Does Jrue Holiday Acquisition Make Celtics Team To Beat In East?

The Boston Celtics did their part in the offseason, undergoing a complete roster overhaul to rectify whatever went wrong and caused an inexcusable playoff exit last season.

But was it enough? Specifically, did Jrue Holiday put the C’s over the hump?

Considering the Celtics weren’t the only contenders in the Eastern Conference that polished their roster before the season, there’s a big argument to be made: Did Boston do more than the Milwaukee Bucks to be crowned the premature favorites in the East? Or did they fall short with still plenty left to prove before Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown step ahead of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard?

“Because for every move they made, it was all done in response to what the Bucks were doing and the Bucks have a championship pedigree, they’ve won a title already,” reporter Tara Sullivan told Christopher L. Gasper on “Boston Globe Today.” “I know their roster is a little bit different but I know I’d take Damian Lillard to try to win another title, so that’s why I think — look, they’ve separated themselves a lot from the likes of the Knicks and 76ers, who had been gaining obviously, but favorites status goes to the Bucks.”

Although Kristaps Porzingis was landed before the Bucks made any sort of jaw-dropping moves, the Holiday swing could qualify as a response trade after Lillard ended up in Milwaukee.

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens and company knew watching the Bucks assemble a Hall-of-Fame-caliber tandem, and standing pat, wouldn’t help the cause. Boston dodged a bullet last season in avoiding the Bucks in the playoffs, and failed to capitalize on said luck, but clearly needed to do something roster-wise to avoid a repeat finish in 2023-24.

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