By Lara do Rosario and Louisa Furman

With the 2022–2023 schedule underway, the Celtics enter the season with all eyes on the prize. From under a .500 win percentage in January 2022 to the NBA Finals, the C’s have taken the world by storm. Despite the Celtics’ suffering a few losses due to injuries and, most notably, Head Coach Ime Udoka’s season-long suspension, Boston kicked off the 2022–23 season on October 18, hosting James Harden and the 76ers at the Garden. The Celtics were led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who scored 35 points each in the 126–117 win.

Despite the turmoil surrounding the one-year suspension of Coach Ime Udoka, the Celtics remain the favorites to win the NBA title this season. They have returned with their entire starting lineup from last season’s squad, which came within two wins of a championship, and they have added valuable players, such as veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon. 

Anissa Patel ’23, a co-captain of Winsor’s Varsity Basketball team, emphasized that “[the Celtics] have such a strong team, and they are really well bonded. We will definitely be able to push past some of the things that have happened within the franchise this year.” This offseason, the Celtics acquired two big assets, signing Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari. Though Gallinari is out for the season with a torn ACL, Brogdon has proved to be a tremendous asset for the team, spearheading the bench unit with his ability to distribute the ball and create scoring opportunities. 

 Records early in the year are not always the most accurate; however, it is important to note that the Celtics are off to a solid start. As of November 5th their record is 5-3. One of those 4 wins was a 111–104 victory over the Heat, who, last season, had a better overall record than the Celtics and were just barely beat out by Boston in the semifinals. This win reinforced the idea that the Celtics’ advancement to the finals last year was not a fluke but instead an indication of a strong and capable team. Going into the 2022–23 season, the prospects for the Celtics are good, but, in order to once again reach the finals, they must look out for a few other Eastern Conference teams, most notably the Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat.

As a school with many hardcore Celtics fans, Winsor especially feels the power of the Celtics. On the Varsity Basketball team, players often bond talking about the season, players, or just professional basketball in general. As Patel put it, the strong performance of the Celtics in recent years “boosts our team and morale because we are watching such great players do so well in our hometown.” The Celtics influence us at Winsor because they give us something to cheer for, something to count on, and, most importantly, role models to look up to both on and off the courts.