Why Celtics look ready to repeat after near-perfect preseason

The Celtics picked up where they left off and shined this preseason.

Jayson Tatum, Payton Pritchard, and Lonnie Walker all in Celtics jerseys on a generic Celtics background or Boston city background

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics wrapped up their preseason slate on Tuesday night, bringing them one step closer to the official start of their title defense.Although the C’s secured a championship in dominant fashion in June, they didn’t relax during their exhibition matches. Boston went 4-1 in the five-game slate and rattled off four consecutive victories before falling 119-118 to the Toronto Raptors in Canada.

Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown only rested for one outing, averaging over 22 minutes per game in the four contests they appeared in. Unsurprisingly, they both led the team in scoring, with Tatum averaging 17.3 points per game and Brown close behind with 16.5 points per game.

While these preseason games won’t be remembered in a few weeks, they help establish good habits and prepare squads for the lengthy season ahead. Even by the Celtics’ high standards, they had a successful preseason, so let’s delve into four takeaways from their five matchups prior to the much-anticipated 2024-25 NBA season.

Jayson Tatum’s 3-point shot seemed to improve

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) shoots a three point shot against Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) in the second quarter during game five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. David Butler II-Imagn Images
Regarding basketball, Tatum had one of the best summers ever. He earned his first NBA championship, inked a record-breaking contract extension, and took home his second Olympic gold medal.

Despite all these accomplishments, there was plenty of criticism surrounding his jump shot—specifically from 3-point land. In the 2024 postseason, Tatum shot an abysmal 28.3% from deep. However, that didn’t stop him from leading the Green Team in total points, rebounds, and assists en route to a title.

In the 2024 Paris Olympics, his shooting woes continued. He missed all four of his attempts from beyond the arc and shot a forgettable 38.1% from the floor.

During preseason, the five-time All-Star’s shooting stroke looked more natural. Tatum converted on roughly 39% of his 3-point attempts and shot a little north of 41% from the field. His 3-point shot will likely be a major point of discussion throughout the season, as Boston is eager to shoot triples at a high volume.

In the Celtics’ first preseason showdown with the Denver Nuggets, they launched 61 shots from outside the perimeter, draining 20 in the process. For context, Boston has never attempted 60 trey balls in a single game during the regular season or playoffs.

The Celtics didn’t surpass that output for the rest of their exhibition games, yet they still averaged over 50 attempts from 3-point range in the remaining outings. Overall, they connected on about 37% (97-263) of their 3-pointers this preseason.

If Tatum’s 3-pointer conversion rate can hover around 40% (which he accomplished during the 2019-2020 campaign), opposing offenses will have an extremely hard time slowing him down. The 2024 NBA champion can already get to the rim with relative ease and consistently hitting 3-pointers would open up even more space for Boston’s potent offense.

Payton Pritchard is ready to answer the call

Celtics point guard Payton Pritchard is far from the team’s best player, but he epitomizes their depth and commitment to doing whatever it takes to win.

The Oregon native showed out this preseason, averaging 16 points in 22 minutes per game while shooting an excellent 48.8% from deep and 48.2% overall. On most NBA teams, those numbers would earn him a starting job. Yet, the C’s boast so much talent that they have to stash the former first-round pick on the bench.

Payton Pritchard has been the preseason MVP so far, per HoopsHype’s Global Rating.

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That once troubled Pritchard, who requested a trade out of Beantown in 2023. Now, he’s willing to ride the pine when necessary and shine whenever he takes the court.

“We have a tremendous team that could win another championship, and at the end of the day, I’m a winner, and I want to do whatever it takes to help the team win,” Pritchard said of Boston’s bench after a preseason win over the Raptors on Sunday night. “So I’m not going to sit up here and say, ‘Oh, I deserve more.’ We just won a championship. I’m gonna go and do my role the best I can. And, like I said, if there’s an injury or anything, I want to be able to step up in those moments and help the team win another one.”

Payton Pritchard with an unselfish look at how he can contribute to the Celtics and their quest for another title: “I have big dreams for myself … I put no limit on myself … at the end of the day, I’m a winner and I want to do whatever it takes to help the team win.”

This mentality is exactly what the Celtics need from their reserves. Starting over Tatum, Brown, and the other Celtics stars isn’t probable for the majority of the bench mob, meaning the backups have to be ready to accept their limited role and step in whenever called upon.

From this mindset, the “Stay Ready Crew” was forged last season. Pritchard is more than worthy to lead that bunch and receive a slight uptick in minutes.

Kristaps Porzingis’ backups performed well

Unlike recent years, the Celtics are heading into the new season with few question marks. The only significant concern they have at the moment involves starting center Kristaps Porzingis, who could be sidelined for the rest of 2024 due to a rare ankle injury.

This isn’t a novel issue, as Boston was without Porzingis for a fair chunk of its playoff run. While he heals up, the C’s will need their other bigs to fill in and prepare for the possibility of Porzingis suffering another untimely injury.

In the preseason, center Luke Kornet was up to the task. He entered the starting lineup in three of his four outings and averaged nine points and 6.5 rebounds (a preseason team-high) in 18.6 minutes per game. The Vanderbilt product should return to the bench this regular season behind veteran center Al Horford, but he seemed comfortable with the increased playing time.

Boston also has big man Xavier Tillman Sr., who is currently developing his 3-point shot. Although the former Memphis Grizzlies forward has made less than 27% of his shots from 3-point land in his career, he converted on 54.5% (6/11) of his attempts this preseason. Tillman’s reliability on defense has never wavered, so adding an outside shot to his game would make him a truly formidable reserve.

Portuguese center Neemias Queta wasn’t as great as Kornet and Tillman, averaging 5.8 points and 5.8 rebounds in 14.8 minutes per outing. But, he has the least amount of experience among Boston’s centers. The 7-footer signed a long-term contract with the C’s this summer and will have much more time to grow and learn from the bigs ahead of him.

In spite of these good signs, preseason doesn’t prove that Boston’s backup core can completely make up for Porzingis’ absence. However, it does display that the remaining centers can, at the very least, be serviceable while he sits.

That doesn’t guarantee his spot on the roster though, as he only holds an Exhibit 10 contract. Since the C’s could be over the second apron in the coming years, they’ll suffer the wrath of hefty financial restrictions from the new CBA. One of those limitations includes a tax multiplier that would essentially raise the price of keeping Walker to almost $11 million.

The 2018 first-round pick is one of the better bench scorers in the league, and his presence would only enhance Boston’s depth. He tried to convince the Celtics of his value by averaging 7.3 points and 2.5 assists in 16.4 minutes per game this preseason. Against the Raptors on Sunday, he dropped 20 points in 30 minutes while shooting a little over 53%.

Given the monetary hindrances, Walker could still end up on the outside looking in. His current stint with the C’s has at least given the front office lots to consider before opening night on October 22.