The Future of the Boston Celtics Could Be Bright

Wow, the Boston Celtics are very bad. I mean very bad. As I watch the Celtics play on national TV for the first time in a while (only because of the return of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett), I realize there is no hope for this roster. One of the few bright spots is the return of Rajon Rondo, who does not look comfortable throwing lobs to Vitor Faverani where Garnett used to be. Nor does he feel confident starting a fast break with Kris Humphries and Gerald Wallace running the floor. Nothing against either of those two, but they're not quite two future hall of famers. I think there are some strengths in this roster, however, and they're just hard to see on such a terrible team.
First there is the coach, Brad Stevens. Stevens was signed to a six year deal in the offseason, meaning the Celtics are truly investing in this coach for a stretch. Danny Ainge clearly sees something in Stevens, and why not? There is only upside to the 37 year old coach who coached Butler to back-to-back National Championship appearances, losing to two major programs in Duke and UConn. Stevens has done relatively well to this point in the season, but it is evident that there is just not enough talent on this team to win. Hopefully he will get a chance soon in the next couple of seasons.
The coach is not the only solid part of this team, strong young players besides Rondo include Jeff Green, Avery Bradley and Jared Sullinger.
Bradley is an elite perimeter defender who has an improved jump shot especially in the corner three spot. Bradley at the very least is a solid guard who can come off the bench, and has shown that he can potentially be a nice complementary starting shooting guard (think Thabo Sefolosha in Oklahoma City). He is a player I think the Celtics should keep around at least for next year.
Jeff Green is a player who seemed to be coming into his own late last season as Rondo went out with an injury. Green had huge games last season including a 43 point performance against LeBron James and the Heat. He has struggled being consistent, however, and in a year that he could step up and become that all-star type of player, he has not. Still leading the team in scoring at 16.2 ppg, Green just does not seem to be a go-to-guy for a franchise, he is made to be the third or forth option on a team.
Jared Sullinger is a strong power forward who has shown signs of being a dominant rebounder this year. Grabbing 15+ rebounds on multiple occasions. He has also displayed a solid jump shot that can extend to behind the three point line once in a while.
Those three guys, along with Rajon Rondo and coach Brad Stevens, are the core that the Celtics should keep around if they look to be successful soon, and in the long-run.
Looking ahead to beyond this season, it starts with the upcoming draft. Many players would fit in nicely here in Boston. Jabari Parker could come to the North East, and become a featured player on the offensive end. Parker has a decent handle as well as the ability to knock down shots from deep, along with the ability to finish above the rim. Speaking of finishing above the rim, Andrew Wiggins may be the very best at that in college. His unquestioned athleticism is why so many rave about him. Wiggins is also, perhaps, the best defender in the nation because of his quick feet, long arms, and jumping ability.
Another possible player is Oklahoma States Marcus Smart; a 6'4" guard with great strength and athleticism. Smart also has more experience than many of these players, as he is currently a Sophomore in college. Smart could work well with Rondo in the backcourt.
My favorite player is Joell Embiid. He is a 7'0" 250 lb center from Cameroon, who has only been playing basketball for two years. His ability to run the floor and finish with both hands makes him a very attractive asset, not to mention his shear size and athleticism. The activity on the defensive end is even more impressive as he controls games at that end.
A center could be perfect for the Celtics to build around, but it is important to just select the best player available. As we saw in last years draft, the Cavaliers selected a solid undersized power forward instead of just going with the best available player, and that resulted in one of the worst number picks of all time to this point.
The point here is that there is a lot to look forward to potentially if you are a Celtics fan like myself. With strong leaders in Stevens and Rondo, and a solid group of role players, Boston could be back in the thick of things by next year, and a championship contender perhaps sooner than one might think.

Broncos Defense Shuts Down Brady, and Patriots Lack of Any Deep Ball Threat

As Peyton Manning took and knee and let the clock run out, the Broncos celebrated a trip to New York, and the Patriots were left to deal with the heartbreak of a second straight AFC Championship loss. For the Broncos this is their first Super Bowl berth since the late 90s when John Elway was riding Terrell Davis to his second straight Super Bowl win. For Peyton he is back. It has been a long road for Manning since throwing game clinching pick six right into the hands of the Saints defense, and leaving South Beach with the bitter taste of another playoff loss. Manning struggled through his last couple years in Indianapolis with neck injuries, and arrived in Denver looking to resurrect his Hall of Fame career. Well, Peyton did just that by leading the Broncos to back to back 13-3 regular seasons, and this year an AFC Championship win.
On the other side Brady suffered a frustrating loss as it was as clear as ever that something was missing from the Patriots. No it was not Aquib Talib's absence in the secondary, or Wilfork on the defensive line, not even the gaping hole in the middle of the field that Jerod Mayo and Brandon Spikes once filled, it was a player who has not been in New England all year. The Patriots did not have that 6'3"-6'4" strong receiver on the outside. Now I know Gronk is a huge target who was lost to injury this season, but he has been there in recent years. The Patriots fully healthy would be scary with a star receiver on the outside, Randy Moss proved it.
This may sound like a sorry Patriots fan going off and making excuses, because New England has been very successful in recent years, but they haven't been scary like Denver's offense, or New Orleans. I guess what I'm saying is that despite all of this New England still made it to the AFC Championship game, and lost to a team with one of the best offenses of all time, maybe even the best.  If the Patriots want to be back in the Super Bowl next year, they're going to have get a little lucky health wise, and pick up a star receiver. It could be through a trade, free agency, maybe even a rookie through the draft, but it got to come from somewhere.
The reality, however, is that the Broncos and Seahawks still have one game to play, and it should be a great one. I'm leaning towards Seattle as of now just because of the weather, and a stronger built defense, but that could change over the next couple weeks. Come next week I'll know my favorite, and the fact is I don't want Peyton to win, so don't be surprised if I give Seattle the edge.