We’re getting there.
As we turn the calendar towards 2017, the Celtics find themselves with a somewhat interesting record of 20-14. Interesting how? Well, the team is 7-3 in their last ten games and they can either look really hot or really not. Heading into this season, there were high expectations of this team to go out and pose as a major threat in the Eastern Conference. As of right now, the Celtics have accomplished enough to sit in third among the powerhouse teams in the East and were able to (at-best) compete with the defending NBA champions in Cleveland. Looking at the team overall, much praise can be given to their offense, ranked 10th in the league in offensive scoring at 106.1 PPG as a team. The same cannot be said about the Celtics while on the defensive end of the court, currently giving up 104.3 PPG (15th in the NBA) to their opponents. In terms of FG percentage and 3-point accuracy, we’re right in the middle of the NBA, shooting 45% and 35.5% respectively. While both those numbers sound average at best, this years offense is scoring more and acting more efficiently than last year’s squad. A bright spot for the offense has been the ball movement and the ability to set up plays for key assists to key players. Through 34 games, the C’s rank 3rd in the NBA with assists per game, logging roughly 25 each time they hit the court. It comes as no surprise that the majority of these are coming from the Celtic’s newly established hero in Isaiah Thomas (6.1 APG) and their offseason snag in Al Horford (4.9 APG). Rounding out the other offensive stats, Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder have also posted impressive numbers so far this season as the team’s leading 3-PT shooters, 40.6% and 41.2% respectively. As long as this offense continues to dish the ball around and create opportunities, they should remain in good shape.
And then there is of course, the defense.
The Boston defense is ranked 19th overall out of the 30 NBA teams, and that quite simply isn’t going to cut it. The biggest problem is rebounding, and the lack thereof on both defense and offense. When thinking of the 30 NBA teams and where each one stands with offensive, defensive and total rebounds, the Celtics are ranked 21st, 23rd, and 24th. Not ideal. Total rebounding is down 8.1% from last season and it typically is what allows teams to go on runs against the Celtics, as it often seems that no player can make a play on the ball after a shot. Head Coach Brad Stevens has reportedly said its simply a lack of effort on the defensive end that allows opponents to recover offensive rebounds so frequently. Adding a positive spin to the defensive struggles would be Avery Bradley, the Celtics breakout star who may very well wind up an All-Star this year. Bradley is recording 7.1 rebounds per game, 5.9 of those coming on defense. He sets a great example for his teammates, and defensively they must rally around him to start padding their defensive statistics.
At the end of the day, the Celtics are in the mix and they are not to be taken lightly by anyone, regardless of stats and percentages. The signing of Al Horford from the Atlanta Hawks and Jaylen Brown, the 3rd overall pick in the NBA Draft have given fans in Boston new faces to cheer for and a new reason to believe in this team. Depth on the bench with Amir Johnson and Jonas Jerebko has also provided the team to develop a working rotation.
Whether this is the Celtics team to lead Boston back into the Finals is anyone’s guess at this point, but for the remainder of this 2016-17 season count on them to compete with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors as top dog in the Eastern Conference.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
