Is there a downside to running it back?

[A Future of Stevens]

The biggest downside will be that a lot of games will be very predictable again.

Yeah not that I'm complaining but I don't think anyone is gonna really care about the regular season lol, unless the C's somehow get off to a horrible start and causes panic. Otherwise, it'll be "business as usual" and just praying for minimal injuries + keeping guys as fresh as possible.

I guess a potential downside is that guys start to develop egos and someone like Tatum decides to go "all out" trying to win MVP. But I just don't see it with these guys. Unfortunately it happened with guys like Rozier, Kyrie, Morris, etc. in 2019 but we don't have guys like that right now.

Cut to the middle of January when this board is in flames because we lose to an undermanned Lakers team.

Why wait till January? I'm predicting the board in flames after the first loss of the season 

Don't get me started on this....

The game thread will be in flames when we're down by 10 points the first time I'm sure 

We could have a historically good offense, and a top 5 defense, and we would all be ready to nose dive off a building when we are down 10 to a Kings level team 

[dannyboy35]

  I don?t see a downside. I think it?s huge that everybody seems satisfied with their role . I?m sure guys who play less hope to improve and play more but not to where they think they?re being overlooked or cheated. That goes such a long way. Togetherness and genuinely liking your coworkers is intimidating to an opponent if they know they don?t have that same thing in their locker room.

[tenn_smoothie]

The team this season played with a lot of hunger, especially defensively.
The close-out game 5 defense was beautiful to watch. The perimeter defenders like Brown, White and Holiday were constantly fighting over the top of screens. That is very hard work and requires a lot of intense effort. This group was certainly fueled by past failures. They were determined not to let it happen again. So the players not being able to bring that hunger into next season is my main concern.

As far as running it back with the same players, I would say it is a huge plus that we did not lose anyone of consequence. That seems to be one consistent reason that contributes to previous title teams failing to repeat. They lost one or two key rotation guys that they are never able to make up for. I always thought losing Posey in '08 was a huge blunder by Danny. I'd say we win the title again in 2010 if we still had him. Danny spent the next few seasons trying to find a replacement with uneven results. We have Posey and we don't feel the need to trade Perk in '11, which was an even worse blunder by Danny.

So I'm very happy running it back with these guys. The only thing I can think of in terms of personnel is to fill that 15th roster spot with a key veteran post player with some size that we need. Brad can bide his time until someone becomes available.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

we have a great shot at repeating. great core.

[Phantom255x]

we have a great shot at repeating. great core.

I can't wait to get to the playoffs and then see the national media and local media all complain that the Celtics "have it easy" before they play an actual team like NY/PHI/MIL in the ECF lol. You know that's going to happen. And then I'm sure by the ECF some star on the other team will be hurt too so people will put an "asterisk" on it.

I wouldn't complain if it happened that way but you know that's how it'll unfold.

[Vermont Green]

It will be an interesting season.  We will understandably be the favorite to win the title going into the season.  I think the target on our back will be bigger now.  We are the champs.  Every game will be a little tougher.  Some of the other top teams have improved, or at least changed.  Will our guys hold up?  It is going to be tough to repeat.

I am interested to see what the dynamic is going to be around Tatum and Brown.  They are both miffed (or worse) about the Olympic team.  Win a title, and then get disrespected.  That should fuel the "I got something to prove" attitude in both.  But is the pecking order going to be affected by Brown winning ECF and Finals MVP over Tatum?  Are they going to be too worried about where they stand on the MVP ladder?  Is trying to prove something going to affect how they play in a negative way?  All possibilities.

Bottom line is that even though nothing is perfect, we are the favorite going into the season, and for good reason.  We have the best shot at a title, but a lot still needs to go right, like any other season.

[Donoghus]

It will be an interesting season.  We will understandably be the favorite to win the title going into the season.  I think the target on our back will be bigger now.  We are the champs.  Every game will be a little tougher.  Some of the other top teams have improved, or at least changed.  Will our guys hold up?  It is going to be tough to repeat.

I am interested to see what the dynamic is going to be around Tatum and Brown.  They are both miffed (or worse) about the Olympic team.  Win a title, and then get disrespected.  That should fuel the "I got something to prove" attitude in both.  But is the pecking order going to be affected by Brown winning ECF and Finals MVP over Tatum?  Are they going to be too worried about where they stand on the MVP ladder?  Is trying to prove something going to affect how they play in a negative way?  All possibilities.

Bottom line is that even though nothing is perfect, we are the favorite going into the season, and for good reason.  We have the best shot at a title, but a lot still needs to go right, like any other season.

They've been teammates for 7 years. I really don't see this being a problem.  They know how they complement each other and how to play together.   There is an established comfort zone.

[Vermont Green]

It will be an interesting season.  We will understandably be the favorite to win the title going into the season.  I think the target on our back will be bigger now.  We are the champs.  Every game will be a little tougher.  Some of the other top teams have improved, or at least changed.  Will our guys hold up?  It is going to be tough to repeat.

I am interested to see what the dynamic is going to be around Tatum and Brown.  They are both miffed (or worse) about the Olympic team.  Win a title, and then get disrespected.  That should fuel the "I got something to prove" attitude in both.  But is the pecking order going to be affected by Brown winning ECF and Finals MVP over Tatum?  Are they going to be too worried about where they stand on the MVP ladder?  Is trying to prove something going to affect how they play in a negative way?  All possibilities.

Bottom line is that even though nothing is perfect, we are the favorite going into the season, and for good reason.  We have the best shot at a title, but a lot still needs to go right, like any other season.

They've been teammates for 7 years. I really don't see this being a problem.  They know how they complement each other and how to play together.   There is an established comfort zone.

I agree, I am not suggesting that I expect there to be a problem, I don't, just pointing out that there is some risk.  I actually think the whole Olympic thing will give them something to bond over, a common cause to prove Kerr and Hill wrong.

[SHAQATTACK]

The downside

I?m more antsy than ever to get the new season started

[Redz]

I think they still will fee like they have something to prove and that?s a good thing.  Maybe big price in themselves but the rest of the league and national media.

[SHAQATTACK]

I think they still will fee like they have something to prove and that?s a good thing.  Maybe big price in themselves but the rest of the league and national media.

At least three people have a bone to pick w/Kerr ??JT , JB ..and me .

Let the revenge tour begin.

[Redz]

I think they still will fee like they have something to prove and that?s a good thing.  Maybe big price in themselves but the rest of the league and national media.

At least three people have a bone to pick Kerr ??JT , JB ..and me .

Let the revenge tour begin.

Kamala forgave Kerr.   

[SparzWizard]

I think yeah if you don't make any upgrades to the roster while your other eastern conference foes have made significant upgrades.

Are we really satisfied with only Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, and Luke Kornet being part of our 6-8 guys?

[Goldstar88]

I think yeah if you don't make any upgrades to the roster while your other eastern conference foes have made significant upgrades.

Are we really satisfied with only Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, and Luke Kornet being part of our 6-8 guys?

I believe Al is still on the team.  Bench rotation of Horford, Hauser, Pritchard, Tillman and Kornet is fine by me.

[jambr380]

I think yeah if you don't make any upgrades to the roster while your other eastern conference foes have made significant upgrades.

Are we really satisfied with only Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, and Luke Kornet being part of our 6-8 guys?

What really matters is having KP healthy going into and throughout the playoffs. We got lucky last year with every team losing their best player to injury. I still think we would have won those series (we already had a 2-1 and 2-0 lead when Mitchell and Hali went down), but the Finals might have been a different story if we were playing 6-7 game series' earlier on. Our team is a contender without KP, but borderline historically great with him.