Boston Celtics fans are hearing and reading that the present Celtics team is looking to pick up the pace. But the 96-97 Celtics crew led the League in pace and had the worst season (recordwise) in their history.
For that horrendous season, the M L Carr-coached Boston team finshed the regular season with 15 wins and 67 losses. Antoine Walker was the star, but he was only a rookie. And The Green were still trying to recover from the deaths of Len Bias and Reggie Lewis.
Rick Pitino had not arrived on the scene yet. Hindsight reveals his presence in Boston would not have made a positive difference in the season's outcome.
The 96-97 crew had 11 players averaging 20-or-more minutes per game, and as stated, their pace led the NBA. It appears that Boston sports fans can expect high minutes from the Celtics core this season - and significant floor time from a number of the newcomers.
NBA.com has the Boston Celtics ranked 12th in the East in their Power Rankings, behind only the Hornets, Wizards and Nets. The 61 wins from last season are only a memory, but The Green - with its ravaged roster - should certainly avoid the putrid 15-67 record from 1976-77. And a "Cinderella" finish to the year is always a remote possibility.
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