ESPN Predicts Much of the Same For Boston

ESPN has recently released its annual summer forecast and they have predicted the results for every team in each conference. The first thing Boston Celtics fans should notice is how drastically different expectations are this year. After being projected to win just 28 games in last year’s forecast, the Celtics are now projected to be a playoff team.

However, before you get too excited about what ESPN thinks about the Celtics, it is still nothing special. Not only does ESPN have the Celtics just squeaking into the playoffs as the 8 seed, but they have them winning the exact same amount of games as they won last year.

ESPN is predicting the same 40-42 record and they believe that a struggling sub .500 team will be enough to make the playoffs in the east.

No Celtics fans will be complaining with any kind of playoff appearance but the sub .500 record should be concerning. Even though it may be concerning, it may also be accurate and that is the most discomforting aspect of this.

Apr 26, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after being called for a foul on Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) during the second half in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs. at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Of course the Celtics should be improved from last season. They have a lot of young players that have had more of a chance to develop and they have added both Amir Johnson and David Lee who should have a significant and positive impact on the team.

The Celtics have rookies that are looking good and they have a fantastic system that may finally have some stability to it. The Celtics will not be selling everything like they did last season and the continuity that brings to the lineup could do wonders for the Celtics.

All of this indicates that the Celtics should, in fact, surpass their 40 win mark from a season ago. Unfortunately, the Celtics are not the only team to be improving in the east. The Celtics will have to contend with an Indiana Pacers team that is welcoming back Paul George and a Miami Heat team that is welcoming back Chris Bosh.

May 28, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (24) goes up for a shot past Miami Heat center Chris Bosh (1) during the third quarter in game five of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Those are two playoff caliber teams that may see even more improvement from last year than the Celtics. The Celtics are also not the only young core that should have a huge development boost this year. The 76ers may be too far away but their youth will make them a better team than they were last year.

Throw in great young cores with the Bucks and the Magic and the East may no longer be as top heavy. The familiar faces of the Cavaliers, the Bulls and the Hawks will certainly be there, but there is a lot more competition behind them.

The most surprising aspect of ESPN’s summer forecast may be that they have another sub .500 team in the playoffs. The east is going to be much improved from a season ago and it will be much more difficult to get into the post season. Of course, the west is still a lot deeper and more talented than the east but the Celtics cannot expect another playoff birth with the same result as last season.

There simply is too much competition that is around the level of the Celtics to expect a 40-42 record to get them in the playoffs. ESPN has the Pacers just missing the cut with a record of 39-43 and the return of George may be more impactful than those predictions show. There’s a good chance the Pacers will be back as contenders in the east and that right now would knock the Celtics out of ESPN’s predictions.

The Celtics will be battling for a playoff position but that won’t happen if they are battling to stay above .500. The Celtics need more consistency and they need to be keeping up and battling with the very best in the east if they want to make and even do some damage in the playoffs.

The Celtics will have to be much better than expected to take down the Cavaliers in a playoff series but if they can climb the east rankings a bit and earn a higher seed they could certainly go on a run.

Celtics fans should be excited about the new playoff expectations for the team but they cannot think that another year of 40-42 will get the job done.

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