Crystal ball sees loads of awards, title repeat for 2024-25 Celtics

Crystal ball sees plenty of awards, title repeat for 2024-25 Celtics initially appeared on NBC Sports Boston

We’re not right here to brag, however this author may actually be clairvoyant. We’d simply put the Chris in crystal ball. Relating to preseason predictions, we’re principally extra profitable than a Jrue Vacation nook 3-pointer and everybody is aware of Vacation principally can’t miss from that spot.

Want proof? We knew you have been going to ask (see, clairvoyant). So right here’s a fast recap on our seven bold predictions from before the 2023-24 season:

1. Kristaps Porzingis shall be an All-Star

A uncommon miss, however simply barely. Porzingis sitting out 10 of Boston’s first 37 video games made it robust to muscle him onto the All-Star roster because the third Celtic after Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. However his stat line by means of these first 27 video games was All-Star worthy: 19.8 factors, 7 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, and 1.9 assists over half-hour per sport.

2. Celtics lead the NBA in offensive ranking … and set new league document

Nailed it. Boston’s 122.2 offensive ranking was 1.7 factors higher than second-place Indiana, who additionally would have set a brand new NBA document (Kings, 118.6 in 2022-23).

3. Celtics commerce for a 3rd large … in early January

The Celtics traded for Xavier Tillman in early February. No want to separate hairs.

4. Brad Stevens wins Govt of the 12 months

Easy money.

5. Derrick White leads the NBA in internet ranking

Technically, we nailed this one for high-volume gamers. White’s +12.5 internet ranking was the perfect amongst any participant who logged no less than 24 minutes per sport with no less than 40 appearances. However technically teammates Sam Hauser (+14.2) and Payton Pritchard (+13.6) each completed forward of him general.

6. Celtics win inaugural NBA Cup in Las Vegas

Whoops, our crystal ball meant this season. Extra on that later.

7. Al Horford retires after profitable an NBA title

One other slight crystal ball malfunction. We meant to say he’d retire after profitable one other title this season. Or possibly the crystal ball meant after the 2028-29 season, given the best way Horford retains stiff-arming Father Time.

In that very same article, we picked the Celtics to complete first within the East and win the NBA title. So principally we advised you every thing that was going to occur final season earlier than it did. Did we get some minor particulars mistaken? Positive. Once more, let’s not cut up hairs.

As an alternative, let me inform you seven extra issues that can most likely, undoubtedly occur for Boston in the course of the 2024-25 season. A touch: One 12 months after the Celtics obtained denied some fancy award {hardware}, the NBA makes up for its missteps this time round.

1. Jaylen Brown lands on All-NBA, All-Protection groups

Brown already used lacking out on these honors final season as motivation to gas his runs to Japanese Convention and NBA Finals MVP. As an alternative of taking a second to have a good time this offseason, he jumped right into a pool with 60-pound weights and, as he told us in our Media Day sit-down, added muscle tissues in locations he didn’t know he might add muscle.

Good luck, NBA. The Brown revenge tour has simply begun.

2. Celtics increase the NBA Cup in Las Vegas

The Celtics ought to need to ship an early-season message to the remainder of the league, and the NBA Cup video games will supply the proper alternative to crank up the depth on sleepy November and December nights.

What’s extra, after guys like Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman agreed to come back again to the Celtics on bargain-basement minimum-contract offers, the well-compensated members of the Celtics may help put slightly extra cash of their pockets by profitable the Cup.

3. Celtics set an NBA document for many 3-pointers made in a season

Boston completed 12 shy of the 2022-23 Warriors’ document whereas making 1,351 3-pointers final 12 months. That’s 16.5 makes per sport. It doesn’t really feel outrageous to surprise in the event that they’ll be the primary staff to move the 1,400 makes mark this 12 months.

Is 1,500 out of the query? They made 19.4 3-pointers per sport within the five-game preseason slate, a tempo of almost 1,600 3-pointers.

4. Payton Pritchard wins Sixth Man of the 12 months

You recognize the saying that typically the perfect strikes {that a} GM makes are the one he does not make? That’s how we should always really feel about Brad Stevens holding onto Payton Pritchard even when Pritchard was pissed off about his taking part in time and overtly yearned for a brand new scenario two years in the past. Stevens thinned out the guard depth chart final summer time and Pritchard was spectacular as a part of the title run.

With Porzingis out to start out the 12 months and the Celtics poised to tempo their extra veteran gamers, there’s an actual alternative for Pritchard to log large minutes and go away his Constructive P stamp on every thing.

5. Joe Mazzulla wins Coach of the 12 months

Hardly ever does this award go to a staff that merely meets ridiculously lofty expectations. However the Celtics shall be such a regular-season steamroller, even in a beefed-up East, that voters will look again on his fourth-place end final season and proper their wrongs.

6. Celtics don’t lose greater than two video games in a row … for second straight season

Of all of the unbelievable issues the Celtics did final season, avoiding any kind of extended dropping streak was one of many extra outstanding. It didn’t matter in the event that they have been slumping or if there have been accidents; the Celtics all the time discovered a approach to mud themselves off after a few of these uncommon disappointing efforts and get again to profitable basketball.

They’ll want that very same psychological toughness this season in a league the place everybody goes to come back in seeking to land a haymaker towards the champs.

7. Celtics win 62 video games and repeat as NBA champions

Recent history suggests that profitable in consecutive years isn’t any straightforward feat within the trendy NBA. The Celtics are no average NBA team, although. There’s an actual probability for this group to fit itself alongside a few of the most historic groups in league historical past with one other dominant marketing campaign.

The win complete slips ever so barely, however Boston nonetheless dominates the league. And, after two titles and three Finals appearances in 4 years, the “dynasty” phrase will get thrown round subsequent June.