Yesterday, the Boston Celtics' cantankerous captain let us know via coach Brad Stevens that he's now 83% likely to play in tonight's season opener against old pal Kevin Garnett and the Brooklyn Nets (up from 79% just the day before). Today, we play Follow-the[-Team]-Leader and use those same arbitrary odds to preview the upcoming year for the boys in Green & White...
There's an 83% chance that Marcus Smart will NOT become the first Celtic to win Rookie of the Year since Larry Joe Bird. That honor will likely go to the Bucks' Jabari Parker or the Timberwolves' Andrew Wiggins.
BUT... maybe he will!
There's an 83% chance that the C's will NOT make the playoffs this spring, leaving their fate to ping pong balls for the second straight offseason.
BUT... in a conference that drops off a Looney Tunes-esque cliff after the Cavs, Bulls and Wiz, maybe they will!
There's an 83% chance that assistant coach Walter McCarty's epic beard will remain trimmed to its current length for the duration of the season – if it survives at all.
BUT... maybe Walt'll go full "Duck Dynasty"/2013 Red Sox on us?
There's an 83% chance that, on any given night, Jeff Green will draw frustrated criticism from Celtic Nation for an inexplicably underwhelming offensive effort.
BUT... but nothing. That's just how it's going to be until we either A.) build a team on which Jeff can comfortably play the supporting role for which his disposition is clearly suited, or B.) trade him to one.
There's an 83% chance that any conversation you have with a fair weather Boston sports fan about the Celts this year will at some point reference Rick Pitino's infamous March 5, 2000 post-game presser:
BUT... fair weather Boston sports fans might not engage you in any conversations about the Celts this year to begin with. #BruinsBruinsBruins
There's an 83% chance that, come the dog days of the season in January and February, Tommy Heinsohn and Mike Gorman will (as is customary in rebuilding years) become the best thing about watching our team.
BUT... that's really not so bad! Tommy and Mike have been doing their thing for a long time – but they're not going to be around forever. Fans would be wise to appreciate every moment with our legendary broadcasting duo as much as Tommy appreciates a good fried seafood platter courtside.
...AND finally...
There's an 83% chance that Rajon Rondo's best days as a Celtic are firmly behind him, and this season will be his last in Celtic green.
BUT... things could fall into place – just like they did for Paul Pierce.
It's been well documented but is still easy to forget that, nine years ago, it looked like Paul Pierce's career in Boston was winding down, too. After spearheading the memorable 2002 run to the Eastern Conference Finals, Pierce had gradually backslid into a rut, culminating in this embarrassing sequence in the '05 playoffs against Indy. With public favor waning and no All-Star runningmates to be found as no. 34 turned 28, Pierce and the Celtics seemed destined to imminently part ways. Then, 2005-06 happened.
As Bill Simmons described it in his Book of Basketball, Paul "became everything we ever wanted in the 2005-06 season, carrying a young Celtics team, outplaying opposing stars, lifting them in crunch time and doing everything with a smile." This FSN New England montage from that winter (possibly my single favorite video on YouTube) captured the giddy spirit surrounding Paul's unexpected renaissance:
That summer, Paul signed a 3-year, $59 million contract extension. And the following summer?
...And that's the template for what it will take to keep Rondo, also 28-years-old this year, here in Boston for the latter stages of his career, too: a healthy and definitively impressive 2014-15 campaign, followed by some old-fashioned luck in the front office.
The odds aren't great, but anything is possible.
The odds aren't great, but anything is possible.
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