Strain often feels apparent this time of yr. You realize who it’s on, you already know what’s at stake, and you already know precisely who’s going to listen to about it if issues go sideways.
This Celtics crew is a little bit completely different. The expectations are clearly actual and earned, however they’re not overwhelming. The core has already confirmed it may win, the supporting solid has spent the yr exceeding assumptions, and your complete season has carried a “discovered cash” really feel to it. Which makes the strain query tougher to pin down than ordinary.
We requested the CelticsBlog employees the place it truly sits heading into the postseason, and whether or not it’s even there in any respect.
Which participant is underneath probably the most strain for the Celtics this postseason?
Jeff Clark: Frankly, I don’t see any Celtics gamers underneath strain. Certain, there’s the strain of the playoffs. There’s the strain of not desirous to waste a yr of Tatum and Brown’s primes. However this complete season has been discovered cash. They’ve the veteran crew that’s been via the battles and gained the entire thing. Then they’ve the younger crew that’s too younger to know that they aren’t alleged to be this good. And so they have a maniac coach that has all of them locked in and on the identical web page. That’s an awesome combo.
Invoice Sy: In a niche yr that noticed the entrance workplace get underneath the luxurious tax, I don’t suppose there’s a lot strain on anyone. Joe Mazzulla is the frontrunner for Coach of the Yr (regardless of renouncing the glory), Tatum is lower than a yr from his Achilles tear, Brown has confirmed himself as an MVP candidate, and each function participant has performed above expectations. If there’s anyone that has something to show, it is perhaps Nikola Vucevic.
It’s important to think about that when Brad Stevens traded for him, the deal got here with the prospect that he might re-sign with Boston in the summertime. He confirmed indicators of becoming in earlier than and after he fractured his finger, however a playoff run will finally be the proving floor.
Wealthy Jensen: I don’t suppose anybody’s underneath quite a lot of strain. The C’s have up to now exceeded expectations that they’ve been taking part in with home cash since December or so. I believe Tatum is perhaps placing himself underneath strain to rise to the extent of efficiency that he thinks the remainder of the crew deserves, however I definitely wouldn’t put any exterior strain on him. Perhaps the remainder of the media panorama and segments of the fanbase have ratcheted their expectations of Tatum and the crew to unrealistic ranges, however I’m not going to be on that bandwagon.
Look. Being a Celtics fan is like successful the lottery at this level. I’m not going to go round pondering that I’m entitled to greater than what we finally get from the crew.
Ian Inangelo: The individual underneath probably the most strain proper now might be Jaylen Brown. Simply because of the truth he has been the lead possibility for a lot of the season and has put up MVP degree performances up to now. He’s going to be seen because the man who’s going to guide the Celtics to a different championship.
Mark Aboyoun: Nikola Vučević. Just like why he could also be a purpose Boston gained’t win the championship, since he’s returned from his thumb harm, he hasn’t appeared nice. When he was traded to Boston, he needed to be taught the crew’s defensive scheme and, at occasions, struggled. Then he acquired injured early in his Celtics profession, and with that, Garza was in a position to get again into the combination — and he’s achieved effectively, as he has all season. Within the playoffs, the rotation will get shorter, and Mazzulla must determine what’s finest for the crew.
Nirav Barman: JB and Derrick could also be tied for being underneath probably the most strain, however for various causes. Whereas the MVP is an everyday season award, gamers are nonetheless judged on their skill to retain that worth and manufacturing come playoff time. Jaylen has proved himself within the playoffs loads of occasions earlier than, however this yr he shall be underneath much more scrutiny. As for Derrick, he’s achieved nearly every thing this yr, apart from rating the ball effectively. If White’s shot isn’t falling, the Celtics shall be in an extremely robust spot, and a complete yr of poor taking pictures shall be a nasty search for Derrick.
