A little over a month ago, the Boston Celtics were the favorites to come out of the East again. But since then they have lost their talented head coach and now have an unproven coach at the helm. This creates uncertainty as we take a look at the Celtics season preview 2022-23.
The Celtics are still one of the best teams in the league and have the best defense in the league. Sure, they had to deal with a few issues in the last few weeks, but they still have kept their core intact and have added valuable pieces to their roster.
So, can the Celtics repeat their run to the Finals? Let’s find out as we take a look at the Celtics season predictions.
Celtics season preview 2022-23
The Celtics will be raring to get back to the Finals. They were the best team in the latter stages of the regular season. And it looks like they are going to be one of the best defensive teams again this season.
They had a good offseason where they addressed a few of their issues and they did not lose out on any of their key players. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the Celtics season predictions.
Jayson Tatum will be in the running for the MVP award
Tatum had his best season to date in 2021-22 as he was named to the All-NBA First Team. He had a career-high in points, assists, rebounds and minutes played. But this ended in a dismal performance in the Finals. Tatum had an excellent playoff run but his Finals performances were rather underwhelming.
Tatum has shown himself to be one of the best wings in the league already. And there are hardly any players that can slow him down. He was a late contender in last season’s MVP race after leading his team to an impressive second half.
And with a Finals appearance in his bag, Tatum will be raring to go. He will have a chip on his shoulder to prove everyone wrong. And this makes him a contender for the MVP award.
Celtic’s depth will be their superpower
The Celtics have managed to do well and keep their core intact. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, Marcus Smart and Derrick White are all still a part of the Celtics. And they have added Malcolm Brogdon to the mix as well.
Brogdon could a candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year and he fits the Celtics’ style of play. His versatility on both sides of the floor is a blessing for the Celtics. They had even signed Danilo Gallinari who looked like the steal of the season, but they lost the Italian to an ACL injury which will keep him out for the entire season.
They did manage to sign Blake Griffin and he has shown that he still can contribute. The Celtics will miss Robert Williams for the first few months. But once he gets healthy, they should be one of the most dangerous teams in the league.
The Celtics will finish with the best record in the East
The Celtics finished the second half of the regular season with a record of 33-10 which gives them a 63-win pace. Currently, the oddsmakers at Vegas have the Celtics’ NBA Win totals at 55, by far the most of any team in the league.
But the Celtics’ depth and star power may be too much for the league and I see them finishing well over that mark. In fact, the Celtic will end up with the best record in the East.
- Celtics record prediction – 61-21
The Celtics will make the Eastern Conference Finals
The East has gotten tougher over the past few months. The Heat are still the same powerhouse as last year. The Nets look rejuvenated after all the drama in the offseason. And the Bucks have gotten their stars back and will be looking to make some noise. The Cavs have gone big in the offseason and have arguably the best starting lineup in the NBA.
Despite all this, the Celtics are still one of the favorites to win it all. Their young stars made a huge leap last season and are just entering their prime. They made the right moves in the offseason and have added another scorer to the mix. And they are still the best team in the league defensively.
Many say that the Celtics only reached the Finals because of the injuries to other teams. And the Celtics will be looking to prove all their doubters wrong.
Malcolm Brogdon will be the X Factor for the Celtics
When the Celtics faced the Warriors in the Finals, there was one clear problem. They needed a player who can get his own shot and create for others. When Brown and Tatum were guarded brilliantly by the Warriors, the Celtics’ offense went into a rut. And this cost them dearly as they lost three games in a row.
The Celtics went into the offseason trying to fix that and they seemed to have done just that. They went out and got Malcolm Brogdon from the Pacers. They had to give up a lot, but Brogdon has a huge upside.
The only worry is that Brogdon is coming off an injury-plagued season. But before that, he achieved a career-high in points and three-pointers made. He is also an excellent playmaker. His style will gel easily with the Celtics switching defense and his versatility will be a boon for them in the playoffs.
