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NBA Season Preview 2018-19: Celtics have a superteam tradition

By Brandon Jefferson

CANTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 24: Jayson Tatum #0, Jaylen Brown #7, Kyrie Irving #11, Gordon Hayward #20 and Al Horford #42 of the Boston Celtics pose for a portrait at media day on September 24, 2018 at the High Output Studios in Canton, Massachusetts. 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
CANTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 24: Jayson Tatum #0, Jaylen Brown #7, Kyrie Irving #11, Gordon Hayward #20 and Al Horford #42 of the Boston Celtics pose for a portrait at media day on September 24, 2018 at the High Output Studios in Canton, Massachusetts. 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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“Superteams” are not a new phenomenon in the NBA, just ask the Boston Celtics. When Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, and Red Auerbach were collecting 11 NBA titles together, Boston had amassed one of the most talented rosters in NBA history. The same could be said of the 1985-86 Celtics that featured five Hall-of-Famers in Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Dennis Johnson, and Bill Walton.

This current generation of “superteams” was kicked off by the Celtics when they assembled Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce during the 2007 offseason. Heading into the 2018-19 NBA season, there’s a chance that Boston’s current iteration of talent might be its best yet.

Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward are back from injuries that sidelined them for chunks of last season, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are two of the best wing players under 25 in the league, the duo of Marcus Smart and Marcus Morris are back to give the team grit and toughness, Terry Rozier is a starting-caliber point guard backing up Irving, and last, but not least, Al Horford is around to solidify it all.

Captained once again by the sire of the sidelines, Brad Stevens, this year’s Celtics look as formidable as any non-Golden State Warriors team in the past four years.

The belief is there, Irving told ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan that Boston could defeat the two-time champions in a seven-game series, “Because of who we have, and what we’re establishing here…something that’s pretty special.”

Irving has climbed the mountaintop against the Warriors before; his game-winning 3-pointer struck right between the eyes of Stephen Curry and in the hearts of the entire city of Cleveland.

His faith isn’t misplaced. While Boston doesn’t have a sentient basketball playing robot a la LeBron James, their advantage over Golden State lies in their depth. Strength in Numbers has been a running motto for the Warriors as they built a dynasty, but Boston’s ability to go eight or nine-deep in their rotation without batting an eye is a leg up in a potential NBA Finals matchup.

Yet, before we get there — and boy do lots of people want to get there — Boston has to first find out if the pieces of their puzzle fit.

Tatum experienced one of the best rookie years in terms of production and team success in a long time. Boston thought he was the best player in the vaunted 2018 NBA Draft class, and his return on investment in year one did not disappoint. Tatum didn’t shy away from the spotlight either, he was the team’s best player in their Game 7 defeat in the Eastern Conference Finals. He figuratively and literally went chest-to-chest with LeBron that night.

Most rookies that performed like Tatum would come back to an even bigger role in their sophomore seasons, but the return of Irving and Hayward could have a negative impact on Tatum.

Not to be overshadowed, Brown took a huge leap forward too in the absence of last summer’s superstar additions too. Once considered an afterthought in the Ben Simmons vs Brandon Ingram debate, Brown could easily solidify himself as the second best player for the 2016 NBA Draft in the coming years.

As spooky season approaches, I’d be remiss to not mention that “Scary Terry” Rozier became a thing. In fact, the whole Celtics team could potentially suffer from a “too many cooks” situation.

Stevens’ offense helps deter this as it calls for ball and player movement and sacrificing good shots for great ones. However, what happens when the philosophy results in an uneven distribution of shots? Irving, Hayward, and Tatum have all shown to be players that can create offense for themselves, will this ability lead to them going off script if they feel they haven’t been involved enough? Does Stevens fluctuate rotations to allow for one of those three to be the go-to-guy for stretches of play? Could having three high-level creators result in holding back the development of a player like Brown?

Windows in the NBA open and close in the blink of an eye. As the Warriors have secured their place atop the NBA they’ve not only defeated their biggest competition but have dismantled them in the process.

In 2016 it was the Oklahoma City Thunder and they poached Kevin Durant that summer. In 2017 it was the Cleveland Cavaliers and now Irving is a Celtic. Last year it was the Houston Rockets and the defense that helped D’Antoni’s team push Golden State to seven games is gone (Trevor Ariza is in Phoenix, Luc Richard Mbah A Moute is in Los Angeles, and defensive coordinator Jeff Bzdelik retired). Boston looks to play the role in 2019, with Kyrie approaching free agency this summer could this run be over before the Celtics get out of the starting blocks?

Next. Meet the 2018 NBA 25-under-25. dark

There will be many questions that Boston needs to answer before they make their first trip back to the NBA Finals since 2010.

The talent is there, the mindset seems to be following in-step too. If this team is able to put it all together it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that they chase the Warriors for a title, but they could also challenge the vaunted 73-win season.

Sky’s the limit for this year’s Celtics and as long as lady luck and health are on their side this team should dominate. Making the leap from title contender to championship-or-bust is one that covers a great distance. All the pieces on the chessboard are in place and a breakthrough seems imminent.