Are The Boston Celtics Better Than We Think?

When examining the NBA standings, the Boston Celtics are a top-three Eastern Conference team with an overall record of 44-22. Even though the Celtics lost All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, they have been a much better team this season as no singular player is subjected to greed or spotlight and instead complies well with playing as a team. Signing Kemba Walker was the first step in having this playing style. Hence, players like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown managed to have breakout seasons. However, when reflecting upon the rotation that head coach Brad Stevens currently has to work with, many NBA fans and analysts believe that the Celtics are a well-constructed team but have little to no match against the teams like the Lakers or the Milwaukee Bucks. Despite Jayson Tatum being the face of the organization, the Celtics are a young team overall and need to use this season as building experience while also having a chance at competing for a title. 

The Boston Celtics currently have one of the better records in the NBA even after losing Kyrie Irving, Al Horford, Marcus Morris and Terry Rozier. For a team to lose that many assets, it’s very intriguing to see a team play better while also having more of a brotherhood in the locker room. A prime example of this was during the All-Star selection period, where Jayson Tatum was picked as an All-Star reserve, and Jaylen Brown wasn’t. Rather than being jealous or envious about Tatum’s nomination, Brown saluted his teammate and used it as motivation to become a better basketball player. Upon reflection, Brown has become a better player since then as he is now one of the best two-way players the NBA has to offer! 

What makes this team so inspiring compared to others is how well they managed to work with what they have. In the 2018-19 season, the Celtics were projected to reach the finals where they would potentially win it all. Former All-Star Draymond Green even claimed that Kyrie Irving and the Boston Celtics were the teams that they would face in the NBA finals. However, due to many altercations that happened with Kyrie and the organization, that never happened. Entering this season, the Celtics appeared to be a question mark as they lost many key rotational pieces, especially at the center position. Rather than feeling defeated, the Celtics entered this season with a chip on their shoulder, proving to all teams that they are much more than Kyrie Irving and his antics off the court. 

The problem with last year’s team was revealed this season. Rather than working as a unit, Kyrie wanted the spotlight and had trouble trusting most of his teammates except Jayson Tatum. The Celtics made the conference finals in the 2018 NBA playoffs due to how well they played as a unit despite not having Kyrie Irving or Gordan Hayward. A rookie Jayson Tatum and an undiscovered Terry Rozier led the Boston Celtics to the conference finals where they beat Giannis Antetokounmpo in the first round and Joel Embiid in the second! That is insane! This season, the Celtics have a chance to do the same but have fallen into the trap of being a discounted team. Milwaukee and Toronto are the best teams in the Eastern Conference, but the Boston Celtics shouldn’t be far from the conversation. 

The Celtics currently have one of the best rosters in the NBA today as they possess two All-Stars and two border-line All-Stars. What makes this team substantially weaker than almost every other team except the Houston Rockets is lack of a reliable center. After Horford departed from Boston, the Celtics were in desperate need of signing a replacement and only managed to acclaim Enes Kanter for a ridiculously small amount! After his incredible performance in the playoffs, no one offered Kanter anything, which was extremely disrespectful. Unfortunately, Kanter would disappoint this season, and even though he did have a few monster games, he was, at best, a mediocre addition to the roster. With Kanter being subpar, the only other option that the Celtics had was Daniel Thies, who has been a sensational player for the Celtics given his height but shouldn’t be a starter. If the Boston Celtics traded for a player like Clint Capela or Andre Drummond during the trade deadline, their chances at making a final’s appearance would be much more profound. The Celtics possess every factor that a team needs to win a championship. From elite three-point shooting to great perimeter defenders, the Celtics have every check except a big man. However, will this affect their chances of potentially making the finals?

In modern-day basketball, having an elite center isn’t needed but is preferred. With the Golden State Warriors proving this point, the Boston Celtics can be in a similar situation as they have elite wing players that can virtually do anything on the court. Going against the Philadelphia 76ers will be a challenge, but it wouldn’t be impossible to defeat this team if they attack their weakness, stretching the floor. With Brad Stevens being the best defensive coach in the NBA today, the chances are that he will figure out what schemes he will play. Furthermore, Daniel Theis is a great defensive center that has managed to slow down other centers in the NBA. 

In the end, the Boston Celtics are well equipped this season and could make serious noise if players like Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker can perform in clutch situations. Jaylen Brown has been the most consistent of the three and doesn’t need the ball as much to make a significant impact. Despite the lack of a viable center, Boston has all the tools to defeat teams like the Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat and even the Milwaukee Bucks if they play as a collective unit. Jayson Tatum is the biggest question mark and has the most pressure to fulfill this belief. If he can play well during crunch times and be the superstar that everyone is claiming him to be, then the Celtics’ idea of reaching the NBA finals is not as impossible as it may seem. Giannis Antetokounmpo would be their biggest threat. No person or team has been able to physically stop the monstrosity that Milwaukee possesses except the Miami Heat as they are 2-0 against the Bucks! The only question is, will Jayson Tatum live up to all the praise that the world has given him, or will he end up pursuing a path similar to Kyle Kuzma?