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[Boston Celtics]

Contrasting two years of Boston Celtics basketball at the All-Star break

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

These Celtics haven’t had the torrid pace of last season’s championship team, but how do they compare around the margins?

The NBA’s All-Star break has come and gone, and as the dust settles on another bizarre and idiosyncratic weekend of festivities, the Boston Celtics return to the court tonight. They’ll kick off their stretch run on TNT against the Philadelphia 76ers, and as we prepare for the last two-ish months of regular season basketball, it feels like a good opportunity to look back to last season’s team at the same benchmark. How do these Celtics compare to their championship selves from last year?

Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images

Let’s get the simplest fact out of the way first: the Celtics return to play with a record of 39-16, a mark that falls short of the 43-12 they posted heading into the break last season. The four-game difference in the win column doesn’t fully illustrate the contrast in how this team feels to many, relative to last year. We’ve seen them struggle for a notable chunk of the year, which is something that just did not happen last season.

Late December into January is obviously where the separation point takes shape. The Celtics lost three out of four games starting on December 19 against Chicago — including their first consecutive losses of the season — and suffered seven more losses from that point through the end of January. Within that span of time, their longest win streak was just three games. They just could not develop any consistency, winning 30+ point blowouts one night and dropping disappointing losses the next.

This is the kind of stretch that last season’s championship team simply never had. Consistency was the superpower of the 2023-24 Celtics. They did not lose consecutive games for the first time last season until March 7, a remarkable feat that helped them carry the top spot in the Eastern Conference wire-to-wire to such an extent that it was never in any serious doubt. This is perhaps the biggest reason why this year’s team is perceived as being a step or two behind. They made it all look impossibly easy.

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

Interestingly enough, the championship team’s biggest “slump,” relatively speaking, took place in the same time span as this team’s. After opening the season a ludicrous 26-6 through the end of 2023, the Celtics matched that loss total over the next 23 games, going 17-6 heading into All-Star Weekend. It’s a joke to suggest a win percentage of nearly 74% qualifies as a slump, but it’s not much more of one than what the Celtics actually did to the Eastern Conference last year.

Peripheral numbers similar suggest a slight step back for this year’s version of the roster, but not much of one. They’ve recorded a net rating of +9.2 per NBA Stats, which is a decline from last year’s +10.3. As much as they’ve sank back, though, the rest of the NBA has more significantly surged ahead. That +9.2 mark would have still comfortably led basketball last season; the Oklahoma City Thunder were a distant second place at +7.3. This year, it ranks third — the Thunder lead the pack with a ridiculous +12.8, and the Cleveland Cavaliers hold second place at +10.4. The Celtics’ competition has risen to their championship level more than they themselves have lagged behind it.

One notable shift has been the Celtics’ increased reliance on the three-pointer. Already the league’s most prolific team from deep, Joe Mazzulla has them letting it fly even more frequently this season. Three-pointers accounted for 47% of Boston’s shots as of the All-Star break last season; this year, that’s risen to 53%. This is a comically high percentage of threes, even for a team as skilled behind the arc as this. Three-pointers are fundamentally inconsistent; the very sweetest shooters still only put the ball in the net a bit more than 40% of the time.

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

One potential factor would seem to contribute to this: the Kristaps Porzingis injury. Boston’s premiere paint threat, the engine behind their hyper-efficient post attack last year, Porzingis didn’t take the court until November 25 as he recovered from offseason surgery. One would naturally assume that their unicorn center’s month-plus absence would have a notable effect on the dynamics of the Celtics’ offense.

The only problem is that assumption doesn’t bear out in the stats. Narrowing the sample to Porzingis’ debut onward, the Celtics’ percentage of three-point shots drops just one percent, to 52%. They’re still taking over half their shots from behind the arc with Porzingis on the court, and their offense ranks just sixth in the NBA in offensive rating since he returned, according to NBA Stats.

