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The Boston Celtics are coming off a disappointing .500 season that saw them finish seventh seed in the Eastern Conference before losing to the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the playoffs. Brad Stevens went from head coach to president of basketball operations and added new pieces to complement the system of newly hired head coach Ime Udoka, while also trading away Kemba Walker. Their versatility and size have vastly improved compared to the previous seasons, but there are still some concerns in Beantown.
A ton of the responsibilities are going to be given to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on both ends of the floor. Moreover, they will need to galvanize their role players to exceed expectations in order to reach the pinnacle of their season. The Celtics were in disarray in 2020-21, and now with Udoka at the helm, here are five big questions that must be answered by the team entering their 2021-22 season.
5 big Boston Celtics questions
1. Is Robert Williams going to be healthy for the majority of the season?
Robert Williams at his peak can duke it out with some of the best big men in the Association. He has the leaping ability to finish over anyone, along with a creative playmaking game that will propel their shooters to gain their confidence. Additionally, Williams is one of the best shot blockers in the league because of his high vertical leap and precise timing.
Bill Simmons even shared on his podcast that he feels Williams can compete with the likes of Deandre Ayton for a two-week stretch, but he always incurs an injury while he is at the peak of his game. If Williams can play at least 70 games this season, he would be a vital asset for Boston in its quest for another deep playoff run.
2. Is Marcus Smart a great starting point guard for a championship contender?
Marcus Smart has primarily been a 2-guard during his career. He has been effective in defending the best wing players of the opposing teams, but Udoka is now challenging him to facilitate and orchestrate the offense for Boston.
New acquisition Dennis Schroder will be manning the second unit, but it is tough to predict if the rotation of Smart and Schroder is enough to catapult the Celtics to the top. Kemba Walker was a big loss for them (he's still good when healthy), and they were not able to sign Lonzo Ball or Kyle Lowry in the offseason. Smart is an excellent role player, but it's a question if he can man the ship on a contender.
3. Is Jayson Tatum a No. 1 guy on a championship contender?
Jayson Tatum scored over 26 points per game last season and had a 50-point playoff game. Tatum was also a key player for Team USA in the Olympics. However, there are still areas of his game he can improve upon in order to take that next step and become a truly elite player who can lead Boston to a title.
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If Tatum wants to lead the Celtics to the promised land, he must contribute in other facets of the game if his scoring is off. He can still get better as a playmaker and step up as a leader to motivate his teammates in the most important games of the season.
4. Is Ime Udoka the perfect replacement for Brad Stevens?
Some were questioning the schemes and strategies of Brad Stevens last season, because things often got too stagnant. Tatum and Brown were forced to manufacture their own offense too much, which sometimes translated to abysmal shots. Meanwhile, after being a top defensive team in prior seasons, Boston was a middle-of-the-pack unit on that end in 2020-21.
After Stevens went upstairs, he decided to hire Udoka, who's known for his defensive system because of his tenure with Gregg Popovich on the San Antonio Spurs. With the Celtics adding Schroder, Al Horford, and Josh Richardson, it is a great indicator that one of the priorities of Udoka is to maximize their defensive skill set.
5. Are any of their young players going to be effective?
Former Celtics president Danny Ainge was known for stocking up on a plethora of draft picks in the hope of finding a top-tier talent. With Tatum and Brown being home-grown stars, they are proof that it could be an effective method. Some of their other first-round picks in Aaron Nesmith, Romeo Langford, Grant Williams, and Payton Pritchard are still trying to become legitimate difference-making talents.
Even if Ainge traded for these picks, it is still necessary for them to become consistent contributors for Boston. Similar to the ascension of Herro or Jordan Poole, one of these youngsters must surprise Celtics fans and become a lethal threat toward the latter part of the season. If this happens, the Celtics will be a force to be reckoned with come playoff time.
