The NBA has seen a whirlwind of activity in the offseason, with powerhouses rising and falling in a blink of an eye. This year, all eyes are on one team that has made it to the last two back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals – the Boston Celtics. With a commanding 57-win regular season last year, the Celtics have certainly proven their ability. However, the crucial question remains: are they even better this year?
The betting market’s over-under win total is 54.5 wins, which seems attainable given the team’s past performances. However, it’s not the number of regular season wins that defines what we think about this team. More importantly, the Celtics must get over the hump and win an NBA title with this core.
Two of the Celtics’ key pieces, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, are putting pressure on the team’s payroll. Still, it’s clear that the management is willing to spend, with the recent acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis – a move that signals their intent on winning a title now.
Given this information, we return to our initial question. Is this Celtics team better than last year, win-wise? Can they surpass the 57-win mark or even the betting market’s 54.5 mark?
The bar for the Celtics is set incredibly high this season. “Championship or bust,” as many would say. Having reached the precipice of ultimate glory twice in a row and falling just short, there’s a shared understanding that anything less than a Finals appearance and a Finals win will be viewed as a failure.
If you were to ask any diehard Celtics fan, they would prefer a 50-win season coupled with an NBA Championship over a 55-win season that still falls short of the ultimate prize. In this light, we believe the Celtics can more than eclipse the 54.5 win mark. Still, we must remember that it’s not about the regular season record but the championship rings.
With the current construction of the team, the pressure is on the Celtics to deliver. This is not the time to focus on their win total but on the quality of their play and the progress toward that coveted NBA Championship.
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