The Boston Celtics are the NBA’s most intriguing up-and-coming team. They have a young, talented roster, a forward-thinking style, and one of the best coaches in the game.
They also have Al Horford.
Because of that, the Celtics might not be up-and-coming anymore — they might have arrived.
Horford choosing the Celtics Saturday gives Boston the missing piece — an established All-Star — that the team has, to this point, lacked. It makes an already good team even better. It probably makes Boston the second-best team in the Eastern Conference.
That status makes the Celtics a title contender.
The Cavaliers should be considered the favorites in the East — that much is unimpeachable. But the Celtics should go into the 2016-17 season thinking that they’re going to play in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Pacers and Raptors will be good, yes, and perhaps the Hornets and Pistons make a jump as well. But the Celtics should be a final four team.
On paper, it’s pretty clear that the Cavs are the better team, and Horford was swept by LeBron in back-to-back postseasons. But games aren’t played on paper. The Celtics, simply by adding the versatile big man, are now in the Cavs’ class — even if Cleveland is unquestionably at the head of that class and there’s a nice-sized gap between the two teams.
It only takes one injury, one suspension, one coaching adjustment to turn a series. There’s a maxim, often attributed to Woody Allen, that says 80 percent of success in life is showing up. The Celtics should be in a position to show up and take advantage of any advantage that might tilt the scales their way next postseason. The Eastern Conference might be improving, but it’s still weak. It would only take the Celtics one upset victory to reach the NBA Finals.
That makes the Celtics title contenders.
All of this, because of Al Horford, a guy who averaged 15 points and seven rebounds a game last year? Absolutely.
Is Horford a superstar? Not unless you have a loose definition of that status. But the University of Florida product is a perfect fit for Brad Stevens’ system. He can space the floor in ways that other big men cannot, and it’s tantalizing to think of the schematic possibilities that have now opened up for Boston’s boy wonder coach.
The Celtics aren’t done getting better, either. The gap between them and the Cavs — between them and the class of the Western Conference as well — could still tighten.
The Celtics will add another big piece at some point in the calendar year; that much is guaranteed. Boston can add another max player through free agency this offseason, and perhaps add two more in the summer of 2017 (Westbrook and Durant, anyone?). They also have two of the most valuable assets in the NBA: The Nets’ first-round picks in 2017 and 2018 — which they could move for another impact player (say, Jimmy Butler).
So not only are the Celtics in contention to win a title this year, their window to contend is high, and their potential remains sky high.