The Celtics do not need to fundamentally restructure their offense. As currently constructed, when they’re clicking from deep, they absolutely demolish their opponents. They’re just not clicking quite as often as last year. Some of this is sheer variance that could correct itself — does anybody really expect Jaylen Brown to continue to shoot 3% worse from range than he did last season? But they’re also giving themselves fewer alternative options when the shots aren’t falling than ever before. Reemphasizing the paint attack seems like an obvious button for Mazzulla to press in the second half, and could help lend some scoring consistency.

Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

Perhaps the most striking distinction between the two season is the Celtics’ performance on their home court. This season’s team has posted just a 17-10 record at TD Garden, a precipitous fall from the team’s greatest strength one year prior. Last year’s Celtics were nigh-unstoppable on the parquet floor, starting out the season with 20 consecutive home wins — the best home start in team history — and hitting the break at 26-3.

Curiously, these Celtics have almost entirely flipped the script. This year, they’ve been road warriors. They’re 22-6 outside of Boston, contrasting a 17-9 record on the road at this point last year. After their January struggles, strong performances on the road have helped right the ship. They’ve scored quality road wins over the Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks amidst a 10-3 stretch heading into All-Star Weekend.

Playing on the road naturally has a higher degree of difficulty than playing on your home court, and you have to go all the way back to 1972 to find a season where they finished with a better road win percentage (80.5%) than this year’s 78.6%. That’s not the kind of pace you can plan on maintaining, especially in the modern NBA.

Of all the discrepancies between these two iterations of the team, though, this feels like the most likely to sort itself out. The Celtics have always enjoyed a strong home court advantage at TD Garden. Apart from the COVID-impacted 2020-21 season, Gerald Wallace was wearing Celtics green the last time they recorded home win rate worse than this season’s 63%. It feels safe to bet that this team will find some better results at TD Garden across the remainder of the season, which should counterbalance any kind of regression in their performance on the road.

Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

In all, I think it’s fair to say this team’s talent is still evident, but it’s not being maximized to such an extent as last year. There’s clearly still fruit on the tree to be picked. So where do we go from here? For the champs, the remaining 2.5 months of basketball after the break were, ahem, fruitful. They went 22-6 the rest of the way, never taking their feet off the gas despite a massive lead in the conference down the stretch. We all know what happened after that.

Will this year’s Celtics team follow suit? This season’s results haven’t been as consistent, and the competition in the Eastern Conference has notably tightened — there was nobody as good as this year’s Cleveland Cavaliers in last season’s field. They don’t have the opportunity to coast to the top seed again; overcoming Cleveland’s current 5.5-game advantage will be its own challenge. The margin of error is going to be much lower, and the stakes much higher — though a team with this much postseason experience shouldn’t find themselves uncomfortable with that state of affairs.

Still, despite the vibes being generally more uncertain after January, there are plenty of indicators to suggest that this Boston Celtics team is at or near the very top of the championship contender hierarchy. They remain stacked with talent, they have the peripherals you want to see from a team with championship hopes, and, perhaps most importantly (knock on wood), they’re healthy. I think we can expect this team to close the season strong, and a return trip to the NBA Finals should continue to be the expectation so long as the status quo remains the same.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/2/...-break-jayson-tatum-jaylen-brown-joe-mazzulla

 

[Boston Celtics]

Celtics crush 76ers 124-104 to start second half of the season

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

Boston’s first game back after the All-Star break was highlighted by a well-rounded team performance.

The Boston Celtics resumed regular season play Thursday night as they traveled to Philadelphia to take on the eleventh-placed Sixers. The Celtics prevailed in a massive blowout game, 124-104 to hand the Sixers their eighth loss in nine games. Boston have now registered a fortieth win on the season.

The Celtics opened the game as four-time All-Star Jaylen Brown deftly drove through the key to score the first points of the game with a sweet lefty layup. Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis both scored in the key before Derrick White nailed a catch-and-shoot three to give the Celtics a 9-5 early lead.

The Philadelphia 76ers had a full complement of stars at their disposal for just the eleventh time of the season. Paul George hit on two quick shots for the home team to pace the Sixers early. Tyrese Maxey was very active early and fed Grimes on the break for a alley-oop dunk to even the scores at 15 apiece.

