Sep 25, 2015; Waltham, MA, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens during media day at the Boston Celtic Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
With a record of 40-42, the Boston Celtics squeezed into the NBA Playoffs ahead of schedule last season, landing the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. Head coach Brad Stevens is one of the brightest minds in the entire league, and he has done a great job of putting the Celtics in a position to succeed.
To be serious NBA title contenders, the Celtics are probably going to have to find some more star power. That being said, Stevens, President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge and the rest of the Celtics’ front office has put together an impressive overall roster that is filled with incredible depth throughout all positions.
There are not any LeBron James or Stephen Curry caliber of talents on this roster, but there is not a team in the NBA who can go as deep with quality as the Celtics. Simply put, Stevens has a mess of players to get involved, and it will be up to him to determine who is best for the team to contribute.
Stevens is arguably the best person in the NBA to figure out who to get on the court and when with this roster. The Celtics are an extremely deep team, and Stevens will have many options to go to throughout each and every game. That can be an issue for some NBA team’s, but with Stevens leading the charge, I think the Celtics’ depth is a great asset.
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Stevens will undoubtedly mix and match his line-ups based on match-ups against opposing teams, making this practice relatively difficult to pull off. That being said, I am going to do my best to predict what Stevens’ starting line-up will be a majority of the time. I will also be looking at how Stevens will use his talented bench players to fill out their entire rotations.
Here are the starting five and rotation predictions for the 2015-2016 Boston Celtics.
Next: Point Guard
Apr 1, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) controls the ball during the first half against the Indiana Pacers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Starting Point Guard: Marcus Smart
If there is any player on this Celtics’ roster who has the upside to become a superstar caliber of player, Marcus Smart is the guy. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Smart is a physical and aggressive player who is the obvious candidate to lead this team into the future.
With his size, Smart is a bit of a tweener. Considered by some to be too big for a point guard, yet too small for a two-guard. That being said, Smart uses his size and strength to his advantage against smaller point guards, and has the defensive awareness and obvious on-ball defensive skills to defend the shooting guard position as well.
Defensively, Smart is already an advanced player who Stevens and the Celtics can count on to successfully defend any player in the backcourt. He uses his size to his advantage against smaller players, and has enough short-space quickness to keep up with anyone. Smart has true elite upside as a perimeter defender.
Offensively, his game does leave a bit to be desired. Smart is a strong ball handler who can make plays in the lane. He also shows a nice ability to make plays with the pass and run an offense from the point guard position.
However, his shooting ability is a concern. While it has improved, Smart has never been a strong outside shooter, and on a team that lacks consistent outside shooting, that stands out. Also, his lack of ability to hit an outside shot hurts him as a legitimate option off the ball. Smart needs the ball in his hands to be a consistently effective offensive player.
All in all, Stevens knows that Smart must grow with this team if they are going to have any sort of championship aspirations this season. His defense alone makes Smart a solid player, but he has a chance to be a star if his offense can catch up quickly. Letting him grow as the commander of the Celtics’ offense would be a wise move by Stevens.
Next: Shooting Guard
Mar 27, 2015; New York, NY, USA; Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley (0) grabs a loose ball during the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Boston Celtics won 96-92. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Starting Shooting Guard: Avery Bradley
The longest-tenured player on this Boston Celtics’ roster is guard Avery Bradley. He is far from a superstar, but Bradley is the kind of player that any NBA team would love to have.
He is truly an elite on-ball perimeter defender. Bradley has made a mark in this league by simply shutting down opposing guards on a regular basis. He has nice athleticism, and while he is on the small side for a two-guard, he makes up for it with incredible toughness and relentless aggressiveness.
When it comes to perimeter defense, it is hard to find a better player than Bradley. Him and Smart could become the best defensive backcourt duo in the entire league.
Offensively, Bradley is a solid ball handler, makes strong decisions with the ball in his hands and has become an above average shooter. Bradley’s entire offensive repertoire is limited, but he is never going to kill you with the ball in his hands. He can set up teammates well, and hit an open shot. Bradley will rarely make an exciting play driving to the hoop, but he recognizes his limitations.
