Does Steve Kerr Believe Celtics Could Be Next NBA Dynasty?

BOSTON — The Celtics host the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, hoping to keep a 10-game winning streak alive amid what’s become the most elite showing from an NBA team this season.

Boston’s cruised its way to a No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with 47 wins through 59 games. In very few instances have the Celtics even suggested they’ve taken a step back, remaining poised and determined routinely. It’s clear that while the cast is different, so is the team overall, and for the better.

Is that enough to (finally) get over the hump and win an NBA title or better yet, be the makings of a dynasty?

“Why not? They’ve been on the brink for six, seven years,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said before Sunday afternoon’s tip-off from TD Garden. “Great organization, always been really well-coached. Continuity, they have everything that it takes. I think in this league it always requires some luck to win a championship. Sometimes things break your way, sometimes they don’t, but the idea is to give yourself a chance as many times in a row as you can. … I think this is the best version we’ve ever seen of this team.”

Kerr took over as head coach of Golden State back in 2014, watching the Celtics transform from a bottom-of-the-barrel squad to Finals favorites.

Just a few seasons ago, Kerr and the Warriors rolled into Boston for a 2022 NBA Finals series that took the Celtics from an encouraging 2-1 lead to instant heartbreak in Game 6. Since then, Boston’s undergone a handful of changes to its roster and coaching staff, courtesy of the front office’s offseason efforts which continue to pay dividends.

“Jrue (Holiday) and Kristaps (Porzingis). That’s two really high-level players added to what was already a great team,” Kerr explained. “I think Jrue replaces a lot of what Marcus Smart gave Boston, defensively and an additional ball-handler and playmaker. I think Kristaps changes everything with his floor-spacing and overall offensive game. They’re lethal.”

While in most cases adding two All-Star-caliber veterans could come with the growing pains of getting implemented into a new system, especially one with weighing title expectations, that hasn’t been the case. Holiday and Porzingis have been perfect fits, making the team a much better offensive and defensive unit.

The tools are in place, no doubt. But that’ll leave the rest up to Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, co-stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown and the rest of Boston’s roster once the playoffs begin.