After a disappointing 2020-21 campaign, the Boston Celtics have been one of the busier teams in the NBA this offseason. The new President of Basketball Operations, Brad Stevens, has done a tremendous job building a roster that can compete this upcoming season while remaining flexible for next year’s offseason.
But it wasn’t until the addition of Dennis Schröder that I felt confident in the Cs to be a top team in the Eastern Conference again.
That said, even with the current state of the roster, it will likely take a few lucky breaks in Boston’s favor throughout the season to reclaim homecourt come playoff time because, while they may have retooled and gotten better, many other teams in the conference did a similar job.
So, what needs to happen for the Boston Celtics to reclaim a top-3 seed in the Eastern Conference standings once again?
Way for Boston Celtics to reclaim top-3 seed No. 1) The Jays continue to grow
The All-Star duo took a leap last year as they combined to average over 50 points a game.
The scary thing for opposing teams is that both players still have room to grow. Jayson Tatum is only 23 years old and Jaylen Brown is only 24.
So the fact that they are already solidifying themselves as one of the most talented duos in the entire NBA is impressive.
After winning a gold medal in Tokyo, Tatum is being highlighted as a possible MVP candidate for next season.
This shouldn’t be a surprise after his 2020-21 campaign where he became the de facto number one for the Boston Celtics and had the most 50+ point performances in the NBA.
Meanwhile, Jaylen Brown is fresh off a season where he averaged a hair under 25 points per game.
Now, with Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier having departed in free agency, Brown should get enough shot attempts up to break through that scoring barrier.
Overall, Tatum and Brown were one of the best scoring duos in the league and have a legit chance at taking the throne next season.