With Jayson Tatum back in the lineup, it is worth asking whether the current landscape makes the Boston Celtics the favorites in the Eastern Conference.
Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum
MIN: 27.1
PTS: 17.5 (46.15%)
REB: 7.5
AS: 4.5
ST: 0.5
BL: 0
TO: 1.5
GM: 2
When Tatum went down with an injury, and Boston faced second-apron financial constraints during the offseason, the front office began trimming the roster to increase flexibility.
Given Tatum's injury, the general expectation around the league was that Boston might essentially sacrifice this season, something that, to some extent, may also have been part of the Celtics' own internal plan.
There was talk that the team would change the way it played.
After years of operating at one of the league's slowest paces, the Celtics were expected to play faster and use the season to develop their half-court offense.
It also looked like a year for development for younger or complementary players such as Jordan Walsh, Neemias Queta, Sam Hauser, and Hugo Gonzalez, players who would get a larger role while Tatum was out.
However, Boston ended up playing phenomenal basketball. They rediscovered much of the identity that defined them last season and in recent years.
Jaylen Brown has emerged as a true leader in Tatum's absence, Queta has had an excellent season, Hugo Gonzalez has also been very impressive, and after slow starts, both Payton Pritchard and Derrick White have settled back into their rhythm.
Celtics Dominance Over Cleveland
From this perspective, Boston is now in a phenomenal position.
They currently sit in second place in the Eastern Conference and are battling the New York Knicks for that spot, and possibly even for the top seed.
They are firmly among the elite teams in the East, and Tatum has already looked sharp through his first two games back.
Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum
Team: Boston Celtics
Position: SF
Age: 28
Height: 203 cm
Weight: 95 kg
Birth place: St. Louis, United States of America
Which leads to the central question: considering all these factors, are the Celtics now the favorites in the Eastern Conference?
Celtics
Celtics
Credit IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect-SCANPIX
Looking at the Eastern Conference competition, the Cleveland Cavaliers clearly stand out as the primary contenders.
However, head-to-head matchups between Cleveland and Boston present an interesting picture; even without Tatum for two of the games, Boston has swept all three meetings.
When you compare the roster construction of Boston to Cleveland, it becomes clear that, defensively, the Celtics simply have the bodies to throw at Cleveland.
Looking at Cleveland's offense, Boston's wings and guards are well-equipped to defend Cleveland's half-court sets and transition opportunities led by James Harden and Donovan Mitchell.
There's a reason Boston has beaten them three times – Cleveland simply matches up poorly against the Celtics.
The roster balance, defensive versatility, and the ability to switch across multiple positions all work in Boston's favor.
Tatum's Physical Impact
However, when it comes to the other two teams competing with Boston at the top of the East, the New York Knicks and the Detroit Pistons, the situation becomes much more interesting.
The matchup dynamics are far more complex, and the fit isn't as clear-cut as the Cleveland matchup, where Boston's three victories suggest they would hold a significant edge in a playoff series.
To begin with, there's no need to overanalyze Tatum's value; though Boston excelled without him, his presence makes the roster far more complete.
Brown
Brown
Credit IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect - Scanpix
In essence, that was evident during his first two games back. Tatum is still adjusting after a long absence as he regains his rhythm, yet the specific elements he adds to Boston's system are already apparent.
Relying heavily on three-point shooting and drive-and-kick actions, the Celtics rarely attack the rim, focusing instead on creating perimeter shots through penetration.
They are not a team that frequently gets to the free-throw line or consistently initiates contact at the rim.
Tatum instantly reintroduces that physical element, providing a new dimension that has been visible throughout his first two games.
His mid-post game, his ability to punish switches multiple ways, and his aggressive rim attacks significantly alter the Celtics' offensive operation.
The Knicks and Pistons Challenge for the Celtics
Because of that, it's fair to ask whether Tatum's return officially makes Boston the Eastern Conference favorite.
The New York Knicks genuinely look like the toughest possible matchup for the Celtics due to their specific roster construction.
Looking at the roster concept, the Knicks boast elite two-way wings in Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby. They are versatile defenders who use their length, strength, and physicality to match up against the league's top scorers.
Then, at the center position, they have Karl-Anthony Towns, a stretch-five who can attack out of face-ups and space the floor.
It's a similar concept to the Celtics' championship configuration with Kristaps Porzingis.
In many ways, the Knicks appear to have mirrored Boston's roster construction, almost as if the team was built specifically to counter the Celtics.
That ultimately led to last season's playoff series, where the Knicks eliminated Boston.
Regardless of Jayson Tatum's injury, Boston was already 3-1 down in that series, and the Knicks beat the Celtics in a very unusual way.
Brunson
Brunson
Credit IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect - Scanpix
Several of those games saw Boston build large leads, only for New York to rally and secure the victory. While those games were thrilling, they highlighted why the Knicks are such a difficult matchup for Boston.
In that series, Boston tried extensively to mismatch hunt, primarily targeting Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.
But the two players who really make the difference are Anunoby and Bridges; they are arguably the best defensive duo in the league for containing Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Of course, they cannot completely stop them; Tatum and Brown are simply too dominant, but they can make life extremely difficult.
At the point guard position, however, Boston now feels the absence of Jrue Holiday.
Without him, the Celtics lack a true two-way guard who can both defend Brunson at a high level and create a major offensive impact.
Boston still has excellent defenders like Jordan Walsh, who shows the potential to become an elite NBA defender.
But Walsh has yet to provide a significant two-way impact, as his offensive game remains a work in progress.
On the other hand, the matchup between the Detroit Pistons and the Boston Celtics is much harder to analyze.
This new Detroit team, which has been dominating the league this season, is truly fascinating, though they have yet to face a fully healthy Celtics roster, including Tatum.
Tatum adds a vital new dimension to Boston, so we'll have to wait and see how the Celtics' strongest version performs against Detroit. That will be extremely interesting to watch.
Can Celtics be considered the favorites in Eastern Conference?
Against the New York Knicks, however, we already have a large enough sample size.
Even though the roster has changed somewhat since last season, the core structure remains similar, which makes the analysis much easier.
In the end, it is difficult to crown the Celtics as the undisputed favorites in the East.
They are certainly one of the favorites, but considering the level at which the Knicks, and especially the Pistons, are playing, those teams might currently hold a slight advantage.
That said, the Celtics are unquestionably among the top teams in the East. The return of Tatum forces New York and Detroit to raise their level of play.
The Knicks have already shown that when their defense is functioning properly, they become dangerous, especially since their offense has remained elite throughout the season.
Meanwhile, the Pistons currently sit atop the Eastern Conference with remarkable consistency.
Because of that, they still hold a slight advantage over Boston for now. However, with room to improve as Tatum reintegrates, it would be no surprise to see Boston return to the Finals.
No one should be shocked by that outcome, considering Tatum has returned, and the level of basketball Boston is playing right now.
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Vukašin Nedeljković
Vukašin played basketball competitively in his youth, and now contributes to Synergy Sports Technology and Sportradar regarding basketball analysis. He also has experience working as a journalist in Serbia and is passionate about writing basketball articles mainly focused on basketball X's and O's.
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