Can the Celtics contend without Jayson Tatum?
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From Zach Campbell, the Eastern Conference is really wide open here.
He says Jason Tatum comes back in March, and the Celtics find themselves in the Eastern Conference Finals.
That's slightly biased, but spot on or so wrong, so wrong.
I don't think the Celtics will even be trying to win games in March.
I, a couple of days ago, I was looking at their roster, and this was after the Chris Boucher move, but I was looking at their team and I'm like, Is there a reason this team is not gonna be dreadful?
I mean, I'm really trying in my brain to think about a reason why this team won't be trying to purposefully lose games after the trade deadline.
I think this team is probably going to be much worse than even some of the people who are low on the team think it'll be.
I think that Boston is gonna be happy to be in the lottery.
Ultimately, the bullish case for Boston in terms of winning and competing next year is of course, Tatum returning.
But it is Jaylen Brown being not only really good, but it's Derrick White taking a leap.
I streamed on Twitch the other day, and Z in the chat said, Derrick White will get a bigger role and make the All-Star team and third team All-NBA.
I think this is crazy.
He is not going to be an All-NBA guy, but ultimately this is the bullish case for Boston.
It's Brown being even better.
It's Derrick White getting better.
It's Pritchard being an 18 point per game guy with a heavier role on offense.
Like, there is a bull case for Boston, I do think.
So I think the thing with Derrick White, and it is different whenever you have maybe one, two, or three game stretches where it's like, All right, Derrick White's gonna have a bigger role because this guy's out versus an entire season.
Part of, you know, there are people who made Derrick White fringe All-Star cases over the last few years, but that's because he's so good in his role playing off of Tatum, playing off of Jalen Brown.
I really love Derrick White as a player, but it's more of a complimentary, you know, perfect type of glue guy that any team would want versus a guy who could step up and be the Robin and score 20 points a game.
I mean, isn't that like a prerequisite to make the All-Star game?
I don't know.
I'm just not.
I'm not high on the Celtics, really, and like you said, I think this is a perfect season for them to just be like, oh man, like, uh, Jalen Brown tweaked his ankle February 20th.
We're just gonna take it easy and shut him down the rest of the season.
I mean, aren't they still over the second apron despite everything they've done?
That's insane how that's even possible.
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