Bradley has averaged 14.9 and 13.9 points per game in the last two season’s respectively. Also, early in the preseason, he has shown a much-improved outside shot, which could pay major dividends for the team moving forward. Combine that kind of offensive output with elite defensive skills, and the Celtics have a strong starting two guard in Bradley.
Next: Small Forward
Apr 8, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Boston Celtics guard Evan Turner (11) dribbles the ball around Detroit Pistons guard Jodie Meeks (20) during the second quarter at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Celtics beat the Pistons 113-103. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Starting Small Forward: Evan Turner
It will be interesting to see how Stevens uses his depth. Jae Crowder is probably a better overall player than Evan Turner, but Turner’s skill-set fits this starting line-up well. Crowder is an incredibly intense physical presence who excels on the defensive end. Pairing him with an already great defensive backcourt in the starting line-up seems like an odd fit.
Turner may have his issues defensively, but with Smart and Bradley on the court, the Celtics would be able to hide him a bit. That being said, Turner brings much more to the team offensively than Crowder, making him a strong fit for this particular starting line-up.
He is a strong ball handler who took over the primary ball handling duties for the Celtics at times down the stretch last season. If Smart is not ready to be the true point guard for the Celtics, having Turner on the court to help with the responsibility would be key.
Turner is a strong offensive player, who can set up his teammates well. On top of that, he is arguably the best player on this roster at creating his own shot. He is not the best shooter in the league, but Turner has a knack for getting to the basket and making plays.
I do not love Turner’s game as a whole. He is a liability defensively, and relies on having the ball in his hands too much. That being said, his playing style does fill a void in this particular line-up. If the Celtics start Smart and Bradley in the backcourt, I expect Turner to be alongside them. That being said, I would not be surprised to see Crowder being the one getting the most minutes at the position.
Next: Power Forward
Oct 14, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Boston Celtics forward Amir Johnson (90) defends against Brooklyn Nets forward Thaddeus Young (30) during first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
Starting Power Forward: Amir Johnson
Every team needs somebody to do the dirty work, and that is exactly what the Celtics brought Amir Johnson in to do. Adding Johnson to the mix immediately improves the Celtics in three major areas: defense, rebounding and toughness.
Johnson is not a great rim defender, but he is a strong and physical presence in the post. He will defend players who are taller than him, and have success by simply out-muscling them. Nobody is going to push Johnson around.
The Celtics struggled to rebound the basketball with any sort of consistency last season. Johnson is a strong rebounder on both ends of the court, using his strength and physical nature to his advantage. Johnson is also an extremely aware rebounder, always seeming to put himself in a strong position to clean up misses.
More than anything, Johnson brings a physical edge to the Celtics that they were lacking last season. Smart and Bradley were physical defensively on the outside, but the Celtics were soft in the post. Johnson will simply not allow that to happen this season.
Offensively, his game is relatively limited. Johnson has never scored more than 10.4 points per game in a season, and I do not expect that to change much with the Celtics.
He can hit a jumper, does a great job of cleaning up misses and can work in the post a bit, but Johnson is not going to be any sort of offensive center-piece for the Celtics. In fact, his best offensive skill is undoubtedly his ability to set screens. Looking like an All-Pro offensive tackle protecting his quarterback, Johnson does an incredible job of getting his shooters free in the screen game.
The ultimate garbage man, Johnson is an extremely important player for the Celtics this season.
Next: Center
Sep 25, 2015; Waltham, MA, USA; Boston Celtics forward David Lee (42) during media day at the Boston Celtic Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Starting Center: David Lee
While Johnson takes care of all the dirty work on the inside, David Lee gives the Celtics the post scorer that they have been desperately waiting for. With a strong post game, elite pick and roll skills and a great shooting touch, Lee is one of the best offensive post players in the entire NBA. While he was mostly stuck without opportunity with the Warriors last season, the Celtics are going to give Lee plenty of opportunities to shine.
