"Let me tell you, this column would have read a lot differently had I pecked it out on Wednesday afternoon, as was the original game plan, before deciding to wait until after the Celtics ' matchup with the Cavaliers that evening. The Celtics entered the game against what I believe to be the best team in the Eastern Conference with a 1-3 record, having lost their first three games before routing the Zion Williamson-less Pelicans on Monday night."
"I wasn't even sure they would need to tank, given the obvious flaws on the roster - a collective rebounding ability that often looks like the Celtics media flailing to keep the coaching staff off the boards, some one-dimensional newcomers trying to figure out how or if they fit in, the effects the absence of Jayson Tatum and his gravitational pull had on even the established players."
Celtics started the season 1-3 after losing their first three games but routed the Zion Williamson-less Pelicans to get a first win. The team then upset the Cleveland Cavaliers 125-105 to move to 2-3, an outcome few expected. The roster shows clear flaws: poor collective rebounding, one-dimensional newcomers struggling to fit, and the absence of Jayson Tatum removing a key gravitational presence. The collective bargaining agreement compounds personnel challenges. Contemplation of tanking and possible trades for Derrick White surfaced amid concerns. The first-half 75-point outburst against the Cavaliers shifted the season outlook abruptly.
Read at Boston.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]