Entering his 15th season and encouraged by the off-season moves the Celtics have made, team captain Paul Pierce says he's focused on nothing less than bringing an 18th NBA title to Boston.
"You want nothing less than a championship," Pierce said. "It wakes you up everyday. And it's possible with this crew."
Pierce said he and his teammates begin the season with that one goal in mind.
"I've been on teams where the goal is to just make the playoffs, or lesser goals," Pierce said. He said the expectations are much bigger with this group.
"We're a team that says it because we believe it," he said.
Teammate Kevin Garnett echoes those sentiments.
"It's encouraging to know if we come together and really give each other, for each other, I like our chances," Garnett said.
One of the big reasons the team enters the season so confident is their coach, said president of basketball operations Danny Ainge.
"Doc Rivers is one of the main reasons this team is so deserving," Ainge said.
The biggest obstacle will likely be the team that knocked the Celtics out of the playoffs and eventually won the title last year, the Miami Heat, said Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo.
"Obviously, we know we have to go through Miami," Rondo said.