Entally prepare for the strenuous journey of a long-awaited playoff run, the Boston Celtics have already set the bar heading into their first-round series.

Before Opening Night in October, the front office delivered, introducing Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday to an already-talented lineup. The team committed a record-setting $303 million to retain Jaylen Brown and expressed confidence in Payton Pritchard via a four-year, $30 million raise. Guard Derrick White was promoted to a full-time starter position and nearly every concern that hampered the Celtics last season — depth, turnovers, maintaining large leads — faded relatively quickly for a newly-formed core.

large leads — faded relatively quickly for a newly-formed core.

Boston reclaimed ownership of the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference on Nov. 14, holding onto the mountaintop spot for over 140 days before clinching an NBA-best record (64-18). Great, commendable and more than worthy of a pat on the back. But this isn’t uncharted territory for the Tatum-Brown-led Celtics, it’s just the latest sequel to an ongoing quest for (finally) getting the job done and earning undisputed validation.While the Celtics await their first-round opponent — the winner of Friday night’s Miami Heat-Chicago Bulls Play-In Tournament matchup — there’s plenty to consider before Boston takes the floor on Sunday afternoon.