The Celtics won’t walk their way to the NBA Finals
The Boston Celtics have arguably the deepest roster in the NBA. A potential starting five of Irving, Brown, Hayward, Tatum, and Horford with Rozier, Baynes, Marcus Smart, Marcus Morris, and Daniel Theis, among others, coming off the bench is a deadly rotation. But the Celtics aren’t the only contending team in the East.
The Toronto Raptors were the one seed in the East last season and have won more games than any team in the conference over the last three years. After trading DeMar DeRozan, Jakob Poeltl, and a 2019 first-round pick to the San Antonio Spurs for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green, you could argue that the Raptors are an improved unit heading into this season.
While the Celtics beat them in five games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals last season, the Philadelphia 76ers are a team on the rise with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons at the helm. The Milwaukee Bucks athleticism has given the Celtics problems in the past, and the Indiana Pacers surprised many coming out and winning 48 games last season.
Reaching the Finals is not a given for the Celtics. Are they the frontrunners to do so in the East? Yes, but that’s assuming all will go right, and Hayward will slide in and produce from the get-go.
Hayward is the X-Factor to the Celtics’ success this season. If he’s the player they signed him to be and he fits into their system, the Celtics will be in the NBA Finals and could challenge the Golden State Warriors – if they reach the Finals for a fifth consecutive season. If Hayward struggles to fit in, or they struggle to work him in, the Boston Celtics may not escape the East.