While the 2024-25 season is still far away, everyone can agree that the Boston Celtics are still among the most dangerous teams to face in the NBA over the next couple of seasons.
Not only are they blessed with a fearsome duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but they have managed to keep both of their star players to long-term deals that will keep the C’s competitive in the long run.
They’ve also managed to keep all of their starters through next season. While the wage bill is ridiculously expensive, this strong core of players should be more than enough to handle whatever tactics opposing teams in the East (or maybe even the West) can throw at them.
However, reporters who have long covered the Celtics believe that there’s one team that could become a match for them after acquiring a talented big man from one of their rivals.
Boston Celtics reporters identify the Oklahoma City Thunder as the biggest threat to their title defense
According to Hardwood Houdini’s Andrew Hughes, many analysts didn’t think any team in the Eastern Conference could pose a serious threat to the Celtics’ spot at the summit. Even the Philadelphia 76ers with their third star would find the prospect of facing the C’s in the playoffs difficult.
This is why it’s understandable that some Celtics beat reporters look to the Western Conference as the only real source of trouble for Boston. These reporters have especially identified the Oklahoma City Thunder as a difficult Finals matchup due to their acquisition of Isaiah Hartenstein:
Several Boston Celtics reporters see the OKC Thunder’s Isaiah Hartenstein signing as a major needle-mover that makes Oklahoma City a significant threat to the Cs during the 2024-25 season and beyond.
“Best competition for the Celtics this year now appears to be out West,” said MassLive’s Brian Robb.
“OKC going to be a very legit contender,” wrote CelticsBlog’s Noa Dalzell.
If you look at Hartenstein’s production last season, you might wonder why the Thunder were willing to pay more than $80 million for his services. The former New York Knick averaged 7.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. However, his true value shines in defense as he got 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks every game he played.
Hartenstein is a great addition to a young Thunder side that badly needs support defending the paint. If the Thunder finally make it back to the Finals, they will be able to evenly trade blows with the Celtics.
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