The Celtics of 2023–24 have enormous expectations.
After making roster changes in the summer, the Boston Celtics are expected to win Banner 18 in 2023–24. The team has been vying for an NBA title for a number of seasons.
The C’s now have more depth and firepower than they have in a long time thanks to the offseason additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, two All-Star caliber players, to a roster that already included Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, two
All-NBA players, as well as quality role players like Al Horford and Derrick White.
From the beginning of the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown duo, the Boston Celtics have had the highest expectations, and with good reason.
The Celtics, who have been the favorites in the Eastern Conference for the better part of the last five years, haven’t lived up to the anticipation. Nevertheless, Boston has been one of the early favorites to win the NBA Finals before the season even begins, presuming to win every season in recent memory.
Charles Barkley, a Hall of Famer and elite NBA troll, has Boston finishing this season exactly there.
On paper, the Celtics are the best team in the NBA, but you have to win games to really establish that. These elements will play a significant role in whether or not the C’s manage to complete the task and win Banner 18 this season.
When the 3-pointers aren’t falling, the Cs discover a reliable method to score.
The Celtics’ over-reliance on 3-pointers was one of their problems from the previous campaign.
Because of this, the C’s struggled to find alternative ways to score when these shots weren’t falling. This was seen frequently during the Eastern Conference Finals matchup with the Heat.
In their four losses in the series, the C’s shot 34.5 percent, 28.6 percent, 26.2 percent, and 21.4 percent on 3-point tries, respectively.
Before Boston’s game against the Knicks on Opening Night, Barkley stated, “The one thing the Celtics were missing was a point guard, and they got probably the best point guard available,” according to Ben Golliver of The Washington Post.
“Wow, man, the Milwaukee Bucks are going to be the favorite,” I exclaimed. When the Celtics acquired Jrue Holiday the following week, I thought, “Oh, let me change that.
” Thus, if you were to ask me now, I think the Celtics will win this game. I approve of the deal for Kristaps Porzingis.
Additionally, it wouldn’t be shocking if the Celtics used Tatum, Brown, Holiday, and White’s size and strength to push smaller opponents into the post and shot over them.
Boston would have been scheduled as a top-3 favorite without a doubt, even before the team went from being in the midst of an incredible comeback in the Eastern Conference finals to summer mode. But the offseason that just ended brings an additional amplifying factor.
Boston significantly enhanced both its coaching staff and roster, adding two proven All-Stars in Porzingis and Holiday, and surrounding head coach Joe Mazzulla with knowledgeable voices.
That alone took care of a few requirements that the Celtics needed to address in the most critical of circumstances, from the latter stretch of the regular season to the postseason.
The pick-and-roll options available to the Celtics are likewise incredibly diverse. In particular, the Tatum/Porzingis PnR has the makings of something unique.
The Celtics struggled with crunch-time offense in several of their postseason games the previous year. For instance, in the conference finals, they were the worst of the four semifinalists in all categories, averaging 25.3 points and shooting only 22.6 percent from 3-point range in the fourth quarter of the seven games.
For this Celtics squad, getting good looks at the hoop and making a greater proportion of those shots in crucial situations is perhaps the last step. They have the talent to make it to the NBA Finals or conference finals, but winning close games is necessary to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Over the past two seasons, Boston is 6-7 in playoff games decided by six points or less.
