Boston Celtics: Top Five Factors Needed To Win it All in 2011

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Fresh off a World Championship defeat, the Celtics and their fans need to turn the page towards the 2010-2011 season, as quickly as possible.

It was a tough game seven against the Los Angeles Lakers, but the Celtics should be proud of their effort.

Thought to make it no further than round two in the playoffs, the Celtics straightened their headbands and made a spirited run, through the Eastern Conference playoffs, that brought them back into the national spotlight.

Moving forward to next season a lot of questions arise about which direction the team will move towards.

Will they keep their core intact or go in one of many other directions?

Here are five ways the Celtics can once again make it back to the NBA finals.

Retain Doc Rivers

Doc has one year remaining on his deal and it’s safe to say he knows this team well.

He’s respected by the players and the city of Boston. Without his coaching abilities, the Celtics would have been bounced by Cleveland in round two of the playoffs.

Resign Ray Allen

Ray Allen may be getting up there in age according to NBA standards, but he still has at least one to two solid years left.

Years where he will be able to contribute in the mid-teens in scoring and continue to give opposing off-guards headaches by the way he moves away from the ball.

However, at this stage in his career, Ray has to be willing to take a mid-level exception as teams won’t be willing to commit to him long term.

For Ray, this means he will more than likely only consider playing for a competitive team with the legitimate shot at winning a title.

Luckily, the Celtics, with a newly resigned Ray Allen, fit that bill.

Draft Well

The Celtics have the 19th pick in the NBA draft, as well as a late second rounder.

Without Ray, another shooter (think James Anderson, Oklahoma State) would be a pressing need. But, with Ray, a big man is best pursued.

Solomon Alabi, from Florida State is a huge interior presence that would help the Celtics maintain the defensive mindset that they have focused on ever since the big three came to town.

Alabi was also said to have scored very high on aptitude tests, a trait GM Danny Ainge has always looked favorably upon.

Alabi is raw and has a long way to go, but learning under current Center Kendrick Perkins would greatly benefit Alabi, whose role would be similar to that of Perkins, giving the Celtics 48 minutes of big man play at the center spot.

If Alabi is the Celtics guy, they can look to a SG in round two, namely Gonzaga’s Matt Bouldin or Michigan’s Manny Harris.

Fill Out the Roster

Assuming Ray Allen is back, two draft picks are secured, and Paul Pierce doesn’t exercise his early termination option, the Celtics have only nine players under contract for next season.

That means that up to six new faces could potentially come on board.

The Celtics needs are very prototypical for filling out the bench.

An energy guy, a defensive specialist, a grizzled veteran, and a couple of utes make the most sense.

Come to think of it that sounds an awful lot like Nate Robinson, Marquis Daniels, Brian Scalabrine, Oliver Lafayette, and Tony Gaffney.

Don’t laugh at me when I say this, but being a UMass alumni, I’ve seen Tony Gaffney play and he has a tremendous amount of upside. Think the next Leon Powe.

I won’t speculate on who the Celtics go after, but they need to be balanced, plain and simple.

Guys who know and who are willing to accept their roles.

Raja Bell, Craig Smith, Rafer Alston, Luke Ridnour, Kyle Korver, and Matt Bonner would all make sense if guys from the current Celtics team are not resigned.