2018 NBA Playoffs: Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks series preview

1. Can Boston’s young players lead this team to a series victory?

There are two common scenarios where a player is stretched in a new way and often fails to rise to the situation. The first is when a player “scales up” — that is, they step up into a new role with more and harder responsibilities. The second is when the stakes change — i.e. playing in the playoffs instead of the regular season.

Both are going to happen to the young players on the Boston Celtics, and how they respond will dictate how far they make it through the Eastern Conference bracket. While Terry Rozier and Jaylen Brown were both in the postseason last year, this season will demand new heights out of Rozier, Brown and Tatum.

Tatum has been simply incredible this season, leading all rookies in win shares and filling his role perfectly. He has shot well from outside, played surprisingly strong team defense, and looks like a future star. But how much is too much to put on his shoulders for this postseason run?

Similarly Rozier has been a fan favorite for years now, and without Kyrie Irving, without Isaiah Thomas, without Avery Bradley and any of his other backcourt teammates, Rozier will now need to make this his team. That’s not to say he is the best player, or shoots the most shots; rather, he will be the guiding force behind this team, for better or for worse.