2024-25 NBA season preview

Atlantic Division

BOSTON CELTICS

Last season, got out to a big lead and didn’t blow it, 64-18, won NBA title.
Coach: Joe Mazzulla

C: Al Horford — will this be the deed to do it it, defending a championship 17 after debuting as a pro in the paint alongside Juwan Howard’s expressive eyebrows? The coaching staff thought about Al’s impending erosion all summer, preparing, they want this guy to hit 66 percent of his twos (again) and later be interviewed about what it is like turning 39 during the NBA Finals.
F: Jayson Tatum — stats are supposed to go down in the playoffs, legs are seven months removed from training camp, games are slower, possessions longer. His long-range jumper looked fine in exhibition season, don’t worry about his stroke. This guy is 26, he may still have several 40 percent seasons from deep (37.6 in 2023-24) ahead of him, the turnovers will decrease, his refinement will keep Boston at the top.
F: Jaylen Brown — speaking of. Had to do less offensively and more defensively to accommodate Jrue Holiday. There is a large reason why the team that only thinks about its shots still owns a top-three defense.
G: Derrick White — speaking of. Better block rate than Al Horford, Bam Adebayo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jarrett Allen. And Derrick isn’t exactly only out there to block shots, I know it looks like that’s all Derrick White wants to do, but 15-5-4 with a steal in 32 minutes is also great. Outstanding talker.
PG: Jrue Holiday — speaking of. Also, 54/42/1.000 in the Finals at age 33 is some tuff stuff. Holiday wasn’t an easy bolt-in, there was more than simple soldering involved, parts had to swap out, the younger guys had to help. One of those “team efforts,” and look what happened.

Kristaps Porziņģis out until at least December with effectively a broken leg. He was able to chase opponents’ shots in his first season as a Celtic, suddenly surrounded by capable defenders KP didn’t have to help. Or, suddenly surrounded by teammates KP actually wanted to help.

Poured in All-Star contributions, missed 25 games but the C’s still pulled 64 wins, 21-4 in games without Kristaps.

Jordan Walsh struggled badly from long range in Summer League but he has big value as a Jared Dudley-type slicking the pass before the pass, or straying from structure to tap at offensive rebounds … The C’s would love burly Portuguese center Neemias Queta to crush a bit during his bit minutes, he has plenty of teammates agreeable with ensuring the big man in the lane meets the ball.

Luke Kornet averaged one block per game against humans last season but 3.4 blocks per game against the ghosts only Luke Kornet sees.