How well do the Celtics fare if the players play this well?

[Rondo9]

if all that happens we barely miss the playoff and we miss out on Towns and Okafor.

Or barely get the 8th-7th seed, get destroyed by Cleveland or Chicago and miss out on Towns or Okafor.

Unless Rondo has a unanimous max contract season that turns the entire team around, something like CP3's first season at the Clips, then I don't see the needle moving much past low seed mediocrity.

It's only mediocrity, if your team is filled with bad contracts with no upside and no draft picks on the horizon.

[Celtics4ever]

Here's a hypothetical scenario:

-One of Favarani/Zeller steps up to give Spencer Hawes-level production at center (with better defense but less three-point shooting), while the other is an adequate back-up NBA center
-Either Sullinger or Olynyk clearly proves to be an above-average NBA starting power forward now, not just the potential to be one.
-Avery Bradley continues to improve on offense and threatens to be in the top 10-15 in three-point percentage
-Rondo plays well enough that the consensus among Celtics fans is that he should be re-signed with a raise on his next contract, but not necessarily the max.
-Jeff Green is...Jeff Green.  Despite everyone else upping their game, Green is neither better nor worse but continues to perform at the consistent level he has always performed at, making you believe that his numbers wouldn't change much if you put four Hall of Famers in the starting lineup next to him.
-Marcus Smart plays well for a rookie and looks like he could be a potential Sixth Man of the Year candidate in a few years backing up Bradley and Rondo.
-James Young gives enough to not look like a complete bust.
-Brandon Bass and Gerald Wallace play as well as they did last season.
-Evan Turner doesn't look completely useless and doesn't seem to affect team chemistry negatively.
-Marcus Thornton isn't as worthless as MarShon Brooks
-Brad Stevens shows the ability to coach this team to a top-ten defense

How do the Celtics look if it all comes together like that?

Like fools because that team can't win the title and everyone is a free agent save guys on rookie contracts and Bradley.  We'd not get a worthy pick and I doubt we can sign any decent FAs.  It would like like a HIGHWAY TO MEDIOCRITY.

[Tr1boy]

What we need to get anywhere

- Rondo and Green both to play for their contract lives. This means at their best on a daily basis
- Breakout years from Zeller, KO, Sullinger.  Not getting pushed around, boxing out to perfection, utilizing strengths (jump shooting, passing, high iq play) to beat their opponents
- Zeller, KO and other bigs to run run run. We need to punish teams with our transition capabilities
- Punishing defense from the backcourt (Smart, AB, Rondo, Johnson, Young)
- Make jump shots/FTs with little margin for error
- Consistent bench production from Thornton, Young, Smart, KO
- Brad Stevens to show us why he was hired. 

We need to play and try to execute like the spurs did last season in order to have a chance to make the playoffs.  The Hawks did it last season 

[D.o.s.]

Here's a hypothetical scenario:

-One of Favarani/Zeller steps up to give Spencer Hawes-level production at center (with better defense but less three-point shooting), while the other is an adequate back-up NBA center
-Either Sullinger or Olynyk clearly proves to be an above-average NBA starting power forward now, not just the potential to be one.
-Avery Bradley continues to improve on offense and threatens to be in the top 10-15 in three-point percentage
-Rondo plays well enough that the consensus among Celtics fans is that he should be re-signed with a raise on his next contract, but not necessarily the max.
-Jeff Green is...Jeff Green.  Despite everyone else upping their game, Green is neither better nor worse but continues to perform at the consistent level he has always performed at, making you believe that his numbers wouldn't change much if you put four Hall of Famers in the starting lineup next to him.
-Marcus Smart plays well for a rookie and looks like he could be a potential Sixth Man of the Year candidate in a few years backing up Bradley and Rondo.
-James Young gives enough to not look like a complete bust.
-Brandon Bass and Gerald Wallace play as well as they did last season.
-Evan Turner doesn't look completely useless and doesn't seem to affect team chemistry negatively.
-Marcus Thornton isn't as worthless as MarShon Brooks
-Brad Stevens shows the ability to coach this team to a top-ten defense

How do the Celtics look if it all comes together like that?

Like fools because that team can't win the title and everyone is a free agent save guys on rookie contracts and Bradley.  We'd not get a worthy pick and I doubt we can sign any decent FAs.  It would like like a HIGHWAY TO MEDIOCRITY.

Playing your asses off for a far-flung, overacheiving 8th seed is not a highway to mediocrity, as fashionable as the phrase and concept may be.

[Mazingerz]

I think majority of celtic nation wants the team to succeed next season. Last year's tanking season really left a bitter taste on most of our collecive mouths.

[slamtheking]

I think even with the proposed optimistic achievements they still miss the playoffs and might win 30 games.  Fav and Zeller still look to be the bottom of the barrel in the league in terms of center rotations.  C's also have no go-to scorer in the final stretch of games.  even under the best of circumstances, these will be the 2 critical flaws that will send the C's back to the lottery again next year. 

I'm not opposed to going back to the lottery again next year considering the quality of players expected to be available and that I really believe next offseason is when Danny really starts making the moves to make this team better.