Did the Boston Celtics actually improve by adding Brogdon and Gallinari?
By Luke Duffy
The Boston Celtics must temper their expectations for Brogdon and Gallinari.
The Celtics ended the regular season ninth in offensive efficiency (113.6) and were even worse in the playoffs (ninth out of a possible 16 teams, 110.3). As already stated, Gallinari isn’t here for the postseason, but if the Celtics have to give up some of their exceptional defensive work to get better looks at certain points in the regular season, then so be it.
Gallinari is 34 years old while Brogdon is still only 29. Gallinari has never played more than 70 games in a season, played less than 60 games three separate times, and on one occasion, played just 21 games due to an ACL tear. Brogdon’s poor injury luck stopped him from becoming the multiple-time All-Star he could have been with the Pacers.
Is placing your trust in them two, even during the regular season only, really going to get the Celtics over the top?
Conservatively, you can say they’ll miss about 20 percent of games combined and will cause the Boston Celtics’ league-best defensive play to suffer. These moves take some pressure off their stars when Brogdon and Gallinari are available, but it does make the Celtics more beatable on any given night. Given how tough the Eastern Conference will once again be, seeding will be important.
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These weren’t the wrong moves by the Boston Celtics, but the team needs to be wary of its expectations for Brogdon and Gallinari.