The Boston Celtics head into the 2024-25 NBA season after a 64-18 regular-season campaign and a dominant 16-3 postseason run that culminated in an NBA Finals victory over the Dallas Mavericks. With DraftKings Sportsbook setting their over/under win total at 58.5, Boston faces high expectations. However, potential challenges—including a looming ownership change and a hefty payroll—could make their road to back-to-back titles difficult.
The Celtics’ offseason was all about maintaining the winning formula. Boston signed key players like Jayson Tatum and Derrick White to long-term extensions, ensuring their core—including Jrue Holiday and Jaylen Brown—remains intact. This continuity makes Boston the clear favorite to repeat as champions.
However, off-court uncertainties loom. Celtics governor Wyc Grousbeck recently announced that the franchise will be sold in the coming months, and the new ownership group will inherit a projected payroll that could reach $500 million by the 2025-26 season, including luxury tax penalties. For now, Boston’s talent remains stacked, but how ownership and financial pressures play out could influence their long-term stability.
Boston also added Lonnie Walker IV in free agency and drafted Baylor Scheierman and Anton Watson. They lost Svi Mykhailiuk to the Utah Jazz but retained 15 players from last season’s championship roster, keeping continuity as the focus heading into the new season.
The Formula Behind Last Season’s Success
The formula for the Celtics throughout last season was the culmination of aggressive moves to add versatile talents around Tatum and Brown—two of the NBA’s best wing players. With elite on-ball defenders in Holiday and White, who check just about any box offensively, opponents were overwhelmed by Boston’s perimeter firepower on both ends. Al Horford continued to provide a stretch-five skill set with rim protection, while Kristaps Porzingis only elevated it.
Teams simply couldn’t stay in front of all of Boston’s perimeter talent, thanks to the team’s ability to toggle between five-out offense and leveraging unique layers like Holiday’s impact in the dunker spot as a relief option. When defenders were beaten at the point of attack, collapsing on the drive in the paint often resulted in high-efficiency shooters getting clean catch-and-shoot attempts from a spray-out pass.
Boston’s defensive versatility also made them incredibly difficult to solve. With Tatum’s size and athleticism on the wing, the Celtics could crossmatch at the power forward and center positions to switch in pick-and-roll coverage, neutralizing the typical advantages those actions create.
While other teams may not get much defensive impact from their superstar, Brown and Tatum both embraced guarding the ball and with an elite defensive backcourt of Holiday and White, it was taxing for offenses to generate advantages. Breaking down one of these defenders off the dribble while creating a legitimate advantage wasn’t a consistent outcome.
Since the Celtics rarely needed to blitz in defensive schemes, they could guard straight up, limiting corner shots while still effectively contesting above-the-break three-point attempts. This approach favored forcing lower-percentage shots and made it even harder for opposing teams to keep pace with Boston’s offensive firepower.
Motivation from the Summer
For Tatum, the offseason wasn’t all about celebrating the Celtics’ 18th title. After winning the Finals, he joined Team USA for the Paris Olympics, where he was benched for two games and relegated to a lesser role than he was accustomed to. Tatum admitted the experience was tough, but said it ultimately motivated him heading into the new season.
“Did I need any extra motivation coming into the season? No,” Tatum told reporters at media day. “But I’m a believer that everything happens for a reason.”
Coach Joe Mazzulla sees this as a potential benefit, saying, “Just because something worked before doesn’t mean it’s going to work again. So where do we have to stay the same, and where do we have to change?”
Brown, too, enters the season with added motivation after being passed over for the U.S. Olympic team. “The past is the past,” Brown said. “I’m extremely motivated, for obvious reasons. I’m ready to get after it.”
With their Finals run extending into mid-June, the Celtics had the shortest offseason in the NBA. Key players like Tatum, Holiday, and White barely had time to rest after helping Team USA win a gold medal in Paris. The Celtics’ preseason tips off in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 4, leaving little recovery time.
“I love this game, so basketball isn’t like a hassle to me,” Holiday said. “I had some great experiences this summer, so I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”
Spotlight on Porzingis’ Injury and the Frontcourt
Al Horford remains a critical piece for the Celtics, but at 39 years old, his performance could decline as the season progresses. Porzingis’ recovery from foot surgery also poses a challenge, as Boston may need to lean on its frontcourt depth. Xavier Tillman could help fill the gap, but he doesn’t provide the same shooting or rim protection that Porzingis offers.
Brad Stevens, Celtics’ president of basketball operations, acknowledged the challenge ahead, saying, “For me, this is as good of a challenge as you’re going to get if you’re a competitor.”
Stevens expressed cautious optimism about Porzingis’ recovery, saying, “We are very, very pleased where he is, and maybe a little surprised.” Even if Porzingis misses time early in the season, Boston is confident in their ability to adapt, having gone 21-4 last season without him.
Expectations for 2024-25 Remain High
With a core of Tatum, Brown, Holiday, and White, and strong depth throughout the roster, the Celtics are the clear favorites to win the 2025 NBA title. DraftKings Sportsbook has them at +295 odds to repeat as champions. However, repeating is no easy feat—no team has done so since the Golden State Warriors in 2017-18, and the Celtics haven’t won back-to-back titles since 1969.
Tatum remains focused on the ultimate goal: “It was never about trying to just win one,” he said. “Now it’s just a conversation of how great are you trying to be?”
With health and motivation on their side, the Celtics are poised to once again be the team to beat. However, navigating injuries, fatigue, and the challenge of repeating as champions will test their resolve. Surpassing 58.5 wins and defending their title is within reach, but Boston knows they’ll have to earn it every step of the way.
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