The time has finally come. After what seemed like ages, Celtics basketball is back! There is a catch though, this isn’t the same Celtics team we’re accustom to.
For several years, the Celtics approached the season with what seemed like a rag-tag group of no-name players. Then, after some Brad Stevens magic, these players became the heart of the team leading the C’s to the Eastern Conference Championship.
Fast forward to the 2017-18 season and only 4 players remain from a year prior. A cast of new additions stemming from stars to unknowns now lead Boston into battle against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Obviously, this matchup in itself has a number of storylines attached to it. Still, after such a busy offseason for the Celtics there are even more to follow. So, let’s focus in on the top 3 things to look for in tonight’s season opener.
3. Slim Marcus Smart
Preseason has already given us a taste of what to expect this season from Smart, but as everyone knows preseason is not the same as the regular season.
Smart has a totally new look from last season. He’s shed over 20 pounds making him faster and more explosive than ever before. The Celtics desperately need the former Oklahoma State guard to improve from last year. Following the loss of Avery Bradley, Smart will now be tasked with being the team’s best defender and a reliable 3-point shooter.
Based on his workout videos and the preseason, it seems Smart is in line for a major jump with 3-point shooting. Last season he shot a mere 28% from behind the arc, but the preseason saw him convert on 58% of these attempts. As the leader of the Celtics’ second unit, he will need to remain a solid 3-point shooter.
This is a big year for Smart as he will be a restricted free-agent at the end of the season. It will be interesting to see if his play will translate into a big time pay day.
2. Jayson Tatum gets the start
This storyline may actually be the most interesting of all. Tatum was the 3rd overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. From the beginning, many fans immediately assumed that Tatum would be used off of the bench similar to Jaylen Brown a year prior.
However, Tatum’s pro-ready playing style has apparently impressed Brad Stevens enough to place him in the starting lineup. While this may be stemming from Aron Baynes and Marcus Morris’ injuries, it’s still very interesting.
Tatum is undersized for a power forward (6’8, 205lbs). Even with the new small-ball style of the NBA one must wonder how Tatum will be able to defend bigger, stronger players at the position. Also, with his lack of size Tatum stands to struggle with boxing out and rebounding. This could potentially make Tatum a liability in two separate facets of the game.
On the other hand, the rookie’s advanced offensive repertoire should provide mismatches for the Celtics. With Tatum, the Celtics legitimately have a starting 5 that can all hit the 3. Power forwards will struggle to try and keep up with Tatum throughout the game.
If Tatum can thrive early in a starting role, don’t expect him to relinquish it any time soon.
1. Kyrie’s return
I mean, what else would it be right? As we all know, the Celtics and Cavaliers took part in one of the biggest trades of the offseason. The move sent Isaiah Thomas, Ante Zizic, Jae Crowder and the Brooklyn 2018 1st-round pick to Cleveland in exchange for Kyrie Irving.
Now, the stage is set for Irving’s return to Cleveland. Rumors suggest that Irving wanted a trade from Cleveland to move out of LeBron James‘ shadow. For years, the point guard was second fiddle to James and now he was ready to make his own path.
Irving also has not been shy about stating his new-found love for Boston while taking subtle shots at Cleveland. In a recent interview he said, “Boston is a real, live sports city.” While many took offense to this comment, Irving cleared up his statement saying “…It turned into a comparison of me comparing Boston to Cleveland; it wasn’t anything like that.”
Whatever the case may be, there’s definitely motivation for each team going into the game.
It should be fun as we watch all of these storylines unfold going into tonight.