The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are far and away the two best teams in the NBA. And given that they are both incredibly young, it wouldn't be a surprise if they're going to go back and forth between championship victories for at least the next decade.
This is great news for fans of those teams, but not for any of the other 28. And that includes the Boston Celtics, who have to figure out how to compete with either of these teams if the opportunity arises.
The Celtics are not a championship-caliber team anymore
Boston raised its 18th banner not even two years ago, but things already look completely different for the team now.
Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet (who, ironically, is currently on the Spurs) all played important roles during the Celtics' 2023-24 season but are now playing elsewhere. Additionally, players like Sam Hauser (and maybe even Jaylen Brown, though this is far less likely) may have already played their final game for the team.
As long as the Celtics have Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Joe Mazzulla leading the way, they're going to be considered legitimate contenders, regardless of who is around them. But that's not good enough right now. Boston is a city that demands championship success, and as it stands, there are few reasons to believe the Celtics will be able to raise another banner anytime soon, especially with the Spurs and Thunder showcasing their dominance.
The Celtics can't compete against the Spurs or Thunder
Let's pretend like Boston didn't choke against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of this year's playoffs. Let's also pretend the team somehow eliminated the New York Knicks in the second round and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference finals.
On paper, does this Celtics team stack up against the Spurs or Thunder? No.
Do you trust Neemias Queta to go up against Victor Wembanyama or Chet Holmgren in the finals? Do you think the Celtics can contain Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (who averaged 34 points, 8.5 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1.5 blocks on 76.7/55.6% shooting splits in two games against them this season) for a seven-game series? The answer is a resounding 'no' to both of those questions.
Changes need to be made in Boston if the team wants to compete for a championship again as soon as next season. The answer probably isn't Giannis Antetokounmpo, but maybe there are some Porzingis/Holiday-type acquisitions it can make to help move the needle (Myles Turner, Anfernee Simons, etc.). Regardless, the Celtics, as currently constructed, aren't good enough to win it all next season, and it's only going to get worse.
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