Mannix On Toucher & Rich: Could This Celtics Team Compete In The Playoffs?
Things are not going well so far this season for the Celtics. The C's have now lost four games in a row and eight of their last ten.
Chris Mannix covers the NBA for Sports Illustrated and he joined 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich to discuss what's wrong with this Celtics team, moves they could make to get better and could this team compete in the playoffs?
Before the season started no one thought that the Celtics would struggle this much. In the past fans would say calm down and wait until the games really start to count and in the past that has been the case, but things look and feel different this season. With no backup point guard and the lack of size down low, could this team do anything in the playoffs with the roster they have right now?
"No I don't think so because they're going to wind up on the bottom half of the playoff bracket and if they wind up in those seven, eight spots that's a recipe for a first round exit."
"The backup point guard spot is an issue, but I think the bigger and most overwhelming and almost unfixable problem right now is the lack of size in the front court. And, when I talk to scouts about the Celtics they point out that when [Avery] Bradley works himself back into the mix they're going to be a little bit better particularly defensively, but [Kevin] Garnett's not going to get better. He's not going to improve as the season goes on, this is kind of what you're going to get from Kevin Garnett right now. Unless you find a way to get him some help in the front court this team's going to tread water, it might make the playoffs, but it's not going to make any noise in the playoffs."
Of course adding a piece would help, but are there really any out there? What kind of moves realistically can the Celtics make?
DeMarcus Cousins of the Sacramento Kings is a name that has been thrown around, but the Kings are not just going to give him up. The Celtics would probably have to give up Rajon Rondo plus some other pieces.
Is there a big worth trading Rondo for?
