The Celtics are one week into coaching camp. Their preseason ideas off Wednesday night time in Memphis. The Oct. 22 season opener is quick approaching.
Earlier than we get our first take a look at Boston’s new-look roster in a recreation setting, listed below are 5 takeaways from Celtics camp to this point:
1. These Celtics need to play quick…
It’s no secret. Almost each participant on the roster has stated Boston is enjoying at a frenetic tempo in coaching camp – and plans to do the identical when the common season begins.
Xavier Tillman in contrast it to a “NASCAR pit cease.” Payton Pritchard stated the Celtics know they “have to play rather a lot quicker.” As Derrick White put it, they’re going to “get out, run (and) attempt to put on groups down.”
“Basically, we simply need to play so quick and so aggressive that the opposite crew simply can’t sustain,” Josh Minott stated. “That’s what we need to have our id as.”
If Joe Mazzulla sticks with the brand new strategy his gamers have teased, it could be a big shift for the Celtics, who performed a extra deliberate offensive fashion in his first three seasons as head coach. Final season’s crew ranked twenty ninth in tempo, average seconds per possession and fast-break factors. Boston has not completed within the prime half of the league in tempo since 2016-17.
2. … and bodily
Boston additionally needs to up its aggressiveness on the defensive finish, veering from its earlier philosophy of limiting free-throw makes an attempt at the price of low turnover totals.
“Earlier than, we had been enjoying extra of a protected protection of switching, stay with contested photographs, don’t foul, don’t put folks to the free-throw line,” Pritchard stated. “However that’s form of modified. The NBA evolves yearly, so that you’ve obtained to alter your recreation with it. It labored for us once we gained the championship, didn’t work for us as a lot final 12 months. So we’ve obtained to evolve.”
Pritchard had a big scratch down his neck when he gave these feedback, underscoring the physicality of coaching camp to this point.
“It’s undoubtedly been a struggle on the market,” he stated.
In every of the final two seasons, the Celtics dedicated the second-fewest fouls within the NBA and allowed the fewest opponent free-throw makes an attempt, whereas additionally rating within the backside 4 in steals and compelled turnovers. That technique labored with their roster on the time – Boston ranked second in defensive score in 2023-24 and fourth final season – however the Celtics misplaced a number of of their prime defenders this summer season, with Jrue Vacation, Kristaps Porzingis and the injured Jayson Tatum all leaving sizable voids at that finish of the ground.
Mazzulla seemingly will look to use extra defensive strain to fill these holes and sustain with officiating tendencies.
3. Jayson Tatum is progressing – and impressing
Tatum nonetheless has a protracted, lengthy strategy to go in his restoration from Achilles surgical procedure. It could be beautiful if he returned to recreation motion earlier than the NBA All-Star break in mid-February. However an in-season comeback for Boston’s marquee famous person now appears way more real looking than it did only a few weeks in the past.
By all accounts, Tatum is additional alongside in his rehab than most anticipated at this stage. He’s already again on the courtroom lower than 5 months faraway from his harm, and teammates have marveled as his progress behind the scenes.
“I’ve by no means seen anyone get well so quick from an Achilles harm – from any harm, to that degree,” Jaylen Brown stated in a Twitch stream Sunday night time. “JT’s been going loopy.”
Although Tatum isn’t prepared to start working towards, he’s been across the crew all through camp, coaching day by day on the Celtics’ Auerbach Middle facility. Neither he nor the crew has dominated out the potential of him returning in some unspecified time in the future this season, although each have stated he gained’t be again till he’s “100% wholesome.”
“I’m in a extremely great place,” Tatum stated final week.
4. Jaylen Brown’s management
With Tatum sidelined, the highlight can be squarely on Brown this season for the primary time within the latter’s decade-long NBA profession. Boston’s longest-tenured participant would be the crew’s No. 1 possibility till his longtime co-star is wholesome sufficient to return.
As he prepares for his extra outstanding function, Brown stated he’s additionally taken on a bigger management place, each on and off the courtroom. He sought to foster crew chemistry earlier than camp by scheduling gatherings for Boston’s new gamers, together with a visit to a Patriots recreation. Brown stated he’s additionally been extra vocal in follow, “commanding the troops on offense and protection.”
At 28, Brown is the third-oldest participant on a out of the blue inexperienced roster. White and Chris Boucher are the one present Celtics over 30.
“I’ve been vocal earlier than at instances,” Brown stated, “however I believe this crew wants it much more.”
5. Lineup questions unanswered
Celtics practices are closed to the general public and the media, so we have now but to see how Mazzulla is deploying his overhauled roster. Boston entered camp with simply two locked-in starters (Brown and White), with vacancies within the spots beforehand occupied by Tatum, Vacation and Porzingis.
Probably the most intriguing of these lineup discussions is within the backcourt, the place Mazzulla might select to begin both Pritchard or newcomer Anfernee Simons to interchange Vacation. Pritchard is the reigning NBA Sixth Man of the 12 months and is getting into his sixth season with the Celtics, however Simons was a full-time starter in Portland for the final three seasons, posting sturdy offensive numbers whereas struggling as a defender.
Each gamers have stated the suitable issues about their respective spots on the depth chart, insisting they’re open to beginning or coming off the bench so long as they’re serving to the crew.
Elsewhere, Neemias Queta is the favourite to begin at middle after being fourth string behind Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet final season. The ultimate beginning nod might go to returning bench mainstay Sam Hauser or a participant like versatile offseason pickup Chris Boucher, relying on how Mazzulla needs to construction his prime unit.
Boston’s beginning 5 Wednesday night time will present an early preview of the place the top coach is leaning.
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