Jaylen Brown came into the game strong for the C’s early as he had 2 assists, 1 rebound, and 7 points in the first quarter. Payton Pritchard hit 2 out of 3 from three in his opening minutes off the bench to stretch Boston’s lead. Pritchard then dribbled free on back-to-back plays to assist both Al Horford and Jayson Tatum for three-point buckets as the road team went up by 10 points. Boston would lead 36-28 after one quarter in the books.

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
Jayson Tatum had 5 points after his first ten minutes of play.

A hallmark of Boston’s recent success has been its three-point shooting; the Celtics started the game strong, going a white hot 8-12 after one quarter. That continued into the second quarter behind it’s bench microwave scorer Payton Pritchard.

Pritchard looked in great shape after the All-Star break and kept the scoring going into the second as he quickly became the team’s high scorer with 5 straight three-pointers and 15 points. Stay ready was the theme in the second, as Luke Kornet had two wide-open dunks for Boston in the second quarter as he was expertly fed by Jayson Tatum to split apart Philly’s D.

Boston’s scoring was very even in the first half as 8 players in green all got onto the scoreboard with 4 players registering in double figures. Pritchard led the team with 15 points, Jaylen Brown chipped in 13 points, Tatum had 11, and Porziņģis added 10 points as the Celtics rolled to a 72-56 lead at the half.

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

Boston’s offensive juggernaut kept rolling in the third quarter behind Jaylen Brown and the starters. Boston outscored the hometown Sixers to start the 3rd quarter 17-9 before coach Nick Nurse was forced into calling a timeout to settle his squad. Things were starting to unravel for Philly, as Boston stepped up its play to another level all quarter.

Boston’s lead ballooned up to 25 points with three minutes to go in the third. The world championship team’s crisp passing and selfless play were on full display all quarter as the Celtics tightened the screws on the home team. Boston had 100 points after three quarters and a massive 26 point lead, 100-74.

Every thing was going right for Boston to start the fourth quarter with a crazy shot-clock buzzer beater by Kristaps Porziņģis as Nick Nurse burried his face into his hands and slumped his shoulders. Joel Embiid would have an early shower in this one as Nick Nurse waved the white flag early in the 4th.

For Boston, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford and Jrue Holiday would all rest the fourth, getting some additional rest following the All-Star break. New signing Torrey Craig would see a full seven minutes of game time and was active on boards with some nice energy play and a decent chase down block.

Payton Pritchard would lead the Celtics in scoring and finished the game with 28 points (8-15 from 3), Jaylen Brown had 20 points in just three quarters, Porziņģis had 17, White had 16 and Tatum had a triple double night with 15 points, 11 boards and 10 assists. The Celtics next host the New York Knicks on Sunday at TD Garden in a 1:00pm matinee game.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/2/...nd-half-the-season-jayson-tatum-triple-double

 

[Boston Celtics]

10 takeaways from the Celtics picking apart the Sixers

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

The Celtics attacked every defensive weakness on the floor, forcing the Sixers into tough adjustments. With sharp execution, elite spacing, and key contributions from the bench, Boston controlled the game on both ends.

#1 - Targeting Embiid​

There are games like this one where the strategy is so obvious, you start to feel bad for the targeted player. That’s how I felt after the first quarter of this game against the Sixers. As soon as the ball was in the Celtics’ hands, the goal was to attack Joël Embiid’s lack of mobility.

With various setups, the Celtics went at the 2023 MVP relentlessly and generated good shots out of it. At first, Joël Embiid was at the screen level, so the Celtics used that against him and drove deep into the paint.

To avoid opening the driving lane, the 76ers adjusted their approach, keeping Joël Embiid in a drop where he remained low in the paint to protect the rim. This, in turn, led to pull-up triples.

Because the Celtics are so good at attacking drop coverage, the 76ers had to find another alternative. They tried a 2-3 zone with Paul George at the top to contain the drive and use his length. However, this alignment was problematic because the backline consisted of Yabusele, Embiid, and Maxey—three defensive targets who either lack mobility, length, or both.

