The gap-year narrative didn’t stand a chance against Boston’s hard luck story. Following Jayson Tatum’s debilitating Achilles injury during last year’s playoffs, many analysts wrote off the 2024 champions. Instead, the Celtics have stormed to a 37-19 record, sitting second in the Eastern Conference. By all accounts, the Boston Celtics are still a very dangerous team. But for those who think they don’t have a chance with only Jaylen Brown, Reggie Miller has something to say.
Once again back on The Dan Patrick Show, the Pacers legend sent a chilling warning to the rest of the league. Boston is already the most dangerous team in the East, and they are about to get a whole lot stronger.
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“If [Jayson] Tatum’s able to come back and be anywhere near what he was…” Miller let that implication hang. Yet there’s a lot of mystery surrounding Jayson Tatum’s return breeding more skepticism. That’s why Miller adds, “With or without Tatum, even if Tatum doesn’t come back, the Celtics are the scariest team in the Eastern Conference. And the reason being is there’s no expectations because people thought this was going to be a gap year.”
By Reggie’s reckoning, while everyone thought the Celtics are a mediocre team without JT, they relieved the former defending champs of huge pressure. And it’s worked to their advantage.
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Miller argued that while the spotlight has been on the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons, the Celtics have quietly built a championship-caliber identity fueled by silent confidence that makes them a nightmare for opponents.
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Why Reggie Miller believes the Celtics are a real threat
The primary catalyst for the Celtics’ underrated surge has been the evolution of Jaylen Brown. Miller was adamant that Brown has transcended his “Robin” label to become a legitimate leader in Tatum’s absence. He even reiterated LeBron James’ comments about JB.
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“Jaylen Brown, his name certainly should be in the MVP discussion… what Brown has done with the Celtics with or without Tatum coming back, the Celtics are a real threat to win the Eastern Conference,” Miller told Patrick.
He didn’t miss out on the roster depth they have supporting Brown either. Miller praised the team’s, noting their ability to play both big and small, specifically citing the trade-deadline acquisition of Nikola Vucevic as a masterstroke.
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He also believes the addition of Vucevic is a signal that Jayson Tatum will return in the stretch run. Addressing the concerns that reintegrating a superstar could ruin the team’s chemistry, Miller claimed, “If Tatum does come back, I think it’ll be a seamless transition… I would much rather have an All-NBA guy play 20 minutes than not at all. So if he does come back – and this is his decision only – I think it’s only going to help Boston.”
Tatum is already ramping up activity with the G League, signaling that the “scariest team in the East” is about to become a reality for the other 29 teams in the league.