The Boston Celtics, led by their stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, checked a significant box when they defeated the Dallas Mavericks in five games in the 2024 NBA Finals. That NBA-best 18th championship, however, won’t be reason for the team to take its foot off the gas.

A year ago, the Celtics dominated from start to finish, winning 64 games and cruising through the postseason. Despite hoisting their first championship trophy since 2010, it’s quite clear the Celtics enter the 2024-25 season “irked” and won’t be resting on their laurels.

NBA Reporter Zach Lowe Says the Celtics Will Have a Chip on Their Shoulder

The Celtics cruised through the 2024 postseason with a 16-3 record. With the pressure of winning an NBA title with their two superstars now gone, the Celtics aren’t likely to ease up. Head coach Joe Mazzulla knows there’s a target on his team’s back, and he’s embracing the challenge.

Tatum had a rough go at the Olympics, getting a couple of DNPs during the USA’s gold-medal run. Brown didn’t even get a chance at the Olympics, getting snubbed by the selection committee.

NBA reporter Zach Lowe believes all of the offseason drama will have the Celtics playing with a chip on their shoulder. It’s good news for Celtics fans, who won’t have to worry about the team being complacent after winning their first championship in 14 years.

“They are going to have a little bit of a chip on their shoulder,” Lowe said during an appearance on ESPN’s “NBA Today.” “I think Tatum and Brown are legitimately irked at how their summers went.”

Lowe Doesn’t Think the Road To a Repeat Will Come Easy

The Celtics will be circled on everyone’s calendar during the 2024-25 season. They know they’ll be the hunted. It’s a challenge Mazzulla and the team are ready to take on.

Not only will teams be gunning for the defending champions, Lowe admits the Celtics had a relatively easy path to the NBA Finals, and that’s not likely to be the case this year. No team in the last seven years has repeated as NBA champs. The last team to do so was the Golden State Warriors, who won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018.

“Look, they went through the playoffs last year without facing any of New York, Philadelphia, or Milwaukee, all of whom were dealing with major injuries,” Lowe said. “Every team they did face along the way was also dealing with major injuries. It’s not going to be like that again. The East is better. Their run is going to be tougher, but they are the best-positioned champion since those all-time great Warriors to make a real run at a repeat.”

While Lowe is correct that several of Boston’s playoff opponents were injured, the Celtics played much of the postseason without starting center Kristaps Porzingis. They’ve also locked up their top eight players for the next season and are set up well for the next few seasons.

Lowe believes the Eastern Conference will be a far different animal this season.

“The Sixers won free agency by getting Paul George,’ he said. “They rounded out their team with good contracts, and they’re well-positioned to make a trade in the middle of the season. Milwaukee is still here. Everyone has kind of moved off of them. I get why, but they still have Giannis (Antetokounmpo) and the nucleus of a really good team there.

“The Knicks made the biggest trade of the offseason. Cleveland is still around. Orlando is going to be better. Indiana is going to be better. It’s not going to be like it was last year.”