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Predictions For The Atlantic Division In The 2016-17 Season

By Carter Johnson

Mar 18, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) looks to shoot as Boston Celtics forward Kelly Olynyk (41) defends in the first quarter at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 18, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) looks to shoot as Boston Celtics forward Kelly Olynyk (41) defends in the first quarter at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 22, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics fans react as they take on the Atlanta Hawks during the fourth quarter in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. The Celtics defeated the Hawks 111-103. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Boston Celtics

2015-16 Record: 48-34 (2nd in Atlantic Division)
2016-17 Prediction: 55-27 (1st in Atlantic Division) 

Following a season where Danny Ainge and Brad Steven’s vision for the resurgence of a competitive Boston Celtics squad began to take shape and the team jumped from a 40-42 record and the seventh seed in 2014-15 to a 48-34 record and the fifth seed in 2015-16, the former set out to make a splash in the offseason and add a big name player to the roster.

While they didn’t end up winning the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, the C’s still came up big by landing All-Star center Al Horford, thus killing two birds with one stone by adding a star caliber talent while addressing their desperate need for a dominant interior player.

With Horford now joining 2016 All-Star Isaiah Thomas and stellar role players in Jae Crowder, Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart, the team looks poised to reclaim the division title and be the primary threat to the reigning champion Cleveland Cavaliers in the East.

While they lost a solid wing in Evan Turner and longtime big Jared Sullinger, they more than filled those voids with the additions of Horford and rookie forward Jaylen Brown, who could develop into the perimeter scoring threat the Celtics have been looking for.

While this team ranked fifth in points per game with 105.7 in 2015-16, they struggled tremendously from three-point range (28th in the league at .335), ranked at the bottom of the league in field goal percentage (24th with .435) and were a middle of the pack group in terms of scoring defense (13th in the league with 102.5 points allowed a game).

The addition of Horford figures to improve two of those three issues and the first should increase with the improved three-point strokes of Crowder (up to .336 in 2015-16 as compared to .282 in 57 games with Boston in 2014-15) and the addition of Gerald Green (.361 mark for his career).

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Now that Stevens’ young, tenacious squad has finally established itself as a perennial playoff team, they’re looking to take it even further with a division crown and perhaps even a return to the Eastern Conference Finals in the cards in 2016-17.