Sixers forward Geurschon Yabusele, who was drafted by the Celtics, answered questions about rumors of a potential return.

Dallas Mavericks player Luka Doncic answers questions from the media during a NBA Finals press conference at The American Airlines Center in Dallas, June 11, 2024. The Mavericks are preparing to face the Boston Celtics in Game 3.

The defending champs began the season as the most likely ball club to win it all in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, but there have been some understandable murmurs emanating from the depths of the league's media sphere as to whether the Celtics can do it again.

When the Celtics were in the thick of their rebuild, with piles of assets and big dreams, they were connected to just about every big star who became available on the trade market.

CLEVELAND -- The Celtics enter the trade deadline in a terrific position compared to the rest of the NBA. They have their entire core locked up long term and are unlikely to need any changes to the rotation. However, the team has still been busy having plenty of conversations over the past few weeks while assessing the needs of the roster.

The Eastern Conference’s top two teams collide for the third time of the 2024-’25 season Tuesday night in Cleveland, as the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics visit Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers.

The top two seeds in the East clash on Tuesday, February 4, as the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics face off for the third time this season. The home team won each of the first two games, and both contests were decided by four points or fewer.