Boston Celtics: 2017-18 NBA season preview

Storyline 3: Is this year’s Celtics team better than last year’s?

Last season the Boston Celtics truly made the rise into the top of the Eastern Conference, winning 53 games to lead the East. Always expected to be playing above their head, the Celtics lost in the conference finals in five games.

There are two nuances to the question of whether the Celtics are a better team this season. The first is whether this team will perform better in the regular season than last year’s, and the second is whether it is better set up for postseason success.

To answer the first question, it is important to note that while Boston won 53 games, they had the point differential of a 49-win team; point differential tends to be a better predictor of team strength than wins. In addition, any predictive power that has for this season is most likely thrown out of the window with the amount of roster turnover.

That turnover will mean that team chemistry has to be rebuilt, and relationships forged anew. Any team with new pieces can stumble out of the gate, but Boston is not only retooling, they are re-establishing a team hierarchy. To expect the Celtics to win 53 games is ambitious, although possible. Much more likely is that they match or beat the 49-win expectancy, and come out as a similar team in the regular season.

Come playoffs, this team is much more equipped to do damage and take a swing at LeBron James. Gordon Hayward is a legitimate two-way star, and Kyrie Irving is no stranger to the playoff lights. With a deep bench and plenty of options on offense and defense, this team has the pieces it will need to compete in the playoffs — more so than last year.