Later in the game, Nick Nurse had Joël Embiid switch on screens, but this only gave Jayson Tatum the opportunity to make him dance—reminiscent of Game 6 in 2023, where Tatum took over to extend the series to a Game 7.

Safe to say, Joël Embiid doesn’t have the same defensive impact he used to have. Worse, it sometimes feels like the defense is better when he’s off the floor. However, his backups are just as problematic defensively.

Joël Embiid 2024/2025 defensive highlights: pic.twitter.com/oSKX2ILhJR

— azmatlanba (@azmatlanba) February 21, 2025​

#2 - Defensive assignments​

On the other end of the court, the Celtics were prepared to match up with the Sixers. The goal was to make entry passes to Joël Embiid as difficult as possible, putting a body between him and the ball. Anyone on the team could take on this role as long as it disrupted the offensive flow.

Once Embiid had the ball, the Celtics preferred to have Jrue Holiday or Kristaps Porzingis defending him. Mixing up defensive matchups against Embiid was crucial due to the number of fouls he generates. By rotating defenders, the Celtics avoided early foul trouble.

Off-ball, the Celtics planned to double Joël Embiid, but not with the player one pass away.

The goal was to force Embiid to give up the ball while making it difficult for him to find an open teammate. The more complicated the pass, the more time the Celtics had to rotate off-ball and contain the other four players. However, it didn’t work well at first.

#3 - Early defensive breakdowns​

Early on, the Celtics lacked discipline and couldn’t stop the Sixers’ offense around Joël Embiid. They allowed entry passes too easily, and their help defense was too easy to beat.

With Embiid’s post-up gravity drawing attention, the Sixers were able to cut into space and punish the Celtics’ lack of defensive discipline, generating easy shots at the rim or open threes. Despite suboptimal spacing, they found ways to exploit the defense.

To shrink the floor and add size, the Celtics quickly turned to their double-big lineup—where Luke Kornet was key in slowing down the 76ers’ offense.

#4 - Kornet’s rim protection​

Despite playing on Kristaps Porzingis’ team and going up against Joël Embiid, Luke Kornet might have been the best rim protector last night. One play in particular highlighted his defensive performance in the first half.

Matched up against Kelly Oubre, who attacked from a pick-and-pop action, Kornet—a seven-footer—went under the screen, used his length, and positioned himself perfectly to meet Oubre at the rim. He disrupted the layup, turning the play into a transition opportunity. Impressive!

Whenever he was on the floor, the defense felt more solid. Whether playing off-ball as a safety or on-ball containing drives and post-ups, Kornet was a key factor in slowing down the Sixers’ offense.

His ability to protect the rim gives the Celtics a unique advantage, ensuring they have a strong interior defender on the floor for all 48 minutes. When Porzingis sits, Kornet continues to provide tremendous defensive value.

#5 - New variation from sideline actions​

If you’ve read some of my previous 10 takeaways, you know I enjoy analyzing the Celtics’ new twists on their classic sideline actions this season. If not, here’s a quick recap: the Celtics like to run stagger actions from the baseline or sideline—essentially, two screens set for an off-ball player.

First, they ran it for Jaylen Brown. Instead of going above both screens, he first went under, then above, dragging Embiid as high as possible. Following the off-ball screen, Porzingis popped to the three-point line while Brown dove to an open rim.

The next play was a classic—two screens generating an open three for Payton Pritchard. He ran above the Hauser and Kornet screens, leaving Grimes too far behind when he received the ball.

In the last example, they took it a step further. Pritchard baited Grimes into the screen but then cut to the rim, allowing Sam Hauser to use the Kornet screen instead. This created confusion and forced a switch. Kornet rolled inside, dragging Oubre with him, leaving Pritchard wide open again.

Chess, not checkers.

#6 - JT & Kornet synergy​

Speaking of offensive movement, the synergy between Luke Kornet and Jayson Tatum is a joy to watch. We’ve become accustomed to their pick-and-roll action, but they added a new wrinkle last night with a two-man game that tricked Paul George.

