The Boston Celtics are currently .500 after six games in the preseason. On Sunday, they’ll play the league’s first-ever 44-minute game against the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center. Then on Wednesday, they’ll close out the preseason schedule at TD Garden against the Nets again in preparation for the home opener on Oct. 29.
What have we seen from the Celtics so far this preseason?
1. The defensive minded guards are the strength of the team
Even with Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley, president of basketball operations Danny Ainge elected to draft another defensive minded combo guard in Marcus Smart with the sixth pick in the draft. After six games and watching how hard Smart plays on defense, if there was a Defensive Rookie of the Year award, he would be the favorite to win it. He has at least two steals in every game so far besides the first matchup against the Toronto Raptors.
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In Rondo’s absence, Smart will likely start at point guard while Bradley plays shooting guard. Bradley, who re-upped with the franchise this summer with a four-year, $32 million contract, was second team All-Defense in 2012-13.
The combination means ball pressure, ball pressure and more ball pressure for Brad Stevens’ team. Smart, who is 6-foot-4, 220 pounds with a 6-foot-9 wingspan, is big enough to defend shooting guards while Bradley is an attack dog known for applying pressure the length of the court, unfazed by bigger opponents.
2. Evan Turner looks primed for a solid season
As Evan Massey highlighted here, Turner will be the X-factor for the Celtics this year. He’s listed at 220 pounds but looks much slimmer compared to previous years, and it’s helped with his athleticism and quickness. With Rondo out, he’s been the team’s best playmaker by scoring, distributing and rebounding.
It started in the first game against the Philadelphia 76ers where he scored 15 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out six assists. Against the Toronto Raptors this past Wednesday in Portland, Maine, he started at the point and finished with 11 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
He’s shooting 40 percent from the field, a number that is likely to increase once Rondo returns. With a roster that lacks perimeter scorers with height, Turner will be counted on to be the isolation scorer when the team needs a bucket.
3. Tyler Zeller will have a bigger role than most expect
After starting 55 games as a rookie in Cleveland two seasons ago to just nine last year, not much was thought of originally in the acquisition of Zeller. Six games into the preseason, it is clear that Zeller’s role with the Celtics will be much larger than any he had in Cleveland.
Against Toronto, Zeller had arguably his best game as a Celtic. He was a perfect 6-for-6 from the field and scored 13 points, had four rebounds, three assists and three blocks in only 18 minutes. All of his touches were inside the paint on rolls to the rim where he showed he can finish with either hand.
Since he’s only one of two 7-footers on the roster (along with Kelly Olynyk who plays more of a stretch 4), his presence will be needed greatly on the defensive end. With the ball pressure that is going to be applied by Rondo, Bradley and Smart, the Celtics will need Zeller to be their rim protector. He demonstrated his ability to be that against the Raptors as well, tossing a few shots out of bounds.