"I expect the Celtics to give a great title defense, but it's not going to be the same once you've won the championship." 👀 @WindhorstESPN on how the Celtics can become the first back-to-back NBA champion since the '17 Warriors. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/JcV2YHfcMp
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) September 6, 2024
The Boston Celtics lifted their record 18th NBA title in 2023-24, beating the Dallas Mavericks in five games in the Finals. A target will be on the C’s backs heading into 2024-25 as they look to become the first repeat champions since the Golden State Warriors in 2017.
Winning back-to-back championships in the Association is an extremely difficult task. Sure, the Celtics will return essentially their same roster headlined by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but it has been seven years since an organization has done it.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst joined NBA Today on Friday and said the Celtics may lose that edge they need in order to repeat. Via NBA on ESPN:
“I expect the Celtics to give a great title defense, but it’s not going to be the same once you’ve won the championship.”
When looking at the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia 76ers improved by adding Paul George to complete their Big 3 with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The Milwaukee Bucks, meanwhile, should bounce back in Year 2 of the Damian Lillard-Giannis Antetokounmpo era.
Regardless, Boston is still strong enough to get past those two and reach the Finals. To be honest, no one in the West except for maybe Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets pose much of a threat to them. As long as the C’s keep that chip on their shoulder, winning another title is a reality, despite what Windhorst may think.
