2011-2012 Boston Celtics Season Preview

HOOPSWORLD

The Boston Celtics have been one of the power teams in the East for the last few years, is the window closing or about to be pushed open via trade?

HOOPSWORLD takes a look at the Celtics and how their 2011-2012 season looks to shake out.
Five Guys Think…

Sort of stuck between contending and starting the inevitable rebuilding process, the Boston Celtics are still in a position where they will be able to beat a lot of teams on most nights. The big three of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce still have a little in the tank and of course there’s All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo who has arguably emerged as the team’s best player. He’s been involved in frequent trade rumors, though, so it will be interesting to see whether or not that affects his game. The second unit is a big question mark in Boston. While it was once a vital part of their success, now they’re depending on an unproven group of reserves and that’s why they’ll likely fall from the top spot in the Atlantic

2nd Place, Atlantic Division

- Yannis Koutroupis

The Celtics have had an interesting offseason, and have plenty of questions marks heading into 2011-12. Will Rajon Rondo be their starting point guard? If so, will there be lasting effects from all of the trade talks? Paul Pierce could be moving to the bench to provide firepower for the second unit, meaning Jeff Green is the starter at the three, but what about center? Can Kevin Garnett and Brandon Bass really get the job done? Chris Paul and David West sure would have looked good in green . . .without them the Celtics may have to settle for envying the top teams in the East.

2nd Place, Atlantic Division

- Bill Ingram

You never can count out a team like the Boston Celtics, who clearly are heading into a season which will serve as their last chance to milk another championship out of their aging core. While it’s true that Rajon Rondo is a decent enough piece to rebuild with after Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen retire sometime soon, but the team will never be as loaded as they will be in 2011-2012, even with such an aging roster. These guys know it’s their last rodeo, and I imagine they’ll play their guts out this season. So much will depend on how Rondo handles the trade rumors he’s already been a part of, but if he can keep cool through it all, I expect Boston to make one more really serious push for a title.

2nd Place, Atlantic Division

- Joel Brigham

How much gas does the Boston Celtics trio of future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen have left in the respective tanks? How much longer can the Celtics’ championship window successfully avoid father time and be held open? The 2011 season was thought to be the club’s last shot at NBA supremacy as currently constructed, but the club endured plenty of adversity. All-Star guard Rajon Rondo was hit with the injury bug early, the recently retired Shaquille O’Neal failed to live up to expectations inside and the team’s locker room never recovered from the trade which sent well respected center Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City for promising forward Jeff Green in February. Entering this season, the Celtics have been active during free agency bringing in quality depth for one more title run and as they say you can never count out a motivated veteran team with something to prove.

1st Place, Atlantic Division

- Lang Greene

The Boston Celtics may have had the best star-studded trio in the Eastern Conference several years ago, but now they have some competition. It’s going to be difficult for an aging team like Boston to keep up with the Miami Heat and New York Knicks, especially since both teams continued to improve their rosters this offseason. Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett aren’t getting any younger and the Celtics understand that they need to win now. That’s why they pursued David West and explored a number of trade possibilities in recent weeks. Boston enters the season with many questions. Who will play center for the Celtics after Shaquille O’Neal’s retirement? Will Rajon Rondo continue to expand his game amidst trade rumors and aging teammates? Will Jeff Green be a better fit this season after signing a one-year deal to remain in Boston? There are several unknowns surrounding this team and the condensed schedule is a disadvantage for a veteran-laden team like the Celtics. Last year, Boston won 14 more games than New York, but they’ll finish as the runner-up in the Atlantic Division this season.

2nd Place, Atlantic Division

- Alex Kennedy


Top Of The List
Top Offensive Player: Small forward Paul Pierce has help, and that’s a good thing because he’s not going to continue to be the player he once was. He led the Celtics in scoring last season (18.9 ppg) and even managed to improve his field goal percentage (it’s up to 49.7%) while shooting more field goals per game (up to 12.. The shorter season obviously helps the 34-year-old Pierce, but there are going to be times when coach Doc Rivers just needs to rest No. 34. One thing to keep an eye on with regards to Pierce is his assist rate (percentage of possessions that end with an assist). When Boston won the title in 2007-2008, Pierce ranked ninth among small forwards with a 19.2 assist rate. He hasn’t approached that percentage since, which suggests that the Celtics do better when other players shoulder more of the scoring load (Kevin Garnett scored 18.8 PPG in 2007-2008). Pierce and Ray Allen can’t do it alone and Garnett (14.9 ppg last season), and Jeff Green (13.3 ppg last season) need to do more scoring this year.

Top Defensive Player: Kevin Garnett is one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history, but Rajon Rondo is the present. Opposing point guards had a Player Efficiency Rating of 13.7 against the Celtics, according to 82games.com (the NBA average is always set to 15) and Rondo is a major reason why. Rondo ranked second in the NBA in steals last season (ironically, Chris Paul, who the Celtics are rumored to be interested in, led the league) but that statistic doesn’t do Rondo’s defense any justice. Rondo doesn’t just gamble on defense. He systematically eliminates the opposition’s options. Rondo has added muscle over the years and he’s getting better at using his freakishly long wingspan to suffocate opposing point guards.

Top Playmaker: Rondo finished second in assists per game and assist rate last season largely because of his creativity. His ability to penetrate is among the best in the NBA and what he lacks in shooting touch he more than accounts for in feel for the game. Allen, Pierce and Garnett are easy to work with on offense, but it’s Rondo’s ability to find less-heralded players that makes him a truly great point guard. Pay close attention this season as he gets a full year to work with Green and begins to build chemistry with recently acquired power forward Brandon Bass.

