Pippen Ain't Easy
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Chicago Bulls: NBA power rankings for all 30 teams

By Luke Askew

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 25: Benny the Bull, the Chicago Bulls macot, goes up for a dunk during a break between the Bulls and the LA Clippers at the United Center on January 25, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. The Clippers defeated the Bulls 106-101. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 25: Benny the Bull, the Chicago Bulls macot, goes up for a dunk during a break between the Bulls and the LA Clippers at the United Center on January 25, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. The Clippers defeated the Bulls 106-101. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /

8. Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics were relatively disappointing last season. Jayson Tatum regressed, Kyrie Irving was a locker-room disaster and Gordon Hayward spent the entire season trying to get back to pre-injury form. They entered the season with championship aspirations and ended up getting bounced in the second round of the playoffs by the Milwaukee Bucks.

A lot of teams would do anything to make the second round of the playoffs, though, so it’s not like the Celtics were a complete disaster.

Now, for better or worse (probably better), Kyrie is in a Nets uniform and the Celtics have shifted to a new era. They made one of the best moves of the summer when they acquired All-Star point guard Kemba Walker to fill the hole that Irving is leaving.

Kemba can do a lot of the same stuff on offense that Kyrie can do, but, unlike Kyrie, he’s a great teammate. On the court, the transition from Irving to Walker shouldn’t be a huge drop-off, and off the court, the difference will be night and day.

The worst thing that happened to the Celtics this summer was losing Al Horford. He was a vocal leader, an incredible defender and a wonderful stretch-five on offense. There’s no way to fill the hole that he’ll leave behind, but if Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown can take their games to the next level, and if Hayward can get back to pre-injury Hayward, the Celtics will be a force to be reckoned with.

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