Jones & Keefe: What are the expectations for the Celtics next season?

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00:00What's your expectation for the Celtics without Jason Tatum this upcoming season?

00:05So I definitely think that they have to figure something out more with the center position.

00:10Like, having this as the setup for your bigs is very stressful to me.

00:15And I really thought that they would at least have Luke Cornett as some kind of stopgap there

00:18while they figured the situation out, and now that's not going to happen.

00:22I'm not that confident with the Horford situation with him coming back here.

00:25And I don't even know if that makes sense with the timeline of what contract that he wants.

00:30His age, Tatum being out for a year.

00:32All that to say, I see them as like a sixth or seventh seed.

00:35I see them as a first-round playoff team.

00:38Maybe they get bounced in the first round.

00:40Maybe they have a lot of momentum.

00:42They follow the lead of Jalen Brown, and they turn into like this very physical, feisty, defensively-based team.

00:49And they get a nice, easy, soft seed that's higher than them but hasn't really earned it.

00:55And they get through to the second round.

00:57Beyond that, I don't think these are going to be like the IT-bridgy teams or anything like that.

01:02I think they're going to be an early playoff round team.

01:04So, not to nitpick, there is a big difference between six and seven, right?

01:07Because you're either out of the play-in or in the play-in.

01:09Yeah.

01:10You know, I guess I'd have to see it.

01:12If they're the sixth seed but they win 46 games and, you know, they're scrappy, then that's probably roughly what I'm talking about.

01:20I think they should win 50-ish.

01:22Really?

01:22I think they should be a top-four seed.

01:24Because the East is weak.

01:25Yeah.

01:25And just look at a team like the Pacers.

01:27The Pacers last year were the fourth seed.

01:30I think every team over 500 in the East last year was a top-six seed.

01:35So, they would have avoided the play-in.

01:36Orlando was exactly 500, the seventh seed off the top of my head.

01:40Indiana won 50 games.

01:41They were the fourth seed last year.

01:42I think right now, you're not as deep as Indiana.

01:46But I think top-end talent-wise, you're better than Indiana right now.

01:49And they were in the NBA Finals.

01:50They won 50 games.

01:51They were a top-four seed.

01:52So, you do need to fill out your front court.

01:55But I don't think you need to do anything drastic to be that in the East next year.