Before the season started, the Boston Celtics were the heavy favorites to win the Eastern Conference now that LeBron James is in the West.

With star point guard Kyrie Irving and small forward Gordon Hayward back healthy, everyone surmised the Celtics were going to talk through the East since Boston went to Game 7 of the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals without Irving and Hayward.

Despite all the talent on the roster, though, the Celtics are only 22-15 on the season entering Thursday, fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings. Hayward has struggled so far this season as he makes his way back from the gruesome left ankle fracture he suffered last year.

Injuries have been an issue too, as All-Star center Al Horford and Jaylen Brown have dealt with lingering injuries all season.

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Celtics co-owner Wycliffe Grousbeck is still happy with the direction of the franchise, though, and feels like the team is going to make noise for the next five-to-six years with the current core of Irving, Hayward, Brown, Jayson Tatum and Horford:

“I feel overall confident and excited we can make some noise over the next 5-6 years with this core group, adding on when we can,” Grousbeck told the Boston Globe. “But this season still does feel like a work in progress, and it feels like we’ve got a long way to go if we want to make some noise in May again, or even in June.”

Irving will become a free agent after this season, but he has stated he is going to re-sign with Boston. Both Brown and Tatum are still on their rookie contracts. Hayward is under contract through 2021. Horford is under contract through 2020.