Kornet’s passing, rim-finishing ability, and strong screens complement Jayson Tatum’s scoring, ball-handling, and off-ball movement perfectly.

#7 - Dealing with Maxey’s dilemma​

Maxey once again proved difficult for the Celtics to contain. His speed allowed him to get to the rim too easily, and the Celtics were often caught off guard by how quickly he moved. The young guard has also improved his passing, making him even harder to slow down.

Yet, the Celtics’ offense looked its best when he was on the floor. Like Darius Garland or Damian Lillard, Maxey is a defensive target for every player on the court. Whether it was Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, or even Al Horford, they all attacked him and took advantage of his defensive weaknesses.

This raises the question: how much value does Maxey bring against the Celtics if he is constantly being targeted—despite his ability to collapse defenses on the other end?

#8 - Fireworks​

A staggering 58% of the Celtics’ shot attempts were threes, and they converted 44% of them—unstoppable. Seven different players hit multiple triples. Some nights, the Celtics just look unbeatable.

#9 - Out-hustled​

The Celtics sometimes get beaten by teams that outwork them. Last night, they dominated the Sixers with their energy—and this play was a great example. Al Horford saved the ball for the first offensive rebound, then scored off a second one.

The Sixers looked broken. Despite having a strong roster on paper, they simply couldn’t match the Celtics’ energy and talent.

#10 - Pritch please​

For the 18th time this season, Payton Pritchard made more than five three-pointers in a game. The future Sixth Man of the Year brought incredible energy and spacing. Alongside Kornet, he was the difference-maker last night.

The Celtics initially struggled to build a big lead, but Pritchard’s shooting and ability to generate chaos quickly killed the 76ers’ hopes. His knack for creating defensive mayhem makes him invaluable. He brings a spark that the starting five sometimes lacks, generating more movement than any other Celtics player—a huge asset.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/2/...on-tatum-joel-embiid-jaylen-brown-paul-george

 

[Boston Celtics]

Boston Celtics Daily Links 2/21/25

Joel Embiid vs Celtics 2/20/25 | Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

All the Celtics news you need in one convenient place.

Herald Celtics dominate 76ers, cruise to 20-point win in return from All-Star break​

Jayson Tatum taking playmaking to new heights as he ‘chases’ Larry Bird​

Globe Pritchard and Tatum lead Celtics to 124-104 win over 76ers​

Jayson Tatum says Bird is ‘best Celtic ever’. What about Russell?​

Payton Pritchard and Jaylen Brown lead the way as the Celtics rout the 76ers ​

Court Sense: A Broad Street Beatdown ​

Celtics Green Comments from the Other Side - 76ers 2/20/25 ​

CelticsBlog Celtics crush 76ers 124-104 to start second half of the season ​

Must C’s: Tatum threads the needle for a pair of Kornet slams ​

Celtics-76ers notebook: Jayson Tatum talks chasing Larry Bird, Al Horford embraces the Philly hate, a 4 Nations watch party​

10 takeaways from the Celtics picking apart the Sixers ​

CLNS Media Biggest Stories and What to Watch For Entering Celtics Second Half ​

Celtics .com Keys to the Game: Celtics 124, 76ers 104 ​

Celtics Log 15th 20-Point Win of Season Behind Jayson Tatum’s Triple-Double​

NESN Three Studs, Three Duds As Celtics Begin Second Half With Win​

Could Celtics Rival’s Setback Trigger NBA’s Next Superstar Exit?​

NBC Sports Boston How Jayson Tatum is motivated by Larry Bird while chasing Celtics greatness ​

Drew Hanlen details how Jayson Tatum fixed his shot post-Olympics​

Celtics-76ers recap: C’s dominate Philly in return from break ​

The Athletic Jayson Tatum might never reach Larry Bird’s status in Boston, but he’s ‘a great guy to chase’ ​

