Back in October when the NBA lockout was still prevalent, I was asked to write a season preview for the good folks at celticsblog.com. At the time, I wasn't sure there would even be a season. Now, here we are at the tail end of a condensed season and teams are jockeying for playoff position. With 2-3 games remaining for most teams, it's time to evaluate how my predictions went.
Heading into free agency, the Celtics were already over the salary cap with only six players under contract. I stressed the importance of resigning Glen "Big Baby" Davis, acquiring athleticism on the perimeter, and finding a serviceable center. I was certain that Danny Ainge would have to look outside of the organization to fill all of his needs; I couldn't have been more wrong.
Big Baby Davis was quickly shipped out of town for the (seemingly) eerily similar Brandon Bass. To everyone's surprise he turned out to be a deadly mid-range shooter, solid rebounder, and competent defender. His impact on this season's squad can't be understated.
Bass' emergence gave Doc Rivers the flexibility to move Kevin Garnett to the starting center position (that and the injury plague to the original 5's). I honestly thought KG was done on the offensive end. He was limited to his long jumper and truly appeared to be a step slow. Although, playing against opposing centers gave him new life. Now, he is the quicker player in most matchups, and that only accompanies the fact that he has the length to guard the majority of them.
Behind Pierce and Ray, the Celtics prospects on the wing looked dismal. Ainge brought in Mickael Pietrus on the veteran minimum and he proved to be a solid addition. He provided his typical staunch defense on the perimeter and sank key treys for the bench unit. Pietrus even meshed well enough with the team to make some spot starts during Ray's absence. That brings us to the biggest surprise of all...
Second-year guard, Avery Bradley looked to be a bust. Over the first 10 games of the season, he shot enough bricks to build a house. Of course with the lack of depth in the backcourt, and the vets missing so many games, he finally got his chance for big minutes. Suddenly his college scouting report came true, and he started sinking mid-range jumpers and pestering all opposing guards with his full court defense.
The Celtics are locked into the 4th seed for the playoffs, have clinched the Atlantic division, and will face Atlanta in round one. Impressive wins over the past two months have even made analysts take them serious as contenders. Somehow, they were able to overcome the early adversity of this lockout season and find the recipe for success. Let this be proof that the ingredients were always here.
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