Led by two All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics made it to its 22nd NBA Finals last season. A defeat at the hands of Warriors denied the franchise its 18th title.
Having been a regular name in the Eastern Playoffs in recent years, Boston was finally able to crack the code and win the conference title and advance to its first title match since 2010.
This was due to the impeccable defensive unit constructed by coach Ime Udoka. Celtics boasted a 43.4% defended field goal rating, the best in the league. Its defensive rating (number of points conceded per 100 possessions) was 106.2, again the benchmark among the 30 NBA teams in the league.
Spearheading the defensive lineup was Marcus Smart, who won the defensive player of the year. Smart, not a traditional centre, was mostly stationed on the perimeter and tasked with marking the opponent point guards.
Along with Smart, Al Horford and Robert Williams III made their presence felt in defense and averaged 7.7 and 9.6 rebounds in the regular season, respectively.
Up front, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown took care of offence with PPG averages of 26.9 and 23.6, respectively.
Celtics retained its core from last season, but the franchise has faced injury woes. It started with Robert Williams getting injured and being ruled out for the start of the season. This leaves a major hole in the centre position.
This was followed by the injury to the newly traded guard from Atlanta Hawks, Danilo Gallinari. The 34-year-old, signed on a two-year contract, injured the ACL in his left knee during the FIBA World Cup qualifiers. This could potentially rule him out for the season.
Joe Mazzulla was assigned the role of head coach after Ime Udoka was suspended for flouting team policies. | Photo Credit: AFP
The biggest blow, however, came when coach Udoka was suspended for the entire season for violating team policies.
The developments over the last few weeks have cast a shadow over the new season, which will see assistant coach Joe Mazzulla take charge of the team.
Here is a look at how the team could line up and what the new signings will bring to the table.
Which players has Boston Celtics traded in?
Malcolm Brogdon
The 6 feet 5 inch guard will bolster not only the backcourt for Celtics, but also the offence. Though he’s expected to play a rotation role from the bench, Brogdon’s 19.6 PPG and 31.2% efficiency from three pointers will add a new dynamic to the Boston front court.
The former Indiana Pacers player has playoffs experience as well, and will prove pivotal in the final stretch of the season.
Malcolm Brogdon was brought to the team from Indiana Pacers on $82.5 million deal. | Photo Credit: AP
Blake Griffin
The signing from Brooklyn Nets could potentially ease, if not majorly solve, the side’s woes at the centre position. With the team set to be without Gallinari and Williams for at least the foreseeable future, Griffin’s last season exploits of 6.4 PPG and 4.1 rebounds, despite limited game time, will be useful.
Which players has Boston Celtics traded out?
The signing of Brogdon saw Celtics part with Daniel Theis and Aaron Nesmith. The two did not have a huge impact, but were useful off the bench.
Letting them go might pinch just that bit more in a season where Celtics might see a dearth of reliable rotation options.
Other players to leave: Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan, Nik Stauskas, Dennis Schroder.
How Boston Celtics starting lineup could look?
Point Guard - Marcus Smart
Shooting Guard - Jaylen Brown
Power Forward - Al Horford
Small Forward - Jayson Tatum
Centre - Blake Griffin/ Luke Kornet
Sixth Man - Malcolm Brogdon
In the absence of Robert Williams, the responsibility increases for Smart and Al Horford.
Marcus Smart affected 159 turnovers and 119 steals last season while guarding the perimeter. His ability to turn play over and assist scoring will also come in handy (5.9 average assists last season).
Marcus Smart, a point guard, won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2021/22. | Photo Credit: AFP
For Horford, workload management will be crucial if he wants to sustain his body till postseason. This is where Brogdon will play a major role. Apart from his shooting ability, which is going to ease pressure on Brown, the guard’s 5.1 rebound average can prove vital in defense, too.
Even without Robert Williams, the Celtics backcourt has the ability to suffocate attacks.
Amid all attention on the starting five, it would be unwise to overlook what Grant Willaims and Derrick White are capable of. Last season, the two bench players combined for nearly 20 points per game, and were crucial in the team’s 28-7 run as it pushed for a playoffs spot.
On the front court, Tatum and Brown are expected to showcase their brilliance, as they did last season. The two averaged 35.3% and 35.8% efficiency from the three-point line, respectively. This earned them offensive ratings of 115.5 and 113.5, respectively.
The team will bank of the two to script another strong run.
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