Weak east will help Boston Celtics figure things out
A weaker Eastern Conference will give the Boston Celtics the time they need to figure things out
The Boston Celtics are in a position where they need to be a finished product, and have immediate success in the regular season, while also knowing this is the first time this roster has ever really played together.
Because of injuries, the Celtics have to transform what the team wants to do after last season, and that will inevitably have a transition. When you add on all the depth the Celtics have, and there are a lot of roster decisions that will be developing throughout the season.
It will certainly take time for the Celtics to figure everything out, and establish a steady and consistent rotation across the board. The problem, however, is that the Celtics cannot afford to struggle while they are figuring those things out.
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Keep in mind, another big factor is how much youth they have. The Celtics also need to figure out what these young players might be capable of with another year under their belt, and that could change a lot with the second unit.
If the Celtics were in the West, any kind of transition period could be detrimental. They would be facing more difficult challenges on a regular basis, and too much competition to be dropping any games.
The Celtics know their standard is the number one seed in the East, but the lack of competition in the conference will make sure that they can afford to struggle and still win games.
Even last season, they continually had to overcome injuries and obstacles and still fell just short of that number one seed. If this roster stays in tact this season, it will take a long time for them to really be at their best, but they do not need to be their best in order to get that number one seed in the East.
Other than the Toronto Raptors, there really are no finished products in the East. All these teams are in transition and growing like the Celtics are. The difference, however, is that the Celtics have a lot more talent and a coach that is always comfortable figuring things out with a deep roster.
The Celtics know how to win while transitioning, with multiple players who have no idea what their role is going to be like. The Celtics will have a period this season where players are in and out of the rotation, because there are so any options that need to be explored.
The Celtics will want to play deep, but know they have to tighten up their roster and rotation by the playoffs. They also need to figure out what lineups work best together. Stevens will have different options for different situations, but it will take time to figure out what he will be able to use when it is needed.
The Celtics know that depth can be their biggest strength this season, but it will never be good enough if they do not figure things out properly. The Celtics do not want to rush, and they could have to make sacrifices in the regular season.
Fortunately, the weakened eastern conference puts the Celtics in a great position to make those sacrifices without having to worry about