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The original Big 3, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, reunited ahead of the Boston Celtics' regular-season opener Wednesday night against the New York Knicks to celebrate the team's Ring Night for their 2023-24 NBA Finals victory. Boston took home their 18th title last season and first since 2008.
While the Celtics handily stormed through the NBA playoffs and won the NBA Finals, the offseason has provided many headlines that push against the team's greatness.
Celtics can't help but view themselves as underdogs
It seems that Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown struggle to be the frontrunners. Whether it's the media's narrative or self-projection, this offseason has been riddled with headlines discrediting the Celtics.
Tatum discussed whether the team was being trolled or not when the Dallas Mavericks were the early betting favorites for the NBA Finals last year.
“People have their own opinions,” Tatum stated. “I didn't know if, for lack of better terms, they were trolling. Slightly disrespectful takes about me or about what I've accomplished or what they think I can or can't do, or they really thought that the Mavs were gonna beat us.”
Brown met with Stephen A. Smith and spoke at length about unnamed sources he felt were trying to undermine him and his Celtics teammates.
“I basically wanted to say to them that I think it's cowardice,” Brown said. “I think historically, unnamed sources have attacked some of our greats. I/we are not responsible for what they lack and design. Frankly, they can call all their buddies, pals, and friends from all over the world, all the unnamed sources and they can shove it where they got it from. Whether they think I'm marketable or not, I walk with God, I'm gonna be me and stand with my community in this life and the next and that's my journalistic integrity…
“I never had a chance to respond or defend myself [because] one: They're never gonna reveal themselves and two: The damage is already done… An unnamed source? Like, what is that?”
Then there's Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, who has a dark, sardonic view of handling pressure.
“We're all gonna be dead soon, and it really doesn't matter anymore, so there's zero pressure,” Mazzulla said. “You’re either gonna win or you’re not … It’s not pressure, it’s an opportunity.”
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints has the Celtics ranked No. 1 in his NBA Power Rankings.
“Whereas every other team in the league was worrying about their cap figures and long-term costs, Brad Stevens and the Celtics have only been focused on capitalizing on their championship fortune right now. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both in their primes, and Boston is in a position to dominate the Eastern Conference for at least a few more seasons before having to make hard financial decisions. There isn't any reason to believe they can't achieve the same.”
Whatever their motivations, it's working. The Celtics are far and away the 2024-25 NBA Championship odds leaders.
