18 Reasons To Be Excited For The 2019-20 Boston Celtics

This was a blog idea I put out before the first game last season, so it's only right that as we all sit here staring at the clock waiting for tipoff that I refresh things with 18 more reasons why I'm excited for the next 8+ months of our lives. As we know the number is 18 for a reason because at the end of the day that's the only number that matters for this franchise. New season, new hope, new roster, it's a great time of year. As a reminder these aren't in any specific order, they're listed in the order that they popped into my brain. Let's do it.

1. Kemba's first lethal stepback

For years the Celtics have been on the wrong side of this move. Remember last year when he single handedly destroyed them with it time and time again? They had no idea how to stop it and frankly none of the league does. It's one of the most lethal moves you'll see from the guard position and Kemba has made a career off it. I cannot wait to see him unleash his crossover into his step back because that move is a thing of beauty.

2. Jaylen Brown putting people on a poster

He may not be a perfect player, far from it, but one thing we know about Jaylen is he is not afraid. It doesn't matter who is meeting him at the rim Jaylen tries to put everyone on a poster at all times. I would imagine he's going to be starting so he'll have plenty of opportunity, and now that he got his money I want nothing but aggressive Jaylen moving forward. 

3. Enes Kanter's Offensive Rebounding

There's a chance that Enes Kanter is the best offensive rebounder this team has had in decades. Considering the Celts ranked 20th in OREB and 24th in OREB% this is a guy who is going to immediately fill a big time need. I know his defense can be pathetic like 80% of the time but the offensive rebounding has me excited. This team was also 23rd in second chance points so any improvement on the offensive glass that will help get them more possessions should help that number improve as well. 

4. Healthy And Ready To Go Gordon Hayward

Enough said.

5. A much improved intro video

I'm going to keep talking about this until someone who is responsible for these things understands. The intro video is everything. That bad boy from the 2008 year? Might be the best intro video of all time. Goosebump city even to this day. No surprise they won the title with that video kicking things off. Since then though it's been mostly a disaster. You cannot convince me these things aren't related so I'm going to need whatever this version is for this upcoming season to be at that 2008 level. Don't ruin the season before it even starts with this, it's that important.

5. Brad getting wacky and playing Tatum at the 5

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know the Celtics frontcourt could be a bit of a problem. So what do you do? You say screw it and get weird and play Tatum and the 5. Give me a lineup of Kema/Smart/Jaylen/Hayward/Tatum and take small ball to a whole new level. To hell with rebounding just become a big time problem on the other end for any team that wants to play a center. This is the NBA in 2019, big men are fucking out and going small with wings is fucking in. 

6. Carsen Edwards getting NBA Jam Fire hot

Few players have me more excited for this season than Carsen Edwards. He's perfect. A true microwave type scorer off the bench, a quick as hell release and all the confidence in the world. The fact that he's actually shown some ability to defend his position is a plus as well, but it's all about his three point shooting. He's going to be the super sub this team lacked last season and he won't even crack a smile while he lights it up. I cannot wait, his Per 36 3PA are going to be ridiculous.

7. Marcus Smart being a respectable shooter 

The days of clowning Marcus Smart for his shooting splits may be coming to an end. Not only did he become a league average shooter from deep last year at 36% with 1.6 3PM (both career highs), but he shot 41% with 1.7 3PM this preseason from deep. His shot selection will continue to drive us mad, just accept that now, but if he can end up a 37-39% shooter for the season that changes a lot when it comes to this offense. If teams actually have to respect his jumper that's only going to open up everything else for other players. 

8. Timelord blocking everything in sight

If he can stay healthy and be consistent defensively, Robert Williams will have a real opportunity for minutes. With those minutes are going to come badass blocks on literally everyone. It doesn't matter if you're a bench player or Anthony Davis, you bring any weak shit around Timelord he's going to toss that shit into the crowd. Between this and his alley oops from players who can actually throw a lob, we could be in store for a very fun Williams season.

9. Jayson Tatum's leap

Sure we may have thought we were going to get that last year, but everything we've seen from Team USA and preseason tells us this might be the year it actually happens. He looks bigger, his approach is a billion times better offensively, his defense looks improved and his rebounding is a serious change from what we saw last year. He's going to be asked to do a lot offensively and the team is ready to hand him the keys to the offense, something tells me his humble pie of last year did him good and he's going to be better than ever.

10. Tommy being Tommy

This covers both getting mad a refs

overreacting and calling Robert Williams a new Bill Russell, talking about someone's dick in the shower again, I'm ready for all of it. This is year what like 35 of Mike and Tommy and I couldn't imagine life without him. He is all I know.

11. Tacko minutes

We won't get a lot of them, but make no mistake when we do they are going to absolutely rule. It'll most likely only be in blowouts but I don't care. I just want to see Tacko dunk on people's heads without jumping. There is real talent there and this possibilities are endless. He's super raw at the moment, but he's such a force whenever he's on the floor it's must watch stuff.

12. Terrible 2nd quarters

By now all you can do is laugh. You don't have to like it, but I'm excited to know that even with a new look roster this team will still have it's same old problems in the 2nd quarter. It's comforting accpeting that going in so I won't have to get mad when they put up 10 points in 12 minutes and blow a first quarter lead. I may have been upset in the past, but now I welcome it. Some things never change and this is one of them. The Celts were 24th in the league in 2nd quarter scoring last year and it would shock me if that drastically improved.

13. The underdog mentality

Feels great to be back. Last year as favorites clearly didn't work out so I'm all for getting back to the nobody believes in us Celtics. Those teams play hard, play the right way, and always seem to overachieve. Pundits are already counting them out, talk about how their offseason was a disaster and all this bullshit and I couldn't love it more. Everyone is sleeping and that's perfect for Brad. Give him tons of elite talent and egos and he struggles. Give him talent and disrespected players and he wins close to 50 games and looks great. It's that simple.

14. The Memphis Pick

It couldn't be a Celtics season without some pick watching, and now we turn our attention to the MEM pick. This is by far their best trade asset picks wise, and who knows things could work out after the SAC pick kind of boned them. My preference is for it to roll over and be unprotected, especially with how loaded the West is and how young the Grizzlies are. Maybe the flip it for a need at the deadline, but at least we can continue the tradition of scoreboard watching a little longer.

15. Marcus Smart's All NBA Defense

The heart and soul of this team, the captain, All NBA First Team Defense member, few things jazz me up more than Smart's ridiculous defense and winning plays. You call it cliche I call it a way of life. You make up for bad interior defense by simply locking everything up on the perimeter and that's what Smart does. 

16. No Drama

At least I hope. We have no evidence that this won't be an issue this year once the team actually faces adversity, but the bad attitude guys are gone and they've been replaced with high character guys who ooze good chemistry. That's refreshing given what we went through last year and a breath of fresh air this team desperately needed.

17. Coy Brad Stevens

We're already getting it before the first game has even been played 

I don't know why this stuff makes me laugh but it gets me every time. He's basically Belichick without the massive amounts of success so while that may not play for outsiders, as a Boston guy I love it. 

18. Weird Celtics Twitter

As Celtics fans on the internet, we're a family. We're in it together and post through the good times and bad. The rest of the country got a little taste of just how much of a movement WCT is last year and I expect this season to be even better. It's what makes this job and following this team so much fun. All of you. The memes, the videos, the way all the jokes make their way to the actual team, there's nothing like it in the NBA and it can't be duplicated. 

So that's my list. I could go on and on but I have hype videos to get back to watching as a way to get to tipoff. If you're excited about something and I didn't list it lemme know, because the Kool Aid is cold, the pain of last year is gone and I'm ready to do it all over again.