The Boston Celtics will be coming into the season trying to win a second championship in a row, and it’s up to the leaders of the team to guide them. Head coach Joe Mazzulla has shown that he’s the right person to lead the team, while Jayson Tatum has been the leader on the basketball court.
During the Paris Olympics, there was a lot of noise surrounding Tatum since he had been benched several times and not getting a lot of minutes. During that time, Mazzulla wanted to make sure that his star player was good, and made a nice gesture to show his support, according to Bill Simmons.
“I think even when Tatum was struggling during the Olympics, Mazzulla flew out to France, to kinda make sure everything was ok. That guy is locked in, knows his roster […] people love that dude,” Simmons said.
That gesture alone should show that Tatum, Mazzulla, and the entire Celtics’ team are a close-knit group, and they’re ready to win another championship.
Joe Mazzulla, Jayson Tatum ready to defend Celtics’ title
During the offseason, Joe Mazzulla and Jayson Tatum have talked about defending the Boston Cetlics’ title, and it sounds like they’re ready to compete for another season.
“People are gonna say the target is on our back, but I hope it’s right on our forehead in between our eyes,” Mazzulla said in an interview with Locked on Celtics. “I hope I can see the red dot.”
Tatum spoke during a press tour about how the Celtics are going to take it step-by-step to win another championship.
“It’s extremely tough to win the championship,” Tatum said. “I was super proud of what we were able to accomplish. To come into the next season and just say we’re gonna do it again would be insensitive. A lot has to go right. And our mindset is not let’s win the championship again. Let’s start over, let’s get better every single day, and let’s not skip any steps.”
The Celtics have a good chance to get back to the NBA Finals, but they’ll have to go against an Eastern Conference that has gotten stronger. The Milwaukee Bucks will be back healthy to start the season, while the New York Knicks traded a bunch of their assets to acquire Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets. The Philadelphia 76ers had a big offseason, signing Paul George, while also adding Caleb Martin, Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon, and more. It’s also hard to forget teams like the Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Everybody will be giving the Celtics their best shot every night, but they look like they’re a team that’s battle-tested and ready for whatever these teams throw at them.
