For the first time in a long time, the Boston Celtics are fun.
Excess baggage Rajon Rondo was shipped to Dallas last December, ending season-long drama of where the former All-Star would land after his lackadaisical play, and impending free agency, forced Beantown's front office to act. His departure began a new era in Celtics basketball; one focused on youth rather than notoriety, or the nostalgia of Beantown's 2008 NBA title run.
Boston lost 15 of their next 23 outings following Dec. 18 as budding head coach Brad Stevens searched for a new offensive spark, and someone to replace Rondo's 1.7 steals per night. Evan Turner did - for the most part -taking over backcourt duties a majority of the season while averaging 10.2 points and 6.4 assists per game as a starter.
Shooting guard Avery Bradley saw a two-point uptick per game from January on, former Phoenix Suns bench-hand Isiah Thomas posted 19.0 PPG and a solid 22.3 player efficiency rating, and the Celtics as a whole learned to defend, allowing just 101.4 per 100 possessions. They outscored opponents by 4.6 points per 100 possessions over the last 20 games. Starters committed 14.2 fouls per 48 minutes following the All-Star break, which would have been an NBA-low had it occurred throughout the entire year.
The Celtics' 24-13 season-ending run bought them an ill-fated date with Cleveland in the Eastern Conference playoffs. A loss is a loss, sure, except that Boston's came with a postseason berth few outside New England could have anticipated.
With additions of big men David Lee and Amir Johnson, and a full season of homegrown star Marcus Smart at the one, who's to say Boston can't improve on 2014-15?
This is a young club that got even young with four top-45 selections in last spring's draft. They may garner just as many first-rounders in the 2016 NBA draft, some which general manager Danny Ainge will look to flip at the trade deadline, especially since the C's continuous search for a prominent name has come up empty.
They balked with Kevin Love, but can't afford to if Demarcus Cousins becomes available. By the looks of it, Sacramento - a young team in their own right - could unload their disgruntled star for salary cap relief and the types of draft picks Boston has a plethora of.
Even then, the Celtics are vastly improved from the squad that crept into the playoff, if solely for Lee and Johnson's presence under the rim.
Best-case scenario is for Smart to transition from an All-Star caliber defender to a dependable shooter capable of more than 7.8 points per night. He and Bradley would engineer one of the league's premier defensive backcourts as both improved their perimeter shooting; reserves Turner and Thomas up the tempo in their place.
The Celtics, who return 10 players from last year's club, then have an opportunity to improve on their improbable run.
Another 40-win campaign is possible, if not probable. All the pieces are in place to improve on it.
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