It was a first half to remember for the Celtics, as they exceeded expectations en route to a 35-19 record and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
While it was certainly a strong start, what happens the rest of the way will ultimately dictate how this season is remembered.
With that in mind, here are 10 storylines to follow moving forward.
1) Will Jayson Tatum return?
Yes, it’s obvious, but it still counts. Will he or won’t he? My hunch is that Jayson Tatum will, in fact, play for the Celtics this season. It could be in a few
days, a few weeks or a few months, but I don’t think he’s doing all this just for the heck of it.
Prediction: Yes, sometime in March or April.
2) Will Jaylen Brown make the All-NBA first team?
Jaylen Brown made the All-NBA second team in 2022-23 but has never made the first team. This is easily his best chance. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic are essentially locks as long as they stay healthy. After that, it feels like Brown, Luka Doncic, Cade Cunningham, Anthony Edwards and Jalen Brunson, among others, will be battling it out for two spots.
Prediction: No. He makes the second team (finishing sixth or seventh overall), but not the first.
3) Can Derrick White find consistency with his shot?
Derrick White has adjusted to increased responsibility seamlessly in just about every area. His shooting percentages, however, have decreased significantly – 44.2 percent from the field last year to 38.9 this year, along with 38.4 percent from 3 last year to 32.5 this year. I have a hunch White will figure it out. He may not be able to elevate those numbers to where they were last year, but I think he’ll start trending in the right direction.
Prediction: Yes. He ends up around 34 percent from 3 and 40 percent from the field.
4) Will Nikola Vucevic be a perfect fit?
The more I watch Nikola Vucevic play with the Celtics, the more I like the trade. Yes, they’ll miss Anfernee Simons, but Vucevic really fits in perfectly and gives them something an element didn’t have. He’s honestly one of the best low-post scorers and rebounders they’ve had in recent years (if not the best) and has already made strides defensively. I think this will end up working out great for both sides.
Prediction: Yes. He continues to get more and more comfortable and helps most in the playoffs.
5) Will Joe Mazzulla win Coach of the Year?
Joe Mazzulla is in the mix for Coach of the Year, but he has some stiff competition with JB Bickerstaff, Jordan Ott, Mitch Johnson and more. I believe the Celtics will continue to rack up wins and continue to help his cause, but I don’t think anyone’s catching the Pistons in the East, so it’s hard to argue against Bickerstaff.
Prediction: No. He comes close, but finishes second behind Bickerstaff.
6) Which role players earn opportunities in the playoffs?
Mazzulla has mixed and matched with his bench most of the season, tinkering his lineups based on the opponent. Which of these guys who have contributed in spurts will stay in the rotation in the playoffs? It will likely continue to be matchup dependent, but I think he trusts Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez and Luka Garza most, with a sprinkle of Jordan Walsh and Amari Williams as needed.
Prediction: Scheierman, Gonzalez and Walsh see occasional minutes, depending on the opponent.
7) Will all the road games early be a problem?
Eight of the Celtics’ first 12 games are on the road, starting with a tough four-game trip against the Warriors, Lakers, Suns and Nuggets. This is a tricky stretch, and they need to make sure it doesn’t veer the wrong direction. Going 2-2 is fine, but 1-3 or 0-4 wouldn’t be ideal. It doesn’t get any easier in early March, with road games against the Cavaliers, Spurs and Thunder in a span of five days.
Prediction: They struggle somewhat, but not enough where they plummet in the standings. They go 2-2 on the first road trip and 1-2 on the second, but they take care of business against worse teams at home to start 7-5 overall.
8) Does Neemias Queta make an All-Defensive team?
Neemias Queta is the unsung hero of this whole Celtics season so far. People who watch the team regularly are aware of how valuable he is, but those who follow the NBA casually have no idea. He’s currently 10th in the NBA in defensive rating (105.6), 18th in blocks (1.3) and is the anchor of a unit that’s allowing the second-fewest points per game in the NBA (108.4) behind only the Thunder.
Prediction: Yes, he makes the second team – a well-deserved honor.
9) How many wins do the Celtics finish with and where do they end up in the standings?
This one is possibly the most fun to predict. In one sense, the Celtics are playing with house money. In other, they didn’t come this far just to come this far. I don’t think there will be a major drop-off, but I also don’t think they’ll catch the Pistons. I think the Knicks will pull ahead, but the Celtics will hold off the Cavaliers. Obviously Tatum’s status could swing it dramatically, so I’m making a safe pick in between where I think it would be if he comes back and if he doesn’t.
Prediction: 52-30, No. 3 seed.
10) Do fans start to believe this team can win it all?
The average Boston sports fan is enjoying this run, yet remains somewhat skeptical that the Celtics can legitimately contend for a championship. Are they right? Possibly, but I wouldn’t rule it out. The Thunder still factually have the best chance. The rest of the West is loaded, and the Pistons, Knicks and Cavaliers are all legit, but there’s no reason the Celtics can’t make the Finals and give the Thunder or anyone else a battle. Especially if that Tatum guy returns. It’s a tricky season, because fans are genuinely bought in but don’t want to be disappointed if it all crumbles. But that’s what being a fan is all about, right?
Prediction: Fans’ expectations stay about the same if Tatum stays sidelined. Fans’ expectations start to soar if he returns. We’ll see how it all shakes out, but it could be one heck of a story.
Agree? Disagree? Kind of agree? Let us know.
