There was a time after I questioned the notion that vital playoff expertise was essential to win an NBA title.
This take might or might not have coincided with rookie Jayson Tatum and second-year Jaylen Brown main the Boston Celtics to Sport 7 of the Jap Convention Finals towards Lebron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers, and me attempting to persuade myself that have was overrated. Why couldn’t 19-year-old Jayson Tatum out-duel one of many best gamers within the league’s historical past in a Sport 7?
Six years, one other journey to the ECF, and a Finals loss later, this present period of Boston Celtics basketball is one other reminder that to win the NBA title, vital playoff expertise is a prerequisite.
The 2024-2025 Boston Celtics have probably the most gifted roster within the NBA. They’re additionally probably the most skilled workforce within the NBA. I compiled the playoff expertise of the projected top-7 rotation gamers for every of the league’s contenders. Admittedly, I used to be fairly quick and free with the phrase “contender.” For instance, the Lakers are on this record. Nonetheless, I needed to incorporate any groups that, even in case you squint or shut your eyes fully, you would see profitable the NBA title, in order that we’ve a extra exhaustive record to contemplate:
Right here’s a breakdown of the Celtics top-7 rotation gamers’ profession playoff video games:
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25655479/career_games_players.png)
If you need the breakdown of what number of playoff video games every participant inside every workforce’s rotation has performed, the information will be discovered right here.
The Celtics didn’t squeak out the primary spot on the playoff expertise rating. They’re far and away probably the most skilled playoff workforce within the league by 129 video games. That’s virtually the totality of Jaylen Brown’s total postseason profession with Jayson Tatum checking in at 114. Al Horford and, to a lesser extent, Jrue Vacation are doing a little heavy lifting for the Celtics playoff expertise, as veteran leaders typically do.
League stalwarts are carrying the following two groups: LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Draymond Inexperienced. These are iconic gamers. Sadly for them, they’re possible not impacting the result of the 2024-2025 NBA championship.
If we simply have a look at the Jays’ playoff WINS, Jaylen has 74, and Tatum has 68. Eight NBA franchises have but to surpass 66 playoff wins of their total existence. The 2 Celtic superstars have amassed an absurd playoff resume within the first halves of their careers.
Because it pertains to the veteran expertise and management of Horford and Vacation. Brad Stevens believes that the experience and selflessness of these two gamers could be the Celtics’ most vital benefit. Stevens not often reveals a lot emotion; considered one of his favorite phrases is “don’t get too excessive and don’t get too low”, however he lit up when discussing this workforce’s elderstatesmen.
“Should you actually need to discuss the most effective vet management within the league, there’s no manner anyone’s acquired us beat there. Nonetheless many groups are good and all the pieces, there’s nobody that’s acquired us beat in veteran management.”
Within the lead-up to the NBA Finals, there was concern from the nationwide media that the Celtics had not been “battle-tested” earlier than their matchup with the Dallas Mavericks. Nonetheless, this Celtics workforce had already been by means of their battles all of the years prior — arguably too many battles in case you ask some Celtics followers (me). The excruciating Sport 7 loss to the Miami Warmth within the 2023 Jap Convention Finals. The agonizing Finals defeat to the Golden State Warriors after going up 2-1 within the collection and being up 94-90 in Sport 4 with 4:56 left. The irritating Jap Convention drubbing to the Miami Warmth within the bubble. Not less than the ache of the Sport 7 defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers within the 2017-2018 Jap Convention Finals was considerably alleviated by exceeding expectations. Apologies if any readers at the moment are experiencing some type of PTSD.
No workforce within the historical past of the NBA performed extra seven-game collection in a two-postseason span than the Boston Celtics throughout the 2022 and 2023 playoffs. Fortunately, these brutal experiences can now be seen as stepping stones on the best way to some of the dominant NBA seasons in basketball historical past.
Playoff expertise and roster continuity are essential components when chasing the purpose of profitable an NBA championship. It’s uncommon for a workforce to win a title with out amassing just a few playoff scars first. That is true of a few of the best groups in NBA historical past: the Heatles misplaced to the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. The Warmth would go on to win back-to-back championships after that. Kobe and Shaq misplaced within the second spherical or convention finals of the playoffs three years in a row earlier than rattling off a three-peat. Did I select two examples that concerned each groups profitable back-to-back championships after accruing their playoff scars? After all. Nonetheless, this iteration of the Boston Celtics shares just a few issues in widespread with these groups – probably the most expertise, continuity and a wealth of expertise.
There may be little or no that this Celtics workforce has not been by means of, regardless of their two finest gamers being within the early levels of their primes. Their mixed expertise, together with their abundance of expertise, will likely be a weapon that no different workforce within the league can depend upon in the identical manner.
