With a 23-9 record, the Boston Celtics are one of the best teams in the league and in a great position to defend their NBA title. However, the Celtics are coming off a shaky month of December, where they posted a 7-6 record, which is their worst month since the 2022-23 season. With that in mind and 2025 right around the corner, here are some New Year’s resolutions for the Celtics that will help them reach their ultimate goal of winning back-to-back titles.
3 New Year’s Resolutions for the Boston Celtics
1. Improve Defense
At face value, the Celtics seventh-ranked defense is very good. However, for the past three seasons, the Celtics have had a top-three defense. Elite two-way balance has been central to Boston’s success. Additionally, the Celtics’ roster is filled with elite defenders, with their entire starting five being All-Defensive caliber; there’s simply no reason for the Celtics to be anything less than a top-three defense. Poor defense has been a key reason for the Celtics’ 7-5 record in December. The Celtics’ clutch-time defense has been particularly problematic, ranking 21st on the season and 27th in December. For reference, last season, the Celtics ranked sixth in clutch-time defense and second in the playoffs with an absurd defensive rating of 80.
Lackluster rotations and closeouts have been central to the Celtics’ late-game shortcomings. This was evident in recent losses to the Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers, and Orlando Magic. Not being able to get stops in close games is a recipe for disaster in the playoffs. Ultimately, improving their defense will be crucial for the Celtics to repeat as champions, luckily, they have the talent to do so.
2. Stay Healthy
Health is outside of the Celtics’ control and is something that should be on every team’s New Year’s resolution list. Nonetheless, it must be discussed, especially with Kristaps Porzingis’ frequent injuries. Since Porzingis returned from his ankle injury in November, he has appeared in 11 out of 15 games. However, he has left two games with injuries, including an ankle sprain on Christmas Day, which caused him to be sidelined for back-to-back recent games against the Indiana Pacers. Hopefully, this injury doesn’t persist. The Celtics have proven they are capable of success without Porzingis, as they won the title with him sidelined for much of the playoffs; however, they are at their best at full strength. Seeing this core at full strength for an entire playoff run would be ideal.
While Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are two of the most durable stars in the league, it’s still crucial that they stay healthy. Porzingis is clearly the player to be most concerned about; however, it’s also fair to be worried about Al Horford and Jrue Holiday, given their age. Notably, Holiday has missed three straight games with a shoulder injury. Moreover, Sam Hauser has been dealing with a nagging back injury. Getting Hauser back to full strength would further raise the Celtics’ ceiling. Overall, health is a key part of the Celtics’ quest to repeat as champions.
3. Jrue Holiday: Improve Shooting Efficiency
This resolution is player-specific, but it would benefit the overall team. Jrue Holiday is quietly having a down season. While his basic counting stats have remained similar to last year, Holiday’s efficiency has plummeted. Last season, Holiday shot 48 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from three. This year, he is shooting 44.8 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from beyond the arc. Holiday is shooting just 31 percent on open threes compared to 44.2 percent last season. Moreover, Holiday is shooting just 30.2 percent on corner threes compared to an impressive 60.4 percent on corner threes last season.
The Celtics don’t need Holiday to be a 20-point-per-game scorer like he was with the Milwaukee Bucks. However, they need him to be an efficient shooter, as he was last year. The Celtics’ offense is built around drive-and-kick actions from Tatum and Brown. As a result, one of their primary spot-up shooters struggling from three is a massive problem. In a game against the Memphis Grizzlies, the defense sagged off Holiday, a strategy that proved worthwhile as the Grizzlies won 127-121, and Holiday shot 8-26 from the field. If Holiday’s struggles continue, this strategy could be the Celtics’ demise in the playoffs. Overall, Holiday has a -8.8 net offensive difference, meaning the Celtics’ offense is significantly better with him on the bench.
While Holiday has struggled offensively, his defense remains elite. Holiday is a jack-of-all-trades guarding multiple positions and often getting the most difficult defensive assignment. He is posting an impressive 43.5 defensive field goal percentage, which is an improvement from last year’s 45.1. Holiday ranks in the 90th percentile for defensive plus/minus and the 89th percentile for matchup difficulty. Ultimately, for the best chance to repeat as champions, the Celtics need Holiday to maintain his stellar defense and improve his lackluster shooting.
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