How are NBA teams back in action already? Weren’t the NBA Finals played, like, a week ago? Maybe it just feels that way because I’ve been lost in new fatherhood since the Boston Celtics ended their season by winning a championship. (Turns out parenting is all-consuming … but also better than anyone could ever explain.)

Anyway, I can’t believe the Celtics start the preseason Friday in Abu Dhabi. They don’t have many unsettled details for Joe Mazzulla to piece together, but the five-game preseason schedule should still be useful. Here are five areas to watch closely during the preseason games.

1. Is Tatum’s 3-pointer back?

The worries about Jayson Tatum’s shooting stroke are probably overblown. He finished last regular season with his best 3-point percentage since 2020-21. From the All-Star break to the end of the regular season, he cashed in 40.9 percent of his long-distance attempts. Zooming out shows an optimistic picture of a 6-foot-8 wing who has always taken and made a bundle of 3-point attempts with good-to-great accuracy.

Zooming in shows Tatum ran into struggles from the perimeter while the Celtics were blasting their way through the playoffs. He passed the 30 percent mark from downtown during only one of Boston’s four postseason series. Even in that series, an Eastern Conference finals sweep of the Indiana Pacers, he hit only 11 of 36 3-point attempts (30.6 percent). Tatum’s overall playoff 3-point percentage (28.3 percent) screamed Russell Westbrook at his worst, and Tatum followed up by shooting dreadfully in the Olympics when he, you know, actually played. At media day last week, Tatum said he worked during the offseason to fix some of his shot mechanics. Though the issues popped up during the playoffs, he said that wasn’t the time or place to address them. It’s hard to blame him since the Celtics dominated their way to a championship.

Has Tatum cured the problems by now? A preseason of five games won’t provide a large enough sample to tell, especially considering Tatum will likely play a reduced role during the exhibition schedule. But for the Celtics, it would be nice to see the All-Star go on a heater. He controlled games throughout the postseason despite the missing shot. Imagine if he could reach that level again while swishing jumpers from all over the court.

2. A hint at the frontcourt rotation?

The Celtics don’t have many rotation questions to answer during the preseason, but with Kristaps Porziņģis set to miss significant time, some frontcourt minutes could be up for grabs.

Luke Kornet emerged as the most trusted backup behind Al Horford last season, but Xavier Tillman and Neemias Queta could also challenge for additional playing time during Porziņģis’ absence. Mazzulla will also need to decide how to fill the role of departed forward Oshae Brissett, who didn’t play in every game but often served as the next wing up when the Celtics were short-handed. Will rookie Baylor Scheierman earn that spot? Will Mazzulla turn to smaller units and give young guard Jaden Springer a chance? Will Lonnie Walker IV seize his opportunity with a strong preseason?

With 13 returners from a championship team, the Celtics won’t have many preseason competitions. Still, Mazzulla should start to show his hand in the few games taking place.

3. Walker’s fight for a roster spot

Some around the NBA were surprised to see Walker sign an Exhibit 10 deal, which essentially amounts to a training camp contract, but the Celtics made it clear he won’t be promised anything. Walker said Brad Stevens told him he would need to earn a roster spot. It’s not guaranteed. Stevens has even told Walker, the 18th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, that he could spend some time in the G League with the Maine Celtics.

“I’m not coming here with the mindset of, ‘OK, I’m on an E-10, and afterwards I’m going to get the guaranteed contract,’” Walker said. “It’s like, I’ve got to work my tail off. I really have to, each and every day, put it all out on the court. First one in the gym, hopefully the last one out, come back later on, shoot and just be mentally and physically prepared for the outcome.”

To stick with the Celtics, Walker will need to show he’s worth the additional luxury tax payment that would come with guaranteeing his contract. He has long been known as a scorer but understands Boston will need him to do other things on the court. Can he contribute defensively? Can he buy into the Celtics’ selflessness? He sure sounds committed to doing whatever it takes to make the team, saying he wants to mimic everything Derrick White and Jrue Holiday do. But words won’t be enough. Walker will need to play his way into a final roster spot. He will be competing against the Celtics’ financial realities.

4. Are any of the young players ready?

The Celtics’ rotation is not a land of opportunity right now; the younger players will likely spend most of the season developing behind the scenes. Still, Boston has some prospects to watch throughout the preseason, including Scheierman, who will be showing off the 10-15 pounds he put on over the offseason.

Can Scheierman, a helpful offensive piece, hold up defensively at the NBA level? Has Springer, a disruptive defender, found ways to be a non-zero on offense? Can Jordan Walsh point his arrow back in the right direction after some summer league struggles? Could one of those guys threaten to earn regular-season minutes?

Based on how Mazzulla approached the 2023-24 preseason, the young players should see some playing time during the exhibition games. Maybe one of them is ready for a bigger chance.

5. Is the edge still there?

I’m not dumb enough to think preseason basketball always means a lot. Starters handle limited minutes. Teams with hardly any practice time under their belt are still working themselves into form. The caliber isn’t exactly playoff quality.

The preseason can still show a team’s mentality. In one of the best examples, Stevens blasted the Celtics just three games into the 2018-19 preseason. Even that early in the NBA schedule, he could see the warning signs of what would become a tumultuous season. Boston had championship hopes at the time, but Stevens knew his team didn’t have the right mindset. To him, the problems were already evident. A season of drama ensued.

The Celtics won a championship last season with an impressive lack of drama. Nobody complained about playing time. Nobody was out for his own numbers. Nobody seemed worried about a contract situation or, really, anything outside of what it would take to win a title. The Celtics played selflessly. They were feisty, smart and consistent. They bought in fully to the process of winning.

I’m not saying I expect them to play championship-level basketball throughout the preseason, but if they adopt the approach Mazzulla wants, you should be able to see it right away.

(Top photo of Jrue Holiday and Jayson Tatum: Elsa / Getty Images)