As the NBA regular season approaches, we preview the upcoming campaign with the “Highs and Lows” system — predicting the respective ceiling and basement for each team.

Added: Shaquille O’Neal, Jermaine O’Neal, Delonte West, Semih Erden, Von Wafer, Avery Bradley, Luke Harangody

Lost: Rasheed Wallace, Tony Allen, Shelden Williams, Michael Finley, Brian Scalabrine

Ceiling: NBA championship
Everybody wants to get younger in the NBA, while ignoring one fact: Young teams don’t win championships. Veteran teams do. Call the Celtics old if you want, or call them a group of experienced vets who will cut down young teams on their way to competing for another title … Is this Rajon Rondo‘s team now? Is it still Paul Pierce‘s ship to captain? Does it even matter? In a word: No. The Celtics have never been about putting one guy above the rest in this “Ubuntu” era, and the only difference between this year’s squad and last year’s is that they’ve got more chemistry, more size in the middle, Rondo is a certified superstar, and Kevin Garnett will be closer to his DPOY form than his “Oh my aching knee” form … From top to bottom, the Celtics are actually better on paper than Miami and Orlando. They don’t have a single player as talented as LeBron, D-Wade or Dwight, but Pierce matches anybody in the
League as a crunch-time go-to guy, Ray Allen and KG been around the block when it comes to performing in big games, the froncourt has an edge on Miami, the bench is deeper, and the coaching is better.

Basement: Conference semifinals
The Celtics were 29th in the NBA in rebounding and 25th in rebounding differential last year, and lost Game Seven of the Finals because L.A. killed them on the boards. With Kendrick Perkins (knee) out until February, Boston needs KG, Shaq and J.O. to earn them possessions, but Shaq is 38 and Jermaine plays like he’s 38 when he’s not healthy. After that, it would have to be up to Big Baby and rookies Semih Erden and Luke Harangody … Ray Allen is the only pure shooter on the roster, and his last two postseasons have been defined by inconsistency. He’ll explode for 50 points or 8 threes one night, then go 0-for-10 the next. And don’t ask Rondo to stretch the defense for you … All reports say KG is back to his old self, but how realistic is that for a 34-year-old with a lot of mileage and surgical scars whose numbers have been in steady decline? … It’s not like the Celtics cruised past the Cavs in last year’s playoffs,
and LeBron ripped them up. Now that LeBron has traded in Anthony Parker and Anderson Varejao for Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, what’s standing in his way of making the C’s just another victim?

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10/26 — Miami Heat
10/25 — Los Angeles Lakers
10/24 — New Orleans Hornets
10/23 — Cleveland Cavaliers
10/22 — Dallas Mavericks
10/21 — Philadelphia 76ers
10/20 — Minnesota Timberwolves
10/20 — Orlando Magic
10/19 — Oklahoma City Thunder
10/19 — Detroit Pistons
10/15 — Golden State Warriors
10/12 — Chicago Bulls
10/12 — San Antonio Spurs
10/5 — Toronto Raptors
10/1 — Sacramento Kings
9/28 — Atlanta Hawks
9/27 — Portland Trail Blazers

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