The Boston Celtics have been a dynasty driven team during their history. From the Bill Russell/Red Auerbach teams of the 50’s and 60’s to the Big Three of Bird, McHale, and Parish of the 80’s to the latest trio of Garnett, Pierce, and Allen, Boston has been a team whose success depends on star power. With that being said, this year’s Celtics team is doing it a bit differently. GM Danny Ainge has assembled a team rather than stars and their subordinates. Head coach Brad Stevens has taken that collection and found a way to make each person valuable to the overall goals of the franchise. With the team gelling more and more each game, and with several tantalizing draft picks at their disposal in the near future, the Celtics may be taking a different route to a new dynasty at the Garden.
Now don’t take the term “lack of star power” as a derisory statement towards the Celtics roster. Isaiah Thomas was an All-Star this year, but he isn’t on the level of even a lower level superstar such as Chris Bosh. But that’s more than fine for what Boston is trying to accomplish. Thomas is a scorer and distributor that does everything Brad Stevens asks of him. He has a never ending motor and is hitting the prime of his career. 21.4 points, 6.8 assists, and 1.2 steals per game for Cleveland’s 2016 pick and Marcus Thornton may go down as one of the worst trade fleecings since Pau Gasol was sent to Los Angeles. He doesn’t get big endorsements, but he does hit big shots. He is also under contract for the ridiculous price of just under $13 million over the next two seasons.
While Thomas may be their go to guy, the real glue that holds the team together are their perimeter defenders, Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart at the guard spots and Evan Turner and Jae Crowder at the forwards. Bradley has been a plus defender since he started getting regular playing time under Doc Rivers, but he’s developed a complimentary offensive game under Stevens. He is more confident in shooting threes, shown by his pace to set new career highs in both threes taken and made. That stroke from deep has also made him more dangerous as a pump and drive guy, allowing him to shoot over 50% from inside the arc. But his defense hasn’t suffered in the midst of his new found responsibilities at the other end. And he’s got quite the defensive deputy in Smart.
The former lottery pick was lauded for his defense coming out of Oklahoma State, and was a steal for the club at pick #6 in 2014. His career thus far has taken a similar trajectory to Bradley’s as he continues to build his confidence on offense while still remaining a ball hawk. His ability to effectively guard both the point and shooting guard positions gives Stevens invaluable flexibility with his substitutions and situational sets. Smart’s 1.8 steals per game is tied for the team lead with Crowder and would be 11th in the NBA if he qualified. Speaking of Crowder…
The former Marquette man was a bit player during his time in Dallas. But since his arrival in Boston, he’s found his niche as a hybrid forward who can play each spot on the floor for the Celtics at any particular time. Even though he fit into Stevens’ mold, Crowder’s re-signing for 5 years, $35 million in the summer reeked of an overpay. More than halfway through the first season of that deal, it looks like a bargain. Crowder has set career highs in every statistical category this season and is one of three Celtics to play in every game for the club this year. The other two, Thomas and Evan Turner.
Turner was the second overall pick of the Sixers in 2010. While he had his highs in Philadelphia, he was generally viewed as a bust, or at least a disappointment, with his drafted team. He was eventually traded to Indiana for two lackluster months before signing with Boston before last season. Since he arrived at the Garden, Turner has not missed a single game for the Celtics. His consistent presence has made Boston’s second unit one of the soundest in the Eastern Conference, and one whose members are just as comfortable meshing with the starters as they are working with themselves. Turner can play the point in a pinch as well as guard an opposition’s power forward in small ball sets. His versatility, an asset that was woefully underutilized in his previous two stops, is something that makes him perfect for the up and coming era of Celtics basketball. He should be brought back once his contract runs out in the summer.
If there is a weakness with this Celtics team, it is with their big men. They have skilled bigs in Kelly Olynyk, Jared Sullinger, and Tyler Zeller, but none of those is a true rim protector or intimidating presence on defense. Neither of the trio is a go to guy down low either. As the front office looks to build through the draft and trades, center is the position that gets the most discussion. Kevin Love has been rumored to be heading to Beantown on several occasions over the past couple of seasons. Al Horford and DeMarcus Cousins are two other names that have been thrown into the mix during the same time frame. While none of them will help their defensive deficiencies in the paint, any of those three would give them a legitimate low post scorer that hasn’t been seen in Boston in decades.
One of those big names would be key to continuing Boston’s rebirth, but they are just as hopeful of turning their pick from Brooklyn into their next big star. The Celtics have up to eight picks in the 2016 NBA Draft, three in the first round and five in the second, but none are bigger than the pick they got from Brooklyn in the Paul Pierce/Kevin Garnett trade. They would love to turn that pick into Ben Simmons from LSU or Brandon Ingram of Duke, but may be just as happy with Bosnian standout Dragan Bender or Utah’s Jacob Poeltl. Don’t rule out some draft day wheeling and dealing from Ainge either.
The Celtics are the underdog this year with Cleveland and Toronto clearly ahead of them in the Eastern Conference pecking order. But as those teams begin to dismantle themselves, Boston is building and they are only going to grow stronger. The foundations for the next Celtics dynasty are being laid, and the benefits could mean banner 18 being raised to the rafters a lot sooner than originally expected.