Boston Celtics' Surprising Start in a 'Retool' Era

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Boston’s New-Look Roster Emerges as an Early Surprise

Boston has been an interesting team to watch. When the trade for Jalen Brown was made, many assumed the team was heading toward a rebuild or retooling period. Although Jayson Tatum remains its best player, Boston was not expected to compete for a championship.

Instead, Paul George and the rest of the team have fit together well. Boston’s depth has been strong over the past few years, with Pritchard emerging as a perennial Sixth Man of the Year candidate. The team also signed Mitchell Robinson, and while Celtics fans have been critical of him, the move looked good in theory. Kada has also played well.

George and Tatum have worked effectively together, with George filling his role almost perfectly. Boston is currently 5-2 and holds the third seed in the East, making a top-five finish appear possible.

Still, questions remain about whether the Celtics can sustain this level of play. Several unfamiliar contributors have created plenty of “Who is he?” moments for avid League Pass viewers.

Tatum’s start has also been less impressive than expected. After the Brown trade, there was an expectation that Tatum would begin the season by emphatically establishing himself as the team’s leader. That has not happened yet, but the unfamiliar Celtics supporting cast continues to hold up.

Boston appears willing to experiment, throw different ideas at the wall and see what sticks. So far, the Celtics have been a fun surprise.