C’s need to pivot from being ‘the hunted’ to ‘the hunters’

Eddie House: C’s need to pivot from being ‘the hunted’ to ‘the hunters’ originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

There is no shortage of positive vibes around the Boston Celtics heading into the 2023-24 NBA season.

Their acquisition of Jrue Holiday has some calling their top six — and even their entire roster — the best in the NBA. They’re currently tied with the Milwaukee Bucks as favorites to win the 2024 NBA championship, per Fanatics Sportsbook.

The Celtics exuded optimism and confidence during Media Day. Team owner Wyc Grousbeck said he believes the next six years are a real opportunity to bring NBA titles to Boston.

🔊 Celtics Talk: Holiday Edition: Celtics gush excitement as Jrue is introduced | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube

Is the team getting a bit ahead of itself? Eddie House, a champion with the Celtics in 2008, was asked during Friday’s Early Edition whether the confident C’s should pump the brakes.

“Why would you not be confident?” House responded. “Why would you not feel that you are the best team in the league when you’ve been knocking on the door and eventually you start adding these pieces that you feel that they could put you over the top?

“In 2008, when we got together, we said at Paul (Pierce’s) house down in his basement. … We were playing cards and we said, ‘There’s no team that could beat us four games before we beat them four games, it’s just not gonna happen’ And that’s the mindset we had throughout. … We embraced that pressure. We knew what we were up against. I think that the team has to pivot from last year, they were the hunted. They have to be the hunters even though they’re still the hunted.”

House and a number of other Celtics alumni have spent time with the team during recent practices. Earlier in the week, House and Paul Pierce went at it in a 3-point shooting contest in front of C’s star Jayson Tatum and others.

What has House seen from this year’s group that’s different than last season?

“I just think that their basketball IQ got a whole lot better than it was last year,” House said. “I look at Jrue Holiday and the way he’s gonna be able to put these guys in position, and he’s a facilitator. I think he’s an organizer. He’s one of the most underrated players for like the last seven years. Basketball minds and hoop heads, we talk about him, but everybody else on the outside really doesn’t talk about Jrue Holiday and give him exactly the credit that he deserves for what he does.

“He’s a great organizer, a great defender, and his IQ on both ends of the floor is amazing. I watched yesterday in practice, Payton (Pritchard) was guarding him and really putting a lot of pressure on him dribbling up the basketball. He hit (Kristaps) Porzingis and kinda calmly just stood straight knowing that Payton was gonna deny him and then it’s cut, got the ball, dropped a dime, and a dunk. It’s just a small thing. It’s very small, but I see it. It’s glaring.

“We’re a total different team with him at the helm. I think that Derrick White did a great job, but I think he’s a better organizer than Derrick White. And again, there’s gonna be problems for teams defensively trying to figure out how they’re gonna stop this team because it’s so many weapons. And if you do double, who are you gonna come off of?”

There’s no doubt teams will have their hands full defending the scary starting five of Holiday, White, Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis. It’s an incredibly talented group that, barring injuries, could end up as the best in the league when all is said and done.

That said, championships aren’t won on paper. The Celtics still have plenty to prove when they take the court, and it all starts this Sunday when they open their preseason against the Philadelphia 76ers. The regular season gets underway Oct. 25 vs. the New York Knicks.

Watch the full Early Edition segment with House below: