One big question for every NBA team

Will the departure of Avery Bradley significantly impact Boston’s defense?

In the 2015-16 season, Boston had a top five level defense. The Celtics were a pesky team that played hard and gave maximum effort in every game. That defensive intensity dropped off a bit last season. The Celtics fell out of the top ten in defensive efficiency and some of their best defenders, like Jae Crowder, took a step back.

Boston has added Gordon Hayward, who’s become a very sturdy defensive player. The Celtics now have an army of solid guys at the three spot, which bodes for a team’s defensive versatility. This team still plays Isaiah Thomas though, which means it will have an issue defending opposing point guards in almost every matchup. Although trading Avery Bradley was a necessary step Boston had to take in order to sign Hayward, the move could generate some negative on court effects.

Bradley was a perfect backcourt partner for Thomas because he defends point guards at a high level. He’s great on the ball and in switch situations. The Celtics still have Marcus Smart on the roster, who’s as good as Bradley if not better. Smart won’t start for this team though and playing him big minutes will hurt Boston’s offensive production.

Who will bear the burden of guarding opposing point guards in the starting lineup? Right now the Celtics have no great options. There’s a chance Boston’s defense will take another step back without Bradley. Coach Brad Stevens has established stingy defenses with some limited pieces before though. Let’s see if he can do it again.