25-year old point guard Rajon Rondo is the player who makes it all go for the Boston Celtics.  He played in 68 games (all starts) for the Celtics last year and he averaged 37.2 minutes, 10.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 11.2 assists and 2.3 steals per game.  Rondo has now played in 384 games (331 starts) in his first five years with the Celtics and he is averaging 32.0 minutes, 10.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game.  Rondo makes everyone on the Celtics better with his pinpoint passing and he is the best defensive player on the team without a doubt.

20-year old Avery Bradley had issues as a rookie last year.  He played in 30 games (0 starts) for the Celtics last year and he averaged 5.4 minutes, 1.7 points, 0.6 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game.  Bradley only shot 34.3% from the floor, 0% from three point range and 50% from the free throw line as a rookie last year.  In fairness to Bradley, he didn’t get consistent P.T. to show what he could do.  It will be interesting to see if the Celtics sign a veteran to back up Rondo, or if they give Bradley a shot to play more in 2011-12.

The Celtics have brought back the Big Three and Rajon Rondo, but they need to fill up the bench when the lockout is lifted.  Right now, the Celtics’ bench consists of point guard Avery Bradley, rookie guard E’Twaun Moore and rookie forward JaJuan Johnson.  The Celtics will be looking for affordable veterans to fill out the bench, as this current crop of Celtics probably don’t have much time together, due to their advancing ages.