The Boston Celtics have a rich history. They are the most successful club in NBA history, having won 17 titles, tying the Lakers for the most. The renowned green jersey has been worn by NBA legends including as Bill Russell, Larry Bird, Bob Cousy, and John Havlicek. The Celtics have come to represent prosperity and a winning culture. However, the Celtics have failed to achieve the level of success that their fans expected in the 1980s in recent seasons. Their last NBA championship came 15 years ago, when Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen led the Celtics to victory in 2008.
Since then, the Celtics have been perennial title challengers, but they have yet to win an NBA championship. The Celtics have consistently underperformed or disappointed their fans over the last 15 years due to their inability to capture the elusive Larry O’Brien trophy. They achieved their first finals appearance since 2008 in 2022. Stephen Curry, on the other hand, led the Warriors to a six-game triumph over the Celtics. The Celtics are considered top contenders for the championship once again this season, with one of the league’s most formidable duos in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Despite their apparent brilliance, the tandem has consistently fallen short of winning the crown. What’s to suggest this season will be any different?
Can Tatum and Brown lead the Celtics to a championship?
For the past two seasons, Boston’s standout players have been Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Both players are All-NBA caliber and have tremendous playoff experience. The Boston Celtics are consistently near the top of the Eastern Conference standings, but they are unable to transfer their stellar regular season play into postseason success.
Tatum and Brown have both developed into legitimate NBA stars. They’ve developed into two of the league’s greatest players. Any team in the league would gladly trade for either of them. Despite boasting two All-NBA players, the Celtics have yet to win a championship. This begs the question, will Tatum and Brown ever win a championship together?
Yes, Tatum and Brown have the ability to win an NBA championship together. Their success, however, will invariably be determined by the caliber of their supporting cast. While it’s acceptable to blame Tatum and Brown for not seizing their championship opportunity, the Celtics’ front office must also bear a substantial piece of the blame. Their inability to surround Tatum and Brown with complementary role players has contributed greatly to Boston’s failure to win a championship. This issue was perfectly encapsulated in the previous season. Brown averaged 26.6 points per game last season, while Tatum averaged 30.1 points per game. Despite having two players averaging more than 25 points per game, the Celtics were defeated in the Conference finals by the Miami Heat. The 2023-24 season, on the other hand, could be drastically different.
In 2024, will the Celtics finally break their duck?
With their steadiness this season, the Celtics have set the tone. If early-season performance is any indication, the Celtics will meet the Denver Nuggets in June. However, games aren’t won in 20 minutes. The Celtics would have to maintain their impressive early-season play, which I am confident they will. However, they have previously unable to translate their regular-season dominance into playoff success. So, what distinguishes this season from past seasons?
A wise man once remarked, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.” This phrase nicely captures Boston’s shortcomings in the past. However, after seeing the same results over and over, the Celtics’ management opted to restructure their roster.
The Celtics chose to send Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies in exchange for Latvian big man Kristaps Porzingis. Porzingis’ outstanding shooting ability provide much-needed rim protection and useful spacing. The Celtics also signed Jrue Holiday, who is a stronger defender and fit than Smart. The Celtics have emerged as early-season title favorites with their new look roster. But can they keep this up?
Numbers do not deceive
The Celtics have had an outstanding start to the season. They presently lead the Eastern Conference rankings with 15 victories and 5 losses. Nonetheless, certain clubs can overachieve in the early phases of the season. In Boston, however, this is not the case. The Celtics’ underlying statistics indicate that they are now the greatest club in the NBA.
This season, the Celtics have an offensive rating of 117.5, which ranks ninth in the league. They are, however, the NBA’s second best defensive club, with a defensive rating of 109. In fact, the Celtics have the highest net rating in the NBA with an 8.5. According to the statistics, Boston is the top team in the league. To end their 15-year title drought, however, the players must show tenacity and resist succumbing to pressure, a habit that has plagued them in recent years.