Best, Worst and Weirdest from Boston Celtics' Regular Season
The Boston Celtics' regular season was a roller-coaster ride of excitement, frustration and everything in between.
The team surpassed all expectations, relying on internal growth and exceptional coaching on its way to becoming an Eastern Conference contender with a 48-34 and the No. 6 seed. Defense is still the backbone, but this is more than a rugged group brute-forcing its way into the postseason.
The Celtics have become an NBA League Pass darling, charming fans with attractive basketball.
Constant hustle, swift rotations and ball movement that rival that of the Golden State Warriors have been most exciting. Growing pains and mishaps shaped this new identity, and many memorable moments were created in the process.
All statistics are courtesy of NBA.com, unless otherwise noted, and are accurate as of April 14.
Best: Brawls with Golden State Warriors
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Boston didn't end the Warriors' winning streak, but it was directly responsible for its demise.
Golden State (23-0 at the time) overcame the pressure of TD Garden in a 124-119 double-overtime win on Dec. 11, but the win drained the reigning champions, and they dropped their first game of the year the following night (against the Milwaukee Bucks).
Kevin O'Connor of Celticsblog.com summed up the benefits of that game for Boston: "Win or lose, the best part about facing a team like the Warriors early in the season is it works as a measuring stick to discover how a team can improve."
And improve Boston did. The Celtics proceeded to hand the Warriors, who were 36-0 at home, their first loss at Oracle Arena on April 1. That was also the end of an NBA-record 54-0 home streak dating back to last season.
Such performances are not only entertaining to witness but also serve as a morale boost going into the playoffs.
Best: Jae Crowder's Emergence
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Celtics general manager Danny Ainge struck gold last year. He traded Rajon Rondo's expiring contract to the Dallas Mavericks for a package involving draft picks and Jae Crowder, then proceeded to re-sign the forward to a five-year, $35 million extension.
Crowder has since emerged as the most important Celtic, a catalyst on both ends of the court. He has arguably become a top-10 two-way small forward in the league, a leap few probably saw coming.
This sudden growth has contributed to the Celtics' successful season, but it brightens the future more than anything. Having someone like Crowder locked up on an economic deal, just as the cap is about to boom, will give the Celtics unique flexibility to build a stronger roster this summer.
Best: Avery Bradley's Game-Winner vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
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Certain regular-season contests provide an opportunity to send a message to rivals. That's exactly what the Celtics did in their 104-103 victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Feb. 5.
The Cavs are the overwhelming favorites to represent the East in the NBA Finals, but Boston showed it can be a threat with a victory at Quicken Loans Arena.
The game appeared out of reach, with the Cavaliers holding a four-point edge with seven seconds to go. Following an Evan Turner drive, quick layup and a missed free throw, Marcus Smart outmuscled the 7'1" Timofey Mozgov for the loose ball and gave Boston hope.
With all eyes on Isaiah Thomas, who dove around a couple of screens, Avery Bradley sprung free in the left corner, drained the game-winner and created arguably the most euphoric sequence of the season.
Best: Isaiah Thomas' All-Star Campaign
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Head coach Brad Stevens promoted Isaiah Thomas from sixth man to starting point guard just three games into the season, and the 5'9" ball-handling maestro never looked back.
Thomas elevated his game, putting up 22.2 points, 6.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game. The Celtics' offensive efficiency dropped from 106.4 to 98.7 when he was on the bench, the difference between ranking seventh and 28th in the league, according to NBA.com.
That undeniable impact led to an All-Star debut, the ultimate recognition for an undersized guard who was the last pick in the 2011 NBA draft. He only contributed with nine points in the exhibition game, but the selection is what truly counted.
Worst: Marcus Smart's 3-Point Shot
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Marcus Smart's development has been somewhat stagnant due to injuries, but he made strides this year. He assumed more responsibility on offense, continued to hustle like a madman and became a better playmaker.
Unfortunately, he still can't shoot.
Smart's 25.3 three-point percentage is the worst in league history among players who have at least 200 attempts over a season, according to Basketball-Reference.com.
He has the drive and talent to be an All-Star someday, but a steadier stroke is necessary for that to become a reality.
There is occasionally a slight hinge in Smart's shooting mechanic, especially when spotting up. But his release is quick, and he is better when he doesn't have time to think. He has actually made 35.7 percent of his pull-up threes, according to NBA.com.
It hasn't been pretty, but Smart should know what he needs to work on.
Worst: Tyler Zeller's Season
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Tyler Zeller had seemingly everything going for him to start the year: He played every game in 2014-15, secured a starting job and put up career-high numbers across the board (10.2 points, 5.7 rebounds).
To say that it's been downhill since then is an understatement.
The 7-footer lost his spot in the starting lineup after just three games and was forced to mostly settle for garbage time. Even though he had decent performances when filling in for injured teammates, he never established any consistency and put up the mediocre averages of 6.1 points and 3.0 rebounds per game.
Circumstances didn't help, as Boston marched into the campaign with a loaded frontcourt, and Zeller wasn't the only casualty of the logjam. It's a disappointing trajectory for a 26-year-old impending free agent, nonetheless.
Weirdest: Crunch-Time Stats
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Superstars close games, and Boston's lack of one forced the team to adjust. A glance at the crunch-time stats (last five minutes, game within five points) paints a perplexing picture:
| Offensive Rating (rank) | Defensive Rating (rank) | Net Rating (rank) | Pace (rank) |
| 113.2 (6) | 110.2 (20) | 3 (13) | 108.2 (1) |
Boston just barely outscored its opposition late in games, and it did so by engaging in shootouts. Elite teams generally yearn for control and slow down the tempo in such situations, but the Celtics played at the highest pace imaginable.
Trading blows can work, but they also introduce more variance, which explains the Celtics' inconsistent play. They still found ways to score but surrendered a lot of defensive principles in exchange.
Relying on such a style in the playoffs is risky.
Weirdest: David Lee's Tenure
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David Lee's tenure with the Celtics was an awkward one: He entered the starting lineup, was quickly reduced to a bench role, then barely played and was waived just seven months after being salary-dumped by Golden State.
It's hard to not feel sorry for a true pro like Lee, who didn't complain once about his dwindling minutes. He accepted whatever role he was assigned and genuinely wanted to help the team.
Then again, the outcome was rather predictable.
Even though Lee is still a capable passer and post-scorer, his skill set is outdated in today's NBA. Boston, like any team running a modern offense, values shooting and defensive versatility, and that's simply not something Lee can help with.
If the eye test wasn't enough to notice the faltering fit, the statistics certainly backed up the premise—Boston was a gigantic 8.1 points per 100 possessions better with Lee on the bench, according to NBA.com.
Weirdest: Kelly Olynyk's Inconsistency
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Kelly Olynyk has been itching to break out, but it hasn't happened quite yet.
There are games when the 7-footer is mesmerizing. He moves with finesse, finds open spots on the court and scores in a variety of ways.
Then there are occasions when he shrinks and isn't nearly assertive enough.
Not all blame can be placed on Olynyk's shoulders, as it's hard to consistently shine in 20.2 minutes per game. Even though he is a good defender, he doesn't offer much resistance at the rim, which is why Stevens had to mix it up.
Olynyk was the team's best three-point shooter at 40.9 percent, and multiskilled big men are highly valued around the league. He could make an even bigger impact in the future by being more demanding and aggressive.
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