The dialog: Can the Celtics repeat their method and repeat as NBA champions?

I am not going to say that the 2023-24 Boston Celtics solved trendy basketball, however they had been the kind of group that makes you ask whether or not such a factor is feasible. They began 4 perimeter gamers who might dribble, go and shoot, plus a 7-foot-2 sniper who cashed 30-footers. All of these perimeter guys had been elite defenders who stood between 6-foot-4 and 6-foot-8 and had been comfy switching up or down. The large sniper doubled as a rim protector who might capably execute a number of defensive coverages, as might his backup, a five-time All-Star going after his first title in Yr 17.

Boston did not change the sport by going after switchable defenders who can do all the things, and so they had been removed from the primary group to reap the benefits of 5-out spacing. All people has been attempting to construct rosters like this for years, together with the Celtics themselves, who got here up quick within the 2022 Finals and the 2023 playoffs. With Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis within the image, although, that they had the league’s most stacked beginning 5 and the lineup that finest exemplified the trendy perfect: Everybody’s a risk on offense, nobody’s a legal responsibility on protection.

Now they’re again — aside from Porzingis, who’s recovering from offseason surgical procedure — and so they have not modified a lot. Jayson Tatum’s jumper seems to be higher within the preseason. Baylor Scheierman might conceivably crack the rotation. If Boston would not repeat, it will not be as a result of its method is any much less highly effective, however as a result of its competitors is extra so. Within the East, the Sixers acquired Paul George, the Knicks acquired Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, the Magic acquired Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the Bucks and Cavs acquired wholesome. There are a slew of worthy challengers within the West, too, together with a group in OKC whose roster is constructed equally. Can any of those groups clear up the Celtics?

The state of play

Final yr: Together with the playoffs, the Celtics performed 101 video games and received 80 of them. That they had a plus-11.7 level differential within the common season (No. 1 on offense, No. 2 on protection), spaced the ground higher than anyone ever has and manipulated matchups on each ends by attempting some outright bizarre stuff. Vacation and Porzingis slot in precisely as anticipated, and so they overcame Porzingis’ postseason accidents partially as a result of their depth held up higher than many anticipated, albeit principally in opposition to opponents that had been shorthanded themselves. Stevens received Government of the Yr, Tatum made the All-NBA First Crew, White and Vacation made the All-Defensive Second Crew and Brown received Finals MVP.

The offseason: Tatum, Vacation and White all received gold medals, and there was nothing weird in regards to the expertise for any of them. Brown did not win a gold medal, and there was nothing weird about that both. Tatum, White and Hauser all signed extensions, and one in all them was the most important in NBA historical past. Kornet was the primary participant off the board in free company because he thought this would be funny, and each Xavier Tillman and Neemias Queta re-signed, too. Scheierman, picked No. 30, looks like a great match, a minimum of on offense.

Greatest case for 2024-25: The defending champs are so dominant with out Porzingis that, when he comes again, a number of groups attempt to commerce for Kornet; after one other 60-win season, they remove the full-strength Bucks (the No. 8 seed due to an injury-plagued common season), Knicks and Sixers in probably the most spectacular playoff run conceivable, then seize Banner 19 with one other gentleman’s sweep. 

Worst case 2024-25: Tatum’s taking pictures kind is a seasonlong topic of debate, as are the well being of Porzingis’ ankle and Horford’s lateral mobility; all three appear superb at some factors and never superb in any respect at others, with the Celtics’ deeply disappointing second-round sequence in opposition to the Sixers touchdown squarely within the latter class.

The dialog

Celtics believer: What a pleasant assortment of expertise there’s on this group. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown can be implausible in any context, however with all of the area on the earth and top-tier defenders round them, they are often the perfect variations of themselves. Any contender would like to have a Jrue Vacation or Derrick White sort, and Boston has each of them! I am inspired, too, by the information that Kristaps Porzingis is recovering from surgery faster than expected. Now it is nearly seeing how the group jells and responds to adversity. I actually really feel just like the Celtics might win a championship, do not you?

Celtics skeptic: Uh, they only did. There was a parade and all the things. Why are you speaking in regards to the defending champs as if final season by no means occurred?

Celtics believer: Did not you get the memo? The Celtics aren’t “defending” anything. This can be a new season, and so they have a brand new objective, which they may assault with the ferocity and focus of a pod of killer whales. So far as I am involved, final season by no means occurred. All we now have is the current second, and Joe Mazzulla has made certain that his group understands this.

