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NBA: Complete 2016-17 Season Previews For All 30 Teams

By Gerald Bourguet

October 4, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots the ball against Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) during the first quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
October 4, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots the ball against Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) during the first quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 6, 2016; Greensboro, NC, USA; Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) reacts to a foul in the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Greensboro Coliseum. The Celtics won 107-92. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /

Boston Celtics

“The Boston Celtics‘ defense will smother plenty of talented offenses, and that should bleed into the second unit as well, even as it struggles to score. The biggest question, however, is whether the addition of Al Horford is enough to move Boston’s needle into the legitimate contender category.

Boston should be able to win its first playoff series under Brad Stevens this year. This team is too well coached and far too stingy on the defensive end to go home in the first round again. They may even usurp the Raptors for the No. 2 spot in the East and make it all the way to the conference finals.

But at this point, it’s hard to project them stacking up well against the Cavaliers for Eastern Conference supremacy. As always, LeBron James in the East is pretty close to being a lock for another NBA Finals appearance, and the Celtics aren’t quite in position to end that six-year streak just yet.”

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