NBA Season Preview 2018-19: Celtics are loaded everywhere

CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 17: Al Horford #42, Marcus Smart #36, Kyrie Irving #11, Jayson Tatum #0 and Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on October 17, 2017 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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With LeBron James now out of the picture, and the deepest roster in the Eastern Conference, could the Boston Celtics be the team to beat in the East?

The Boston Celtics came to within a game of NBA Finals last season, only to see their train derailed by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

With King James moving his throne to the West Coast, it is perfectly reasonable to say that, barring some unforeseen bad luck, the top will be wide open for the Celtics to make a move. There are a few teams who are ready right now to take the East crown, and the Celtics are not only one of them, they are, quite possibly, the favorites to do it.

Boston will have two stars to lead them, Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, a star-in-the-making in Jaylen Brown, and a two-headed monster at point guard on the bench. All of this, plus the return of Al Horford and Jayson Tatum, the latter of whom could be the favorite for Sixth Man of the Year, and you have the makings of a team that has the chance to add the 18th championship banner to the rafters of TD Garden.

That depth, though, could also present some problems, one that Celtics coach Brad Stevens will have to sort out if he expects his team to take the next step in the 2018-19′ season. It’s worth mentioning that Boston is so deep, their rotations could take many different forms, including looking fairly different from what we’re laying out here.