Celtics Rival Unfazed By Reigning Champions: ‘We’re Right There’

The Boston Celtics overruled not only the Eastern Conference, but the NBA last season by leading the league in wins (64) before steamrolling through the postseason en route to the franchise's record-setting 18th title.

Now, with a clean slate ahead for the reigning champions, fellow upcoming contenders will begin chasing the target attached to the backs of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Among those is Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero, who believes the Celtics aren't going to run away with sole possession of the East (again) once the 2024-25 season tips off.

"We feel like we're right there," Banchero told ESPN's "First Take" on Friday. "We're right there with all those (elite teams in the East). I remember last year, we started the year off as a top two, top three seed and everybody thought it was a fluke. Everybody thought we were going to be a play-in team and drop out the top of the East. We finished strong and got the fifth seed and had a chance to really grab the two seed at the end of the season. We were right there last year. We got better this year. I got better; all of us got better. We got some new pieces that are going to help a lot. We're trying to make some noise. We should easily be a top four, top three team, and have a chance to win the East."

Boston had its fair share of run-ins with Orlando last season, most notably when the Celtics and Magic crossed paths in the NBA In-Season Tournament -- now known as the NBA Cup. Banchero, who scored 23 points to follow Moritz Wagner's -- an ex-Celtic -- 27-point performance, helped pull off an upset Orlando win over Boston on Nov. 24. Tatum and Brown endured a second consecutive defeat to the Magic when the conference foes met again on Jan. 23, ending the regular season series at a 2-2 split.

Overall, Banchero feels confident enough turning the page with the experience and knowledge gained from last season's 47-35 campaign.

"I learned how to kind of slow the game down in the playoffs," Banchero said, per ESPN. "I think those first two games of the series in Cleveland I felt a little sped up -- I turned the ball over a lot. And I think from that Game 1 and 2 to Game 3, I think that's where I made that jump, that adjustment, and started to really slow the game down."