Boston Celtics
2017-18What were the Boston Celtics in 2017-18, and what needed front-office attention?
BOS 2017-18: no supported structural problem was identified. The strongest covered areas were Shooting and spacing, Rebounding, Interior finishing. The main rotation-player dependency cases were Marcus Smart, Aron Baynes. Structural basketball need, injuries, replacement lineups, and financial constraints are reported separately.
What can be trusted
Supported strengths — production, who carries it, and what money is already committed.Full reading
BOS 2017-18 Shooting and spacing: this was a team strength; production ranked at the 100.0 league percentile. Jayson Tatum supplied 23.5% of the team's above-replacement production in this area. No governed recent game-level availability layer exists for this season. The team already committed substantial or redundant cap resources here.
Full reading
BOS 2017-18 Rebounding: this was a team strength; production ranked at the 81.5 league percentile. Al Horford supplied 29.1% of the team's above-replacement production in this area. No governed recent game-level availability layer exists for this season. Financial commitment is shown separately and does not determine basketball quality.
Full reading
BOS 2017-18 Interior finishing: this was a team strength; production ranked at the 77.8 league percentile. Jayson Tatum supplied 20.6% of the team's above-replacement production in this area. No governed recent game-level availability layer exists for this season. The team already committed substantial or redundant cap resources here.
What needs attention
The clearest roster problems the evidence supports.No supported roster problems are on record for this season — team picture available; recent availability layer unavailable.
Every covered basketball function (11)
| Function | Reading | League percentile | Largest contributor | Recent availability | Salary commitment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creation | SupportedMiddle of the league | 67th percentile | Al Horford · 26.0% | No recent availability layer for this season | Heavy or redundant salary already committed here |
| Defensive event creation | SupportedMiddle of the league | 44th percentile | Jayson Tatum · 23.5% | No recent availability layer for this season | Balanced or context-dependent salary commitment |
| Interior finishing | SupportedTeam strength | 78th percentile | Jayson Tatum · 20.6% | No recent availability layer for this season | Heavy or redundant salary already committed here |
| Passing connectivity | SupportedMiddle of the league | 59th percentile | Al Horford · 31.0% | No recent availability layer for this season | Heavy or redundant salary already committed here |
| Point-of-attack defense proxy | WithheldBasketball conclusion withheld | — | Terry Rozier | No recent availability layer for this season | Balanced or context-dependent salary commitment |
| Rebounding | SupportedTeam strength | 82nd percentile | Al Horford · 29.1% | No recent availability layer for this season | Balanced or context-dependent salary commitment |
| Rim pressure | SupportedMiddle of the league | 26th percentile | Jayson Tatum · 35.2% | No recent availability layer for this season | Balanced or context-dependent salary commitment |
| Rim protection | SupportedMiddle of the league | 41st percentile | Al Horford · 36.1% | No recent availability layer for this season | Heavy or redundant salary already committed here |
| Screening | WithheldBasketball conclusion withheld | — | Terry Rozier | No recent availability layer for this season | Balanced or context-dependent salary commitment |
| Shooting and spacing | SupportedTeam strength | 100th percentile | Jayson Tatum · 23.5% | No recent availability layer for this season | Heavy or redundant salary already committed here |
| Switch coverage proxy | WithheldBasketball conclusion withheld | — | Terry Rozier | No recent availability layer for this season | Balanced or context-dependent salary commitment |
Who the team depends on
What disappears when a player is removed — and whether an observed replacement five exists.BOS lineups performed 4.3 points per 100 possessions better with Marcus Smart than without him. The best supported alternative was [Al Horford, Kyrie Irving, Aron Baynes, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum] over 649 possessions.
Replacement evidence
Al Horford · Kyrie Irving · Aron Baynes · Jaylen Brown · Jayson Tatum
shrunk net 7.563 over 649 possessions
on floor 3,606 possessions · off floor 4,982 possessions
BOS lineups performed 3.0 points per 100 possessions better with Aron Baynes than without him. The best supported alternative was [Al Horford, Marcus Morris Sr., Terry Rozier, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum] over 245 possessions.
Replacement evidence
Al Horford · Marcus Morris Sr. · Terry Rozier · Jaylen Brown · Jayson Tatum
shrunk net 0.545 over 245 possessions — small sample
on floor 3,326 possessions · off floor 5,272 possessions
Function loss, lineup performance, and replacement-lineup evidence remain separate; none is causal player value.
What injuries change
Recent absences and the basketball needs they created or worsened.No governed recent game-level availability layer exists for this season.
Where money is tied up
Cap position and salary allocation — shown beside the basketball picture, never blended into it.Most salary is mapped to interior finishing; the highest-need area is defensive event creation. Salary-to-function mapping covers 96% of charges.
Exact figures
Exact transaction legality withheld — no exception-usage, cap-hold, and transaction ledger evidence.
What the evidence cannot answer
Deliberate abstentions — where the database refuses a conclusion rather than guessing.- Point-of-attack defense proxy: Basketball conclusion withheld
- Screening: Basketball conclusion withheld
- Switch coverage proxy: Basketball conclusion withheld
Exact transaction legality: Exact transaction legality withheld — no exception-usage, cap-hold, and transaction ledger evidence
Team-season situation report. Structural basketball quality, recent availability, player dependence, replacement lineups, and financial position remain separate. No acquisition recommendation, transaction grade, coaching grade, outcome claim, or causal value is inferred.