'07 Boston Celtics Preview

2007 Boston Celtics NBA Season Preview

The Boston Celtics have rekindled the fire in their organization and fans are getting excited again. With the additions of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, Paul Pierce has something to look forward to instead of another NBA Lottery appearence. However, Boston won't be without its problems, as Pierce and Allen missed a combined 62 games last season and the bench is rather thin after dealing eight players and two draft picks to obtain Garnett and Ray Allen. Still, Danny Ainge, executive director of basketball operations, should be applauded for his bold attempts to turn Boston into a competitor again.

Statistics Projections/Depth Chart

• Center: Kendrick Perkins 7.2 ppg, 9.2 rbpg (backup: Scot Pollard)
• Power Forward: Kevin Garnett 17.3 ppg, 12.9 rbpg (backup: Leon Powe)
• Small Forward: Paul Pierce 22.1 ppg, 5.1 rbpg (backup: James Posey)
• Point Guard: Rajon Rondo 8.0 ppg, 4.6 apg, 2.2 spg (backup: Eddie House)
• Shooting Guard: Ray Allen 17.2 ppg, 3.6 rbpg (backup: Tony Allen)

Key Losses

As previously stated, it took Boston a total of eight players and two first-round draft picks to land Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, so depth could be an issue is one of the star trio goes down with injury. Al Jefferson was the team's biggest loss, aftering having a breakout season where he averaged about 16 ppg and 11 rebounds per game. The Celtics also lost Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Theo Ratliff, Sebastian Telfair, Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West and the fifth pick of the 2007 NBA Draft which the Seattle Supersonics used to select forward Jeff Green.

Key Additions

Obviously, acquiring Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen are pretty "key". The big question for opponents is how best to guard them. If the defense double teams Garnett in the post, it leaves sharp-shooting Pierce and Ray Allen wide open on the perimter. If they worry too much about the two shooters, it gives Garnett a lot of room to operate in the middle and gives rebounder Kendrick Perkins a lot of room for put back. Another big roster sign was back up forward James Posey. His defense and perimeter shooting ability should make him a top commodity for the Celtics off the bench. The Celtics also signed several MLE (mid-level exception) veterans to fill out its roster.

Team Rumors

Boston doesn't have much wiggle room left under the cap to sign any significant free agents or make any significant trades, but there has been a rumor floating around that Reggie Miller might come out of retirement to sign with the team.

Prediction

When the big three are on the floor together, the Celtics will be incredibly difficult to stop. However, injuries to Pierce and Ray Allen and possibly others on the bench will hinder the team's success to the point where Boston won't even win its division. Boston will finish 46-36, which will barely be good enough for a sixth seed playoff birth. However, they will recoop just before the playoffs, getting everyone back in the lineup again, and will defeat the third seed Toronto in the first round in six games and then go on to upset the second seed Chicago Bulls in a seven-game series. They will face the Detroit Pistons in the semi-finals and lose in a hard-fought seven-game-series, as Rasheed Wallace minimizes Kevin Garnett's effectiveness.

Fantasy Spin

The big question mark is whether or not the big three will continue to put up star numbers, despite having to share touches with one another.

Kevin Garnett's stock shouldn't be as affected as Pierce's or Ray Allen's. His scoring average should decrease a bit, but there will be plenty of rebounds and he'll have plenty of open looks and easy assists with the two sharp-shooters on the wing.

Pierce's inside-outside game will make him an excellent scorer and even though he'll see a dip in numbers, he should still be effective.

Be watchful of Ray Allen. He's an exceptional player, but many worry that he'll be the odd man out and will turn into a three-point shooting specialist.

A dark horse pick in fantasy basketball drafts is point guard Rajon Rondo. He'll have plenty of opportunity for assists and won't need to score big points to be effective. Expect an improvement in steals, as well.

Kendrick Perkins and Tony Allen are players to watch for on waivers during the season. Also, if one of the big three get hurt, keep an eye out for James Posey.

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