Heading into the season, there were plenty of questions surrounding the Boston Celtics. How would they respond to coming up short in the NBA Finals? Can the team still find success without Ime Udoka at the helm? Is Jaylen Brown getting fed up with hearing his name in trade rumors? Those are just a few of the many questions that surrounded the team, as they returned to camp after what was a very eventful offseason.
Flash forward to the All-Star break, and the Celtics currently hold the league’s top record at 42-17, half a game ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks at the top of the Eastern Conference. For just the eighth time in franchise history, Boston reached 40 wins prior to the All-Star break.
For a team that was surrounded by questions entering the season, they have not missed a beat since returning to the floor. With so many things going right, there is plenty of credit to be given. For the sake of this piece, we’ll limit it to just four. Here are four reasons the Celtics have found such great success so far this season:
Joe Mazzulla
The Celtics suspended Udoka for the season just five days before training camp was set to kick off, which left then-interim head coach Joe Mazzulla a little over a week to settle in as the head coach prior to the team’s first preseason matchup.
At just 34 years old, Mazzulla took over the team as the youngest head coach in the NBA, and was just one of four NBA coaches under the age of 40. Mazzulla had his work cut out for him, taking over a team with such high expectations, but also some questions to answer.
Not only did Mazzulla manage the locker room, he also led the offense to putting up some ridiculous numbers. The Celtics have seen an increase from a season ago in points per game, field goal percentage, three-pointers made per game, assists per game, and free throws made per game.
The situation Mazzulla was thrown into was far from ideal, but he answered the call. Mazzulla is currently the betting favorite to win NBA Coach of the Year, and over the weekend became just the third rookie head coach to lead a team in the All-Star Game.
Brad Stevens
Brad Stevens has been phenomenal in his role as president of basketball operations from the day he took over. When he first took over in his new role, the moves he made in hiring Udoka as head coach and bringing back Al Horford would prove to be instrumental in the success of the team down the stretch last season. He also acquired Derrick White at the trade deadline, which has been a gift that keeps on giving.
So far this season, it appears Stevens has nailed it again. Stevens made a big splash over the summer in trading for Malcolm Brogdon, and it has taken the Celtics to a whole other level. The lack of scoring off the bench had been the Achilles heel for the Celtics in recent seasons, especially in last year’s playoffs.
The Brogdon trade is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Stevens’ moves, as he also deserves credit for the hiring of Mazzulla. Stevens showed confidence in Mazzulla from the day he introduced him as the interim head coach, saying, “He’s an exceptionally sharp and talented person. I believe strongly in him and his ability to lead people, his ability to galvanize a room and get behind them, and his ability to organize and understand all that comes with running a team during a season.”
Stevens took a chance on Mazzulla, similar to the way he took a chance on guys like Blake Griffin and Sam Hauser, guys who have stepped up big for the Celtics off the bench.
It’s probably fair to say that the Griffin signing has exceeded everyone’s expectations, but Griffin was available in early October, before Stevens and the Celtics took a chance on him.
For Hauser, Stevens declined his $1.6 million team option over the summer and offered him a three-year deal worth just under $6 million instead, which has been a steal for the Celtics.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have taken their play to another level this season, as they have established themselves as the undisputed best duo in the NBA.
With both sitting in the top 15 in points per game this season, this duo has been invaluable for the Celtics. The numbers tell the story with these two, but numbers aside, the growth in their games has been incredible to see this season.
It is such a luxury to have two superstars on one team, and Celtics fans are reaping the benefits of that so far this season.
Championship culture
One of the most important things when it comes to a team’s success is their culture, especially in today's NBA. It seems like many teams have fallen way short of their expectations due to dysfunction in the locker room.
Culture could be one of the more difficult things to build in sports, and that’s something the Celtics as a whole have done a tremendous job of doing. With a healthy mix of NBA veterans -- along with guys like Tatum, Brown, Horford and Marcus Smart who have embodied what Celtics basketball means -- the Celtics have built amazing camaraderie.
Take it from the players themselves. Just last week, Brogdon said, “It’s the best locker room I’ve been a part of. By far.” Griffin added, “It’s one of the best locker rooms I’ve been around… Everyone genuinely cares and enjoys seeing another person succeed.”
Having a strong locker room and a championship culture should go a long way for the Celtics come May and early June.