Mass Live 4 takeaways as Celtics crush 76ers behind Jayson Tatum triple-double ​

Payton Pritchard praises Boston Celtics fans after massive 76ers win ​

Boston Celtics’ dominant 76ers win shows deeper contender status ​

Joe Mazzulla gives Celtics star unique praise after 76ers win​

Boston Celtics veteran gives candid reaction to extra boos after Sixers win ​

Charles Barkley: Canada beat USA because ‘they didn’t want to be the 51st state’ ​

Celtics Wire Celtics history: Milkman’s Special; Wolkowyski cut; Crawford trade​

Celtics jersey history No. 12 - Chris Herren (2000-01)​

Star Celtics forward Jayson Tatum aspires to chase Larry Bird​

Payton Pritchard’s 28-point outburst leads dominating victory​

The Celtics should not be afraid of the other teams in the NBA’s East​

What two words best describe the Celtics heading into the stretch run?​

Joe Mazzulla has high praise for playmaking of Celtics’ Jayson Tatum​

Boston Sports Journal BSJ Game Report: Celtics 124, Sixer 104 - Pritchard’s 28, Tatum’s triple-double fuel blowout​

Karalis: Jayson Tatum’s passing has hit a new level, making him more dangerous than ever​

Hardwood Houdini Jayson Tatum’s Larry Bird statement should be music to Celtics fans’ ears​

Booing Al Horford proves 76ers fans are embarrassingly clueless​

CLNS Media/YouTube Jayson Tatum on Chasing Larry Bird, Wants to Become Best Celtic Ever | Celtics Postgame 2-20 ​

Payton Pritchard on Celtics Road Support: “We Got the Best Fans In the World.” | Postgame 2-20 ​

Joe Mazzulla PRAISES Jayson Tatum’s Playmaking: “People — take it for granted.” | Postgame 2-20 ​

Philly Voice Friday film: Sixers defense looks unprepared, overmatched in blowout loss to Celtics​

Athlon Sports Jayson Tatum Sends Strong LeBron James, Kevin Durant Message ​

Celtics Star Sends Message to 76ers Fans After Thursday’s Game ​

Jayson Tatum’s Message After NBA Makes Historic Announcement​

Liberty Ballers Sixers get steamrolled by Celtics in first game after All-Star break ​

Bleacher Report Grizzlies Sign Lamar Stevens to 10-Day Contract; Johnny Davis Reportedly Released​

Clutch Points Joe Mazzulla’s honest Jayson Tatum opinion after triple-double vs. 76ers​

Jayson Tatum’s huge Payton Pritchard endorsement after Celtics win vs. 76ers​

Celtics veteran Al Horford’s unbothered reaction to 76ers crowd’s behavior​

SI .com Jayson Tatum Makes Honest Statement About Boston Celtics Legend Larry Bird​

Al Horford Opens up on Disgruntled Reception from 76ers Fans​

Jayson Tatum Campaigns for Celtics’ Payton Pritchard to Win Award After Dominant Game​

NBA Makes Boston Celtics vs Memphis Grizzlies Announcement​

Sixers Wire Player grades: Sixers fall to Celtics as losing skid extends to 6​

Talkbasket Pritchard’s hot shooting propels Celtics past 76ers ​

ESPN Celtics 124-104 76ers (Feb 20, 2025) Game Recap​

Last Word on Sports Celtics Focus on Versatile Wings Runs Deep Throughout the Organization ​

Largest 6 Biggest Sports Betting Scandals in History ​

News Center Maine 76ERS POSTCAST: Instant Reaction to the Philadelphia 76ers getting BLOWN OUT by the Boston Celtics​

All Philly Sixers begin final stretch with disaster loss to Celtics ​

Gonzaga Bulletin Former Zag Anton Watson buys into Celtics’ culture: ‘It’s all about winning’ ​

Our Sports Central Davison Leads Maine Celtics to 8th Straight Win ​

Jackson’s 25-Point Performance Not Enough in Thursday Matinee with Maine ​

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/2/21/24370161/boston-celtics-daily-links-2-21-25

 

[Boston Celtics]

Payton Pritchard will win 6th Man of the Year (and other NBA Reacts predictions)

Will Jayson Tatum be the NBA’s MVP this year?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Boston Celtics fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. Results courtesy of FanDuel.

