We. Are. Back.
On Tuesday evening, the long-awaited Banner 18 will finally rise into the rafters at TD Garden, cementing the legacy of the 2023-24 Boston Celtics as one of the most dominant teams in NBA history.
I have to admit, it’s been a much different offseason. While it didn’t lack headlines, it’s been a shift not having to break down massive roster changes or wonder whether Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown can finally get over that hump.
Now, the focus shifts to doing it again. One championship won’t be enough for this group—they’re chasing greatness, and the only way to achieve that is by winning another title.
They’re in prime position to do it. The team that posted a 64-18 regular-season record, went 16-3 in the postseason, outscored opponents by +1,083 points across 101 games, and raised the Larry O’Brien Trophy on the confetti-covered TD Garden parquet in June is returning 15 of the 17 players from its championship run—including the top nine in minutes from last season.
There’s a reason the Celtics are favorites to repeat as NBA champions. Heck, 83% of NBA GMs are picking Boston to go back-to-back. But is it really going to be THAT easy? Let’s check in on the WEEI crystal ball forecasting the 2024-25 Celtics season.
1. Expect a fast start
Forget concerns about complacency, fears of easing into the season, or any worries about boredom creeping in after winning a championship.
There will be no championship hangover for this team. We saw a glimpse of it in the preseason: This team is ready to go.
Joe Mazzulla’s message has been crystal clear: last year’s historic championship run has no bearing on this season, and the Celtics need to treat it as a clean slate.
This team is motivated — perhaps with a push from outside factors – and is ready to get back to work and pick up where they left off.
Furthermore, fast starts have been a hallmark of Mazzulla-led teams. In two seasons under Mazzulla, the Celtics are 32-8 in October and November. And looking ahead, only eight of their first 20 games will be against playoff teams from last season.
It may not be to the tune of starting the season 27–2 as they did in 2008-09, but it will be a hot start for the Green.
2. Boston wins the NBA Cup (formerly the In-Season Tournament) in Las Vegas
Boston’s remarkable continuity wouldn’t have been possible without players like Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman choosing to take less money and signing minimum deals to stay with the Celtics.
With Kristaps Porzingis sidelined for the first few months of the season, the Celtics are going to rely heavily on Kornet and Tillman. A great way to reward them is to earn them a payday by winning the NBA Cup.
Each player receives $500,000 for winning the NBA Cup, $200,000 for making the finals, $100,000 for reaching the semifinals, and $50,000 for making the quarterfinals.
Plus, it would help create one of those high-pressure, intense environments that Mazzulla loves, giving Boston a chance to send a message early on. It’s the perfect storm for a team focused on winning every task at hand.
3. The Celtics cruise through the Eastern Conference
Last season, the Celtics clinched the Eastern Conference with a commanding 14-game lead.
That 14-game gap between the Celtics and the second-place New York Knicks marked the largest disparity since the 1975-76 Golden State Warriors had a 21-game lead over the second-place Milwaukee Bucks (yes, the Bucks were in the Western Conference back then—that’s how long it’s been).
While there’s been plenty of talk about the revamped Eastern Conference, the Celtics still stand in a league of their own.
Boston dominated the East last season, posting an NBA-best 41-11 record against Eastern Conference teams and outscoring them by a staggering +514 (an average of 9.8 points per game).
Sure, other teams have improved, but there’s still a massive gap between Boston and the rest of the East, and the standings will reflect that. The top of the Eastern Conference belongs to Boston until further notice.
4. The Celtics win 60+ games
This team could win 60 games in its sleep.
While the Porzingis injury is significant and looms over the start of the season, they proved last year they’re more than capable of winning without him. Boston went 21-4 without their do-it-all big man in the regular season and 10-2 in the playoffs. With Al Horford and the trio of Kornet, Tillman, and Neemias Queta, the Celtics will be just fine.
The Celtics have only won 60 games in consecutive seasons three times: from 1979 to 1982, 1984 to 1986, and most recently in 2007-08 and 2008-09. This team is poised to join that elite company.
Only 16 teams have recorded consecutive 60-win seasons, with five winning multiple titles during that stretch.
5. The Celtics set a new NBA record for three-pointers made
“Mazzulla Ball” is often associated with a barrage of three-point attempts, but that’s only part of the story. It’s a style of play grounded in statistical analysis and analytics that exploits the game’s subtle nuances.
That said, three-point shooting is definitely a big part of it.
