A Revamped Roster Searching for Redemption
By Rob Zintl
Photo: NBC Sports Boston
Finally.
It’s been 145 days since Jayson Tatum’s left ankle rolled over Gabe Vincent’s foot on the opening play of Game 7, and the Boston Celtics’ dreams of achieving the impossible were thrown into jeopardy. As he gingerly limped towards the free throw line, the air in TD Garden began to hang still. An extraordinarily well-lubricated crowd of 19,156 belligerent Bostonians fell into hushed tones, and a wave of frozen shock slowly crept through the arena. We all know what happened next.
This Wednesday, the Boston Celtics will finally return to the floor for their first meaningful basketball game in nearly five months. Let’s wash our hands of last season, and talk about what we can expect from this team in 2023-24.
Roster Moves
IN (6): Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Jordan Walsh, Oshae Brissett, Svi Mykhailiuk, Dalano Banton
OUT (8): Marcus Smart, Rob Williams, Malcolm Brogdon, Grant Williams, Blake Griffin, Mike Muscala, Danilo Gallinari, Justin Champagnie
Boston undertook a serious roster overhaul this past offseason–and the players listed above don’t even account for those currently on training camp deals or Two-Way contracts. Without trying to project a starting lineup, the depth chart should look something like this:
Guards:
J. Holiday
D. White
P. Pritchard
D. Banton
Wings:
J. Tatum
J. Brown
S. Hauser
O. Brissett
J. Walsh
Bigs:
K. Porzingis
A. Horford
L. Kornet / N. Queta
The top six–Holiday, White, Tatum, Brown, Porzingis, Horford–is perhaps the best in the NBA, and the C’s should be elite on both ends of the floor, provided they can stay healthy. Both Porzingis and Holiday are far more accomplished scorers than any of the players that Boston lost in the offseason, and the addition of the big man in particular will surely change the Celtics offensive approach in crunch time. Discussing trade back in June, Brad Stevens placed specific emphasis on the value Porzingis provides with his ability to beat switches by shooting over the top. In particular, the Heat’s switchability has proven frustrating for Boston at times during their three playoff matchups, and it will be interesting to see how Porzingis is utilized when the two teams face one another on October 27th. On the other end, Holiday will immediately replace some of the defensive prowess lost when Marcus Smart was sent to Memphis. He and Derrick White (both All-Defense in ‘22-’23) will form a tenacious tandem in the backcourt to hound opposing ballhandlers.
Although the back end of the roster certainly contains some question marks, bench contributions will be essential as the team will certainly try to minimize the workload on their top guys, Horford in particular. There will be opportunities aplenty for players like Sam Hauser (42% on 4.2 3PA), Payton Pritchard (recently received his bag), and Luke Kornet (who remains the only person upon whom Brad Stevens has ever bestowed a Twitter like).
The extensive personnel changes will necessitate schematic ones. On that note…
What to watch for:
Zone look: John Karalis of BSJ reported in early October that the Celtics are planning to experiment with zone this season, which will certainly be a different look from what we’ve seen in the past. We’ve already seen a couple different zone looks in the preseason games, including a 2-2-1 full-court press. It will be important to keep an eye on the frequency and efficacy with which the Celtics run zone early in the season–if they can execute their assignments and guard the 3pt line, the zone could become a powerful weapon to disrupt opponents’ offensive rhythm. If they struggle–it will be interesting to see how quick Joe Mazzulla is to pull the plug, especially as the games become more important later in the year.
Late game offense: as alluded to above, it seems that two major motivators for the Porzingis acquisition were his ability to shoot over smaller defenders, and his efficiency operating in the post. Anybody who has watched the Celtics in recent years knows just how ugly their offense would get in crunch time. In close games, it will be interesting to see how they choose to incorporate Porzingis and his unique skillset. Moreover, if he and Holiday can develop solid chemistry in the pick and roll, Joe Mazzulla could consider using it as a weapon to draw in defensive attention and let Tatum and Brown feast on closeouts. However, if the ball starts in Tatum’s hands (as is likely) it will be important to consider what role Holiday can play in late-game offense. During his time in Milwaukee, playoff opponents often ignored Holiday as a threat from beyond the arc, and he was largely unable to make them pay for doing so. Whether or not that trend continues will have important bearing on the outcome of their season.
Pick & roll coverage: This one is simple, yet might be the most important. How much will they switch? How much will they play a drop? How effective are different units at executing different coverages? With the Dame-Giannis PnR duo looming in Milwaukee, pick and roll defense will need to be a point of emphasis every single time these guys step out on the floor.
Backup bigs: at the start of the preseason, Luke Kornet was the presumptive favorite to start the season as the Celtics 3rd-string center. However, he may have been supplanted on the depth chart by 24 year-old Portuguese center Neemias Queta (signed to a Two-Way deal in September). Queta put forward impressive performances in three preseason appearances, showcasing strong finishing (13-15 from the field) and rebounding skills (his 25% OREB led the NBA in preseason).
Coaching: I’m not a coach, and to be honest I think that non-coaches should shut up and refrain from analyzing coach performance, especially because so much of what they do occurs behind the scenes. But after the beating Joe Mazzulla took from both fans and the press last year, I’m definitely interested to see what, if anything, he chooses to do differently in his first full year at the helm. The additions of Charles Lee and Sam Cassell will definitely help, and having a full offseason to prepare should make a world of difference. Mazzulla is here to stay, and if Brad Stevens is confident that he’s the man for the job then so am I.
Season goal: Win a championship. Full stop.
Conclusion
The way last season ended left a sour taste in everyone’s mouth. The wait is finally over–let’s see what this new squad looks like, and if the pieces fit together according to Brad’s vision, then the season should end with Banner 18. Check ball.
West Coast Hoops 