Boston Celtics: A Complete Dissection
We’re smack in the center of the NBA season, and the Boston Celtics are starting to show how difficult it is to win basketball games without a pure scorer on the team.
Isaiah Thomas isn’t able to do everything on his own, and Boston has had a terrible time putting the ball through the net. They’ve lost four of their last five, including a 101-92 loss in Chicago on Thursday evening.
Boston averages about 29% from inside the arc, and only 32% from outside of it. Neither of these percentages can consistently win games, especially for a young team which needs to put all their effort on the court every night.
While they have some fantastic defensive talent with players such as Avery Bradley (who is currently out with a hip injury), Marcus Smart, and Jae Crowder, the Boston Celtics cannot balance their offensive efficiency with their defensive efficiency. Isaiah Thomas is in line for what could be an All-Star appearance, but the 5’9″ guard needs help.
The Celtics can wait until the offseason, bid for Kevin Durant, and hope he brings his services to the green team. Or they can try to pull off a trade for a disgruntled star such as DeMarcus Cousins who is the best big man in the NBA, and would help balance Isaiah Thomas because he’d be the reliable center that the starting guard needs.
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It also helps that Thomas and Cousins played with one another in Sacramento when Thomas was embarking on his NBA career. Brad Stevens has done an exceptional job with the cast he’s been handed, but the Celtics will be really something to watch when he gets more talented players around him.
Amir Johnson has been average for the Celtics, and while Kelly Olynyk showed promise a few weeks back, he’s still inconsistent and until he shows that he can perform at a star level all the time, Boston needs to search for another scorer.
Another glaring position for the C’s that needs an upgrade is the wing position, and that’s not saying Crowder isn’t doing a good job, but having a pure scorer in that slot would help the team gel better offensively. Boston hasn’t really filled that wing spot since Paul Pierce left, and it’s not exactly easy to fill his shoes.
Next: A Deep Look at Marcus Smart's Offense
Crowder has the defensive talent and he no doubt makes this team better, he just needs to be aggressive at a higher rate and show that he is capable of helping to carry this team to where they want to go.
Danny Ainge has no doubt been working phones and inquiring what is on the market. There’s a chance this Boston Celtics team will look different in April if things don’t turn around.