Top Clutch Player: Allen is known as one of the best shooters in NBA history, but it’s Pierce who draws the most defensive attention in late-game situations. Defenders would do best to avoid biting on Pierce’s lethal pump fake, which has allowed him to shoot free throws in clutch situations more often than opposing coaches would like. Pierce is particularly dangerous around the top of the key, where he still has the option to hit Allen on the wing, drive the lane or hit a mid-range jump shot. The

Unheralded Player: The addition of Chris Wilcox is vital for a team looking for a center. The team will always miss former center Kendrick Perkins and it’s going to take a collective effort from Wilcox, Jermaine O’Neal (if he isn’t traded first) and Garnett, who will move to center when Bass comes into the game, to man the 5 spot. Wilcox doesn’t put up great numbers and often commits stupid fouls, but his strength and toughness will be relied upon throughout the abridged season.

Best New Addition: Brandon Bass has built a reputation on toughness during his six NBA seasons and that’s exactly what the Celtics want out of the 6-8 power forward. There will be times when he’s forced to bang against some of the tougher centers but that’s something he did when Dwight Howard would be out of the game for Orlando. If he was able to score 11.2 ppg, as he did with the Magic, that would be a welcome addition for the Celtics.


The Q&A On The Celtics


Who We Like
1. Rajon Rondo – Yes, the Celtics want Chris Paul, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want Rondo, who has repeatedly been underappreciated since coming to the NBA. Rondo’s toughness and preparation are undeniable and if he does stay in green this season, he’s probably going to be Rivers’ best player.

2. Doc Rivers – The Celtics coach is back after some speculation that he was going to retire before the season. Assistant coach Lawrence Frank left, which means Rivers will have to be more involved in the defensive game-planning than he has been the past few seasons. That shouldn’t be a problem for a leader who has balanced some of the league’s biggest egos without breaking a sweat. There’s a reason Rivers is so even-keeled: He has confidence in himself and his team.

3. Ray Allen – The legendary sharpshooter’s defensive resurgence with the Celtics is fading (he finally learned to play defense under former assistant coach Tom Thibodeau), but his offensive skills more than make up for his liabilities on defense. Pay close attention to Allen’s ability to drive the lane. For someone who will always be known for his shooting, Allen has never hesitated to take someone off the dribble and at 36 years of age, he’s still capable of making defenders look absolutely ridiculous.

4. Kevin Garnett – Pierce and Allen aren’t the vocal leaders that Garnett is and it’s the power forward’s ability to motivate teammates that will be his greatest asset as his skills begin to erode. That doesn’t mean Garnett can’t contribute offensively and defensively though. He ranked 24th in the NBA in rebounding rate last season while leading the team with 9.2 rpg. He also pushed his field goal percentage to 52.8% while shooting more field goals per game (11.6 last season). Garnett also works well with Rondo in the pick and roll because of his ability to sink 20-foot jumpers.

5. Jeff Green – Perhaps he isn’t known as a defensive stopper, but when it comes time to face the Miami HEAT, Green will see plenty of time against LeBron James. At 6-9, 235 pounds, Green is strong enough to muscle James and Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony in the lane and nimble enough to chase them around the perimeter. He shoots too much and doesn’t know what shots he should be taking, so he’s always going to be a tough fit offensively. Of course, the Celtics don’t need him to score 20 ppg, so he has the luxury of being able to choose his spots.


Strengths
Boston had the second highest-rated defense in terms of defensive efficiency last season (points allowed per 100 possessions). Of course, a lot of that was done with Perkins at center, which is a luxury the team no longer has. The perimeter shooting is still a strong point, as is the coaching staff, but as the years go on, there are less and less things this team can rely on.

Weaknesses
Boston still commits too many turnovers (the Celtics were 28th in the NBA in turnover rate last season) and inexplicably they were tied for 19th in rebounding rate last season. Offensively, the Celtics weren’t much better. Yes, the Celtics can shoot, but they still finished the year tied for 17th in offensive efficiency, which simply isn’t enough for a top-tier team. Perhaps moving Pierce to a sixth-man role would allow the Celtics to score more points during the second quarter. Boston’s bench ranked 26th in scoring, so there is obviously room for improvement on the second unit, and Green is certainly a candidate to move into the starting five.

The Coach’s Chair By Anthony Macri
Do we have one more run with this group, one more run with this core of players? In the end, Rajon is going to have more chances with other teammates in the future. But Kevin, Ray, and Paul, we have to face the reality that the window is closing. We will get you as much help as possible, but the onus will fall on you. Be prepared to play less minutes during this regular season that we have been, and we may have to accept some mid-year lulls to really save our bodies for the final push in the postseason. Our goal is to save ourselves and turn on our jets in mid March, just as we get into the playoff push. Let’s get this train rolling down the tracks one more time.
- Anthony Macri


The Burning Question
Do the Celtics have one more run left in them?
Boston added some “younger” players in Bass and rookies JaJuan Johnson, but this team obviously relies too much on age and experience. A 66-game season helps. However those games will be condensed so Rivers is going to have to rest his stars from time to time. The question is whether to give them a break on the same night—and maybe sacrifice one win—or spread it out over a few games here and there. The 25-year-old Rondo needs to assert himself because, unless he’s traded, this is going to be his team some day.

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