Prediction Sees Celtics Faltering ‘Yet Again’ in 2023-24

This summer, the Boston Celtics gave their starting rotation somewhat of a facelift, as they opted to include long-tenured starting point guard and defensive anchor Marcus Smart in a three-team blockbuster trade that netted the franchise All-Star forward Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards.

While many such as President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens believe the new acquisition makes the team’s on-court play much more diverse, the folks at Bleacher Report don’t appear to believe the exchange inches the franchise closer to winning an NBA title, as writer Adam Fromal predicts that Boston will once against succumb to their recent shortcomings.

“Boston keeps Bostoning. In other words, the C’s make it to the Eastern Conference Finals yet again…and fall short yet again. However, the front office realizes Brown and Tatum are just too valuable to split up and instead try to build something different around them,” Fromal wrote when giving his prediction for the Celtics in 2023-24.

With Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown serving as key cogs within their core, the Celtics have embarked on six straight postseason journeys, four of which have led to Eastern Conference Finals appearances and, in 2021-22, an NBA Finals berth.

Unfortunately, however, despite their successes both from an individual and collective standpoint, Boston has yet to claim that highly coveted banner number 18. While the hope is this new-look big-three of Tatum, Brown, and Porzingis is the group to finally thrust the club over such a hump, Fromal certainly does not seem convinced.

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Ex-Lakers Guard Slams Celtics Big Kristaps Porzingis

Fromal isn’t the only one who’s been refraining from signing the praises of Kristaps Porziginis’ arrival in Beantown this summer, as former Los Angeles Lakers guard and five-time NBA Champion Michael Cooper shared some rather harsh words about the Celtics newcomer during a recent sit-down with Nick Gelso of CLNS Media.

“Who the hell is he? The one thing I’ll say about him is that he looks like a Celtic…That guy there was a flop in Dallas, was a flop in Washington…This guy was brought over from Europe. He is probably here to be a marquee player,” Cooper said.

Despite the forward’s lacking overall accomplishments when considering he came into the association as the fourth overall selection in the 2015 NBA Draft, he has still gone on to showcase an impressive array of skills that has earned himself the moniker of All-Star.

Just last season, Porzingis had one of the most productive campaigns of his eight-year career, as he posted averages of 23.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks while shooting 49.8 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from deep.

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Blake Griffin Hypes Tenure With Celtics

Despite the fact that they fell short of winning an NBA Championship in 2022-23, the journey that the team went on proved to be quite a blast for former All-Star and recent Celtics forward Blake Griffin, who described his recent stint as being “unbelievable” during a recent appearance on Bartool Sports’ “Fore Play Golf.”

“Dude, Boston is unbelievable. Living in Boston, playing in Boston was, like, one of the best experiences,” Griffin said. “Dude, the fans are incredible. Having a team that is so championship-focused. One of the best parts (is) the players on that team are just like such a great group of guys.”

Along with his kind words of the organization and city as a whole, Griffin would also praise superstar Jayson Tatum from both a personal and professional standpoint.

“A guy like Jayson Tatum, a legit superstar, and just like so humble,” Griffin said. “Talks to everybody on the team. Talks to the whole staff. He would go sit and have a conversation with whoever. He’s not only hanging out with like Marcus (Smart) or (Jaylen Brown).”

Though the big man was noncommital when asked about his future with the Celtics, past reports by CLNS Media’s Bobby Manning suggest that “the door remains open for his return” to Boston.

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