Four Reasons the Boston Celtics Could Be Better Than Last Season

The Jaylen Brown trade triggered a lot of strong reactions, many of which led to people suggesting the Boston Celtics were going to take a big step backwards and fall in the Eastern Conference.

At this point, anything is possible (© Kevin Garnett), but there is a strong argument to be made that the Celtics will be better than last year. And while some might think that’s just because Jayson Tatum is a perennial first-team All-NBA player who will take over as the centerpiece, that's only a small part of the equation. Here are the the reasons why the Celtics could be better than they were last year.

We Know What We’re Getting

When Brown took the floor on opening night, the Celtics started Brown, Derrick white, Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, and Neemias Queta, while bringing Anfernee Simons, Chris Boucher, Xavier Tillman Sr., and Luka Garza off the bench.

That's nowhere near where the rotation ended up at their peak prior to Tatum’s return. The Celtics started 16 different players last season, 13 of them more than once, and nine of them 10 times or more.

That put Brown in a tough position to hold the offense together while the rest of the rotation was figured out. The center position was a massive unknown to start the season, rebounding was a huge problem, and we had no clue what guys like Neemias Queta, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, and Hugo Gonzalez were going to be. For all the criticism of Brown’s usage rate, how was he supposed to trust all these guys right away?

Tatum is walking into a much different scenario. The center spot is now rock solid, so no matter who starts, Tatum can feel good about running a pick-and-roll with Queta or Mitchell Robinson. Scheierman, Gonzalez, and Walsh are still fighting for their spots in the rotation, but we have pretty good ideas of what their games are now. There's a stronger chance that the rotation will be a little more settled than it was before.

Derrick White Pairs Better With Tatum

This has been mentioned before, but White just has better chemistry with Tatum than he does with Brown. It’s not that his was bad with Brown, but White and Tatum obviously have a closer bond. We’re talking about two guys who dressed as each other for a regular season game

White might be the key to this whole thing going well, so a pairing where he’s consistently better will alone make this season a better one.

With the center spot settled and Tatum in the mix, the defensive rebounding that was such a weakness to start last season will start out as a strength. That means more chances to get out in transition, and more chances for White to operate in space and against cross-matches. That should open up a few more layups to get his confidence going and more catch-and-shoot opportunities for him when he flares to the corner on breaks.

Paul George Will Actually Help

I don’t know how many games Paul George will play, but the combination of Tatum, White, and George … even the current version of George … is better than Brown, White, and whomever you put third. And that's true because whoever you name for that third spot is still going to be here this season, likely playing at a similar level.

George is additive, and a level of player Brown didn’t have last season. Brown’s usage rate wouldn’t have been at 36% if he had even 40 games of George by his side.

That matters. However many minutes, for however many games he’s here, will be minutes where a better player than some of the other options will be on the floor. His availability will be an issue, for sure, but whatever time he’s out there will add something, and the Celtics already know how to play when he’s not.

This Should Help Tatum be Tatum

Knowing what he has beside him will be a big help to Tatum as he navigates being the lone superstar on the team. A familiarity with Scheierman and Gonzalez helps everyone understand spacing and tendencies. A little time with Robinson will give Tatum a good understanding of the pick-and-roll timing, so that should come together fairly quickly. And his chemistry with everyone else is already known.

Tatum is a willing passer, and he can continue to be one with a level of comfort that Brown didn’t have to start last season.

Tatum’s 16-game stretch at the end of the season was also a big deal. It helped him get some feel back and understand where his body was. I think that was a critically important accomplishment because it removes some of the re-entry issues this season. He did a lot in his return, and now he can focus on just being Tatum instead of answering endless questions about his recovery.

So What Does “Better Than Last Year” Mean?

It might not mean 56 wins, but it should show up in other areas of Boston’s game. Maybe there's a dip in turnovers, an increase in pace, and good offensive and defensive ratings.

It’s important to keep in mind that the East is much better than it was and there's no outlandish tanking to pump up win totals. I don’t think there's a 60-win team in the East, so everyone’s win totals will be down a little from last season.

Maybe they’ll hover around 50, or maybe they’ll surprise us again. That part isn’t where “better” will necessarily show up. This is about playing a better, more fluid brand of basketball that maybe can translate into some postseason success. However it’s measured, there's a good chance this team can be better this season.

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