Marc Bertrand: Don’t Love The Position The Celtics Are In This Season

On Tuesday's edition of Zolak & Bertrand, the guys discussed the Celtics' season opener against the Knicks, where the franchise will raise it's NBA league leading 18th Championship Banner. Although the Celtics are favorites to repeat as champions, Marc Bertrand is not a massive fan of the position that Celtics will be in this season due to the increased competition around the league.

Bertrand: Celtics tonight dropping a banner at TD Garden. Do you feel it yet? You feel buzz for this season?

Zolak: You don't feel the basketball buzz, but like there's the season so long. It is what it is. These seasons start so damn early but you're excited for the night. How long we talked about banner 18? Well it's getting raised tonight. I just love the way Joe Mazzulla and why I complimented him last night. When it is your window and you're winning championships and trying to repeat. You're trying to win three titles in four years, there's nothing better than that. Man, those are great times. This is your window now. He knows it too, because this whole "repeating" phrase pisses him off. I think he's ready to go. He's excited. I'm so rooting for them to get off to a great start because of the damn USA basketball stuff, and the way it was all handled. This team should be pissed off and ready to rip heads off and I'm excited to watch it.

Bertrand: I don't love the position the Celtics have to be in this season.

Zolak: Why's that? Because you're the hunted?

Bertrand: Yeah.

Zolak: Well that comes with the territory.

Bertrand: I think it's a lot of pressure on this team. I think there's a lot of pressure on a team that just won.

Zolak: I think it's a good match up coming out of the gate. The Knicks are on the come at the end of last year, and they added to it.

Bertrand: I'm talking big picture this season. Going into the year I think that they've got plenty of motivation because they continue to be doubted. Whether it be Tatum or Brown, those guys are doubted in various ways. They have that going for them. They have the chip on their shoulder that they would need to be able to do it. It's really tough to repeat, but there's almost sort of this expectation that they're going to be in the finals and they're going to do it. That they're going to be the first team since the Warriors to repeat. But, I think the road just got harder. I think in the off season, other teams got better. I think there are more contenders, more true contenders this year in the league than there was a year ago.

The defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics have made waves all offseason with GM Brad Stevens resigning just about the entire title winning team over the summer. Stevens struck again on Wednesday night with the signing of 25-year old Lonnie Walker IV. Walker is a 6'4 shooting guard who can play the 3 when asked, last season Walker averaged 9.7 points and shot 38% on three-pointers in 58 games for the Brooklyn Nets.

While some casual NBA fans will say, so what the NBA Champs added Lonnie Walker the roster was loaded already this isn't really a major move. I would agree with the sentiment but when you factor in just how much basketball this group has played over the last few seasons. Led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown making deep playoff runs every year the deeper the bench the better for Boston's chances of repeating.

The Celtics were able to retain just about all of their players from last season but did lose Oshae Brissett and I believe Walker to be an upgrade over Brissett. Walker is a better shooter which we know Joe Mazzulla loves. His ability to spread the floor and be a consistent threat from outside is an upgrade over Brissett who was a .273 shooter from beyond the arc last season.

So while on the surface this is a very marginal move for the Celtics. Any move that bolsters the roster for a team looking to repeat as NBA champions is welcomed. The more rest they can give their stars throughout the season the more well rested they should be for another deep playoff run.

Listen to Joe Murray 7-11 every Monday-Friday on 98.5 The Sports Hub. You can listen live in the Sports Hub App and subscribe to their podcasts here. Follow on X @JoeyMurr and Instagram @ImJoeMurray to keep up with the show!