I think the Celtics’ offense is going to primarily work from the inside out this season, especially when Lee is on the court. The 10-year NBA veteran has an impressive 14.7 career points per game average, and that includes two seasons where he averaged over 20 points per game. As the focal point in Stevens’ offense, I think Lee has that kind of 20 point per game upside again this season.
Lee’s offensive game is elite, but that is not all he brings to the Celtics. He is a great rebounder who will also make a difference in the Celtics’ struggles to rebound the ball last season. Lee has a nose for the ball off of the rim, and similar to Johnson, always seems to put himself in the right place at the right time, both on the offensive side and on defense.
He is not much of a defender, but he is a try-hard player who mostly gets the job done on the defensive side of the court. Lee is also not a rim protector, so I could see teams looking to drive hard to the hoop against this Celtics’ starting unit.
However, with Lee bringing the well-rounded offensive skill-set and Johnson bringing the muscle, the Celtics have found themselves a well-balanced duo in the post. It will be interesting to see how they make this work, but I think the Celtics have found a nice mix of talents between these two.
Next: Sixth Man
Apr 14, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) works the ball against Toronto Raptors forward Terrence Ross (31) in the second half at TD Garden. The Celtics defeated the Toronto Raptors 95-93. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Sixth Man: Isaiah Thomas
Arguably the best offensive perimeter player that the Celtics have, Isaiah Thomas is primed to be an elite weapon for the team off of the bench. After being acquired via trade from the Phoenix Suns in the middle of last season, Thomas made a huge impact on the Celtics.
He quickly became their primary ball handler, and a huge offensive weapon for the team. Coming exclusively off of the bench, Thomas averaged an impressive 19 points and 5.4 assists per game in only 26 minutes per contest. He was also a huge contributor in their playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, finishing with 17.5 points and seven assists per contest in that series.
Thomas proved to be a dynamic offensive weapon for the Celtics off the bench last season, and I expect to see more of the same this year. He is a great ball handler who can pass the ball very well. He can drive to the hoop and set up his own shot, while also probably being the team’s most dangerous outside shooter.
He does not bring much defensively, but Thomas is a guy who can create on his own, and is not afraid to take the last shot. His offensive arsenal is impressive, and Stevens knows how to use him well. Thomas is a major Sixth Man of the Year candidate this season.
Next: Other Primary Bench Players
Feb 4, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics forward center Tyler Zeller (44) congratulates forward Jae Crowder (99) after a play during the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at TD Garden. The Boston Celtics won 104-100. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Tyler Zeller, C
A true contender to start, Tyler Zeller is the most natural center on this entire Celtics’ roster. He really started to come into his own after the Celtics acquired him in a trade with the Cavaliers last year.
Zeller averaged 10.2 points and 5.7 rebounds in only 21.1 minutes per game with the Celtics last season. He is not a particularly strong offensive player, nor is an elite NBA rim protector, but Zeller does everything solid across the board. Also, when it comes down to it, he is the best rim protector on this roster.
Zeller has a wide-ranging skill-set that allows him to make an impact on both ends of court. He is also a strong and physical player who will not allow anyone to push him around.
At worst, Zeller will likely be the first big man off of the bench for the Celtics, but I think he is also a true contender to start at center.
Jae Crowder, F
Jae Crowder is another player who the Celtics acquired before the trade deadline last season, and he has a chance to make a huge difference on this team. As I mentioned earlier, Crowder is a starting caliber player on this roster, but his skill-set makes him a valuable bench weapon on this deep team.
Crowder is a rangy and athletic player with great defensive skills. His offensive game is limited, but the Celtics can count on Crowder to defend the best offensive players in the league.
Stevens would be wise to try to pair Crowder and Thomas together. Thomas brings the offensive skills, while Crowder picks stuff up on the defensive end. When it is time to bring Thomas to the court to give the team a spark, the Celtics would likely take out Smart or Bradley and lose something on the defensive end. Putting Crowder in for Turner at this same time would allow them to pick that defense right back up.
Crowder is an extremely talented player who is going to make a difference for this team.
