National Basketball Association

HH Roundtable: Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The latest Hardwood Houdini Roundtable looks at the Celtics in the Eastern Conference playoff picture

Following a very busy offseason for the Boston Celtics, many people are expecting a deep playoff run from them. Brad Stevens has only been able to lead the Celtics to first round exits in the past two years, but with Al Horford they may have enough to get over the hump in 2016-17.

A popular debate, as we await the start of training camp in less a month, is where the Celtics actually stack up in the East. We dove into the Celtics offseason during this week’s Roundtable and also discussed where we felt the Celtics will end up this year.

If you have a question that you want us to answer, email it to Jkarll66@gmail.com or tweet us @HoudiniCeltics.

This week, the three questions we answered are:

1) Who Do You Think is the Second Best Team in the Eastern Conference? (Cleveland being the best)

2) Do You Agree With the Widespread Belief that the Celtics had the Second Best Offseason in the East?

3) Isaiah Thomas or Kyle Lowry? Who Would You Rather Have On the Celtics?

Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Who Do You Think is the Second Best Team in the Eastern Conference? (Cleveland being the best)

Jeremy Karll: Al Horford adds everything the Boston Celtics were looking for this offseason, minus a three-point specialist. Therefore, it’s hard not to think the Celtics will take a huge step forward in 2016-17. The Toronto Raptors were eight games better than the Celtics last season, though. That’s a lot of ground to cover, especially when considering the Raptors got better themselves this summer. With the hype surrounding the Celtics after the Al Horford signing, it’s easy to forget that Toronto has won the division three straight seasons and is coming off an Eastern Conference Finals appearance. Until I see the Celtics play with their new roster, I’m not ready to say that they’re better than the Raptors.

Joshua Bateman: I really believe the Boston Celtics have done enough to surpass the Toronto Raptors as the second best team in the East. The Celtics addressed their two biggest needs with Horford and have little room for improvement from last season. Taking into account how well their young players could develop, the Celtics should finally be able to reclaim the Atlantic Division crown.

Ian Riaf: Right now the Celtics will be the second best team in the East. As much as we want them to be first it is simply understood that as long as the Cavaliers stay healthy they will be contenders for the title again. The Celtics and Raptors will battle it out for second in the East but the Celtics have the edge due to added talent with players such as Al Horford, Jaylen Brown and Gerald Green. It should be an interesting battle to see who claims second place in the East.

Greg Cassoli: I don’t know that I’m quite ready to declare the Celtics a better team than the Raptors, but I’d definitely say its a two-dog race between those two outfits. Toronto was really good last year, and they’ve got basically the same team returning. Assuming he can stay healthy, they’ll get more games out of DeMarre Carroll, and that should translate to better basketball. The Eastern Conference continues to improve, so it may not mean that the Raptors post any more wins. I don’t expect them to cede their spot as the number two team in the East, but I do expect it to be a much closer race for that position than a year ago.

Dan O’Shea: The Raptors. The Cavaliers are the top dogs by a landslide, so the conversation for second banana is between The North, Boston, and Atlanta. Boston is knocking on the door after improving every season under Brad Stevens, but the Raptors are still the safe pick here. They only finished one game behind Cleveland for the top spot, and kept the main core this offseason after resigning DeMar DeRozan. Even though they lost key playoff performer Bismack Biyombo, people are neglecting to acknowledge the return of DeMarre Carroll. Their lineup is technically getting better, and they are still the next team to beat in the East.

Liam O’Brien: The Celtics are the second best team in the Eastern Conference following the acquisition of Al Horford. He provides Isaiah Thomas with a critical option off of the pick-and-roll, and Horford will provide the team with another competent go-to scorer in-late game situations out of the post. Furthermore, there is not a single team in the Eastern Conference with as threatening of a defensive backcourt as Boston with Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart, giving them the luxury of being able to lock down any offensive backcourt weapons in the East.

Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Do You Agree With the Widespread Belief that the Celtics had the Second Best Offseason in the East?

JK: I would go a step farther and say they had the best offseason in the Eastern Conference. They added the second best player on the market, in my opinion. Plus, they potentially solved their shooting problems by signing Gerald Green and added much-needed athleticism through the Green signing and by drafting Jaylen Brown. I think the Indiana Pacers improved a lot with all their moves, however the Celtics were on the verge of getting over the hump last season and their couple of moves may have allowed them to get over it. Danny Ainge didn’t gut the team to trade for a star, rather he’s taking his time forming a championship team, and I think that’s the right move.

JB: In the East, I think they had the best offseason. Losing Evan Turner is unfortunate, but they have the guard depth to make up for that. Horford was then the second best free agent after Kevin Durant, and bringing in him alone gives the Celtics the best offseason in the East. Add how much they added through the draft and the Celtics should be the most improved team in the East.

