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Opening Night is finally here, and the Boston Celtics start off against Eastern Conference rival Philadelphia 76ers. With a new-look Celtics team going against a Sixers squad eager to prove it’s one of the best in the East when healthy, it’s bound to be an interesting first matchup for Boston.
There are three big questions heading into this game:
1. Is Jaylen Brown ready to be the man?
The Celtics will only go as far as Jaylen Brown leads them. With Jayson Tatum sidelined and much of the Celtics’ veteran core gone — including Al Horford, Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday — this feels like Brown’s moment. For the first time in his career, he’s the unquestioned No. 1 option and the team’s leader on and off the court.
Brown has always thrived alongside Tatum but has shown the ability to take over games, like he did in the NBA Finals a couple of years ago. Now, the question is: Can he do it consistently over the course of the season? Can he lead the team in scoring while also maintaining his effort defensively? He has all the tools to be a top-10 player in the league.
This stretch without Tatum isn’t just a test of Brown’s scoring ability; it’s a chance to show he can be The Guy — the leader who steadies the Celtics when things aren’t going well. Against a team like Philadelphia, it’s a perfect opportunity for him to step up and make a statement.
2. How will the Celtics defend Joel Embiid?
With Horford, Luke Kornet and Porziņģis no longer on the roster, the Celtics have a major question mark at the center position. During the preseason, Neemias Queta and Luka Garza saw the most minutes at center.
When healthy, Embiid is a top-five player in the league, and the former MVP will be looking to start strong after missing most of last season. In the past, the Celtics could rely on Horford to contain him. When Horford wasn’t available, Boston often opted to let Embiid get his points while locking down the rest of the Sixers’ lineup.
Size-wise, Queta matches up well with Embiid. However, Embiid is known for drawing fouls, so it’s paramount that Queta avoids biting on shot fakes and getting into foul trouble. It wouldn’t be surprising if Chris Boucher also saw some minutes against Embiid, though he’ll be giving up significant size.
3. What will Joe Mazzulla’s rotation look like?
One of Mazzulla’s strengths over the years has been finding the right balance and chemistry with his rotations. The Stay Ready group has often shined off the bench, and Mazzulla knows he can rely on them.
This preseason, one player many thought would take the next step was Baylor Scheierman. However, based on the preseason, Scheierman may need more development before making a major contribution. Scheierman can shoot — that’s his specialty — but to play for Mazzulla, you need to be versatile.
For example, Sam Hauser entered the league as an elite shooter but was a defensive liability early in his career. He improved his on-ball defense and is now a more complete player. Scheierman will need to follow a similar path to crack the rotation.
Rookie Hugo González had a strong preseason, showing he can do a bit of everything. Defensively, he was impressive, and his playmaking ability could earn him opportunities down the line. It’s hard to gauge how ready he is, though, since few teams played their full rotations in the preseason.
It’ll be an interesting season, and Mazzulla will have to find the right balance. Still, he has plenty of intriguing options in Anfernee Simons, Boucher, Josh Minott, González, Hauser and Scheierman.
