Coming near a championship doesn’t reduce it in Boston. This summer time, the Celtics put their cash the place their mouth is.
Less than a month faraway from a heartbreaking Game 7 loss to the Heat, and a yr after coming two wins quick within the NBA Finals, they shook every part as much as their core. Literally. Marcus Smart – the franchise’s cornerstone, heartbeat and spine – was shockingly traded as they acquired Kristaps Porzingis.
“Sometimes really, really hard decisions have to be made,” Brad Stevens stated shortly after.
If it wasn’t already clear the Celtics weren’t messing round, they doubled down on the eve of coaching camp. In the wake of Milwaukee’s acquisition of Damian Lillard, the C’s didn’t hesitate to leap forward of different contenders to commerce for Jrue Holiday.
The message was easy: It’s time to win. Now.
“Is there pressure?” Jayson Tatum stated. “Yeah, we have a really good team. We have really good players. People expect us to get to the championship and win, and when we don’t, we didn’t necessarily meet expectations.”
There aren’t any excuses this yr.
The Celtics have essentially the most proficient roster within the league, led by All-NBA gamers Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. They now have a confirmed champion of their locker room in Holiday. The franchise’s possession headed by Wyc Grousbeck and Steve Pagliuca gave Stevens the nod to blow via the wage cap’s second apron, placing all their chips on the desk this season to win their first championship since 2008.
For the Celtics, it’s championship or bust.
Five keys for the Celtics as they start their quest for Banner No. 18 with tonight’s season opener in opposition to the Knicks:
1. Health
It appears apparent, however but for these uber-talented Celtics, staying wholesome may be crucial key. If they do, there’s no purpose they gained’t be celebrating subsequent June.
Of course, that’s simpler stated than achieved. And it requires some luck. The Celtics weren’t as lucky final season, after they misplaced Robert Williams for the primary two months of the season – although they overcame that – earlier than staying comparatively wholesome till the Eastern Conference Finals. That’s when, on the worst potential time, Malcolm Brogdon suffered an damage that stored him out of a lot of the remaining spherical earlier than Tatum’s brutal ankle damage on the primary play of Game 7. If these accidents don’t occur, the tip of final season may need been a special story.
Celtics takeaways: Kristaps Porzingis shines in debut as C’s win preseason opener
All eyes this season middle on Porzingis. The 7-foot-3 middle’s damage historical past isn’t any secret. Just this summer time, he suffered plantar fasciitis in his proper foot that compelled him out of the FIBA World Cup. He returned to Celtics coaching camp absolutely wholesome and seemed terrific within the preseason with no restrictions.
It was no coincidence that Porzingis had a profession season final yr in Washington whereas having one of many healthiest seasons of his profession, and the Celtics are hoping he’ll construct on that as he enters his prime. He’s an elite three-level scorer who’s nearly unattainable to cease together with his mixture of measurement and talent, and his presence is predicted to make the Celtics’ offense unstoppable. But there’s some uncertainty with Porzingis, who has solely performed in 10 playoff video games in his profession. Can he maintain up for a full season, and the way will he endure a grueling playoff run whereas matching up in opposition to the likes of Bam Adebayo, Giannis Antetekounmpo and Joel Embiid?
After the departure of Robert Williams, the frontcourt depth is skinny if Porzingis or 37-year-old Al Horford go down at any level. That’s a threat the Celtics are prepared to take, and it may actually affect the end result of their season.
2. Defensive consistency
The Celtics have been actually no slouches on protection final season as they completed second within the league in defensive score within the common season. But they may by no means depend on it like they did throughout their NBA Finals run in 2022. It allow them to down throughout the Eastern Conference Finals, when inconsistency on that finish put them in a 3-0 collection gap they finally couldn’t recuperate from.
While they traded their defensive quarterback in Smart, the Celtics made protection a precedence this summer time.
It began with Brown, who went out of his approach throughout his supermax extension press convention to say he wished to verify the Celtics didn’t relaxation defensively for the upcoming season. That message continued via coaching camp and the preseason.
“I think that we’re going to go into the year stronger defensively,” Brown stated. “I think we gotta continue to emphasize that throughout the year and can’t let it dip or wane. I want to be one of the guys that makes that an emphasis for us. Obviously we have some All-NBA defenders, Jrue and (Derrick) White. We gotta come in and really have an impact for 82 games on the defensive end of the ball.”
The acquisition of Holiday was important, giving the Celtics the grit and toughness they misplaced with Smart. Arguably the most effective defensive guard within the NBA, Holiday’s ball strain and defensive acumen is a game-changer for the Celtics on that finish of the ground. He’ll pair up with one other all-league defender in White to kind the most effective defensive backcourt within the NBA. Tatum and Brown appear motivated to indicate what they’ll do defensively, Porzingis and Horford present nice rim safety and the Celtics boast a number of versatile defenders on their bench. The personnel for an amazing protection are there.
