NBA projected win totals for all 30 teams
By Bryce Olin
26. Boston Celtics- 26.5 wins
2013-14 Record: 25-57
Entering Brad Stevens second season, the Celtics have a tremendous amount of work to do to bring this young roster up to speed. Unfortunately for Celtics fans, that likely won’t happen this season, but it’s a step in the right direction.
The “What to do with Rajon Rondo” cloud is hanging over the Celtics, and until the organization makes a decision either way, the rumors will not stop. It doesn’t help that Rondo will now miss at least the first month of the season recovering from a broken hand.
Why you should take the Over:
The Celtics are flush with young talent, like Marcus Smart, James Young, Kelly Olynyk, Jared Sullinger, and Tyler Zeller. Throw in solid contributions from Avery Bradley, Jeff Green, Evan Turner, Brandon Bass, and Rondo when he returns, and the Celtics have a good chance of winning more than 25 games.
Plus, Stevens is a great coach. Another year in his system could bring some good results for Boston.
Why you should take the Under:
If Rondo misses more time than expected with his hand injury or is traded for, say, Amar’e Stoudamire’s expiring contract, there’s a possibility the Celtics could be even worse than last season. Without Rondo, the Celtics will likely rely on the rookie Smart to run the show at point guard. As we know, that’s never a great idea when there’s little established talent around that rookie point guard. While I think Smart is going to be a great player, it’s not all going to come together this season.
I’ll take the over on 25 wins for the Celtics, but it’ll likely come down to the final week of the season.