Fans were polled on the NBA Awards and you can find the results below (along with my totally impartial, unbiased opinions).

Shai leads the league in points and is the driving force behind the Thunder competing for the league’s best record. Jokic is, well, Jokic. And some would argue that he deserves the MVP again, but Shai is the new, shiny object of people’s affection so he’ll probably end up getting it.

I think Tatum is properly slotted at #3 even though I think some of what he does is undervalued (defense, playmaking, generally letting other players cook when that leads to winning). He probably would have had a stronger case if the Celtics were leading the East.

I guess he’ll just have to set his sights on the Finals MVP, if he can beat out his teammate for it this time.

The future is bright in San Antonio, even though Wemby’s blood-clot issue is scary.

This poll was conducted before news broke about Wemby’s condition. Now he won’t hit the minimum games threshold, so I would imagine this award goes to JJJ.

Luke Kornet was robbed.

Amen has had a great season and seems like a reasonable contender for this award. That said, I think this has been Payton’s award since the first week of the season. Give that man his hardware.

Got your own comments and opinions? Share them in the comments below.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/2/...year-and-other-nba-reacts-predictions-celtics

 

[Boston Celtics]

Boston Celtics Daily Links 2/22/25

Paul George vs Celtics 2/20/25 | Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

All the Celtics news you need in one convenient place.

Globe Jayson Tatum says he wants to be seen as one of NBA’s greats​

‘I just want to continue setting the tone for the team’: New Celtic Torrey Craig discusses his role in Boston​

Jaylen Brown celebrates science, sneaker culture during 741 launch party​

Celtics concerned with playing well down the stretch​

Jayson Tatum is chasing Larry Bird in pantheon of Celtics greats​

NBA All-Star format was interesting at best, and a disaster at worst​

Joe Mazzulla has Patriots coach Mike Vrabel as a guest at Celtics’ practice, maintaining a connection to city’s brotherhood​

CelticsBlog Payton Pritchard will win 6th Man of the Year (and other NBA Reacts predictions) ​

Payton Pritchard is that guy​

The Boston Celtics are contenders once again ​

Celtics .com Torrey Craig and the Celtics Bring Hoops and Heart to South Boston​

Mass Live Former Celtics guard debuts with new team in surprise role after trade ​

Boston Celtics welcome Patriots coach Mike Vrabel in rare practice visit​

Former Boston Celtics guard makes candid admittance before 76ers signing​

Boston Sports Journal Picks ‘n Pops: Why 4-Nations worked, chasing Larry Bird, & Mr. Burns​

Celtics Wire Could the Celtics meet the Lakers in the 2025 NBA Finals?​

Celtics history: Giddens debut; Rondo, Kaftan born; DJ passes​

Jeff Twiss reflects on a Hall of Fame career with the Celtics​

Drew Hanlen on what it takes to make a player like Jayson Tatum better​

Should the NBA go back to drafting players out of high school?​

Celtics jersey history No. 12 - Bimbo Coles (2003)​

Hardwood Houdini Torrey Craig’s first thoughts on Joe Mazzulla are absolutely perfect​

CLNS Media/YouTube Wyc Grousbeck: Celtics Sale Playing Out Now | Full Interview ​

Sam Hauser Owned a Paul Pierce Celtics Jersey Growing Up | Full Interview​

Derrick White on Debating Celtics History with Jayson Tatum | Full Interview​

Jaylen Brown on Becoming Part of Celtics HISTORY | Full Interview​

Joe Mazzulla Invited Mike Vrabel to Celtics Practice | Full Interview​

Luke Kornet on Recent Dominant Play | Celtics Practice Interview ​

Derrick White Says He’s Playing with More Joy Recently | Celtics Practice Interview​

Essentially Sports Celtics Owner Wyc Grousbeck Tightlipped on Team’s Future but Issues Major Championship Expectations for Jayson Tatum & Co.​

Jaylen Brown Drops Major Details on His Million-Dollar Project as Nike Controversy Takes New Turn ​

