Ahead of the NBA season, each team faces several key questions. The reigning champion Boston Celtics are aiming for a title repeat. These five questions will be critical for the Celtics to have a successful season and their title defense.
5 Crucial Questions for the Celtics This Season
Who Will Break into the Rotation?
With Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser, the one through eight of Boston’s rotation is set. However, the ninth spot of the rotation presents an opportunity for solid minutes. With Porzingis’ injury and Horford’s age, a chance for one of the Celtics’ bigs to become a mainstay in the rotation feels the most probable. Xavier Tillman, Luke Kornet, and Neemias Queta will all compete for permanent minutes.
Tillman offers a similar skill set as Horford as a versatile, high-IQ big man. Over the offseason, Tillman has worked on his three-point shot, the possibility of him developing as a spot-up corner shooter is highly intriguing and could help cement his spot in the rotation. Kornet is an efficient lob threat and shot blocker. While he’s not super mobile, Kornet plays his role effectively and is someone Joe Mazzulla trusts. At 25, Queta has the most upside of the group, although he’s also fairly raw. Queta is a mobile big man and a high-quality rebounder. However, he needs to work on finishing consistently and his defensive discipline. Ultimately, seeing which center benefits from this increased opportunity will be exciting.
One of these big men has the best chance to break into the Celtics rotation. However, the role of young players Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, and Jaden Springer is intriguing. While wing and guard minutes aren’t as available, expect all of these players to get some opportunity during the regular season. Last season, the Celtics ranked 26th in bench scoring the possible emergence of these players could give Boston another element making them even more dangerous.
Will Tatum’s Efficiency Improve?
Tatum’s efficiency was a major point of contention during the playoffs. Notably, he shot 42.7 percent from the field and 28.3 from three. Tatum tweaked his jump shot over the offseason, which removed a small hitch, and looks far more fluid now. Efficiency has never been a major problem for Tatum in the regular season at the same time, it’s never been his calling card. Last season, he shot 47.1 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from beyond the arc. However, with his new jump shot, his efficiency may significantly improve.
Furthermore, many people are wondering if Tatum’s playoffs were an outlier or a sign of things to come. Regardless of his scoring efficiency, Tatum is a high-impact, well-rounded star. However, with improved efficiency, Tatum would receive more praise from the media and possibly sneak into the top five or even top three of MVP voting. Ultimately, improved scoring efficiency raises Tatum’s and the Celtics’ ceiling even higher.
Jayson Tatum’s fixed jumper
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@GwashburnGlobe) pic.twitter.com/aoicbRfA8Z
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 25, 2024
Can Porzingis Stay Healthy?
Perhaps the most obvious and discussed question around the Celtics season is the health of Kristaps Porzingis. The Celtics were able to win the title without Porzingis for the majority of the playoffs. However, with several teams upgrading their roster, winning the title without a healthy and productive Porzingis will be more challenging. Porzingis will miss the start of the season after getting a rare leg surgery this offseason. His exact return date isn’t known; however, he will be out until at least late December. Once Porzingis is back in the lineup, the Celtics will likely take a cautious approach, reducing his minutes and resting him on back-to-backs.
Last season, Porzingis averaged 29.7 per game, considering his sizable injury history, once he returns, his minutes will likely be even lower. Porzingis is a versatile rim protector and elite interior scorer. This skill set gives the Celtics another element and raises their upside. Preserving Porzingis’ health will be a key storyline for the Celtics all season long.
What Level of Production Can Boston Get From Al Horford?
Closely connected to Porzingis’ health and the Celtics center rotation is Horford’s production. Horford remains a high-quality all-around center, but at 38, it’s worth wondering how many minutes you can get from him. Last season, Horford averaged 8.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 26.8 minutes a night. With Porzingis’ injury in the playoffs, Horford played 30.3 minutes per game. Even with Porzingis out for the start of the season, Horford will likely be closer to the 25-minute range. The Celtics will also continue to rest Horford on back-to-back games.
Seeing if one of the Celtics’ backup centers will emerge or if the Celtics will primarily count on Horford during important games will be interesting. Similarly, it will be crucial to watch if Horford can keep his same level of production at 38. Horford’s high-IQ passing and spot shooting are likely to remain the same however, his defensive switchability and mobility are more likely to decline.
Can They Continue This Level of Dominance?
Last season, the Celtics won 64 games while being 14 games ahead of the second seed and posted a 16-3 record in the playoffs. Notably, the Celtics also had a top-five net rating and point differential of all-time. By all measurements, this was a historically dominant squad. With the core still intact, the Celtics are favored to repeat as champions. While many teams, including the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers in the East, made significant roster upgrades, the Celtics’ balance and talent still stands out. Sometimes, great teams are even better in their title defense season; the ’01 Lakers and ’92 Bulls are two examples of this.
Considering the improvements of teams around them and a more conservative approach to the regular season, the Celtics winning more than 64 games or having a 14-game advantage in the East doesn’t feel likely. Nevertheless, being the top seed, along with a 60-win season feels realistic. Similarly, it will be hard to replicate a 16-3 playoff run, however, they could post a record within that range. In the playoffs, Boston might play in more close games but they may turn into a clutch time juggernaut. This, paired with their ability to blow teams out, could make this year’s Celtics team feel more complete.
The criticism Tatum received and Brown’s Team USA snub will add some extra motivation, ensuring the stars won’t be complacent. Both stars may raise their level of play even more. Ultimately, the Celtics might not be as dominant statistically or record-wise however, this squad might be more dominant from an eye-test standpoint.
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