Tag: 2023-24 nba season

Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce on the path to true contention for the Boston Celtics

Amidst plent of opinions, these two offer up a pair of them on how to hang another banner in Boston that should carry more weight than most.

The Boston Celtics’ exit against the Miami Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference finals was disappointing due to their lack of energy and adjustments in key games of the series despite the stakes being as high as they were.

Beating a team four straight times is very difficult at any stage of the postseason and even more so three rounds into the playoffs, and the Celtics didn’t come prepared with a strong mentality.

The storied club needs to evaluate its weaknesses more thoroughly and improve itself to have a better shot at hanging another banner in Boston.

How the Celtics ought to accomplish all of the above has been a theme of considerable debate almost from the moment the final buzzer sounded for Game 7 of the conference final.

Boston Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce sat down on a recent episode of the “Ticket and the Truth” podcast to talk it over.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear they conclusions these two Celtics giants came to.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

Celtics President Brad Stevens confirms Joe Mazzulla returning as coach for 2023-24

Mazzulla’s performance as a first-year coach was highly regarded by Stevens and the Celtics front office despite his inexperience showing in key junctures.

In a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens made it known to the media and fans that head coach Joe Mazzulla would be back in that role for the 2023-24 NBA season.

Per Stevens, Mazzulla had an outstanding first year as coach, leading the team to a 57-win regular season in 2022-23 and the East’s second seed, taking the team to the brink in the Eastern Conference finals before falling to the Miami Heat in seven games. Mazzulla’s performance as a first-year coach was highly regarded by Stevens and the Celtics front office despite his inexperience showing in key junctures of the postseason.

To hear more about the finer details of Mazzulla’s body of work last season and how Boston’s front office views it, check out the clip embedded below courtesy of the folks behind the CBS Sports’ official YouTube channel.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

Is Joe Mazzulla the right person to coach the Boston Celtics next season?

Mazzulla’s first year as coach led the team to the conference finals in the midst of a disaster left by former coach Ime Udoka, but there are many areas for improvement.

Is Joe Mazzulla the right person to coach the Boston Celtics next season? Considering the Celtics’ early series performance in their 2023 Eastern Conference final against the Miami Heat, it is a legitimate question. There were also several duds in the regular season.

But the question was minimized by how well the Celtics responded to that 3-0 deficit. They nearly made history by rallying to tie the series at 3. In addition. In addition, Mazzulla led the team to the conference finals in his first year as coach, a tenure born amid disaster and scandal left by former coach Ime Udoka.

Against that backdrop, many areas for improvement exist for a team with designs on a title.

The hosts of the TNT “Inside the NBA” show debated whether it makes sense for Boston to bring Mazzulla back, or if they ought to go with a more experienced head coach next season.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to see which of the crew you most agree with.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

Should the Boston Celtics run it back for the 2023-24 NBA season?

Or should they make substantial changes before the heavy costs imposed by the league’s new collective bargaining agreement weigh on the franchise?

Should the Boston Celtics keep their roster together and run it back for the 2023-24 NBA season, or should they make substantial changes before the heavy costs imposed by the league’s new collective bargaining agreement weigh on the franchise?

According to The Athletic’s Zach Harper, even though there were things Boston might have done differently, Harper is “not sure anything would’ve saved the season, especially after Jayson Tatum turned his ankle early in Game 7. Harper also reminds us that it is key “to remember (Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla is) a rookie coach thrust into a tough situation at the season’s start with a team shouldering massive expectations.

“That team struggled but rallied against one of the best coaches of all time,” notes the Athletic analyst.

Harper entreats us to avoid forgetting this is the best team Boston has assembled “since winning the 2008 title. The Celtics will be a tax team but have no reason to make any rash decisions.”

“Boston contends for the East every year despite the conference becoming crowded. Keep it together and run it back.”

And given all the context noted above, there is a very good case to do just that.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

Celtics projected to be an over-the-cap, taxpaying team for the 2023-24 season

That means another hefty tax bill for Boston if the roster stays similarly constructed — but that’s what the team’s front office has been working to get to for years.

Given the Boston Celtics are a contending team on the upswing, it should not come as a surprise that Hoops Hype’s Yossi Gozlan is projecting the club to operate as an over-the-cap, taxpaying squad next season.

