, talking and helping me defend some of the best players in the NBA.”
The confidence that Horford’s presence gives Boston’s perimeter defenders should give opposing guards and help the C’s rank as the league leader in turnovers forced.
The weight of expectations
The hype is real around Boston this year for a team that is predicted to win over 51 games and earn the second overall seed in the Eastern Conference. The question for Brad Stevens and co. is just how will they handle the fact that they are no longer the lovable underdog: they are a team that’s expected to make some noise in the regular season and postseason. Some improved injury luck in the playoffs will help this time around, but the idea of an Eastern Conference showdown with the Cleveland Cavaliers is no longer just the best case scenario — it’s a realistic one.
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