The new NBA season is looming on the horizon. Opening Night (October 22nd) throws up an interesting matchup of the New York Knicks taking on the defending champs, the Boston Celtics. The former is tipped to do well once again this season, building on the good progress already achieved by head coach Tom Thibodeau. The Knicks look like they are finally creating a team worth getting excited about in New York.
Yet, for the Boston Celtics, expectations are much, much higher. The Celtics are clear favorites to retain the Championship they won in June. While sports betting odds listed in preseason don’t always translate to success, it’s worth noting how strongly the Celtics are being backed for a repeat next June. Their closest contenders – the Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder – are listed at almost three times the odds with some sportsbooks.
Celtics more than brilliant individuals
The Celtics are, however, a curious team. They tend to do all things well rather than some things brilliantly. Yes, they have star players like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but it doesn’t feel like a team stuffed with superstars. The emphasis is on the team, not on brilliant individuals. That’s part of the Celtics’ magic. If they are to build a dynasty of winning and challenging for NBA titles, it feels like it will be a quiet one.
Celtics fans should be buoyed at the fact that 15 of the players who recorded over 93% of the Celtics’ on-court minutes in 2023/24 will be back for the new season. They didn’t do much in the off-season because they did not have to. Yes, every fanbase wants to see improvements added to the roster, but the Celtics’ “if it’s not broken, why try to fix it” approach seems perfect.
Of course, as we said, there are no guarantees this season. The 76ers, Thunder, Knicks, Timberwolves, Mavericks, and Bucks all have rosters that would not be surprising to see win it all next June. All those teams have great players, but it remains to be seen whether they, like the Celtics, are great teams.
Historically good run in the Playoffs
In an NBA Finals series against the Mavericks, one for which the 4-1 record doesn’t tell the full story of the Celtics’ dominance, every player did their part. Brown got the MVP, but there were so many Celtics’ adding to the dominance, even those whose time on court was measured in seconds. From the opening tip-off of the season to the final buzzer against the Mavericks, the Celtics were the best team in the NBA. Moreover, it looked like they had another few gears to find should they have wanted it.
Might we dampen the spirits of Celtics fans a little? The Celtics playoff record of 16-3 was historically good – up there with GOAT teams like the 2017 Warriors and 1996 Bulls, yet it has also been remarked that their run was quite easy. Opponents’ injuries played a role, causing some to call the Celtics lucky. However, you can only beat what is in front of you, and the fact that the Celtics did it in style – never looking in trouble at any point in the season – tells you a lot.
But we keep returning to this idea of team. The Celtics possessed the most efficient offense in NBA history last season. They outscored opponents by an average of 11.3 pts (the fifth-largest margin in NBA history), and they also had the second-best defense in the league. It’s a well-oiled machine built for winning, and it’s going to take a lot to stop it next season. Most champions fail to repeat, but the Celtics are set up nicely to do so. If it occurs, you will hear a lot of talk about a dynasty in Boston.
