Before their shocking upset at the hands of the Detroit Pistons, the Boston Celtics were on the midst of their best stretch of the season winning nine consecutive games. Coach Ime Udoka has built an identity for his squad as the second-best defensive unit in the association. The length and versatility of Boston has been suffocating as opponents are even struggling to reach 100 points every game, especially during blowouts.

Their offense was abysmal in the first few months of their campaign as they would relinquish several double digit leads due to isolation-heavy plays. Through the process of overcoming these growing pains, the Celtics have elevated their standing in the Eastern Conference to sixth despite being 11th place at one juncture this year. Even with their recent success, there are still a few facets of their game that remain question marks as games resumes after the All-Star Break.

Can they survive without consistent shooters?

In the aforementioned struggles of the Celtics, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown would lack numerous shooters alongside them to space the floor and give them the driving lane to attack the rim. Acquiring Derrick White and Daniel Theis before the trade deadline addressed other holes in their team, but Grant Williams is the only individual shooting over 40% from long distance this year.

Tatum and Brown have been underwhelming in terms of their shooting efficiency, but there is the still possibility of adding a shooter through the buyout market like Gary Harris or Jeremy Lamb. The Celtics still have a few open roster spots because they let go of many of their third stringers to get below the cap and not pay tax for the remainder of the season. Internal adjustments such as the surge of Payton Pritchard or Aaron Nesmith would be tremendous for Celtics fans, but shooting is still an aspect that must be addressed for a realistic dark horse run in the East.

Will Derrick White, Marcus Smart be enough to run the offense?

President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens decided to ship Kemba Walker out of town after two injury-riddled seasons in Boston. Thus, their point guard depth was limited to Marcus Smart and Dennis Schroder, which caused a ton of stagnant possessions offensively in the first part of the season. These two fearless competitors are not natural point guards, but they found a way to make it work when the calendar turned to 2022.

The departure of Schroder and Josh Richardson opens more minutes for White and Pritchard as they continue enhancing their offensive sets as the playoff approaches. Tatum and Brown are phenomenal scorers, but they must be alongside a ball distributor like what Smart has been doing recently before incurring an ankle injury in their match against the Philadelphia 76ers. The hope is for Smart to be 100% after the All-Star break as they hope to rise despite the stiff competition in the East.

Is the Celtics' size enough against the East powerhouses?

Adding Theis in lieu of Enes Freedom improves their defense and versatility immensely, but Theis is still an undersized big who would be another body to defend the likes of Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jarrett Allen come playoff time. Robert Williams III, Al Horford, Theis, and Grant Williams are the big men rotation of the Celtics, but one could argue that it is still undersized, especially with their dynamic duo preferring to play in the perimeter.

Limiting Embiid to three made field goals in their 48-point debacle of the 76ers could be an optimistic sign for the Celtics defending the best bigs in the association. Their defense is one of the best in the league, but sustaining the superb sho blocking prowess of Horford and Williams III must be translated in critical playoff games as well. If their perimeter quartet of Smart, White, Tatum, and Brown are healthy and locking down the perimeter along with their impeccable rim protection, Boston will be a tough out and a gritty bunch in April and May.