That's a great assessment!!!! Buttt if everyone is healthy and the head cases are controlled, they could very well threaten Miami! But it doesn't matter who goes from the east cause rockets taking it all they way!!!!!
They do lack small forward depth. I think Ray Allen may play some sf this season. The glut at the pg/sg position just means a couple of those guys will be in suits or at the end of the bench for many games. (May the best players get playing time.) Avery Bradley (especially since he missed summer league with an injury) could spend time in the D league. What West gives them is a proven defender and sprinter to go along with Rondo. Of course he's going to miss the first ten games of the season with a suspension, which will give other guys an opportunity to show what they can do. On a couple of other points: Garnett will be better, not worse. Getting a year further away from knee surgery will be a huge positive. As goes Garnett, so goes the team defense. Which leads to the next item: There are notable guys on that team previously considered below average defenders who, with this group, are now thought of as very good defenders. The Celtics will bring out the best in both O'Neals on the defensive end, while minimizing any weaknesses. The headcase issue shouldn't amount to much. Robinson never complained last year even through DNPs and short minutes. Boston has a locker room of future hall of famers and a strong sense of team unity. Doc Rivers is great with players. This type of dissension never seems to amount to anything there. Barring an injury to Garnett, Rondo, or Pierce, the Celtics will not lose steam late in the year. They have too much depth. They'll be able to play everyone limited minutes and should enter the playoffs fresher and with a better record than last season.
