More to come: Boston Celtics opening night first impressions

Following an offseason of unforeseen challenges, the Boston Celtics walked onto the parquet floor on opening night with the mission of rewriting what transpired in June. Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers were blown away by the pace, and fluidity of the C’s offense this early in the season. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for 70 points right out of the gate, becoming the first pair of teammates to net 35 points apiece on opening night since 1969 when Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West accomplished that feat.

Last season’s opening night at the Garden was filled with frustration, and questions about the lack of fight Boston had against Toronto, but this time around, it was a completely different story. Call it maturity or collectivism, this 2022/23 version of the Boston Celtics seems to have a different attitude compared to previous recent campaigns. The final score may have been decided by fewer than 10 points, but there was nothing more Celtics’ fans could ask for to open a season that has a whole lot of pressure and expectations riding on it.

Nearly every player that will come off the bench consistently this season brings some sort of play-making and passing into the Celtics lineup. Noah Vonleh stepped up, and played 20 minutes, showing the fans that the game will not collapse when Al Horford gets in foul trouble. Grant Williams clearly made the right decision to not sign the extension, as he continues to add even more levels to his game inside, and outside the arc.

On the night that the franchise honored the greatest winner in team sports, Jaylen Brown made Bill Russell proud, standing up for his teammate in a duel with Joel Embiid, setting the tone for the rest of the season on opening night. Marcus Smart did not overreact and make some rash decision once again after the whistle was blown. It not only showed a lot of growth from the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, but it was also the first block of many to the Boston Celtics building championship habits as the season progresses.

Seeing Sam Hauser barely get on the floor was a little shocking on top of the fact that Vonleh was first off the bench when Horford got himself in foul trouble. Hauser should receive some more opportunities in the near future, and having that luxury along with Payton Pritchard coming off the bench creates an even bigger monster that has the entire NBA paying attention. Being in a position where the organization is constantly trying to find an upgrade in your position is a tough place to be for Pritchard. His home does not seem to be in Boston at this moment in time, but his sheer will on the court as a competitor will have him fighting for a rotational spot for the Celtics until he cannot anymore.

Pace was the story in the offseason, and it has to be the story heading into Miami on Friday night. Boston outscored the 76ers 27-9 in transitions, showing once again how out of shape both Embiid and James Harden are on the defensive end of the floor. Tatum and Brown looked to have added a few moves into their arsenal, acting as if they were in control of the game right from the jump. With no Robert Williams III, against a team with as dominant a player as Embiid, it would have been assumed that Boston would struggle on the glass. In reality, the Celtics shook off their rust in the rebounding department in the preseason, allowing just four offensive rebounds to a team with improved size and strength. Boston allowed 13 or more offensive rebounds in all four games of the preseason, being outrebounded in two of the four games. Snatching the ball out of the air, especially from Tatum, was not an issue as it was the ignitor to the Celtics’ electric transition offense.

Jaylen Brown’s impression on interim Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla

Following the excitement in the locker room at the end of the contest, Jaylen Brown expressed how impressed he was with Joe Mazzulla on the sideline as a head coach for the first time, stating:

"“Joe is tough as nails, even when in the midst of everything, all the turmoil. I mean, you look into his eyes, you can tell he way ready. So coming out, we get to see on the floor: Composed, calm, ready, strategic. I’m looking forward to seeing more from him and I’m looking forward to building that relationship.”"

This offense was on a roll in the preseason, and it did not stop when Boston’s regular season campaign began. The Boston Celtics had four players with four or more assists to open the season while Philadelphia and Joel Embiid struggled with only having two of its players collecting four or more assists on Tuesday night. While it is difficult to watch Pritchard sitting on the bench, Malcolm Brogdon is arguably going to be the best player in the NBA to come off the bench this season, making Brad Stevens look even better, if that was even possible after the deal with the Pacers over the summer.

Overeating to a single game may not be the way to go, but from the play out on the court to the press conferences following the game, this team has completely new energy to it. Marcus Smart, Derrick White, and Brogdon are the perfect guard trio to complement Tatum and Brown, as this offense has a chance to finish as one of the best in the league at the end of the season. Each season requires its own set of obstacles, as there will be many, but at the end of the day, it is difficult to not take a minute and admire the leaps and bounds the duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have taken their game to together when a majority said it was not going to work out.