1. The continued resurgence of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown

When the Boston Celtics drafted Jayson Tatum back in the 2017 draft, there were high hopes for an already-developing Jaylen Brown, making for a great duo for years to come. In the years since, it has been just that, and then some. Boston has made it to three Eastern Conference Finals, and the two young studs have proven that they are not shy of everything that comes with being in a playoff environment.

What has been striking, however, is that the Celtics have not made it past the Conference Finals, and have not been able to get over the hump to get to the NBA Finals. It will be interesting to see if both Tatum and Brown can make yet another leap in their respective games’ in order to carry the team through a finals run, something that the city of Boston is very much used to seeing.

2. The return of Al Horford

The return of Al Horford to the Boston Celtics after brief stays in Philadelphia and Oklahoma City is one that is much more important to the success of the team than people believe. Although Horford is not the player that he was in his first stint with the team, he provides veteran leadership that this group desperately needs off the bench. He will certainly continue to help Robert Williams III, something that he did consistently in Williams’ early years in the league.

Horford is also very familiar with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and Robert Williams III from playing with them in the past, so team chemistry should not be an issue should Horford be forced with starting a few games throughout the season.

3. The teams’ free agent acquisitions

Boston’s two main free agent acquisitions—Dennis Schröder and Josh Richardson—are expected to help this team immensely, and whether Richardson is in the starting lineup or not, he can be a spark off the bench. Schröder is in a prove-it season, as the Los Angeles Lakers did not want to grant him the contract that he desired in the offseason. He should have an added sense of focus throughout the season. Boston also brought back Enes Kanter, a big-man that has proven to be a great rebounder, and the team also traded for Juancho Hernangomez, adding to an already deep frontcourt.

4. First-year head coach Ime Udoka, and Brad Stevens in a front-office role

The morning after the Boston Celtics were eliminated in five games by the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the playoffs, then President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge decided to step down, and Brad Stevens was immediately named to the role. This meant that there was a vacancy in the head coaching position. The first big decision Brad Stevens had to make was to find a head coach, a role that he had lead for eight years with the team.

After just a few weeks, Boston hired Ime Udoka to be its next head coach. Udoka previously played in the NBA, and he also was an assistant coach following his playing career, with stops in San Antonio, Philadelphia, and most recently, Brooklyn. Boston needed to bring in a new set of eyes to oversee the team on the floor, and it will be compelling to see if Udoka can bring added success to both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, two players that Udoka has referred to as the pillars of the franchise.

Danny Ainge was known for being brilliant on multiple occasions—from trading for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, to drafting Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown—he has shown that he was always willing to make the team better, no matter what the consequence was, and what players he had to part with. However, in the past few years, he has been reluctant to make moves, resulting in frustration from the fan base. They were so acclimated to seeing an aggressive Danny Ainge. Even Ainge himself knew that it was time for a change, and Brad Stevens will be expected to make very difficult, yet important decisions in his first year as President of Basketball Operations.

5. The development of Aaron Nesmith, Payton Pritchard, and Romeo Langford

Second-year players Aaron Nesmith and Payton Pritchard should be viewed as important bench pieces for Boston, and they should both be able to play key roles on the team. Aaron Nesmith struggled at the beginning of his rookie season for the Celtics, but he improved throughout the season, and his shooting saw an uptick in percentage as well. Pritchard was likely the best rookie on the team, as he fit right in with the second unit.

Romeo Langford is likely one of the legitimate question marks for the Boston Celtics heading into the 2021-2022 season. Entering his third year in the league, he still has yet to be the player that he was expected to be. Injuries have certainly ravaged those expectations, and he will really need to prove it to Ime Udoka in order to earn consistent minutes off the bench.

Langford has shown flashes, but nothing has really been consistent in terms of his play. Expect Langford to be another important piece coming off the bench if he is able to impress early in the season.

This Boston Celtics team will certainly have its challenges throughout the 2021-2022 season—a new head coach, new players, and new expectations—however, there are relatively high expectations within the team for a much better season than last year, and it should be interesting to watch from afar.