The Boston Celtics are not exactly a version of the team we have gotten used to over the last half-decade and change, with Boston's front office having elected to scale back the talent level on the roster in a season star forward Jayson Tatum will miss most of due to an Achilles tendon injury picked up in the 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals.
No Kristaps Porzingis, no Jrue Holiday, nor any Luke Kornet nor Al Horford, it would be easy for some people to check out a bit while the Celtics look to develop younger, lesser-known talent on the roster for future seasons when the goal will be contention again. But if you ask former Boston assistant coach and player Evan Turner his thoughts on this year's Celtics squad, you might be surprised to hear this is his sort of team. "I think the past few years, we've been spoiled with an NBA superstar team," said Turner on a recent episode of the NBC Sports Boston "Celtics Talk" podcast.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"When you sit there, you're like, 'Bro, this is crazier than a video game,' you know?" asked Turner, alluding to the stacked rosters of the past several years. "Coming from a guy that's kind of blue collar, it's cool to see them take on a blue collar identity, but step up in that role and accept it."
Mar 1, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Former NBA player and former assistant coach for the Boston Celtics Evan Turner greets forward Jayson Tatum (0) during a break in the action against the Atlanta Hawks in the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports"You know how diverse this team is, for real," he added, "like a Swiss Army knife. It's like ... we're not only good when we look pretty, or we've got our superstars. We're tough enough to get down in the dirt, switch it up, and get it out the mud this way. So I appreciate seeing that. I appreciate, especially in the Eastern Conference, bringing an old-school brand of basketball, but really trying to compete."
"And each night they're using nine, ten guys, and ... you've only got three real starters, and everybody else is accepting your role and figuring out what cog and wheel that you fit in the system. So I'm loving this team, and ... I think this is great for the overall longevity of the culture this year, you know what I mean?"
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: The Celtics returned to blue collar roots, and Evan Turner loves it
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