"What if... there was an MVP trophy awarded, who would it be for the Boston Celtics"?

by Bill Streicher, USA TODAY Sports from http://fantasy.usatoday.com/2014/12/basketball-daily-sleepers-busts-evan-turner-russell-westbrook

          When I look at the Celtics, I think of a team who can be as good as the Hawks. The Atlanta Hawks doesn't have a superstar, yet they play in a system where winning comes first and that's what makes a good basketball team. The Celtics has moved around players this season resulting to a distraction as a whole. My MVP for the team would be Evan Turner. He can guard multiple positions and play different roles under head coach, Brad Stevens. I would love to pick Jared Sullinger but until he plays defense, we'll talk more about him then. Turner reminds me of Lance Stephenson when he was with the Indiana Pacers. He can do a little bit of everything. He's not good at one skill but good in most categories. This was a tough choice between the two but I think Turner can contribute more to the team if he puts in the effort. There's no more Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green. The team could use his talent and he could be an efficient player if he shifts to a second gear.

What if... the Memphis Grizzles had a New Year's Resolution, what would it be?

by Carter Johnson from http://isportsweb.com/2014/10/20/memphis-grizzlies-season-preview-player-projections/

                                 
          The Memphis Grizzles have an inside game and an outside game. They also have an identity preaching defense first. Their New Year's resolution? Why not the NBA championship? The Grizzles have all the tools to win a seven game series against any team in the league. Newly acquired Jeff Green from the Boston Celtics is a great upgrade over Tayshaun Prince. He is younger than Prince but won't be asked to be part of the offense for the Memphis Grizzles. Green is the 4th option after Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, and Mike Conley Jr. His role will be adjusted as he can focus more on defense. Head coach, David Joerger, is using Green as part of a great secondary unit the Memphis Grizzles has. With Green part of the bench, the depth of their roster is key to their success because they have so many weapons.

          Despite having 27 wins, they are still the third seed of the West. The West is so stacked, if you go on a three game losing streak, they might end up as the fifth seed. Between the first seed and eighth seed of the West, there is just a difference of eight games. But the Memphis Grizzles have an established objective coming into each game where defense always comes first. The team is still young and they will have many more years contending for a title if Marc Gasol stays. There are not many centers like him who can run the pick-and-roll, make a hook shot, pass the ball, and make the mid-range shot. It would be nice to have Jeff Green play a similar role like Andre Iguodala. His role from the bench is defense and leadership. Green was never known for his defense and the team doesn't need to rely on his scoring. Green might need to sacrifice playing time for team to succeed. Limited minutes might equal to more wins. Instead of scoring, he could be setting better screens or taking charges. These small changes can be two or three more wins which is critical if they want to maintain home-court advantage. They have a really good chance this year getting to the NBA Finals.

What if... the Denver Nuggets had a New Year's Resolution, what would it be?

by Gerren Keith Gaynor from http://www.blackenterprise.com/lifestyle/kenneth-faried-fights-homophobia-in-sports/

         
          For the past decade, the Denver Nuggets have always been a team around the 6th-8th seed in the West. We all know what Kenneth Faried is capable of. After displaying a showcase of both offense and defense playing with Team USA, he would surely make a huge contribution with the Denver Nuggets. Despite playing like a MVP with Team USA, he is only averaging a dash under 12 points per game and only 8.6 rebounds through 33 games. Head coach, Brian Shaw, at times is bringing him off the bench and that's a huge question mark. Kenneth Faried brings intensity to the team because he works hard on every possession. He should average around 30-35 minutes per game. The Denver Nuggets are a solid team and Ty Lawson has to become that leader the Nuggets need to surpass their current position.

          In the NBA today, it is the league of point guards. If the team has a great point guard, they will have a higher chance of making the playoffs like Chris Paul, Stephen Curry, John Wall, and Damian Lillard. Every night Lawson will have to go against solid players and it allows him to develop his game further. Like Jeff Green from the Boston Celtics, Ty Lawson has to be more consistent in order to consider him as an All-Star caliber type of player. I would like to see Kenneth Faried improve on the New Year as he has been stepping up his game lately. On December 26th, Faried has a 26 points and 25 rebounds night. That is unbelievable considering the fact he only played 30 minutes. He has so much upsides and if Brian Shaw starts giving him more minutes, he won't disappoint coach Shaw. There's a reason why Faried's nickname is "The Manimal".

What if... the Boston Celtics had a New Year's Resolution, what would it be?

                                      by Brian Robb from http://www.celticshub.com/2014/02/09/report-hawks-interested-trading-jeff-green/                                    

          

          The Boston Celtics are in a rebuilding stage after trading away Rajon Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks. It's obvious they are not ready compete against teams like the Golden State Warriors or Chicago Bulls. After the acquisition of Brandon Wright and Jae Crowder from the Dallas Mavericks, their roster is filled with more good players, not great players. They have a young star in Marcus Smart who was a great offensive player in college. With a few more years playing with one another, each player from the Celtics should understand their roles better. 

          I want to talk about Jeff Green for a moment. He was traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2011 so he can backup Paul Pierce and replace him after he leaves the organization. He averaged around 15 points and 5 rebounds before he left the Thunder. I assumed he would play a major role because he had to play behind Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Those are pretty decent stats playing behind two superstars. His first season with the Boston Celtics was a tough one as he went from averaging 37 minutes to around 24 minutes. After Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce left for the Brooklyn Nets, many people assumed it was the year Jeff Green was going to have a break-out season. Unfortunately, it was another disappointing season for him. Fast-forward to his 5th season with the Boston Celtics, he is finally posting career high 18.5 point per game through 29 games. He produces monster statlines sometimes but sometimes is not enough. Green needs to be more consistent for the Celtics to have a chance winning against teams above .500. Another player who needs to improve his game is Jared Sullinger. Analysts have compared Jared Sullinger to Kevin Love when he just entered the league. He has great size and range for his position. What he needs to work on is his defense and mobility. In time, the Boston Celtics would need Jeff Green to become their veteran leader. Budding young stars of Jared Sullinger and Marcus Smart are key for the Celtics if they want to make the playoffs. They might have a few more disappointing seasons but through the draft and experience playing together, the Boston Celtics will be an elite squad sooner rather than later.