The initial thought at the beginning of the season was will this team be efficient without Gordon Hayward? Then it became: can this team be competitive without Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward? Boston has proved a lot of people wrong this season, and it’s amazing how well they’ve adapted.
I haven’t seen this much talent from a Boston team since 2008.
Tony Allen —— Marcus Smart
Marcus Morris —— James Posey
Shane Larkin —— Eddie House
Jayson Tatum —— Paul Pierce
Aron Baynes —— Kendrick Perkins
Everyone, 1-12, is efficient, and Brad Stevens has been the mastermind behind it all. Who knew Terry Rozier was going to explode with talent? Who knew Marcus Morris was going to be the X Factor? These are just a couple of examples of how well Stevens has been able to coach up his players.
Jayson Tatum (aka my first pick for Rookie of the Year) has been nothing but amazing this postseason. His will to compete and dominate a game is very rare for a rookie, especially on a Boston team that’s filled with talent. Tatum’s play is having him look like the next Paul Pierce. Some might say it’s too soon, but I don’t think it’s crazy to think it’s not.
Al Horford’s veteran leadership is a reason why Boston has been so successful. Since coming to Boston from Atlanta, Horford has managed to expand his range, be a bigger presence on the glass, and become more aggressive attacking the rim. Believe it or not, everyone looks to Horford to make something happen. We saw this down the stretch of Game 3. Stevens drew up two great plays giving Horford the opportunity to produce. I believe that the team’s ability and will to compete runs parallel with Horford’s.
Coach Stevens puts a lot of trust into the vet, but Horford is making everyone around him better.
To me, Boston has all the pieces to win a championship. If they advance to the Conference Finals against the Cavs, they have a completely different team than last year. A Tatum/LeBron matchup doesn’t look too bad on paper. Bron will dominate over Tatum no doubt, but Tatum may contain him.
There’s something about the Celtics that gets me hyped up!