3 Thoughts On The 2016-17 Boston Celtics

With the NBA season getting close, it’s time to take a look at what to expect from the teams around the league. Here are three thoughts about the 2016-17 Boston Celtics.

The Boston Celtics are coming off a decent year, having racked up 48 wins and broken into the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Isaiah Thomas was voted to the 2016 NBA All-Star Game, and even though the Celts were beaten in the first round of the playoffs, they ended 2016 with their most wins since Shaquille O’Neal played for them in 2010-11.

The question now is, can they improve even more? Here are three thoughts heading into the 2016-17 season.

1. No Dramatic Changes

Perhaps the best move the Celtics made was to not move very much. Isaiah Thomas will be back to lead from the point guard position. At small forward, Jae Crowder nearly made the All-Defensive team last year and looks to have improved his offensive game. Avery Bradley mans the shooting guard position and made the All-Defensive First Team. He also dropped about 15 points per game.

Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs favors the term “corporate knowledge,” which describes a team that’s played together for a long time. It takes years to instinctively learn where your fellow players are going to be. Consistency breeds success, and keeping the Celtics together in the same system may have been the team’s smartest move.

2. The Acquisitions Made Sense

The Boston Celtics didn’t acquire a LeBron James or Stephen Curry during the offseason, but they made sensible moves, like the acquisition of Al Horford. Horford can do a little of everything, not only on the offensive and defensive ends, but also in the fundamentals, like ball handling.

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He’s a versatile big man who will give you a reliable 15 points per night while collecting seven rebounds and dishing out three assists. While not an explosive offensive player, he’s an All-Star player to build around.

Horford isn’t the only new incoming face. Rookie Jaylen Brown should help the Celtics improve their already intimidating defense. Although a natural small forward, he can join Horford on the front line at the power forward position due to his size.

Again, he’s not an explosive offensive player, but he knows how to use his body and draw fouls. If he wants to maximize his contributions though, he’ll have to become a better shooter and learn how to handle the ball better.

3. Where Will The Offense Come From?

The NBA All-Defensive Team has been mentioned a lot, but none of the Boston Celtics, outside of Isaiah Thomas, are necessarily great offensive players. This is an athletic team that will grab rebounds and defend, but they’re going to have problems on the shooting side. Where will the points come from when Thomas is heavily guarded?

The Celtics had one of the worst three-point shooting percentages in the league last year. Smart ball movement, facilitated by both Thomas and Horford, might help open up players more. Still, other guys need to put the ball through the hoop.

Next: Boston Celtics: 2016-17 Season Outlook

The best passing and spacing in the world still requires players to shoot. The modern NBA thrives on three-point shooting. The Celtics will have to find ways to get good looks on offense.