Celtics Biggest Position Concern Could Doom Postseason Run

The Boston Celtics are coming off an NBA title, and look in prime position to win a second consecutive one after finishing with 61 wins.

They have a well-balanced roster with very few weaknesses, but one of their position groups stands out as the weakest one, with a chance to stop their 2025 championship run.

Potential centers on the roster currently that get playing time are Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, Luke Kornet, and Neemias Queta. That is a solid group, but is also a bit flimsy.

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Porzingis has a well-documented injury history, going back to as recently as last year’s playoffs. He is healthy as of now because the Celtics worked hard to keep him healthy this season, but who knows how things will change once he’s no longer held back.

Horford is an ageless wonder, but that doesn’t change the fact that he is 38 years old. No matter how good a player is (besides maybe 40-year-old LeBron James), relying so heavily on an older player is not a reliable strategy. It worked last year, but another season of decline may mean it no longer does.

Kornet and Queta are both solid players, but they aren’t at a championship level of an NBA starting center. A good comparison for them is back when Daniel Theis was the starting center for the Celtics. 

The team was good enough to make noise in the playoffs, but just couldn’t quite get over the hump until they added more difference makers in the frontcourt.

This weakness could spell concern against teams with good frontcourts. Both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder stand out in those areas. The Cavaliers have Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, both solid two-way players who can have a tremendous impact on the game, especially if guarded by smaller players.

The Thunder have Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. Holmgren is basically a younger version of Porzingis, and Hartenstein is a bigger, stronger player than anyone on the Celtics roster.

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The Celtics did manage to make this center rotation work last year, so there is no reason to believe it can’t work again, but they also managed to avoid opponents with great frontcourts, something that doesn’t seem possible this year.

Overall, the Celtics roster doesn’t really have any significant weaknesses, but if they had to have one, it would be their center rotation. They have plenty of talent at that spot, but it is a bit flimsy in terms of health and depth.

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