Remember that Friends episode where Joey insists his concoction is delicious? “What’s not to like?” he says. “Custard? Good. Jam? Good. Meat? Good.” Ross looks at him in disbelief and insists it tastes like feet.
Sometimes, NBA teams taste a lot like feet (see: 76ers, Clippers, Suns, etc.). The beautiful part about this Celtics roster is that the pieces fit together swimmingly and bring out the best in one another.
The Worcestershire sauce (Jaylen Brown) complements the steak (Jayson Tatum). The mashed potatoes (Kristaps Porzingis) complement the carrots (Al Horford). The baguette (Derrick White) complements the Pinot Grigio (Jrue Holiday).
Everyone who watched this team throughout the year feels as though Brad Stevens is a wizard. There’s no way a top six this delightful should exist. It almost seems unfair.
But it does exist. The Celtics actually won the championship. This is reality.
So, what did Stevens do? Instead of trying to tinker with perfection, he realized he found it and adopted a “less is more” mindset.
After years of fiddling and finagling, Stevens has assembled the perfect roster. He knows it, and he has no desire to tweak it. This offseason has shown that the Celtics plan to keep this core together as long as they possibly can.
And why wouldn’t they? Look at all the NBA dynasties in recent memory. The Spurs kept Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili together. The Heat did the same with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. The Warriors rode Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green to four rings.
The Celtics have a prime window to win at least two, if not three championships. Tatum and Brown are entering their primes. Porzingis and Horford are battle tested. Holiday and White are like peanut butter and jelly. Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser have silenced the doubters. The Stay Ready guys take pride in their role.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Now, having said all that, let’s make one thing abundantly clear: The Celtics are the favorites to win it all next year. They have the best roster in the NBA. They may very well do it. But, it absolutely won’t be easy.
No NBA team has repeated since the Warriors in 2017 and 2018. No defending champion has made it past the second round since the Warriors in 2019.
When the Bucks won in 2021, everyone declared Giannis Antetokounmpo the face of the league and assumed they’d have a shot at another. When the Nuggets won in 2023, everyone declared Nikola Jokic the new face of the league and assumed they’d have a shot at another.
Now, with Tatum on the verge of becoming the newest face of the league, and Brown right beside him, the Celtics have a chance at history. But the champion gets every team’s best. Look at the arms race in the East alone. Mikal Bridges to the Knicks. Paul George to the 76ers. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Magic.
Every team is gunning for the Celtics. Not just that, but they’re trying to match up with the Celtics. You think the Knicks got Bridges because he went to Villanova? Well, it doesn’t hurt, but they got him because he’s a wing who has a better chance at neutralizing Tatum and Brown than most.
Same with the 76ers and George. The Magic got Caldwell-Pope because he has two rings. It’s like that Jokic video, where he’s having the time of his life and everyone else is training around him. The Celtics are in the honeymoon phase, and they’ve earned it, but now it’s time to snap back to reality.
Savor that feeling, and use it as a blueprint, but don’t get complacent. Keep the mentality of the hunter, even though they’re now the hunted. Avoid falling for the trap.
Will this group simply be a moment in history like the 2008 team, or will these Celtics capitalize on what’s ahead of them and capture another?
Only time will tell. This team has everything it needs. The quest to repeat starts now.
