7 years later, the Celtics could clinch the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Here’s what’s changed.
The last time the Celtics secured the No. 1 seed, the Patriots had just won Super Bowl LI.
The Celtics, with a league-best 57-14 record, could clinch the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
Seven years ago, a mismatched and beloved Celtics crew clawed their way to the Eastern Conference finals in pursuit of banner 18. Knocked out in Game 5 by the Cavaliers, a season that saw unprecedented success ended in heartbreak.
Now, with 11 games remaining in the 2023-24 regular season, coach Joe Mazzulla’s squad is looking to put a ring on it. A win over the Hawks Monday night in Atlanta would mathematically seal Boston’s status as the top seeded team before the playoffs.
In honor of Boston’s historically reminiscent season, here’s what the Celtics looked like in 2017 when they last secured the No. 1 Eastern Conference spot heading into the playoffs.
Jaylen Brown was in his rookie season.
Jaylen Brown, who was drafted third overall in 2016 by the Celtics, had a memorable first season in the league when the Celtics went 53-29. Before cementing himself as an integral part of Boston’s winning rotation, the rookie averaged just 6.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 17.2 minutes per game.
Over eight seasons, Brown’s evolution has been reflected in the continued success of the team. This season the two-time All-Star averaged 23.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game and has helped lead the Celtics to eight consecutive playoff appearances.
Jayson Tatum wasn’t even in the NBA yet.
It’s hard now to imagine a time that Jayson Tatum wasn’t dropping nearly 30 points per game for the Celtics. But, in 2017 Tatum was just an 18-year-old prospect declaring for the NBA draft.
Wrapping up his single season at Duke, Tatum had 16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks per contest.
Al Horford played his first season in Boston.
In June 2016, Horford inked a 4-year, $113 million contract that brought him to Boston. Horford’s veteran experience was as much an asset to the 2016 team as it is now, remaining a steady and reliable force in the Celtics’ backcourt.
At the time of the signing, then-30-year-old Horford said that he felt optimistic about the prospect of a championship.
“I feel good. I feel like the way the team is going, I feel like we can win here,” he said according to ESPN.
Isaiah Thomas led the team in scoring.
Thomas, who made his first NBA appearance in nearly two years last week, was once the most dominant offensive player on the Celtics roster. He led the 2016-17 team in scoring, averaging 28.9 points per game.
Thomas’s performance in Game 2 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Wizards goes down as one of the most memorable Celtics playoff games of all time.
During Game 1, one of Thomas’ front teeth was knocked out and two others were fractured. Despite undergoing nearly 11 hours of dental surgery, Thomas took to the floor and put up 53 points to give the Celtics a 2-0 series lead.
The point guard, who played to honor his late sister on what would have been her 23rd birthday, came just one point shy of breaking John Havlicek’s team playoff record.
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