EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION Boston The Celtics wanted a total rebuild, and that’s what they got last year under first-year head coach Brad Stevens. By getting rid of championship mainstays Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, they assured that there was no way they were going to make the playoffs, even if Pierce and KG were nowhere near the players they were when Boston won its NBA crown in 2008, or even when it lost in seven games to the Lakers two years later. The Celtics’ 25 wins bought them a spot in the Lottery and the chance to draft Marcus Smart, who just happens play the same position as Rajon Rondo, Boston’s point guard star and pending free agent. The Celtics have accumulated a lot of pieces, but none has established himself as the kind of regular who can lead a team to a championship. Boston could well win 10 more games this year and still be no closer to real contention, particularly if it dishes off Rondo at the trade deadline, rather than give him a max deal in the summer. Defense Even though the Celtics finished 13th in the League in points allowed last year, rivals shot a robust 46.5 percent from the field, meaning the low point total was just a result of a slower pace. The departures of Garnett and Pierce certainly played into that, since each had been fixtures on the defensive end, even if both were older and less mobile. They understood NBA defense and could come up with stops when necessary. It will be good for the Celtics to have a full season of Rondo and Bradley at guard, because they combine to provide a good perimeter tandem, possibly the League’s best defensive backcourt. Each is quick enough to put pressure on the ball and to make teams pay for wayward passes. Bradley can be particularly disruptive. He is only 6-2, so he gives up several inches of height to other two men, but his attitude and quick feet make up for the lack of size. When he senses that an opponent is not in the mood to be smothered, he gets even more aggressive. The Celtics need him to score, but his defense is equally important especially on a team that isn’t filled with interior monsters. Smart should fit in well with those two from a defensive standpoint. Even if it takes a while for him to get Rajon Rondo
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