2024-25 NBA GM survey provides Celtics followers lots to digest

2024-25 NBA GM survey provides Celtics followers lots to digest initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Boston

The Boston Celtics are returning each key participant from one of the dominant NBA championship groups in current reminiscence. However as a consequence of numerous circumstances, they’ve acquired a good quantity of disrespect since elevating Banner 18 in June.

From Jaylen Brown’s Olympic snub to Jayson Tatum lack of minutes in Paris to ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins claiming that “nobody is afraid” of the reigning NBA champs, the Celtics have loads of doubters getting into the 2024-25 season. However does that doubt translate to entrance places of work across the league?

NBA.com’s John Schuhmann has launched the outcomes of his annual NBA GM survey, through which he polls common managers from all 30 groups on quite a lot of questions associated to one of the best groups, gamers, offseason strikes and extra. (GMs weren’t allowed to vote for their very own crew or gamers.)

As you may count on, the Celtics had been well-represented within the survey. This is a roundup of notable Celtics mentions within the survey, adopted by a couple of of our takeaways:

Which crew will win the 2025 NBA Finals?

1. Boston Celtics – 83 p.c of votes
2. Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder – 13 p.c
3. Dallas Mavericks – 3 p.c

Who will win 2025 NBA MVP?

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma Metropolis – 40 p.c
2. Luka Doncic, Dallas – 30 p.c
T-3. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia – 7 p.c
T-3. Nikola Jokic, Denver – 7 p.c
T-3. Jayson Tatum, Boston – 7 p.c

Additionally receiving votes: Jaylen Brown, Boston

Who’s one of the best small ahead within the NBA?

1. Jayson Tatum, Boston – 47 p.c
T-2. Luka Doncic, Dallas – 17 p.c
T-2. Kevin Durant, Phoenix – 17 p.c
T-2. LeBron James, L.A. Lakers – 17 p.c
5. Jaylen Brown, Boston – 3 p.c

Who’s one of the best defensive participant within the NBA?

1. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio – 40 p.c
T-2. Bam Adebayo, Miami – 10 p.c
T-2. Rudy Gobert, Minnesota – 10 p.c
T-2. Jrue Vacation, Boston – 10 p.c
T-5. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee – 7 p.c
T-5. Anthony Davis, L.A. Lakers – 7 p.c
T-5. Herb Jones, New Orleans – 7 p.c

Who’s one of the best perimeter defender within the NBA?

1. Jrue Vacation, Boston – 43 p.c
2. Alex Caruso, Oklahoma Metropolis – 20 p.c
3. Herb Jones, New Orleans – 17 p.c
4. Lu Dort, Oklahoma Metropolis – 7 p.c

Additionally receiving votes: Derrick White, Boston

Which is one of the best defensive crew within the NBA?

1. Boston Celtics – 57 p.c
2. Minnesota Timberwolves – 23 p.c
3. Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder – 20 p.c

Which crew may have the league’s most effective offense this season?

1. Boston Celtics – 53 p.c
2. Indiana Pacers – 20 p.c
3. Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder – 13 p.c
4. Dallas Mavericks – 7 p.c

Which head coach is one of the best supervisor/motivator of individuals?

1. Erik Spoelstra, Miami –37 p.c
2. Steve Kerr, Golden State – 17 p.c
T-3. Joe Mazzulla, Boston – 10 p.c
T-3. Gregg Popovich, San Antonio – 10 p.c
T-3. Doc Rivers, Milwaukee – 10 p.c
6. Jason Kidd, Dallas – 7 p.c

Which head coach runs one of the best offense?

1. Rick Carlisle, Indiana –47 p.c
2. Joe Mazzulla, Boston – 17 p.c
3. Chris Finch, Minnesota – 13 p.c
4. Steve Kerr, Golden State – 10 p.c

Who’s one of the best assistant coach within the NBA?

T-1. Sam Cassell, Boston – 17 p.c
T-1. Micah Nori, Minnesota – 17 p.c
3. Sean Sweeney, Dallas – 10 p.c
T-4. Chris Quinn, Miami – 7 p.c
T-4. Jeff Van Gundy, LA Clippers – 7 p.c

And listed below are a couple of takeaways based mostly on these outcomes:

NBA GMs appear verybullish on the Celtics as a crew, overwhelmingly choosing them to repeat as champions whereas forecasting that they’re going to have the league’s greatest protection andits most effective offense.

The respect for Tatum is actual: The C’s star was voted because the NBA’s greatest small ahead for the second consecutive 12 months and was tied for third in MVP voting behind solely Gilgeous-Alexander and Doncic.

GMs clearly love Vacation. Along with being voted the NBA’s greatest perimeter defender, Vacation additionally acquired votes for greatest general defender (tied for second), most versatile participant (tied for fifth) and greatest chief (tied for fourth).

If Celtics followers have a gripe, it could be with the coach part. Mazzulla ranked within the prime 5 in two separate teaching questions, but did not obtain a single vote for “greatest head coach.” (Miami’s Erik Spoelstra acquired 69 p.c of the votes.)

Maybe GMs really feel that Mazzulla was bolstered by Boston’s expertise final season, however it’s baffling that the coach of the NBA’s greatest crew is not even within the dialogue for greatest coach.