The Celtics are enjoying a couple of days away from the practice floor to rest up and get ready for the regular season. While they do that, here are a few takeaways (other than the Jordan Walsh stuff I've written plenty about) from their 4-1 preseason.
- Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are setting a championship tone.
We all had questions after the championship about how winning would affect Tatum and Brown. Would they take the summer to do nothing but celebrate their accomplishment and get fat and happy? Or would they find a way to focus and come back wanting to do it again?
Those questions have been answered emphatically. Brown came into camp looking like a He-Man action figure and Tatum spent time adjusting a jump shot that had fallen into disrepair. Whether it was the Team USA stuff, some other outside motivation, or just a flat-out taste for blood, they have shown us they are very ready for the regular season. Hell, I’d be comfortable with this team starting a playoff series tomorrow.
They have been impressive. Brown has done some more work down low, using his added bulk to his advantage. Tatum has been hitting tough shots that slowly fell out of his repertoire over last season. And both have done this without giving up the sacrifices they made last season.
When your two top guys walk into camp like they have, the rest of the team has to take notice. A guy like Baylor Scheierman must look at Tatum and Brown and realize how far he is from being his best and how much work it takes to get there. When everyone else on the team has to push to keep up with the stars, that makes for a very good team.
- I haven't seen any regression anywhere.
I know this all sounds like a lot of cheerleading, but I swear I’m being as objective as possible here. I cannot pinpoint a single bit of regression this preseason.
Al Horford is an incomplete, having played just one game. Yes, he was a bit rusty in that one so I’m not ruling out a step backwards for him. He looked mobile enough and the shots seemed to be on target, just not dialed in. But we’ll wait and see on him.
As for everyone else? The worst thing I can say is Jaden Springer looks the same as last season. He’s hit a few shots but nothing there looks particularly comfortable. I guess Neemias Queta looks about the same, so no big step forward for him. He seems to be who he is at this point.
The starting five? Well, I just gushed about Tatum and Brown. Derrick White looked great in his time on the floor. Jrue Holiday is Jrue Holiday. I’ve already broken down how Luke Kornet looks pretty good in his role, so he’s probably a little bit better than he was last season.
The bench looks great, too. Payton Pritchard is doing Payton Pritchard things. Sam Hauser is a flame thrower who seems to have added a little bit off the dribble. Xavier Tillman looked comfortable taking shots and switching defensively.
Trust me, if there was a crack in this facade, I’d find it. And while I understand that none of this matters once the regular season starts because they're going to have to fight and prove it all over again, I still don’t see any steps backward anywhere on this roster. I know it doesn’t guarantee success moving forward, but it does give them a hell of a chance at it.
- I’m comfortable with the big man situation
If there's any Achilles heel with this team, it's at the center spot. With Kristaps Porzingis out for a while and 38-year-old Horford, it's easy to feel queasy about where the Celtics stand at center.
But having seen the production out of Kornet, Tillman, and even Queta, I feel pretty good about where the Celtics are. You will not find another NBA team with five playable centers.
And that's a testament to how good the other non-centers on the floor are. All someone like Queta has to be is adept at setting picks, catching passes, and making open layups. Add some skill at that spot, like with Tillman or Kornet, and suddenly those players can do a whole lot more simply because they're surrounded by high-level teammates.
I think Horford will be fine, but even if there's a little drop off, the Celtics have decent options.
I don’t want this to sound too repetitive because it’s a long season, but this team is as ready for a season as I’ve seen. There's chatter and comparisons to 2009, when the World Champion Celtics looked even better and more dominant after winning it all. I don’t think that comparison is out of bounds. I think we could be looking at the same type of start for Boston (hopefully minus the crushing injury to the most important player).