The Celtics had a great 2016 to 2017 season, with a 53-29 record. They eventually lost in the Eastern Conference finals. The Celtics have matured a lot over the past seasons. They have grown considerably from a 25-57 record in 2013-2014. I think the Boston Celtics can win the 2018 NBA Championship. I project their regular season record will be around 58-24 because the players are healthy and they go beyond by finishing to the end.
The Celtics made a lot off and in season moves. They made a blockbuster trade offer at the end of last season. They traded Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, a Cavaliers first round pick, and a Miami second round pick for Kyrie Irving. They also traded Avery Bradley to the Pistons for Marcus Morris. They let Kelly Olynyk, Amir Johnson, Gerald Green, and Tyler Zeller leave for free agency. They then made a major acquisition in signing Gordon Hayward as a free agent.
Gordon Hayward suffered a season ending ankle injury in the first game of the season. Many thought any chance contending for the NBA title was over. Shortly afterwards, the Celtics went on a 16 game winning streak. The team showed chemistry and an ability to play championship level defense. Kyrie Irving is the offensive force. Rookie Jayson Tatum looks like a future superstar. Jaylen Brown has greatly improved since his rookie season and has great athletic ability. Al Horford is a team leader and is talented in many key areas. Marcus Smart is arguably the best defensive player in the NBA. Morris and Terry Rozier are solid second unit players, but the team lacks scoring ability in their second unit.
Brad Stevens, now in his fifth year with the Boston Celtics, is a fantastic coach. His players respect and like him. He seems to have a great group of players who know the X’s & O’s of the game. His teams always seem to score coming out of timeouts, which is sign of a knowledgeable coach.
The Celtics have a good chance to finish the regular season as the number one seed for the playoffs. The Cleveland Cavaliers seem to have dropped off from last year but will likely be tough to eliminate. The Celtics will probably have to beat the Cavaliers or the Toronto Raptors to win the Eastern Conference. I believe that beating the Golden State Warriors, who will most likely win the Western Conference, will be much more difficult but achievable.