18 Celtics storylines to follow in team's quest for Banner 18
BOSTON -- While last season didn't end on the greatest note for the Boston Celtics, it was still an incredibly successful and special season. The 2022-23 campaign figures to be even better.
Looking back at the run to the Finals, it's easy to feel disappointed that the Celtics didn't finish the job against the Warriors. They were five minutes away from going up 3-1 against the Warriors and let the series completely slip away. But it's also important to remember how they got there.
The second-half turnaround. Jayson Tatum owning the NBA for a two-month stretch. Sweeping the Nets. Game 6 and 7 against the Bucks. Squeaking it out against the Heat. Going up 2-1 on Golden State.
It was oh so close for the Celtics. But the moment proved to be too big (and Jayson Tatum too injured) and they came up short of their ultimate goal.
That has set up what could and should be another epic 2022-23 season. Tatum and Jaylen Brown are still young, but they're not the babies of the NBA they used to be. They're molding into chiseled and experienced vets, ones that are sick of Eastern Conference Finals appearances and want to experience NBA glory.
To Brad Stevens' credit, he didn't just stand pat and bring back the same team that went to the Finals. He made a major addition to the bench with Malcolm Brogdon, giving the Celtics some ridiculous guard depth and an even more terrifying defense.
There will be bumps along the way, because there are always bumps along the way. The Celtics have already navigated through some truly unique and troubling waters with Ime Udoka's season-long suspension, a situation that will likely rear its ugly head again at some point (or points) during the season.
But this team showed the ability to bounce back from just about everything last season, and now they're another year older, tougher, and experienced. They can handle just about anything.
With the Celtics set to tip off the new NBA season against the rival Philadelphia 76ers, here are the 18 storylines we're looking forward to following as Boston embarks on another quest for Banner 18.
The Motivation
Determined. Hungry. Motivated. All of those are great adjectives to describe the 2022-23 Boston Celtics, a team determined to seal the deal and bring home a title. Guilty of taking nights off last season (or weeks, as was the case early on), those instances will be a lot fewer this season, even as the team works in some "load management" to keep everyone fresh for the postseason.
The Jays
It really starts and ends with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The two young stars need to continue their ascension to becoming NBA elite.
Tatum is firmly entrenched as a Top 10 player in the league, but can he crack the Top 5 this season? He earned First-Team honors last season after being snubbed in 2021, and the next step will be to become a top MVP candidate.
Brown missed out on his second-straight All-Star nod last season, and then spent all summer hearing his name in trade rumors for Kevin Durant. He'll be as motivated as anyone on the roster this season.
Both players took massive steps to become better playmakers last season. In turn, they became better leaders on and off the floor. Now we'll see if they can leap over the final hurdle and become NBA champs.
Tatum's drive
Not that inner drive, since we already hit on that. Now we're talking about the 24-year-old putting his head down and attacking the basket like we know that he can. Be the beast, Jayson.
Just 22 percent of Tatum's shots last season came from under the basket (within three feet), while a whopping 41.6 percent of his shots came from downtown. Tatum shot a career-worst 35 percent from deep last season. He shot a career-best 74 percent on his bunny attempts.
That's a long way of saying we'd like to see Tatum drive to the hole more. Doing so would increase the 6.2 free throw attempts that he took last season (a career-high) and probably push his PPG up a bit as well. That would greatly improve Boston's offense, open things up a little more for the other guys on the wing, and help his MVP case come season's end.
Jaylen's handles
It's hard to forget Brown's turnover issues last postseason. (They weren't as bad as Tatum's but still pretty bad.) His handles have always been a bit of an issue, as Brown occasionally resembles a baby giraffe running for the first time when he gets going in open space. For the most part though, he looks like one of the best skywalkers in the game, erupting to the hole and slamming it down with authority.
Brown always brings a new trick or two into a new season. He's worked hard at fixing his handle, and if he can master that -- or at least cut down on his cough-ups -- then he will be an absolute force going forward. He has another level, and I expect him to unlock it this season.
Another DPOY?
The Celtics could have the Defensive Player of the Year in back-to-back years (Bam Adebayo will likely have something to say about that), but chances are it won't be Marcus Smart again in 2022-23. Odds of a guard winning the award are long enough, and winning back-to-back DPOYs is nearly impossible for that position.
Especially when there's a guy named Rob Williams sharing the court with Smart. Williams was one of the favorites to bring it home last year before he was hurt in March, and he'll be in the running again this year if he remains healthy. He changes everything on the defensive end of the floor for Boston. Some teams completely abandon their offensive game plan when Williams is roaming around ready to swat anything that comes his way. He is one of the most impactful defensive players in the league, and one of the most important players on the Celtics.
Rob's health -- and health overall
And that is why Williams' health is so darn important. The Celtics can survive without Williams for a few months, and will have to do so to start the season. But the Celtics must must must must must make sure that Williams is healthy for April, May, and (hopefully) June if they want any chance at a title.
Health in general is important, as always. The Celtics have the depth to give guys a night off here and there, which should help to preserve guys like Williams, Al Horford, and the team's two stars for when things matter the most.
The Joe Show
Managing minutes is just one of the many things that Joe Mazzulla will have to handle in his first year as an NBA head coach in place of Udoka. The pressure is obviously on for an unexperienced guy taking over a team with title aspirations, but he is stepping into a pretty good situation.
Mazzulla doesn't have to reinvent anything with the Celtics. And he doesn't have to be Udoka to get the team to play how they did from January on last season. He'll be tested (and likely questioned) when adversity arrives, but the Celtics have a solid core and great leadership in the locker room. That will help the rookie head coach.
But he will have his hands full managing some egos and the minutes for the older and/or injury-riddled guys on the roster. Good luck with all of that.
