The Boston Celtics are beginning to settle into the 2021-22 NBA season, supporting a 2-2 record through the team’s first four games. After a blowout loss in the team’s home opener to the re-tooled Raptors, Jayson Tatum and the C’s bounced back with back-to-back victories against Houston and Charlotte.
With Boston under a new head coach in Ime Udoka, it will take time for both him and the new offseason additions to gel as a unit. However, Celtics fans have to be intrigued by their previous two wins, especially considering the superstar play of both Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
The C’s have a relatively easy schedule coming up, playing Washington and Orlando in three of their next four. This is an opportunity for the squad to figure out what works and what doesn’t, and everything in between.
The Boston Celtics have plenty to figure out
The first step for this Celtics team is to get healthy. They won’t be fully healthy all year, but having Brown, Al Horford, and Romeo Langford all miss time already isn’t a good sign for the future.
With that being said, let’s look at three things to watch in the upcoming stretch for the Celtics.
Boston Celtics trend to watch #1: Starting Backcourt
Coach Udoka has gone with a starting backcourt of Marcus Smart and Dennis Schroder in the last two games, the only two wins on the season. The decision was fueled by injuries to both JB and Horford, but Ime opted for a double PG backcourt instead of a floor spacer.
Although both made big contributions to the team’s thrilling overtime victory against the Hornets, the starting lineup’s offense looked a bit stagnant, relying on Jabari Parker to provide instant points off the bench.
By having both Schroder and Smart on the court at the same time, the Celtics have two primary ball-handlers who are streaky at best spot-up shooters. Boston has looked their best when they allow Jayson Tatum to create with the ball in his hands, and that becomes more difficult when he is finding open looks for sub-optimal shooters.
When everyone is healthy, Al Horford’s three-point shot will be one of the most important aspects of the offense. If he can make his open looks similar to how he did during his first stint in green, this team could be a top-five offense in the league.
Therefore, barring injuries, putting a shooter alongside either Brown, Tatum, Williams, and Smart or Schroder will create the best offense for the Boston Celtics moving forward.