Boston Celtics 2019-20 Season Recap - NBA Odds, Picks & Betting Predictions

When the 2019-20 NBA season was suspended on March 12, the Boston Celtics were 43-21 and in third place in the Eastern Conference standings behind just the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors. Boston trailed Toronto by three games in the Atlantic Division, but held a comfortable 4 ½ game lead over the third place Philadelphia 76ers in the division race.

The leading scorer for the Boston Celtics through 74 of 82 regular-season games was Jayson Tatum with an average of 23.6 points per game. Kemba Walker with an average of 21.2 points per game and Jaylen Brown with an average of 20.4 points per game gave the Celtics three scorers with averages of 20 or more points per game. The leading rebounder for Boston was Enes Kanter with an average of 7.7 per game but injuries limited the Celtics center to just 51 games, while Tatum was second with an average of 7.1 per game. Walker, besides averaging over 20 points per game, was the Celtics team leader in assists with an average of 4.9 per game. 

Boston was 23-9 at home and 20-12 on the road. Boston started the season with an apparent big hole at center after Al Horford left during free agency to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers, but Enes Kanter stepped up and filled in admirably as did Daniel Theus. The Celtics also started the season without former high scoring point guard Kyrie Irving who signed a free-agent contract during the offseason with the Brooklyn Nets, but Boston acquired Kemba Walker through free agency and his scoring and playmaking contributions easily made up for the loss of Irving.

The Celtics strength throughout the season was the play of Kemba Walker in the back court and forwards Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, while Gordon Hayward finally returned to make big contributions in his second season back from a horrific injury to his lower leg. Marcus Smart emerged as one of the team leaders and the Celtics’ best defender.

The Celtics bench was it's weak link through 74 games as it consisted mainly of untested rookies and Grant Williams became the only consistent player off the bench on a regular basis. Injuries also mounted as the Celtics ideal starting five only started approximately 25 games the entire season and Robert Williams, who was expected to be a big part of the bench and make up for the lack of depth at center, suffered a hip injury and was only returning to action when the season was suspended. 

If the season resumes following the coronavirus outbreak, Boston will likely finish third in the Eastern Conference and will either face the Brooklyn Nets or the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs. Boston should not have any problem in its first-round matchup but would probably face Toronto in the conference semifinals and that would be a series that would be back and forth with home court advantage, which the Raptors would have, ultimately being the deciding factor as the Raptors would eliminate the Celtics.