Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum. Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports

The selfless Celtics are ready to raise another banner

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 3/20/24

The Boston Celtics have one of the deepest rosters in the NBA. Their entire starting five is capable of making an All-Star team. Al Horford is arguably a Sixth Man of the Year candidate.

Yet, somehow, Joe Mazzulla's team has figured out how to make things work despite all the elite talent in the rotation.

A significant part of the Celtics' success this season has been the willingness to sacrifice for the good of the team. Everyone in the rotation plays a slightly lesser role than they would elsewhere in the league.

The sacrifice starts with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The two All-NBA forwards are still shining, yet they're doing it in ways other than scoring.

That sacrifice has Paul Pierce believing Boston can win it all this season.

“I know it sounds like ‘wow, that’s a lot of pressure,’ but this is what we want. We only hang championship banners in here," Pierce told Boston.com. "This is the pressure we want in Boston, and the expectation we have in this city ... I know that all they care about that’s left on the list is a championship. I see the sacrifice. Jayson doesn’t have to score 30 for them to win this year. He was scoring 30 last year. This year, he’ll go into a game and I’ll look up and he’ll have 18 points and they’ll win by 20. That has to be a refreshing feeling because I felt that way."

Boston's roster can do it all. Every player in the rotation can score from at least two different levels on the floor. They're all talented defenders. And, a significant portion of the top-end talent can create offense for themselves and others.

Most importantly, they move without the ball and do so to create openings for each other.

The Celtics have looked like a championship team all season. They're ranked first in net rating, first in offensive rating and second in defensive rating. They're arguably the most complete team in the NBA.

Assuming they can stay healthy, there is no reason why they can't surge through the playoffs and raise their first championship banner since 2008.

Mazzulla's team has been building toward this season for multiple years. Their selfless approach is the culmination of multiple failed playoff runs. The Celtics are primed to win a championship, and it will likely happen this season.

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