Buying or Selling Celtics' Biggest Concerns Entering December

The Boston Celtics have reached the first quarter mark of the 2022-23 NBA season without missing a beat.

Somehow.

Despite changing coaches (from Ime Udoka to Joe Mazzulla), significant injuries to key frontcourt players (Robert Williams III and Danilo Gallinari) and an uncharacteristically leaky defense (more on that in a minute), the Shamrocks stand as the Association's best team by all available metrics, namely winning percentage (.818, which would be second-highest in franchise history) and net rating (plus-9.1 points per 100 possessions).

And yet, we're here to pick nits, because honestly, that's exactly what the front office is surely doing, too. The Celtics may not have many obvious shortcomings, but given the tiny margin for error atop the basketball world, they have to assess which of these weaknesses are truly worrisome and might warrant some action down the line.

So, we're here to run those same assessments by spotlighting the biggest early concerns and buying or selling them as major issues.

Last season, Boston fielded the stingiest defense in the league. This time around, though, they've fallen all the way to 19th in the category, per NBA.com.

The absence of Robert Williams III explains some of that slippage, as Boston really found its defensive groove last season when it weaponized the big man as an off-ball disruptor. Still, you wouldn't think a single absence would have this dramatic of an effect on the overall unit.

There isn't anything glaring going on—other than Williams' absence—but Boston has occasionally been guilty of ball-watching or missing out on some of the other attention-to-detail minutiae.

Verdict: Sell. The numbers haven't been great so far, but the talent is in place for another elite defense—or will be once Williams returns, at least.

There are 34 players across the Association averaging eight-plus rebounds, and the Celtics employ exactly none of them.

Swingman (and MVP candidate) Jayson Tatum leads the group with 7.8 boards per night. Fellow star swingman Jaylen Brown checks in next at 6.6. Move a few notches down to 65th overall, and you'll find Boston's first big man, the 36-years-young Al Horford, with 6.3 rebounds.

Overall, Boston ranks just 20th in total rebounding percentage, per NBA.com, though it fares much better on the defensive boards (sixth). On offense, though, Boston is buried all the way down at 29th, a ranking so low it drags down the entire team's work on the glass.

Verdict: Sell. They are controlling the defensive glass, and they'll get even better on the boards once Williams returns.

For years, it seemed like Tatum had an easier path to more production if he would just be more aggressive with his attacks and earn more whistles on those drives. Well, he has officially made that leap, ranking seventh overall with 8.6 free-throw attempts per outing. Not coincidentally, he's crushing his previous scoring best with 31.6 points per night (second overall).

Despite Tatum's many treks to the stripe, though, the Celtics don't get a ton of free throws as a team. They check in 22nd overall with 22 attempts per night and occupy the same spot in free-throw rate (0.253, per NBA.com).

So, should this be a concern for Mazzulla and his coaching staff? Not at all. Boston's offense is more efficient—by a country mile—than every other attack in the league, thanks to precise execution and elite shot-making.

Verdict: Sell. More freebies would be nice, but this offense is rolling without them.