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Boston Celtics: Quest for banner 18 on the horizon

By Jason Haskins

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 15: Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics reacts during the first quarter against the Miami Heat in Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at The Field House at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 15, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. 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 Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 15: Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics reacts during the first quarter against the Miami Heat in Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at The Field House at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 15, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. 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 Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images) /
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The championship window shouldn’t be closing any time soon for the Boston Celtics. Is this the season they finally get over the Eastern Conference Finals hump?

Head coach Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics have been toying with NBA Finals gold for the last four years now. Three seasons have produced a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, with a semifinal appearance mixed in to boot.

Despite the disappointing ending, last season — as disjointed as it was — can still be considered a success. Is the 2020-21 season when Boston is finally able to mix talent, grit, and chemistry altogether, blended perfectly to help raise another banner to the rafters?

The team is a few months older and wiser when we last left them in late-September. Toss in a couple of free-agent additions plus exciting young talent from the draft, and the Celtics are poised to again be near the top of the conference.

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Of course, the challengers have improved as well. The Miami Heat are on track to vie for a return trip to the Finals. The Milwaukee Bucks still have one of the best players in the game and only got better in the offseason. Toronto and Philadelphia will still be threats and don’t forget about Kevin Durant and his return to the court for the Brooklyn Nets.

Things won’t be getting any easier for Boston, especially with many key questions that remain. How will the team handle the short break between seasons? By time their first regular season game on December 23 tips-off against the Bucks, the Celtics will have had less than three months off. Meanwhile, other teams — luckily, none of the main conference rivals — haven’t played a game in nine months.

Other questions to consider: How will free agents Tristan Thompson and Jeff Teague fit in? What roles will the rookies play? And just how good can the duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown be?

Continued growth of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown

Believe it or not, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will be entering their fourth and fifth seasons, respectively, in the NBA.

And as talented as they both are, neither has reached their full potential.

Tatum, given the max extension in the offseason, had a nearly eight-point jump in points per game between his second and third seasons. While another jump like that isn’t necessary, he has proven he can carry this team when called upon while deferring to others as needed.

Tatum’s assists per game also went up, as his prowess on the defensive end, where he averaged nearly two steals per game last season.

Jaylen Brown, too, has improved with each season in the league, pouring in a career-high 20.3 ppg in 2019-20. This was a seven-point jump from the prior season.

His shot continues to improve and he’s relied less on hovering around the three-point range. An improved mid-range and driving to the hoop more helped raise that scoring average. So, too, is a better percentage at the charity stripe (with more room for improvement still).

Tatum’s and Brown’s continued growth will be important to Boston’s success in 2020-21 as will newcomers Thompson and Teague. Thompson will be part of a trio of big men expected to have big roles, especially on the defensive end. Teague will likely see more minutes in the early part of the season with Kemba Walker out.

Walker will be recovering from knee surgery, which will keep him out until January.

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The 2020-21 season will again look different. There will be a shorter regular season and no bubble raises the chances that games will be canceled or postponed. A core group for Boston that’s been together multiple seasons have shown they can handle adversity. Translating that to on-court play means that a quest for banner number 18 will be entertaining at the least.

From there, let’s hope the adventure leads to gold.

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