It was obvious that the Boston Celtics were all-in this season when hunting for their franchise’s 18th NBA championship, and it paid off. The Celtics were so good in stretches of the 2023-24 season and playoffs that it didn’t seem the team had a real challenge making it to the mountaintop.
As the season progressed, it was obvious to most who objectively watched and covered the games that the Boston Celtics were head and shoulders better than all the teams in the league. As speculated, they dominated the regular season with a 64-18 record, 14 games better than the second-place team in the Eastern Conference.
Then, in the 2024 playoffs, the Celtics went 16-3 en route to the title, making it one of the most convincing title runs we have seen in some time. The 2024 season put the league on notice that the Boston Celtics are the team to beat in the NBA. So now that the season is over, can we reasonably believe that the Celtics have what it takes to stay on top?
How the Boston Celtics Climbed Back into the Championship Picture
The Celtics navigated disappointment and made big moves to get on the top
For years, the Celtics navigated adversity to get back into title contention.
In 2021, Boston suffered disappointment at the hands of Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets in five games during the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. In 2022, the Celtics owned the East, only to make it to the NBA Finals and lose to Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors in six games.
Then, 2023 ended in heartbreak for the Celtics, as they lost to Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat in seven games. This loss fueled the fire within the organization, from the front office to the players, to bring a title back to Beantown. This hadn’t happened for this storied franchise since 2008. Desperate for change, the Celtics had to make some big moves going into the summer of 2023 if they were going to successfully win an NBA championship.
Just to recap, here are a couple of reasons why the Celtics dominated:
First, after a disappointing ending to their 2022-23 season, the Celtics pulled off a 3-team trade to sure up their roster. Boston sent Marcus Smart, a player many believed was the heart and soul of the squad, to the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies sent guard Tyus Jones to the Washington Wizards. In return, the Celtics acquired NBA star Kristaps Porzingis from the nation’s capital.
Porzingis had just come off the best shooting season of his career (49.8 percent) from the field and his highest-scoring season at over 23 a game. He fit in seamlessly with the Celtics lineup and contributed significantly as the team’s third scoring option.
Second, the Celtics traded their starting center, Robert Williams, and sixth man, Malcolm Brogdon, to the Portland Trailblazers for Jrue Holiday. Holiday was instrumental in helping the Milwaukee Bucks win an NBA title in 2021. His defensive toughness and championship experience were just what the Celtics valued when going after him in a trade.
What’s Next for the Boston Celtics in 2024-25?
Can the hunters stand to be the hunted next season?
Had the Celtics core won the championship without any past adversity, it would be reasonable to believe that they couldn’t sustain success. Even with the team’s seemingly easy path to the finals this past season, many have questioned whether the Celtics have what it takes to repeat their championship run next year.
However, they are built for this. Their opponents indeed navigated injuries to their key players in three of the four playoff series the Celtics were in. However, may we not forget that the Celtics won the title with their third-best scorer and rim protector, Porzingis, in and out of the lineup due to injury.
Boston has a relatively young core of proven veterans and overall winners. They have the talent, even signing guys like Derrick White, an integral part of their lineup, to a contract extension. So, the Celtics’ chemistry is only going to get better, and as they integrate young talent into the roster, they will automatically buy-in as part of a winning culture.
The Celtics will start the season next year with some adversity. The team recently announced that Kristaps Porzingis underwent surgery and will miss 5-6 months. This injury will likely keep Porzingis out of the Celtics’ lineup until December or January.
| Kristaps Porzingis Stats – 2023-24 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Regular Season | Playoffs |
| PPG | 20.1 | 12.3 |
| RPG | 7.2 | 4.4 |
| APG | 2.0 | 1.1 |
| FG% | 51.6% | 46.7% |
| 3PT% | 37.5% | 34.5% |
| BPG | 1.9 | 1.6 |
The Celtics will get everyone’s best shot next season, especially with teams making moves to acquire talent that can compete with the likes of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Yet, as they have proven throughout this past season and playoff run, it is nothing they can’t handle.
