No matter which sport, winning the championship is on every team’s mind coming into the new season. For the Boston Celtics, achieving it all and becoming back-to-back champs is a must. With how talented the team is, falling short of the promised land is considered a failed season. Standing at No. 2 in the Eastern Conference, the team owns a winning 9-3 record so far. Seeing how well Boston has played the past few weeks should scare the league.
Getting into the players, Jayson Tatum is putting on an MVP performance to open the season. Leading the Celtics in every category but blocks, Tatum is averaging 30.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.6 steals. As the face of the franchise, the power forward is everywhere on the court, but one problem that holds Tatum down is his shooting attempts. Stepping to the three-point line 11.6 times, he makes about 4.3. In addition, he takes nearly 21 shots from field goal range, making less than half of them. Opponents could easily take advantage of this, but when it comes to offensive rebounding, the Celtics luck out. Sitting second in the league, the team generates a little more than 10 offensive rebounds per match.
Turning the page, Jaylen Brown can hold the fort down when Tatum is underperforming. Putting up 20-plus points in every game to start the season, Brown’s fun did not last long. The NBA Finals MVP was pushed to the sidelines for four contests, suffering from a reoccurring strained hip flexor since training camp. Not breaking a sweat, the Celtics took care of business, conquering three out of four challenges. Making a return against the Milwaukee Bucks and struggling, Brown produced 14 points.
Flipping the script the following game, the guard stepped up big, leading the team with 37 points against the Atlanta Hawks. Despite Brown’s stellar performance, the team failed to seal the deal and lost the match.
In Brown’s absence, Payton Pritchard and Derrick White filled the gap and did not disappoint. Pritchard, who is improving every year, went from playing 14 minutes back in 2022 and 2023 to 27 minutes of play. In his four showings, the 26-year-old averaged 19 points. Consistently racking up 15-plus points, the guard is a big part of the Celtics offense.
Switching things over to White, the two-way player is not only attacking the rim but defending it as well. Making great efforts to help Tatum take down the Golden State Warriors, White tallied up 26 points. With Brown back in the mix, White continues his reign of dominance. Contributing 31 points against the Hawks, the NBA champion generated 58.3 percent from the three-point line.
Defensively, the Olympic gold medalist refuses to give up on plays and stands his ground. Leading the team in blocks, White is averaging 1.1 per match. Protecting the rim against the Brooklyn Nets, White swatted away three potential baskets. Snatching nearly four boards a night, the guard strives not to give his opponents redemption. The skill set that the underrated duo of Pritchard and White brings to the team is a big part of why Brown’s injury didn’t affect them in a major way.
Tying with four other teams, the Celtics hold the No. 2 spot when it comes to defending. Helping White on the other end of the court, Jrue Holiday is averaging 3.8 rebounds per game. Providing the team with opportunities to score, Holiday accumulates four assists per contest. Contributing to the three victories acquired while Brown was injured, Holiday averaged 15.3 points. Seen as a two-way player, the Celtics use the point guard for his playmaking and defensive abilities but, when needed, can put up 20 points on any given day.
Deep diving into the center position, the defending champs lost a significant aid to the team, Kristaps Porziņģis, who is rehabbing from off-season surgery. Despite the inconvenience, the show must go on. Moving to a backup center after Porziņģis arrived on the team, Al Horford regained his starting job. Competing with the Celtics from 2016-2019 and 2021-present, the veteran understands how the team runs. Behind the 38-year-old is Luke Kornet, who provides a great sixth man when needed. Averaging a combined 9.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists, the centers are keeping things running.
The 2024-2025 NBA season is just getting into gear for the Celtics, and Porziņģis returning in December is the cherry on top.