This is the second preview of hopefully many for the 2007 NBA draft. Daily Basketball continues to seek knowledgeable fans and bloggers to preview their favorite team. If you would like to contribute a preview of your own (credit/links given), then send an e-mail to cchadmin (at) gmail.com.

This outstanding Boston Celtics preview provided by FLCeltsFan, who writes over at LOY’s Place.

Last Year’s Record: 24-58

This Year’s Picks: #5, #32

Needs: a power forward/center and backup point guard

The Celtics finished last season with a 24-58 record. The team was plagued with injuries for the entire season beginning with training camp. They lost 312 player games to injury including losing all of their top players and veterans for long periods. Pierce missed 35 games, Wally missed 50 games, Ratliff missed 80 games, Tony Allen missed 49 games, Scal missed 28 games, and Kandi missed 58 games. Perk only missed 10 games, but for most of the season, he was battling plantar fasciitis and was not able to be effective.

There were accusations that the Celtics tanked to get better lottery position, but if anyone really followed the team, they would know that the core of young players who were left to finish the season played hard every night and were in most games right to the end. A case can be made that Doc may have tanked the 2 games against the Bobcats and the Bucks after the season was already lost, but then again, with Doc, who can tell when he is just being a terrible coach and when he is tanking?

The Celtics are much better than their record of last season indicates. The team is loaded with young talented players. We have a very promising point guard in Rajon Rondo. We have an All Star in the making in Al Jefferson who blossomed into one of the best low post threats in the league this past season. We have a promising defensive center in Perk. We have a tough combo guard in Delonte West who can hit the outside shot. We have a very exciting defensive player in Tony Allen. We have a fundamentally strong player in Ryan Gomes. All of these players are growing into veterans in front of our eyes. Add to these a perennial All Star in Pierce and a pure shooter in Wally and we have a very strong core.

The biggest need for the Celtics is defense. We need a defensive big man who can rebound, block shots and hit the mid range shot to keep the defenses honest. Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Corey Brewer, Al Thornton, Spencer Hawes, and Jeff Green can all fill this need. There have been rumors that Danny is enamored with Yi Jianlian. I don’t feel that he is strong enough on defense to fill our biggest need.

Last year, we thought we had solved our point guard problems with Rondo and Telfair. Rondo has shown that he is the point guard of the future for the Celtics. Telfair was a big disappointment and with his arrest for gun possession was just a good excuse to cut him loose. Last week, Danny had said that he isn’t looking at point guards because Rondo is better than anyone in the draft. But he is now saying that he is going to evaluate Conley. Danny has taken a point guard in every draft since he took over as GM and I don’t know if he can help himself not to take another one. Danny could go for Conley at 5 or he could consider Petteri, Koponen, or Jared Jordan in the second round.

It is hard to say at this point what Danny will do with the pick. He may look to trade it to bring in veteran help. Or he can go for Conley if he is available. Or, he can go for a big such as Noah, Yi, Green, Horford, or Wright. Or, he can go for a defensive wing and draft Brewer. My personal favorites at this point are Noah, Horford, and Green. All 3 should be able to come in and help right away and would fill the need that we have.

For additional Boston Celtics discussion, make sure you visit LOY’s Place!