Boston Celtics Postseason Success Could Rely On Their Depth
The Celtics have the potential to bring home the 2023 NBA Championship this season, and FHS students are hopeful.
As the NBA regular season slowly winds down, the Celtics bench is believed by many to be a key factor in the team’s championship hopes.
It’s been roughly 9 months since the Boston Celtics suffered a 4-2 series loss in the NBA finals. Just weeks after losing to the Celtics Jayson Tatum admitted he still “thinks about it every day.”
Despite the Celtics not reaching the ultimate goal of NBA Champions last year, they created a foundation to build on into the current season. With a mainly returning roster and the off-season addition of Malcolm Brogdon, The Celtics are poised to yet once again make a run at the NBA title with just a month left before the NBA playoffs.
FHS Senior John O’Brien is confident the Celtics can bring banner number 18 to Boston. He believes the difference this year has been Boston’s bench and it’s the key factor in their season-long success. He mentioned the team’s ability to score off the bench with several players whether it be Malcolm Brogdon, Derrick White, or Grant Williams.
O’Brien mentioned veteran point guard Malcolm Brogdon as the biggest factor for the team’s success. In his first season with the Celtics Brogdon has provided steadiness and a strong scoring option off of the bench averaging 14.6 points per game and is leading the NBA in 3-point percentage.
Every guy is ready when their number is called.
— Jaylen Brown
In a recent interview with ESPN, Malcolm Brogdon admitted he was open to accepting his sixth-man role with the Celtics. “I really wanna get back to winning at a high level,” said Brogdon. Celtics players all year have lamented the type of selfless player Brogdon is, often referring to his maturity and willingness to sacrifice. Brogdon has truly been a perfect fit in Boston.
Boston currently sits among the top teams in the NBA in terms of regular season record, posting one of the best win-loss records in the NBA. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have led the way for the Celtics averaging a career-high in points and were both recognized by fans, players, and media after being selected to the NBA All-Star teams halfway through the season.
Despite Brown’s personal success, he also credited the Celtics bench early in the season saying “Every guy is ready when their number is called.”
Boston’s bench has been astounding all year and should be a big deciding factor regarding the Celtic’s championship run. Derrick White who was added during last year’s trade deadline has been a key factor for the Celtics shooting a career-best 38.1% from 3-point range. Even Grant Williams, Sam Hauser, and trade deadline acquisition Mike Muscala have all helped the Celtics solidify one of the NBA’s best benches in the league with their ability to shoot the ball effectively and efficiently.
Ultimately it’ll be up to the Celtics to see how they wanna finish their 2022-2023 campaign, however, many believe Boston has something special brewing.
