The Boston Celtics will put a bow on their 2024 championship celebrations Tuesday night with their banner-raising and ring ceremony. Then it’s on to an opening-night showdown with the New York Knicks, the 2024-25 season, and the quest for a repeat.
Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck joined The Greg Hill Show Tuesday morning ahead of the festivities, and said he sees a team that is “completely on a mission” as it now chases Banner 19.
“This is like, guys are completely on a mission, and more confident. Confident guys on a mission,” Grousbeck said. “I don't know what's going to happen. We’ve got some great teams ahead of us or with us. We’ve got one tonight with the Knicks. I don't know what's going to happen, but Jaylen [Brown] and Jayson [Tatum] and [Payton] Pritchard and [Al] Horford and everybody are laser-focused. And [Kristaps] Porzingis looks pretty good in practice. So, I'm hoping we can get off to a good start to the season.”
Asked specifically about Tatum as a leader, Grousbeck said he and Jaylen Brown have grown together every year and said the Celtics are “lucky” to have them.
“We want guys of his character and his talent and his skills. And he's grown every year,” Grousbeck said of Tatum. “Jaylen has grown every year. They've grown together, and they make everybody else better. And he's just a cornerstone of this, and he is so happy. I asked him the other day, ‘What are your memories of the championship and everything?’ He goes, ‘The parade was literally the best day of my life.’ Jaylen said the exact same thing. It's not the actual championship game, it was the parade and people. And they haven't seen anything until they see tonight. Tonight's going to be amazing as well. So, these guys are the real deal, and we're really lucky to have them as Celtics.”
Grousbeck also had high praise for Joe Mazzulla, now entering his third season as Celtics head coach.
“It might have been some growing pains or ups and downs in the first year,” Grousbeck said, noting again that Mazzulla was thrown into the job at the last minute following Ime Udoka’s suspension. “He really grew into it last year, and he seems to be at a whole other level this year, with the quotes yesterday and everything else. He's just getting started. So, let's see what Joe has for us. But I personally think he's one of the very best coaches or the best I've ever met.”