Celtics Fans Unhappy With Offensive Approach Won’t Like This Insight

Countless Celtics fans spent the spring screaming at their televisions because of Boston’s 3-point barrage.

If the Celtics shot well, they won. If they didn’t, they lost. More times than not the outcome of a playoff game really was that simple. And spoiler alert: the Green didn’t shoot well in their seven-game series, with a 30.3% clip in the Eastern Conference finals. It played a massive role in Boston’s earlier-than-expected elimination.

Well, it seems those same Green Teamers might want to rest up their vocal cords this offseason. That offensive mindset isn’t going anywhere, as acknowledged by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on this week’s episode of “The Hoop Collective” podcast.

“Brad Stevens’ biggest moves as the president of the team has been to lean into more of the way Joe Mazzulla wants to play, which is high-volume 3-point shooting and offense over defense,” Windhorst said after referencing that Mazzulla’s job was never in jeopardy this offseason.

“They are absolutely headlong into the Mazzulla mindset. And the Mazzulla mindset is shaped by Brad Stevens, too,” Windhorst said. “This is the way Stevens and Mazzulla want to play. And if they’re going to go down and take a step back and they’re going to fail, just know it was the two of them in alignment going forward.”

Boston’s moves this offseason are an indication of that. The Celtics added a 7-foot-3 floor spacer in Kristaps Porzingis and in doing so traded defensive leader and former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart. Porzingis’ ensuing contract extension then made it clear Boston would not retain another versatile defender in Grant Williams, who was soon sent to the Dallas Mavericks.

It’s not often you’ll see such a drastic change to a team with championship expectations. But both moves made clear Boston seeks offense alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

To be fair, the Celtics should feel they now have another shot-taking option with Porzingis. Defenses absolutely need to guard him beyond the arc, as he shot 38.5% from 3-point range last season.

Nevertheless, the franchise’s willingness to lean so far into the offense and scrap the defensive-minded approach that helped them reach the 2021 NBA Finals under Ime Udoka is notable.

Celtics fans will have to just get used to it.