In a recent article surveying the NBA’s cap space for the 2023-24 season, Gozlan relates the Celtics “are projected to be significant taxpayers again next season, but are set to have a smaller penalty compared to this season thanks to Al Horford’s $16.5 million pay cut for next season.”

“Their roster is already mostly set with 12 players under contract assuming they keep Mike Muscala and Sam Hauser,” continues the H/H cap expert.

“Their biggest decisions for the offseason include re-signing restricted free agent Grant Williams and potentially using the taxpayer MLE,” Gozlan finishes.

We expect Williams, Muscala and Hauser back in the fold for next season, barring an absolute whale of an offer for the Tennessee alumnus in restricted free agency.

That means another hefty tax bill for Boston if the roster stays similarly constructed, but that’s what the team’s front office has been working to get to for years, so no reason to fret for at least a few seasons in terms of finances for the Celtics.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

[mm-video type=video id=01grvtjwk7r1tpmjd34e playlist_id=01eqbzegwgnrje4tv2 player_id=01f5k5xtr64thj7fw2 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01grvtjwk7r1tpmjd34e/01grvtjwk7r1tpmjd34e-850bf62a7bd82e54b8559c4b237f973b.jpg]

Boston Celtics reportedly pick up the 2023-24 option for Payton Pritchard

While the Oregon alumnus has not been seeing the floor too much this season so far with the Cetics’ backcourt as stacked as it is, he is still seen as an important part of the team’s depth.

The Boston Celtics have reportedly picked up the contract option for third-year point guard Payton Pritchard for his 2023-24 season, according to new reporting from the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach. While the Oregon alumnus has not been seeing the floor too much this season so far with the Cetics’ backcourt as stacked as it is, he is still seen as an important part of the team’s depth as evidenced by the team’s decision to pick up his option.

Thus far in his NBA career, Pritchard has been a lethal shooter and a better defender than his 6-foot-1 stature might have one think.

With career averages of 6.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game while shooting 43.4% from the field, 41.3% from beyond the arc, and an impressive 92.4% from the charity stripe, it’s not too hard to see why Boston might want the 24-year-old guard around next season.

After news broke Saturday that reserve point guard Malcolm Brogdon had been listed as questionable for Sunday afternoon’s game against the Washington Wizards, we may get our first extended look at Pritchard in the 2022-23 season.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[mm-video type=video id=01gggcmxn5bk7s5z3rms playlist_id=01eqbzegwgnrje4tv2 player_id=01eqbvq570kgj8vfs7 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gggcmxn5bk7s5z3rms/01gggcmxn5bk7s5z3rms-c7008615fd5c894f63e2076cfe2c9eec.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=111475,111503,111497,111473,111596,111409]

[listicle id=111597]

[listicle id=111557]

[listicle id=111559]

[listicle id=111546]

Shams: NBA cap to rise to $134M for 2023-24, framework in place for in-season tourney

The tournament will be part of the league’s 82-game schedule, per reports.

Per the Athletic’s Shams Charania, the NBA announced the salary cap for the 2023-23 NBA season is projected to be $134 million, about $10.4 million higher than this season, with a $162 million tax level. Both figures are $1 million higher than previous projections, which is sure to be welcomed by a Boston Celtics franchise with designs on contending over that period.

Charania indicated the league has a working framework for a potential, long-rumored in-season tournament. The Athletic NBA insider reported the tournament would take place in November as part of the league’s regular 82-game season. Other details are still to be ironed out between the league and the National Basketball Players Association.

It was also reported by Charania that eight teams would advance to a single-elimination final stage in December, with the two last teams left playing one extra game over the usual 82.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

[mm-video type=video id=01gbtdk6qr4z8htkyt8r playlist_id=01eqbzegwgnrje4tv2 player_id=01eqbvq570kgj8vfs7 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gbtdk6qr4z8htkyt8r/01gbtdk6qr4z8htkyt8r-af45e8f0e16165c71d35d63e6e65d621.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=108275,108114,108345,108332,108328,108325]

[listicle id=108112]

[listicle id=108116]

[listicle id=108330]

[listicle id=108017]