The Boston Celtics, fresh off their record 18th NBA title in the 2023-24 season, are facing a daunting challenge as they head into the 2024-25 season. Despite their impressive roster and the momentum from their recent championship, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has raised significant concerns about their ability to defend their title.
Windhorst, a veteran NBA analyst, highlighted the historical difficulty of winning back-to-back championships in the NBA. The last team to achieve this feat was the Golden State Warriors in 2018, a team often regarded as one of the greatest of all time. According to Windhorst, maintaining the same level of intensity and performance after winning a championship is a monumental task.
“It’s just hard to maintain. We’ve had seven consecutive years without a back-to-back champion,” Windhorst noted.
He emphasized that the psychological and physical toll of a championship run can affect a team’s performance in the following season.
The Eastern Conference has become increasingly competitive, with teams like the Philadelphia 76ers and the Milwaukee Bucks making significant roster improvements. The 76ers, for instance, have added Paul George to their lineup, forming a trio with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The Bucks, in their second year with the Damian Lillard-Giannis Antetokounmpo duo, are also expected to be strong contenders.
Windhorst pointed out that these improvements in rival teams could pose significant challenges for the Celtics.
“I expect the Celtics to give a great title defense, but it’s not going to be the same once you’ve won the championship,” he said.
Despite these challenges, the Celtics are not without hope. They will return with a roster led by stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who were instrumental in their championship run. However, Windhorst cautioned that the team needs to maintain the same hunger and drive that propelled them to the title.
“The target will be on the C’s backs heading into 2024-25,” Windhorst remarked.
He suggested that the Celtics must keep the “chip on their shoulder” to have a realistic chance of repeating their success.
While the Boston Celtics have the talent and potential to defend their NBA title, the road ahead is fraught with challenges. The increased competition in the Eastern Conference and the inherent difficulties of maintaining championship-level performance make their quest for back-to-back titles a formidable one. As Windhorst aptly put it,
“It’s not going to be the same once you’ve won the championship”.
“I expect the Celtics to give a great title defense, but it’s not going to be the same once you’ve won the championship.” 👀 @WindhorstESPN on how the Celtics can become the first back-to-back NBA champion since the ’17 Warriors. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/JcV2YHfcMp
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) September 6, 2024
