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Will the Boston Celtics have an identity crisis next year?

By Dylan Thompson

PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 25: Jaylen Brown #7 and Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics in action against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on February 25, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 110-107. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 25: Jaylen Brown #7 and Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics in action against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on February 25, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 110-107. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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The Boston Celtics have reached a critical point with their current core. The offensive and defensive philosophies have seemed to grow stale in recent seasons, but all the moves they have made point to them doubling down on them.

These offseason moves ultimately beg the question: will the Celtics have an identity crisis next year?

Under Joe Mazzulla the Cs went all in on three-pointers last season, and the effects were noticeable. The Celtics started the season on complete fire from three, but then towards the end of the season and into the playoffs, the team struggled from deep. Ultimately, having the second-most three-point attempts per game did not help the Celtics in the long run.

The Boston Celtics also took a step back defensively last season because Mazzulla spent more time preaching offense. This was a surprising move because defense helped anchor the team to the NBA Finals in 2022. The recent offseason addition of Kristaps Porzingis is puzzling because he does not change much for the Celtics in terms of their identity.

As currently constructed, the Celtics are still a front-running offensive team that will take a ton of three-pointers and only play defense when they feel like it. The departures of Marcus Smart and Grant Williams further highlight that the C’s philosophies won’t change because they were the only players that were committed to having a defense-first culture.

The Boston Celtics will have an identity crisis next season

All of these factors set up for the Celtics to potentially have an identity crisis next season. If the Celtics go another year where they lose because of taking too many three-pointers, something will have to change organizationally. If the Celtics lose their identity next season or fail to adapt, they will struggle to stay at a contending level.

Ultimately, it will be interesting to see how Mazzulla and his staff approach their offensive and defensive game plans.

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