Boston Celtics: 10 Biggest Concerns Heading into Next Season

This offseason will a busy one for the Boston Celtics, as there are several areas the team must improve to contend for an NBA championship next season.

The Celtics were left disappointed after losing in the second round to the Miami Heat in this year's NBA Playoffs. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade seemed to have their way getting to the rim as they made it a habit to force the C's to player tougher defense in the front court as well as on the perimeter.

In turn the Celtics showed they are lacking young talent as well as strong play in the front court. The team also suffered from a lack production on both ends from the second unit throughout the postseason from players like Glen Davis and Delonte West.

If the team expects to make a run at an NBA championship with the Big Three, there are gaps to fill this summer and areas that current players must make improvements in.

These are the 10 biggest concerns for the Celtics going into next season.

10. Can the Celtics Get Sustained Production from the Big Three?

Will age eventually catch up to the Big Three? This has to be a question running through the mind of Danny Ainge and the Boston Celtics organization.

Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett are the glue that helps keep this team together and contending.

All three have the experience in the league and the talent that makes the Celtics a team to reckon with on both ends of the floor. Whether it's Garnett's mid-range jumper and tough defensive play, Pierce's leadership offensively or Allen's jump-shot, the Big Three have helped the team contend consistently since 2008.

Signs show that Allen, Pierce, and Garnett still have gas left in the tank.

Over the last two seasons, each of the three have shown improved production. Allen shot a career-high 49.1 percent and 44.4 percent, Pierce shot a career-high 49.7 percent and improved his points per game to 18.9, and Garnett is now up to 8.9 rebounds a contest.

9. Will Rajon Rondo Work on His Shooting?

If there's one flaw that you can pick out of Rondo's game, it's his inability to hit his jump-shot consistently.

Since entering the league, Rondo has continued to show improvements as a player, as most would consider him a top 10 point guard in the league. Offensively, Rondo earns his paycheck by taking the ball to the rim and running the Celtics offense.

The problem is, when given five to ten feet of room on offense, Rondo is still likely to elect to take the ball to the rim or just get rid of the ball. A lot of the times defenders give him plenty of room to work with, and still he will shy away from taking the jump shot.

If the Celtics know whats best for them, they will take the time to work with Rondo and work on his inconsistent shot.

8. Will the Team Improve on Crashing the Boards?

The Celtics are hoping that with the addition of JaJuan Johnson in the 2011 NBA Draft, the team will make improvements rebounding the basketball.

In the rebounding department, the Celtics have continued to struggle over the last couple of seasons. Last season, the team was ranked 29th in the league on the boards, grabbing just 38.8 a contest.

With the exception of Kevin Garnett, the team has showed a lack of disipline grabbing boards on both ends of the floor. Going into next season, Johnson's play on the boards will be significant in the team's chances to bring home an NBA championship.

7. Will They Get Better at Finishing Basketball Games?

In their second round loss to the Miami Heat, the Celtics looked a step or two slow in the fourth quarter of basketball games.

In the last two losses of the series, the team combined for just 27 points in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 in Game 3 and 14 in Game 4. In overtime of Game 3, the Celtics scored just four points, getting outscored 13 to four in the period.

If the team has any hopes of winning another title before the end of the Big Three era, the Celtics will have to finish out ball games and play four quarters of basketball with sustained intensity. Adding talented, younger players to the rotation like JaJuan Johnson might just be the answer for the team.

6. Will JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore Produce This Season?

The Boston Celtics selected both JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore in the 2011 NBA Draft, hoping the two teammates out of Purdue can make an immediate impact.

With just six players signed through next season at the moment, the Celtics are in need of players, and players that can contribute effectively and quickly. Johnson was brought on to improve the front court play on both ends of the floor, as he is a player that boasts a scoring ability offensively and solid defense.

Moore will be a player that might take more time to improve in the league, coming in as a late second round selection.  He is a 6'5'' shooting guard that doesn't have the strength to necessarily make an immediate impact.

The Celtics are hoping both Johnson and Moore can help them close some of the gaps the team showed in this past playoffs.

5. Can the C's Improve Their Scoring?

It's tough to say whether or not E'Twaun Moore will be able to contribute right away in the league, yet in the end the Celtics select a talent in the draft that can score the basketball as well as any shooting guard in his class.

Moore boasts an all-around offensive game. Last season he averaged 18 points per game, while managing to grab 5.1 rebounds and shoot consistently from both mid-range and distance.

If Moore can contribute sooner than later behind Ray Allen in the rotation, he would provide Allen with more rest and would give the Celtics a much needed lift off the bench offensively. Scoring from the second unit was one of the bigger problems last season, as there was little production in the playoffs.

Moore could turn out to be an effective player in the back court rotation  next season.

4. Will the Team Re-Sign Delonte West and Glen Davis?

The Celtics have just six players guaranteed to play with the team next season, eight including draft picks E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson.

Although there is much talk about Delonte West and whether or not they should be signed with the team, the Celtics might really have little choice.

West is a player the team should highly consider re-signing, as he has a positive postseason with the team and even added offense at the point guard poisition. Rondo lacks the ability to make a consistent jump-shot that West has. He also has experience in the league, and knows a things or two about winning basketball games.

Davis has shown to be a tough player that makes his minutes count off the bench, but might just be a player the Celtics would have to spend too much money on in the end.

Yet so long as the NBA is currently in a lockout, there is no free agency period allowed to take place. Teams cannot sign players nor can they have contract discussions. If it comes time for the NBA season, and teams have not been able to work with the free agency market, a team like the Celtics might have to sign both West and Davis to contracts to fill the lineup.

3. Can the Celtics Pick Up a Scorer in Free Agency?

Both Jamal Crawford of the Atlanta Hawksa and Jason Richardson of the Orlando Magic are free agents going into this offseason, and are two players the Celtics could use next season.

With their lack of depth in the back court, the Celtics provide a scoring threat with either one of these proven shooting guards. Crawford is a quick, craft two-guard that has a solid shooting range, while Richardson is a streaky shooter who isn't afraid to take big shots.

Add Ray Allen into the mix, and the Celtics have a dangerous tandem at the shooting guard position with either player.

Although it would seem a price much to high to pay for the team, in the end it would have to be expected that if either player joined he would have to take a pay-cut. It would be with the incentive that they could win an NBA championship with a contender next year.

2. Can the Celtics Grab a Center Before Next Season?

The Celtics are lacking at the center position, with Jermaine O'Neal currently being the projected starter at the position going into next season.

Free-agent Nene Hilario might be the answer to the problem.

Nene has shown to be a much improved player that continues to add to his game. Last season Nene averaged 14.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, while also shooting over 60 percent from the field and blocking a shot a game.

Nene alongside Garnett give the Celtics depth offensively and defensively in the front court. The two would make for a scary duo if a deal could be reached, as Nene will add finishing in the paint as well as tough defensive play.

Nene will also rebound the basketball, as addressed earlier, an area the Celtics must improve in.

1. Will There Be an NBA Season?

The Boston Celtics are more than likely on their hands and knees, praying there will be a season next year.

At this point it's difficult to predict whether or not there will a 2011-2012 NBA season, as the two sides in the lockout only continue to disagree further.

If there is no season, the Celtics will undoubtedly be one of the teams suffering the most. With Garnett, Allen and Pierce only getting older, it will be tough to lose this next season. That would mean the next basketball the Big Three play would be over a season away, which could make them rustier and possibly even lose a step in their game.

A short season would benefit the team, as they would more than likely be a fresher, more dangerous team in the postseason. Taking away the entire season gives the Celtics a clear disadvantage.