The Celtics are always tough to beat. When they are making threes, they are nearly impossible to beat. Boston finished last season 54-7 when making the same number or more threes as its opponents. In total, the Celtics outscored their opponents 4,053-3,177 (+876) on the perimeter. In the Joe Mazzulla era, Boston has a +1,959 (!) advantage on the perimeter.
Boston’s 1,351 made threes a season ago were the second-most in NBA history, just a hair behind the 2022-23 Golden State Warriors (1,363).
Each team in the top 10 has come in the last seven seasons as the game focuses more and more on the perimeter. The 2022-23 Celtics placed fourth on that list (1,315).
In the past two seasons, the Celtics have attempted the third (2022-23) and fourth (2023-24) most three-pointers in NBA history. It’s only a matter of time before Mazzulla Ball claims the throne for the most makes.
6. Jaylen Brown makes an All-NBA and All-Defensive team
As discussed on WEEI’s Slammed Podcast, Jaylen Brown will have some more hardware in his future.
The soon-to-be 28-year-old has improved every year since entering the league. Now motivated and bulked up, he’s primed to build on the best season of his career.
Brown, who earned Second-Team All-NBA honors for the 2022-23 season, paving the way for him to sign the richest contract in NBA history, just missed the cut for a spot on the Third Team by 20 points last year—a snub that left him frustrated.
He responded by winning both Eastern Conference and NBA Finals MVP.
Brown has arrived. NBA folk understand his value as one of the best two-way players in the entire league and that recognition means something when deciding awards.
His defensive prowess also gained some attention last year. After advocating for recognition of his defense, Brown earned three first-place votes and one second-place vote for the All-Defensive teams.
Expect a special season filled with accolades for Brown.
7. Derrick White makes an All-Defensive team
Joining Brown on an All-Defensive team will be Derrick White.
The Olympics offered White the chance to show a global audience the kind of player he is – and he did not disappoint.
White has been named Second-Team All-Defense in each of the last two seasons, and he will make it three this season.
The 30-year-old has steadily improved each year he has been in Boston. Last season, he set career highs in blocks (87) and steals (74), while contesting 480 shots—ranking third among NBA guards. Had he not rested in the final weeks of the season, he likely would have led all guards in blocks for the second year in a row, falling just one block shy of Denver’s Peyton Watson (88).
Expect White to remain a defensive cornerstone for the Celtics, locking down another All-Defensive honor.
8. Jayson Tatum makes First Team All-NBA
Despite finishing in the top six of MVP voting for three straight seasons, the Michael Jordan Trophy has remained just out of reach for Jayson Tatum.
Still, Tatum’s elite status is undeniable, with First-Team All-NBA honors in each of those seasons cementing his place among the game’s top talents.
At 26 years old, Tatum may not even be at the peak of his powers yet. He’ll once again be in the MVP conversation, and coming into this season hungry and motivated, the best player on the best team is poised to earn another First-Team All-NBA selection.
9. Joe Mazzulla wins Coach of The Year
It’s a bit wild that, given the season the Celtics had last year, Joe Mazzulla finished fourth in Coach of the Year voting behind Mark Daigneault, Jamahl Mosely, and Chris Finch.
Sure, part of that was due to the sky-high expectations for the team, but Mazzulla set the tone from the start, helped the team avoid complacency, and pushed all the right buttons. More importantly, he changed the culture, leaving a lasting impact on the Boston Celtics’ identity—one that will forever be etched into the legacy of Banner 18.
If the Celtics start the season as predicted, Mazzulla is set to be named the Eastern Conference coach for the All-Star Game once again, an honor that will give him some attention. It would have been his third consecutive appearance, but a prohibition on back-to-back selections kept him out last season.
It feels like Mazzulla is finally getting the respect he deserves. After all, he is 121-43 in the regular season as a head coach – meaning he wins 73.8% (!) of his games.
With the Celtics set to be at the top of the league again, a Coach of the Year Award seems well within reach for Mazzulla—though he definitely doesn’t care about it.
10. The Celtics go back-to-back
Everybody has heard it, and the Celtics are well aware of it, too. Since 2000, only four teams have managed to repeat as champions, with the last being the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018. Since then, six different teams have claimed the title, and none of those champions advanced past the Conference Semifinals.
However, this team is different— in their mindset, approach, and play.
This is one of the most dominant teams ever assembled, and they will etch their names further into the history books as such.
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