IR: I would disagree with this statement and say they had the best offseason in the East. While the Pacers might have done better with acquiring more talent, the Celtics did a great job by not picking up the contracts of Jared Sullinger and Evan Turner. They picked up shooting with Gerald Green, kept their draft pick instead of trading it for Jahlil Okafor and added the best big man the Celtics have seen since Kevin Garnett, in Al Horford.

GC: Yes. Cleveland wins the offseason because they maintained a roster that won an NBA title. Boston nabbed the second best free-agent in the market, drafted about 300 young players, and re-signed two useful cogs in Jonas Jerebko and Amir Johnson. It’s created something of a cluttered roster, but things seem to be shaking out well enough. The fact that the Celtics are being discussed as a potential Eastern Conference Finals participant, after two years of first round playoff exits, indicates that they must have done something very right. Indiana deserves some love for re-vamping its roster, and the 76ers should be pleased with finally landing the first overall pick of the draft and grabbing Ben Simmons. Horford trumps those things though, at least in the immediate future.

DO: The Celtics were close, but not quite second best. Boston adding Horford and Jaylen Brown stole plenty of headlines but, for some reason, no one is talking about the Pacers’ offseason. They added a former All-Star point guard in Jeff Teague, giving them a huge step up from last season. They also added the underrated Thaddeus Young, who has waisted away in Brooklyn, and savvy veteran big Al Jefferson. That’s three possible starters for a team that already won 45 games last season. Boston was close behind, but Indiana deserves more credit than they received.

LO: In terms of the Eastern Conference, I feel as though the Celtics potentially had the best offseason in the East. While you could certainly argue that the Philadelphia 76ers will improve their win-loss margin by the most substantial amount just based on the fact that their frontcourt is finally healthy and together, with number one pick Ben Simmons, the Celtics inked the most lucrative free agent splash in team history with Horford while drafting a potential Kawhi Leonard-type in Jaylen Brown. Also, the Celtics did not sacrifice a single piece in a lopsided trade designed for present contention.

Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Isaiah Thomas or Kyle Lowry? Who Would You Rather Have On the Celtics?

JK: Isaiah Thomas fits the Celtics game plan better, but Kyle Lowry is the better player. Boston needs someone who can score in bunches and looks for his shot, and that’s what Isaiah Thomas brings. Thomas’ improvement as a playmaker was huge for the Celtics, as well, and shows that he’s more than just a scorer. While Lowry is clearly the better passer, rebounder and defender, the Celtics don’t have the shooting where a true pass-first guard would thrive. Plus, with Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart in the back court, the Celtics can afford to have Thomas’ defense because he’s such an explosive scorer.

JB: On the Celtics, Thomas is an easy choice. Even independent of the Celtics, Thomas has proven to be a more effective and efficient player than Lowry. On the Celtics, everything is inflated. Thomas has done a great job of figuring out exactly what he needs to do in Stevens’ offense, and Lowry would never establish that level of comfort.

IR: Right now, Kyle Lowry. While Thomas is younger he is still an issue on defense. Lowry also has the disadvantage of playing alongside of DeMar DeRozan, one of the most shoot first players in the league. This means that Lowry’s scoring stats, while impressive, simply do not depict his entire offensive game because he is not the primary scoring threat. Thomas, on the other hand, is the primary option and had very similar stats to Lowry on the offensive end. Lowry just brings more to bring to the table.

GC: This is a bit like asking me to pick a favorite child (or at least what I would imagine it is like, as I don’t actually have children). It pains me to say this, but I’m taking Lowry. He’s a better defender and almost as good an offensive player. Plus he, much like myself, is a former Villanova Wildcat. Thomas is one of my favorite players in the league, and he’s undeniably endearing, but the Cats hold a special and fairly impenetrable place in my heart. I will also take this opportunity, and any possible opportunity, to remind you that they are the 2016 NCAA Men’s Basketball National Champions.

DO: Thomas by a long shot. There may be some bias here, but Thomas has shown he can be the best player on a team while Lowry has not. He’s a perfect complimentary piece for a scorer, but he can not be the man who needs to create a shot dozens of times every game. Thomas is the number one scorer for Boston, and has the heart that may literally be bigger than him. He’s the focal point on the offense, which is exactly what Boston needs. Lowry is a great point guard, but Thomas is the guy in Boston.

LO: I would rather have Isaiah Thomas on the Celtics. Kyle Lowry’s shooting consistency is far too awry for an All-Star starter, as evidenced by his shaky performance in the postseason. Thomas’ shot selection is much more fathomable, as Lowry takes far too many ill-advised attempt from beyond the three-point line. Additionally, Lowry has the tendency to allow mistakes to affect him mentally, playing himself out of games on occasion. Thomas, on the other hand, allows his mistakes to fuel his fire further, making him a more dependable leader of a team looking to contend in the Eastern Conference.