The teaching is there, too. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla admitted initially of coaching camp that he didn’t do sufficient final season to demand constant defensive performances. That messaging has modified this season. Mazzulla has emphasised it in several methods. Last season, the C’s ranked on the backside of the league in forcing turnovers, and Mazzulla recognized that as a spotlight this season as he tries to take away the variance of unhealthy capturing nights by creating extra possessions.
“There was a lot of times last year where we were a great defensive team, and there were times where we didn’t make that our foundation,” Mazzulla stated. “So at the end of the day, you just have to compromise. Defense is what gets you in the door, defense is the admission ticket, but it’s toughness, it’s mindset, it’s the ability to just be physical on both ends of the floor. So you just have to do it, like you don’t have a choice.”
3. Next step for Tatum, Brown
The lasting reminiscences of final spring weren’t fond for Tatum and Brown. Tatum’s final significant minutes of the season have been spent attempting to beat that ankle damage, and he by no means did. With Tatum hobbled, Brown tried to do greater than he may and he dedicated a career-high eight turnovers within the Game 7 loss.
The two Celtics stars, honest or not, have acquired a lot of the blame when issues go incorrect. But now, after years of expertise, there aren’t any excuses left for them. It’s time for them to ship.
The commerce of Smart was perceived by some to permit Tatum, coming into his seventh yr, and Brown, coming into his eighth, to develop because the leaders of this crew, and each have acknowledged that their voices will get louder and that they should do extra within the absence of their former level guard. This is undoubtedly their crew now. Both have one other stage to succeed in, most significantly within the remaining phases of the playoffs, the place each of them have come up quick the final couple of seasons.
Brown, after signing a document contract extension this summer time, is aware of there’s a fair larger accountability to ship now.
“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t motivated,” Brown stated. “I’m extremely motivated. I’m the type of guy that always finds a chip on my shoulder … not being able to get to the ultimate goal so far in my career is something that gives you extra motivation. So I’m excited about the year. I’m excited about the journey and I’m ready to go.”
4. Mazzulla a yr wiser
Mazzulla admitted that final coaching camp was a blur. Suddenly thrust into the job after Ime Udoka’s suspension, the rookie head coach had no time to assume. He overcame rising pains for a lot of the common season however made some expensive errors within the playoffs. It didn’t assist that he misplaced his high assistant mid-season, both. There was loads to study.
But coming into this season, Mazzulla is about up for achievement. He had the good thing about a full offseason to organize, and he’s now surrounded by loads of expertise round him, together with new assistants Sam Cassell and Charles Lee. The Celtics even added Jeff Van Gundy to the combo as a senior marketing consultant.
Jayson Tatum praises Celtics’ tradition change beneath Joe Mazzulla: ‘We’ve all purchased in’
Last season, Mazzulla might be excused for a few of the errors he made. But not a lot anymore. To his credit score, he’s taken full accountability and possession. His first season offered loads of classes to use this yr, and he’s already began.
“I’ve seen the growth,” Tatum stated. “Not that he didn’t do a great job last year, but he’s just had more time to prepare. He was able to get a staff that he felt like supported him the best way. And he’s helped change the culture a little bit in a lot of ways honestly. I feel like he’s had his imprint on how he wants things to be, how he wants to practice, how he wants the environment, the vibe. And we’ve all bought in.”
5. Sacrifice
One of the buzzwords of camp has been sacrifice, and it’s been shouted from the highest.
Beyond well being, a crew this star-driven may realistically solely be derailed from inside. There’s a ton of expertise, and a crew this loaded clearly doesn’t at all times work prefer it’s presupposed to, particularly within the current historical past of the league. Egos must be left on the door. Sacrifice is a necessity.
“It’s been an adjustment period,” Tatum acknowledged. “At some point this year everybody’s gonna have to sacrifice. Essentially we’ve probably got six starters. And you can only play five, only five guys can finish the game. So between those six guys, any given night somebody might come off the bench, somebody might not finish, and it’s on all of us to understand that whoever’s night it is it’s for the better of the team. And we really have to buy into that. And it’s not easy sacrificing but it’s something we all have to do.”
To the Celtics’ credit score, their stars have stated all the suitable issues in camp. Porzingis has are available with the right perspective. Holiday is aware of what it takes, having gained a championship two years in the past. Horford, who’s prone to come off the bench for a lot of the season, has embraced that position.
It’s all for one purpose.
“Most important thing is winning,” Brown stated. “I think everybody is at that stage in their career for the most part, so I think that we all understand that. … From top to bottom, we just have to trust each other and make the right reads. We have great players and do what we do. The game will tell you who’s going to make the sacrifice and who’s not. It’s going to switch up from time to time. All our guys gotta be willing. The only thing that matters is winning.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com