Celtics skeptic: Oh no, you’ve got been totally Mazzulla-pilled. Does this imply you will not acknowledge that there could possibly be some points right here? Porzingis is a large query mark, Al Horford is 38 and the most important offseason addition was … Baylor Scheierman, aka Sam Hauser 2.0? I am not attempting to place an asterisk on the title or something, however the Celtics had been lucky final season. That they had an easy-peasy path to the Finals, and, once they acquired there, they did not need to face the group that was finest outfitted to beat them, as Tatum himself has acknowledged. I believe the street shall be rougher this time, and I additionally surprise what is going on to occur to this core in a yr or two. The group is on the market, and the payroll might be not sustainable. This uncertainty can create a way of unease that impacts what occurs on the court docket.

Celtics believer: Deliver it on! Uncertainty is customary within the NBA, and the Celtics aren’t afraid of anyone. Horford has been listening to individuals write him off due to his age since his first stint in Boston. Porzingis has overcome extra extreme accidents than this one. You might even see potential “points,” however they solely see challenges. If the spacing is not as pristine with out KP, that is lovely. It’s going to problem all of the ballhandlers to make tougher reads. It’s going to problem Xavier Tillman to knock down his 3s. I resent the notion that I have been “Mazzulla-pilled,” by the way in which — he is a coach, not a cult chief, and he is removed from the one one within the group who understood the significance of transferring on final June. Brad Stevens said in the summer that he “put final season to mattress” instantly after the parade. The subsequent day, he was at a draft exercise.

Celtics skeptic: How far can you’re taking this they-only-see-challenges idea? If Tatum and Brown each undergo severe accidents within the season opener, the remainder of the season can be fairly large problem, proper? Treating setbacks and shortcomings as alternatives for development shouldn’t be some revolutionary, unique-to-Boston idea, and it would not inure you from the results of your so-called challenges. When Mazzulla says that the Celtics “shouldn’t miss a beat” without KP, I get that he is attempting to mannequin the “next-man-up” mentality that each group within the league claims to have, but it surely’s annoying! It is also kind of insulting to Porzingis. The subsequent man up is not pretty much as good! I do know I sound like I’m am doing a Jeff Van Gundy bit, however I am severe: If you are going to faux each downside Boston may need is a few form of secret blessing on its path again to the highest of the mountain, I do not see the purpose in bringing them up.

Celtics believer: No, please, go forward. Inform me about these issues. The Celtics do not run from their issues. They love issues. They love fixing issues. (Additionally, that is former Celtics senior advisor Jeff Van Gundy.)

Celtics skeptic: Nicely, earlier than the Celtics received all of it, they saved getting in their very own method. They barely escaped two tougher-than-they-should-have-been seven-game sequence in 2022, then went up 2-1 within the Finals earlier than their offense fell aside. They fell down 3-0 in opposition to the No. 8 seed within the subsequent yr’s convention finals, and, even after large roster upgrades — and a traditionally dominant common season — many specialists thought they’d self-destruct once more final yr. Half of this web site’s panel of prognosticators picked the Mavs in the Finals, and more than half of ESPN’s did. Boston acquired the job finished that point, however I am unsure that it really solved all its problems. After enjoying a few of its finest basketball of the season within the third quarter of Sport 3, it allowed Dallas to go on a 22-2 run within the fourth quarter. What if Doncic hadn’t fouled out with greater than 4 minutes left? What if the Celtics had performed Denver as an alternative? Had the Celtics misplaced, heading into this season it could be a completely totally different dialogue — about how they should have poise within the playoffs, put stress on the rim, pressure extra turnovers and push the tempo.

Celtics believer: You are nearly there. Come on, say it with me: Final season would not matter! Had they misplaced within the first spherical, I’d say completely nothing totally different to you in regards to the roster and the challenges that lie forward. I agree with you that the Celtics should be poised, stress the rim, pressure extra turnovers and play with tempo. Playoffs, preseason, common season, observe, no matter — the usual ought to be excessive. They’re competing in opposition to themselves, and execution is all the things. That stated, there shall be occasions once they play terribly. The objective is to not overreact to a 22-2 run, a horrible loss or a 40-point win. As Mazzulla says, profitable is simply as harmful as shedding.

Celtics skeptic: You’re driving me insane. My level is that, whereas the numbers recommend that the 2023-24 Celtics had been head and shoulders above the competitors, I am not satisfied that they actually had been. They by no means needed to go in opposition to a group like this yr’s Sixers, who can throw Paul George, Kelly Oubre and Caleb Martin on their perimeter gamers. They by no means needed to go in opposition to a group like this yr’s Knicks, who can do the identical with Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart. Execution is not all the things — expertise is clearly crucial variable — however it’s certainly vital, and it is a lot more durable to execute in opposition to opponents like that. The irony right here, although, is that, regardless of my considerations, I do not assume every other contender has fairly matched Boston’s mixture of spacing and defensive versatility. I would not take the Celtics over the sector, but when I needed to decide one group to win the title, it would be them. Technically, this may make me extra optimistic about their probabilities than you might be, because you appear to have stripped profitable and shedding of any that means, defeating the aim of this whole train.