User:CCNorthfield/Evaluate an Article

Which article are you evaluating?
Boston Celtics

Why you have chosen this article to evaluate?
I selected this article because the Boston Celtics are my favorite professional basketball team. This article is important because millions of fans support the Celtics, and they are one of the world's most valuable sports franchises.

Lead Section
The lead section of the Boston Celtics Wikipedia provides a good overview of the franchise and its history. Within the first sentence, readers are able to understand who the Celtics are and what the article will be about. While the lead doesn't touch on all of the subsections of the article, it does include allusions to the various eras of coaches and players, as well as the Celtics' rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers. Perhaps this section could be abridged to contain only the essential details and content related to the history of the franchise could be moved to the appropriate place.

Content
The content of the Wikipedia is all directly related to the Boston Celtics. While the information covered is quite extensive, there are a handful of areas that I believe could be expanded upon. The section on the Celtics- Lakers rivalry is notably short, but I assume the brevity is due to there existing a hyperlinked Wikipedia specific to this rivalry. Additionally, there is no mention of more recent rivalries, like the Miami Heat or Milwaukee Bucks; a section devoted to recent or developing rivalries would improve the page. Finally, although there are specific pages for the Boston Garden and TD Garden, a short blurb discussing the venues should likely be added.

The article does address some equity gaps, particularly the role of race in the NBA. However, the Wikipedia would benefit from a section delineating Bill Russell's positive impact off the court; his actions helped progress the civil rights of African Americans in the US.

Tone & Balance
For the most part, the article is objective and remains neutral on the topics discussed. In a few cases, however, there are statements made without substantial evidence to back them. For instance, the author says " Considered the best passing center in NBA history, he stayed healthy and was a big part of the Celtics' success in 1986" in reference to Bill Walton. This a vague and subjective statement, and should be changed to be clear and factual.

Sources & References
Most of the sources seem very reliable as they are statistical references or official NBA websites. At 251 different articles references, the Wikipedia certainly draws on a wide range of sources. While there can always be more sources cited, I am impressed with the quality and quantity of sources on the page.

Organization & Writing Quality
The organization of the Celtics Wikipedia page is clear and logical. Beyond the organization, the writing style is concise and contains no noticeable errors.

Images & Media
Images and charts are embedded throughout the Wikipedia page; they are effective in displaying information and adding to the quality of the article. The captions are clear and help connect media to the topic of the Boston Celtics. Furthermore, they all seem to uphold Wikipedia's copyright regulations.

Talk Page Discussion
There are various conversations occurring in the talk page. The longest discussion pertains to the origin of the name "Celtics." There are additional talk page posts regarding everything from article length to Kevin Garnett's photo. The article has received a "C" rating, and is part of the NBA and US Wikiprojects.

Overall Impressions
As a whole, I was impressed by the Boston Celtics Wikipedia page. There are certainly changes to be made, but the breadth of sources and attention to detail makes it a solid starting point. In the future, editors may want to consider abbreviating certain sections and expanding upon parts like the arena and the impact of Bill Russell.