![[original_title]](https://rawnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/48bc15f0-7cdc-11ef-bfbf-d013ded6e4f5-1024x579.jpeg)
The 2024-25 NBA season is right here! We’re breaking down the largest questions, best- and worst-case eventualities, and fantasy outlooks for all 30 groups. Get pleasure from!
BOSTON CELTICS
2023-24 end
Offseason strikes
-
Additions: Lonnie Walker IV, Baylor Scheierman
-
Subtractions: Oshae Brissett, Svi Mykhailiuk
The Huge Query: Are the Celtics as motivated to repeat?
The Celtics posted the very best web score of any group in 5 years, received 64 video games and by no means performed greater than 5 video games in a playoff sequence, cruising to final season’s championship. They usually returned the whole lot of the deepest playoff rotation within the league. There ought to be little doubt about this season’s title favourite.
The NBA has not produced a repeat champion since 2018 — for good purpose. It’s wealthy with expertise. Gamers really feel freer to swap uniforms, and even when everybody desires to remain, the brand new collective bargaining settlement makes it extra punitive to maintain them. The basketball panorama modifications as quick as the remainder of the world, and the Celtics possession group’s intent to promote the group carries one other diploma of monetary uncertainty.
Then once more, everybody bought paid. Al Horford, a 38-year-old who has made almost $300 million in his profession, is the one one within the rotation not signed by subsequent season. Jrue Vacation and Derrick White each inked longterm extensions, and each appear comfy ceding touches. There aren’t any contracts to quibble over.
However beware human nature. Championships include a great deal of potential distractions from the sport. Everybody on the group sacrificed final season to collectively obtain an final purpose; how motivated are they to achieve the identical purpose this season? Do their objectives change into individualized? Is Jayson Tatum pushed to win an MVP award? Does that impression his partnership with Jaylen Brown? Chemistry frays in some ways.
Neither Celtics govt Brad Stevens nor head coach Joe Mazzulla expressed any reservations on media day about how their group would reply to the problem of chasing a second straight title.
“They perceive the goal they’ve [on their backs],” mentioned Stevens. “They perceive how human nature will play a job in opposition to you. They perceive it’ll be very tough to win the primary sport, win the second sport, play 82 of them, after which see the place you land after that. They have been by it.”
In the meantime, a trio of elite Japanese Convention opponents improved their rosters. The Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks all signed wings this offseason of their quest to counter Tatum and Brown. New York’s further acquisition of Karl-Anthony Towns might have additional narrowed the 14-game chasm between the Celtics and second-place Knicks final season, and any corrosion of Boston’s championship mettle might shut the hole altogether.
To which Brown mentioned on media day, “I might care much less what is going on on across the league.”
It doesn’t assist that Kristaps Porziņģis is sidelined to begin the season. The Celtics are optimistic about his hastened progress from a uncommon ankle harm, however they have to be cautious with an oft-injured 7-foot-2 unicorn. Is an excessive amount of requested of Horford? Do Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman play heavier into the middle combine? Boston received its title largely with out Porziņģis in final season’s playoffs, however the margins are slimmer.
In principle, the Celtics have all of the solutions, they usually espoused them during their reintroduction to the media. However there aren’t theoretical titles. They’re tangibly stitched into the banner that Boston will increase on opening evening. Time to chase one other one. Time to see if these solutions had been simply lip service.
Finest-case state of affairs
It doesn’t take a genius. Porziņģis returns wholesome and stays that approach, elevating Boston’s ceiling to unimaginable heights. Everybody on the roster is healthier for his championship expertise and performs with a confidence that sharpens a killer rotation. Mazzulla mindmelds his roster into detaching completely from the final title and attaching solely to the thought of one other. They usually do what the previous 5 champions couldn’t — repeat, cementing themselves as a budding dynasty and one of many biggest groups in historical past.
If all the pieces falls aside
Porziņģis’ well being considerations linger all through a season from hell. Tatum’s taking pictures woes proceed, and his stubbornness to shoot by them disrupts the vibes of the NBA’s best starting five. Brown’s rising star overshadows Tatum, and chemistry crumbles from the highest down. They can not restore it in time to keep away from an earlier playoff exit, and the brand new possession group is unwilling to pay for the present roster subsequent season. What made the Celtics so nice, their depth, is gone, and so too is their championship window.
Fantasy spin
Piggybacking off of the uncertainty surrounding Porzingis’ well being, fantasy managers have gotten equally involved. Porzingis’ ADP fell to the ninth spherical over the previous week — a drop-off of 10 spots to 98th general. That mentioned, you should take him if he slips past the mid-to-late ninth spherical. A real draft-and-stash, KP gives an excessive amount of upside even when he requires a ramp-up program following his focused December return date.
Within the meantime, Tatum, White, Brown and Vacation will maintain it down for fantasy managers as prime 70 gamers. One different participant to control is Payton Pritchard. Thanks to Jaylen Brown’s honesty and trolling, we discovered that the Celtics might scheme to get extra alternatives for his or her key rotational gamers in opposition to lower-tiered opponents. Because the presumed sixth man, Pritchard has confirmed to be an efficient and effective fantasy asset each time he receives at the very least 20 minutes of motion. — Dan Titus
2024-25 schedule
Boston might win 60 video games in its sleep, with or with out Porziņģis. Take the over.