Next: More Depth
Mar 16, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics center Kelly Olynyk (41) is guarded by Philadelphia 76ers forward Jerami Grant (39) during the first quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Kelly Olynyk, PF/C
One of the more interesting players on this roster, Kelly Olynyk really has a chance to come into his own this season.
Olynyk is a seven-footer with an impressive overall skill-set. He can handle the ball much better than most post players, and has great range. He is almost like a guard trapped in a seven-footer’s body. That is an exciting skill-set to dream on, but Olynyk has yet to put it all together at this level.
The biggest issue is his lack of physicality down low. Olynyk is simply not a strong player, and he allows himself to get pushed around down low on both sides of the court. Sure he can step out and make a play on a bigger and slower defender, but Olynyk does not do that often enough to combat getting out-muscled on a consistent basis.
The skills are all there for Olynyk to be great, and the Celtics are going to give him an opportunity to prove himself. That being said, this is a deep rotation, and if he does not perform, somebody will be there to take his minutes. The time to shine is now for Olynyk, and his strong start to the preseason is promising.
Terry Rozier, G
Terry Rozier was not exactly a popular pick when the Celtics took him with the 16th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. That being said, he has shown his worth early in the preseason slate, and appears to be on his way to having a nice role with this team.
Rozier is an extremely explosive, athletic and aggressive player on both sides of the court. He is a bit undersized at 6-foot-2, but Rozier is a true menace on the defensive end of the court. He using his incredible quickness and aggressiveness to his advantage defensively, and it helps him continuously make plays.
He is also a force on the offensive end, showing the ability to make plays consistently with the ball in his hands. Rozier is not a particularly impressive shooter, but he is able to create his own shot in the lane, and set up successful plays for his teammates. With so much depth, the Celtics will probably bring Rozier along slowly, but he is certainly a player to watch in the rotation.
Jared Sullinger, PF/C
Jared Sullinger seems to be on the outside looking in on Stevens’ big man rotation. He is a talented player with a well-rounded offensive game, but Sullinger has never been able to prove himself on a consistent basis. On top of that, he just does not seem to be a strong fit for what Stevens is trying to do, mostly coming down to him being too slow on the defensive end.
The Celtics drafted him to be a legitimate post scorer, but they traded for Lee to do that this off season. Obviously, they were not happy with his progression, and the early preseason games are showing Stevens’ lack of trust in the big man.
I do not see Sullinger making much of an impact on this deep team, but he is a nice player to have around in case of emergency. The talent is still there, but Sullinger is going to have to show so much more than he has so far in his NBA career.
Next: Even MORE Depth
Feb 25, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jonas Jerebko (8) celebrates a three-point basket against the New York Knicks during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
James Young, G/F
I think the 11 players mentioned above is the main rotation that Stevens is going to go with. That being said, there is more talent on this roster to think about.
James Young was the 17th overall pick by the Celtics in the 2014 NBA Draft. While he has a long ways to go to fully develop, Young is a great shooter with an exciting offensive upside. I do not expect to see much out of him this season, but he is certainly a player to keep an eye on moving forward.
Jonas Jerebko, PF
Jonas Jerebko may be the one player here who could sneak into the early season rotation. Jerebko is not great at anything, but he is a good rebounder, solid defender and won’t kill you offensively. He does bring nice post depth to the table for Boston.
Perry Jones, PF
Perry Jones is an exciting talent, but he has never been able to put it together on an NBA court. In college, Jones was great, and the Celtics hope they can find some of that athleticism and post scoring. However, don’t count on it.
R.J. Hunter, G
One of the sweethearts of last year’s NCAA tournament, R.J. Hunter has an exciting offensive skill-set. He is a great outside shooter, and has nice ball handling skills. However, he is an extremely raw prospect who needs some work. The Celtics have the luxury to be patient with Hunter.
Jordan Mickey, PF/C
Rozier and Hunter are the more heralded prospects, but do not forget about second-round pick Jordan Mickey. He is a long and athletic player who has a chance to grow into a legitimate rim protector, and he is already a strong rebounder. Mickey is another project for Boston, but he has exciting upside.
Next: David Lee the Celtics' X-Factor?