Malcolm in the Middle
Adding Malcolm Brogdon to this team gives the Celtics a legit scorer off the bench, a guy who can distribute and run an offense, and another defensive pest in the backcourt. He has said all the right things since being acquired from Indiana, eager to serve as Boston's top guy off the bench, and if all goes well, he'll get some serious consideration for Sixth Man of the Year.
It may take a little time for him to carve out his role, but once Brogdon gets going -- look out.
Managing Al
It would be unfair to expect the same rejuvenated Al Horford of last season, when the big man retuned to Boston and was a key part of the team's success. He played in 92 games overall, the most he's played since the 2015-16 season. Horford logged a lot of minutes and put a lot of mileage on his legs in his first trip to the NBA Finals. He averaged 35.4 minutes a night over his 23 playoff games.
Now 36, a regression is likely coming for Horford. That is just natural, unless he's got Tom Brady on speed dial. And the Celtics will have to be extra cautious with Horford to make sure he is still fresh and ready to go for the postseason. He'll be treated to at least a few "DNP -- load management" nights throughout the year.
But if Horford can play close to the level we saw in 2021-22, the Celtics are going to be in great shape.
White's comfort level
It's easy to forget that the Celtics still have Derrick White, further strengthening their depth off the bench. White struggled with some streakiness in his first half-season in Boston, but he should be a much more consistent player this year. He showed his versatility upon his arrival, and he should get even more open looks from downtown with the talent all over the floor. He just needs to hit them at a much more consistent pace.
Even more defense
With Brogdon joining Smart and White, the Celtics have one of the deepest and most defensively gifted backcourts in the NBA. Tatum and Brown are no slouches on the defensive end, either, and then there is that giant bouncy guy in the middle that can swat shots from here to next month.
It's going to be an absolute treat watching the Celtics defense make life miserable on opponents every night.
The Grant jokes
We got an idea of just how united this team was when Blake Griffin showed up and immediately felt comfortable making fun of Grant Williams. If one thing unifies this team more than anything else, it's everyone's love for making fun of the fourth-year undersized forward.
Players. Coaches. Fans. We are all united by the jabs we send at Grant and his personality.
And Williams handles it like a pro, mostly because it's all out of love. Grant has turned himself into a key contributor on the floor, and his personality breeds togetherness in the locker room. Even if that togetherness comes from an entire locker room making fun of his love for board games or his inability to stop talking for more than 12 seconds.
Hauser for threeeeeee
Celtics fans love emerging role players, and Sam Hauser fits that bill heading into the season. The team is going to need the former Maine standout to slide into the role that Danillo Gallinari would have filled and knock down threes. The 24-year-old looked perfectly capable of doing that in the preseason.
What does Blake have left?
Speaking of the bench, the C's brought in former No. 1 pick Blake Griffin to snag some rebounds and make some buckets off the end of the bench. Griffin is 33 with several major surgeries on his medical records, and the last we saw of him was when Jaylen Brown was actively hunting him down during Boston's first-round sweep of the Nets.
But the Celtics won't need Griffin to do much. He just has to help them weather the storm without Rob Williams early on, and then give Al Horford a breather from time to time. Hopefully he has that much left in the tank.
No sluggish start
The start of last season was no fun. The Celtics stunk and got off to an extremely unenjoyable 18-21 start. People questioned if Tatum and Brown could work together, and whether or not the team had to blow things up at the deadline.
Then came the epic turnaround and the Celtics finished two wins shy of a title. Boston finished as the two-seed in the East, and with a better start probably could have stolen the 1-seed from the Heat.
The Celtics should have a better start this year, even with a somewhat difficult schedule. After opening at home agianst the 76ers, Boston hits the road for three straight against the Heat, the Magic, and the Bulls. They play the new-look Cavs and the Bulls twice in their first eight games, six of which are against postseason teams from last year.
But the system is in place and the Celtics know exactly what they need to do to get off to a better start. Even after an extended run of basketball last summer, there are no excuses for another poor start.
A loaded Eastern Conference
The East is stacked. The Celtics and the Bucks, in no particular order, are the top of the conference, with the 76ers and the Heat probably rising into that category by season's end. The Bucks are angry following their second-round ousting by Boston and will have Khris Middleton back (at some point, at least). The Heat are another year older, but they too will have a revenge factor after losing in the Eastern Conference Finals in seven games. The 76ers should be better, and will be in contention because Joel Embiid is a monster.
The Nets are a giant wild card that could either compete for the top spot in the East or flirt with the play-in tournament again. The Cavaliers added Donovan Mitchell to their young core while the Hawks got Dejounte Murray to join forces with Trae Young and John Collins. The Raptors and the Bulls will also be a factor in the East's playoff picture.
The Celtics will have a lot of competition as they look to win the East again. They will certainly be tested throughout the regular season.
Deuce
Part of watching Jayson Tatum grow is also watching his son, Deuce, do the same. He's no longer just a kid staying up late to watch his dad play ball. He's become an attraction at games, whether by way of pregame high fives (or snubs) or giving Marcus Smart a whack before an inbound pass. We'll see what he has in store for his Age 5 season.
Whatever we get, it's pretty fun to watch Tatum enjoy being a dad as much as he enjoys being an All World NBA player.
The Bill Russell tributes
The Celtics will honor the greatest winner of all time throughout the season, starting opening night with their Bill Russell-themed "City Edition" uniforms -- one of two Bill Russell nights scheduled at TD Garden. His No. 6 graces the paint on the Garden floor, and the Celtics have a lot more in store for the late legend.
Every team in the NBA has Russell's No. 6 on their home court and a patch on their jersey. It will be nice to see the league honor a GOAT like Bill Russell throughout the season.