Your Boston Celtics simply received Banner 18. We’ll have fun that for fairly a while, however the drive to Banner 19 has already began. So let’s discuss concerning the Celtics possibilities of repeating.
First the excellent news: Boston will convey again their complete core subsequent yr. That’s a luxurious that the majority title groups haven’t loved. That continuity will solely make this staff (which was already lapping the sector) much more formidable. They’ve a confirmed system on either side of the ball and now they’ll be coming into the season as confirmed champions. The collective weight falling off their shoulders will give them added confidence and swagger. Hey, it would even loosen them up a bit throughout these dry offensive stretches that individuals prefer to complain about a lot. They need to enter the season as favorites to win all of it once more.
With all that stated, the highway received’t be straightforward: For one factor the competitors goes to get higher. Within the East we will’t rely on the opposite staff’s damage woes once more and out West the Nuggets, Wolves, or Thunder may show to be a more durable matchup than the Mavericks. Talking of damage woes, the Celtics might be monitoring Kristaps Porzingis’ well being all summer season. Al Horford is seemingly ageless, however sooner or later Father Time catches up with all males. Down the road Brad Stevens goes to must navigate ever tightening restrictions from the CBA, so tweaks across the edges might be more durable and more durable to hit on.
So how are you guys feeling concerning the highway to repeating?
Mark Aboyoun
I’m assured that the staff can repeat. All final season I used to be very assured that we’d make the Finals and when the damage bug hit the opposite groups, I used to be sure we’d get by the East. Nevertheless, there’s a great probability all of those groups received’t be as injured subsequent yr. Philly needs to be stronger behind Embiid and Maxey and with their cap house they’ll purchase one other star. The Bucks didn’t have a wholesome Giannis in order that they’ll be a risk too, along with the Knicks, Pacers, and Warmth.
This postseason confirmed that matchups matter. Within the West nobody noticed the Mavs attending to the Finals, however they matched up properly in opposition to most groups, till they bumped into Boston. Equally with the Nuggets, they confronted a Wolves staff that was a foul matchup for them.
If Boston can keep wholesome, particularly KP, there aren’t many groups that present a foul matchup for us. The highway to the Finals might be more durable as a result of different groups might be more healthy and I don’t see Boston shedding solely three video games throughout your entire playoffs.
Sam LaFrance
I really feel like this staff has pretty much as good of an opportunity as any to repeat. They received’t be shedding any core items (perhaps Luke, hopefully not) and have all the essential guys locked up, not solely by subsequent season, however lengthy sufficient to the place their impending deal received’t be looming above the staff all yr.
My largest concern must be well being. The obvious angle right here is Kristaps’ distinctive damage. He’s going to want surgical procedure and can have a “months-long” restoration course of, based on Tim Bontemps. On prime of that, Boston is taking a look at at the least two guys who might be taking part in for Staff USA on the Olympics. Jrue Vacation and Jayson Tatum are going to have their sturdiness examined this summer season. The Olympics don’t wrap up till early August, in order that they’ll have, what, a month off earlier than coaching camp? To not point out that Derrick White could also be becoming a member of them if Kawhi Leonard drops out.
This core has spent the previous a number of seasons taking part in deep into the spring. I’m not rooting for it, however finally, fatigue does catch up. Hopefully Tatum and Jaylen Brown are nonetheless younger sufficient the place that received’t be felt as a lot.
Wealthy Jensen
Repeating is tough… Except you performed with Invoice Russell, you most likely misplaced the final recreation of the season extra typically than you received it.
However the C’s have pretty much as good an opportunity as any staff not too long ago. In a league that’s drawing expertise from everywhere in the world, two of the C’s property, chemistry and training are so essential. Uncooked expertise alone simply doesn’t reduce it anymore.
That stated, these guys have to grasp they’re going to get everyone’s finest shot each evening. They had been one of the best staff within the East earlier than their playoff foes suffered accidents, so well being of the remainder of the East isn’t a giant concern for me.
They should notice that the subsequent one might be as difficult in its manner as this one was.
Ben Vallis
One of the annoying elements of the ‘23-’24 season was conserving Kristaps Porzingis wholesome. The Celtics managed to realize that, after which promptly un-achieved it as quickly because the playoff began. Kristaps will now have offseason surgical procedure, and his well being might be a lingering concern all through the season. Moreover, Jayson Tatum and Jrue Vacation, who’ve simply performed properly into the month of June, will now undertake a full Olympic Basketball marketing campaign. They’ll start the ‘24-’25 season with little time to relaxation and get better, whereas the Celtics are adorned with one more goal on their backs, this time that of defending champs.
Repeating is tough underneath one of the best of circumstances, and the Celtics don’t have any scarcity of restraints pulling them downward heading into 2025.
That stated, that is an exceptionally proficient roster with exponentially potent staff chemistry. In that sense, the championship standards stays because it was final yr; If wholesome, this staff needs to be taking part in in June.
Mike Dynon
Earlier than the opening recreation final October, I pinned a tweet with my predictions: 61 wins, prime seed, Banner 18. And, even higher with 64 wins, all of it got here true. I merely had full confidence that 2024 was the Celtics’ yr – and so they proved that it was.
Repeating is a bit completely different. Others have described a number of components that would sabotage the chase for back-to-back banners, however the largest impediment is more likely to be: Can the Celtics once more encourage themselves to win?
As quickly because the confetti began to fly, Jayson Tatum let free the chorus, “What they gonna say now?” He undoubtedly heard and was fed up with the criticism that grew louder yearly that the Celtics did not win. Jaylen Brown definitely felt it too. They and all their teammates knew that they needed to win the gold trophy. They had been determined, and it confirmed of their dominant season. A 16-3, principally stress-free playoff run is fairly particular. However now that they’ve the trophy, will they nonetheless be determined? It’s human nature to calm down a bit.
Joe Mazzulla has excelled in motivating these gamers and extracting from them their finest performances. Joe must do it once more, and the Jays have to set the tone that they won’t settle for failure. No matter it takes, as a result of profitable once more is even harder than profitable the primary time.
So, how assured am I? Barely much less assured than a yr in the past, however nonetheless conserving my calendar open for an additional duck boat parade subsequent June.
Steve Hooper
This title run ought to spotlight the truth that changing into the primary seed is actually the higher hand within the East, from a matchup perspective, the expertise drop off is actual.
Boston was 14 wins forward of the second place New York Knicks in 2023-24. Even when Boston fall in need of the epic win differential and lodge maybe 58 or 59 wins subsequent season, that ought to nonetheless place them within the field seat to take the #1 seed.
Positive the highway by the East will doubtless be much less damage fraught for these nearer tiered convention opponents: Philly, Milwaukee and New York. Nevertheless, Boston’s capacity to defend at a supremely excessive degree and get good & nice appears from past the three-point line evening in and evening out, ought to as soon as once more give them the sting over all their Jap Convention counterparts.
We get to the Finals once more and it comes right down to a better of seven collection, I like our probabilities.
