2015-16 NBA Season Preview: Boston Celtics

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Boston Celtics

2014-15

Offseason Roundup

• Re-signed Jae Crowder (5/$35M)
• Re-signed Jonas Jerebko (2/$10M)

Projected Starting 5

• PG Marcus Smart
• SG Avery Bradley
• SF Evan Turner
• PF David Lee
• C Tyler Zeller

MVP: Isaiah Thomas

Celtics fans were given a small taste of how efficient the 5-foot-9 Isaiah Thomas could be after the team landed him in a February trade with the Phoenix Suns.

In just 21 appearances, Thomas averaged a team-high 19 points on 41.2 percent shooting, including 5.4 assists and 2.1 rebounds in 26 minutes per game. Boston scored 109.2 points per 100 possessions with the University of Washington alumnus on the floor, seeing a significant dip to just 98.8 points when he rode the pine.

He became the go-to scorer the team so desperately needed, not afraid to take the bull by the horns and put the team on his back when it mattered most. On a roster seemingly comprised of supporting parts, Thomas stood out from the lot, taking big shots late in games while never abandoning his underdog persona. He always had something to prove.

Breakout Player: Marcus Smart

Marcus Smart has face-of-the-franchise potential, but that's only going to come for the 21-year-old if/when he improves as a shooter.

In what turned out to be a relatively weak showing for the 2014 NBA Draft class, Smart couldn't even crack the top-10 in scoring, with his 36.7 field-goal percentage and 33.5 long-range percentage holding him back.

His selection as an All-Rookie second team member stemmed off of his defense - an area in which he excelled. He's still learning how to run an offense, although playing alongside Thomas eases the burden to do so right away.

Smart's ceiling is sky high and under the tutelage of head coach Brad Stevens, he should continue to take strides in the right direction as a scorer, defender, and leader.

Season Expectations

With the current makeup of the roster, Boston is nothing more than a No. 7 or 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, playing the role of first-round filler to teams with a legitimate shot at a championship.

Celtics president Danny Ainge has done a heck of a job acquiring tradable assets and draft picks to make a move for a larger piece, but as this past offseason showed, teams with high-profile names aren't biting on what Boston has in stock.

The frontcourt is awfully crowded, with six or seven players who will all demand a fair share of court time. The backcourt is in a similar predicament, comprised of several young, impressionable guards who need minutes and experience. There's tremendous depth with Stevens' coaching ingenuity being put to the test as he comprises a rotation befitting of his revamped roster.

Opposing squads understand that they shouldn't be taken lightly, with Boston increasing its win total in 2014-15 by an exceptional 15 games. It's going to be difficult for the Celtics to catch teams offguard again, so just hovering around the 40-win mark for a second straight season should be viewed as a positive sign for the time being.