season predictions

[Kestutis.Kveraga@dartmouth.edu (Kestutis Kveraga)]

It's late October, which means it's time for moronic predictions by sportswriters - something that never fails to get me all riled up, even though  I really should know better since it's akin to getting mad at your dog because it can't do calculus. Besides being stupid, they're also lazy and  careless - the other day, Bulpett claimed that Eric Riley (!) sank two free throws to win the game against Washington, and Springer concluded that Pitino was comparing Herren to Jayson (sic!) Williams, the basketball maven that she is. Same for Mitch Lawrence and his unattributable sources with their off-the-wall  comments. But I digress.
Anyway, I just don't see how the Celts could do worse than last season, barring a major injury. Unless you count Fortson, we hardly lost any quality, but gained a new, much improved second unit, including two quality PGs, a decent backup center, and a promising  rookie shotblocker. As we all know, the second unit was the primary reason we lost so many winnable games last season, and it won't possibly be as bad this season. The probability of our losing 76% of close games again, even factoring in our relative inexperience, is low, and quite a few of these games were only close because the second unit gave away a healthy lead in the first place. The Eastern Conference has gotten even weaker. Thus, unless Lawrence's perspicacious sources have "guaranteed" that major injuries or a team upheaval will beset the Celtics, the 32 win prediction is absurd (except to Dan Forant). That should be obvious even to a sportswriter. 
Kestas