3 reasons to be excited about the Boston Celtics for the 2022-23 season

1. The continued maturation of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown

It’s easy to get caught up in the intrigue on the fringe of Boston’s rotation. That shouldn’t distract fans from the reality that Tatum and Brown’s play will determine how far the Celtics ultimately go this season.

Tatum is the team’s alpha dog and he deserves that responsibility. With that being said, there’s still room for improvement in the former Duke star’s game. His efficiency could take a meaningful jump with moderate improvement in his 3-point shooting. Passing on open looks for two in favor of creating better looks for his teammates could really unlock Tatum’s complete floor game.

Some NBA observers believe Brown is fully formed as a player, but that line of thinking ignores some significant trend lines in his career stats. Brown’s free throw rate continues to ascend as he gains more confidence in his off-the-dribble game. If he can find a way to keep that going while shooting the ball slightly better from 3 the Celtics could find themselves with another bona fide MVP candidate on their hands.

Boston doesn’t need Tatum or Brown to take a massive leap this season to be great. Marginal gains from both would help solidify the Celtics as the best team in the East. Fans of the storied franchise should delight in the minutia of their games this season as the regular season rolls along.