NBA: Way-too-early championship contender rankings for 2021

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Boston Celtics Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

6. Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics were two games away from the NBA Finals behind the ever-evolving wing duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The two forwards showcased their upside as players by benefiting from more offensive touches and playing off the ball better than expected with ball-dominant guard Kemba Walker manning the controls.

Boston has the guard and wing play to truly compete with any team in their conference but lacks the impactful big man to make up for their lack of a consistent offensive presence near the rim. With there not being elite big men opportunities emerging in the free agency pool, Boston may go into the new season relying on Daniel Theis and Robert Williams to be respectable inside for the C’s to take the next step.

It’s either that or Tatum and Brown take an elite step as offensive weapons. If the former emerges as an MVP candidate and the later becomes an Eastern Conference all-star, their lack of game-changing size inside can be null and void end-route to a championship title.