Season Preview: Reason for Optimism in Boston
The Boston Celtics have improved on it's already capable squad to become what could be an Eastern Conference power house.
The biggest change for Boston was the releasing of Evan Turner and Jared Sullinger for Al Horford. Horford is star who can do almost everything the game of basketball requires; post up, shoot, defend, rim protect, rebound, he can do it all. His superior defense is also something that the Celtics witnessed first hand, in their first round exit to the Hawks.
Isaiah Thomas has proved himself to be an All-Star. With his shot making and play making abilities, he should be able to spark another playoff run. Thomas, combined with Horford, will prove to be a formidable one-two-punch.
The rest of the team remains mostly the same. Avery Bradley, Marcus Smart and Jae Crowder will continue to provide excellent perimeter defense, while Amir Johnson, Jonas Jerebko and the newly acquired Gerald Green will provide an offensive flow due to them not needing the ball at all times.
The biggest weakness for the Celtics would be their lack of offensive prowess. They ranked just 13th in offense last season, and relied too much on Thomas to a fault. With the inclusion of Horford, the Celtics will hopefully fill their offensive gap, but if they rely too heavily on Thomas and Horford, they will most likely fall into the same position as they did last season.
This means that it will be imperative for the Celtics to produce or acquire another go-to scorer if they want to be a serious playoff contender this upcoming season.
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