The Celtics were a little bit of a curiosity headed into this season. Their shocking, late-summer coaching change raised questions about how the team would respond without Ime Udoka, who earned plaudits for turning Boston from a .500 team in the middle of last year to an Eastern Conference champ. There was also intrigue to see whether Boston could keep up its torrid pace from the second half of 2021–22, when the Celts essentially bulldozed a green path through the entire league.
Well, so far, Boston has quickly assuaged any concerns about taking a step back.