The short-lived days of the Boston Celtics being the laughingstock of the National Basketball Association (NBA) are over. Wake up, coaches, players and fans around the world. Winning is back to TD Garden and the Celtics.
Take a look at their roster. The Celtics, their front office and barrier-shattering 40-year old head coach Brad Stevens have put on an under-the-radar clinic as a model for the league for how to turn a team around.
The team is deep. Isaiah Thomas, lightning bolt Marcus Smart and bedrock Avery Bradley take charge of the backcourt. Do-it-all forwards Gerald Green, Jae Crowder, James Young and Jonas Jerebko all take on different roles in what they offer to the team. And impressive bigs Kelly Olynyk, the former Gonzaga star, Tyler Zeller and newly-signed perennial all-star Al Horford add much needed size to a team that prides itself on hustle and takes on the grit of their New England fans. Exciting rookie Jaylen Brown comes in from University of California ready to provide a jolt.
Three years ago, in the 2013-2014 season, the Celtics finished a dismal 25-57 - their worst season since 1996. The following season? 40-42, good enough for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference and put up a losing fight in the First Round. And just last season, the Celtics shocked NBA experts by finishing 48-34 and losing the first round as the fifth seed - a stark contrast from their rival Los Angeles Lakers who endured a similar downhill path in the past few years since a decade and overall history of glory.
So this year, watch out. They are hungry and ready for the challenge. Led by a young but disciplined and focused head coach, the Celtics' roster fills out both skill-wise and with a mix of youth and experience. An uncertain Eastern Conference certainly bodes the way of the C's: the Bulls, Knicks, Wizards, Pacers, Hornets and Hawks all have question marks in regards to the way they bounce back and jive with new rosters. While Toronto, Miami and the dragon all teams hope to slay this season, the Cavaliers, are poised for solid years, the Celtics could put up more than a fight if they find momentum and build strong chemistry.
Some teams could out-man the Celtics in raw skill, but the confidence and cohesion the team has built in recent years under Coach Stevens' system makes them a formidable contender.
The Celtics will get the coveted third-seed in the Eastern Conference, secure home-court advantage for at least the first round, and go on to the Eastern Conference Finals. High hopes I know, but this group can handle it. Their tenacity and hunger does not go unnoticed and will pay off this season.
Final record: 55-27
TD Garden and Boston is about to see their best and most exciting and energetic team in quite some time, possibly since Kevin Garnett & Co. won the championship in 2009. This team is about to unleash unseen potential to the world in the coming months.