Mike Dynon: Nobody is actually underneath strain as a result of the Celtics had been by no means anticipated to be the place they’re. Boston is taking part in this postseason with the proverbial home cash. If compelled to choose somebody, let’s go together with Sam Hauser. After alternating cold and warm all season, he completed with a scorching April (52.6%) – but he nonetheless ended the season at solely 39.3%, the primary time he’s been beneath 40%. Hauser additionally dropped within the league three-point proportion standings; he ranked fortieth this season after putting twentieth final yr and eleventh in 2024.
Hauser’s manufacturing is a key indicator for Boston. He appeared in 54 wins this season, making 42.4% of his photographs from distance. Conversely, he transformed solely 30.9% in 24 appearances the place the Celtics misplaced. Boston’s path shall be a lot simpler if Sam will get into Haus-Hearth mode for the subsequent two months.
Ryan Paice: Derrick White. Total, I don’t suppose his place in Boston is underneath risk no matter how he finally performs. However the highlight goes to show to him early and infrequently. Playoff defenses tighten the screws and focus in on eliminating strengths, whereas taking probabilities on testing perceived weaknesses.
A kind of perceived weaknesses could also be White’s shot, as he has struggled to hit at a strong clip all season, so I count on the protection could promote out on the Jays and let White take a couple of photographs. If he can get well his shot from the previous couple seasons, the Celtics ought to stroll into the Finals. If he can’t, it might be robust to observe as opponents recreation plan towards him.
I, for one, can’t stand the considered the inevitable requires his head from a few of the sillier speaking heads within the media panorama if White can’t hit his photographs on a constant foundation.
Gio Rivera: Collectively, the frontcourt is underneath probably the most strain. Certain, there shall be loads of discuss Tatum’s return and Brown’s skill to hold his MVP-caliber play into the postseason, however that’s nothing new. They’ve handled these expectations for years, and as champions who led the 2024 title run, the one strain that might attain them is the type they place on themselves.
Neemias Queta and Nikola Vučević might want to maintain the fort. Final postseason, Queta appeared in simply 4 video games, averaging 3.3 minutes. That’s now not his actuality. He’s now not caught within the shadows of Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet. He’s now thought to be a reliable beginning heart, and he earned that.
Even when veteran champion Chris Boucher was within the combine, Queta earned his function and did every thing to maintain it. When Vučević arrived, he nonetheless held agency, reinforcing that the job was rightfully his. His averaged profession highs in factors (10.2), rebounds (8.4), and blocks (1.3), together with the perfect field-goal proportion amongst Jap Convention facilities (65.3) and the third-best internet score (13.2) amongst facilities, trailing solely Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren. That doesn’t simply earn him locker room endorsement for the Most Improved Participant award — it raises the bar for what’s anticipated this postseason.
Vučević, too, is in an analogous spot. After lacking 14 video games with a fractured proper finger, he struggled to regain type, averaging 7.4 factors and 5 rebounds whereas taking pictures 31 p.c from three over the ultimate 4 video games of the common season. Because the commerce deadline return for Simons — and a participant the group has eyed for years — Boston will want him to bounce again rapidly, ideally as early as the primary spherical.
Grant Burfeind: It must be the perfect participant on the crew this season, Jaylen Brown. He’s achieved the extremely onerous job over the previous couple of years, which is get higher each single season, and at a sure level, that just about raises the stakes as an alternative of reducing them. He’s proved he belongs, now it’s about proving that this model of you is the brand new baseline.
Regardless of this superb season, it nonetheless seems like he’s one shaky playoff run away from all of the outdated conversations creeping again in. The compelled drives, the unfastened deal with, the possessions that stall out into isolation — we’ve seen it earlier than, even when it seems like he’s moved previous it. If he performs on the degree he’s reached this season, it raises the ceiling of your complete crew and might be the distinction in bringing house Banner 19. If he slips again into a few of these habits, he’s going to put on loads of that end result. That’s strain in its easiest type.