Jaylen Brown’s $5 Billion Vision for Boston Ignites Hope in Ex-Celtics Star as Fans Celebrate Its Impact ​

NBC Sports Philly ‘Surreal’ path takes Lonnie Walker IV to Sixers ​

SI .com Patriots HC Mike Vrabel Appears at Celtics Practice After Special Joe Mazzulla Invite​

Jaylen Brown unveils 2 unreleased colorways of his futuristic sneakers​

Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Offers Surprising Pick for Greatest Boston Legend​

Celtics’ Jaylen Brown Could be Impacted by Scary Victor Wembanyama Injury​

Celtics Hall of Famer Bill Walton’s Estate to Auction Off Personal Collection​

Celtics HC Joe Mazzulla Calls Out Team’s Play Despite Win vs 76ers​

Celtics Dominant Record Against Other Elite Teams Should Scare NBA​

Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Thinks Payton Pritchard is a Lock For Postseason Award​

Fadeaway World Paul George Earns 7x More Than Payton Pritchard But Trails Him In 20-Point Games​

Basketball Network Bill Laimbeer picks a tougher foe between the Celtics and the Lakers: “It took us a long time beating our heads against the wall to get by them” ​

Chowder and Champions Overpaid Celtic Robbing the Team Blind With 2024-25 Performance​

Celtics Need to Keep Tabs on Marksman Who Just Hit Open Market After Release​

Reuters Knicks face tough road challenge in high-scoring Celtics​

Soap Central Jayson Tatum: “Who’s gonna tell him”: Fans troll Jayson Tatum as he said that he wanna be next generation’s ‘LeBron’s, Steph’s, and the KD’s’​

Duke Basketball Report YouTube Gold: The Genius Of Red Auerbach​

Bleacher Report Every NBA Team’s Biggest X-Factor Down the Stretch​

NBA Analysis Jayson Tatum shares NBA ambition LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant achieved before him, ‘The truth is…’​

Barstool Sports Buckle Up Because The Celtics Possibility Of Defending Their Title Just Got A Massive Boost ​

Motorcycle Sports An explosive mix of experience and youth, Marcus Smart’s pivotal entry into the Washington Wizards aims to rewrite their basketball saga​

CBS Sports NBA front office rankings: Celtics, OKC at the top, Mavericks sink after Luka trade, but they’re not No. 30 ​

Clutch Points Payton Pritchard has Celtics fans buzzing nonstop after fiery game vs. 76ers​

Why Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla is all in on a Boston WNBA team​

Hoops Habit 3 burning NBA questions that will be answered in the second half of the season​

Hoops Rumors Atlantic Notes: Gordon, George, Holiday, Hart, McBride, Anunoby​

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/2/22/24370759/boston-celtics-daily-links-2-22-25

 

[Boston Celtics]

Boston Celtics Daily Links 2/23/25

Derrick White vs 76ers 2/20/25 | Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images

All the Celtics news you need in one convenient place.

Herald Why Joe Mazzulla invited Patriots coach Mike Vrabel to Celtics practice​

Globe Wyc Grousbeck still senses he’ll be involved with Celtics after sale​

Celtics vs. Knicks preview: With New York in town, Boston has a chance to extend win streak to five​

CelticsBlog Key matchups to watch in the Celtics upcoming schedule​

Celtics .com C’s React to HBO’s ‘Celtics City’ Premiere ​

NESN Why Joe Mazzulla Invited VIP Patriots Visitor To Celtics Practice​

Mass Live New York Knicks injury report: 2 starters listed for Boston Celtics game ​

Celtics injury report: Reserve center added for Sunday’s game vs. Knicks ​

The Athletic Knicks at Celtics: How to watch the NBA’s Sunday showcase game between East rivals ​

Celtics Wire Wyc Grousbeck gives a quick update on the Celtics sale​

Celtics jersey history No. 12 - Ricky Davis (2003-06)​

Backup Boston big Luke Kornet could be a top free agent this summer​

What is the Celtics X factor for the stretch run to the NBA playoffs?​

Hear a new story about Payton Pritchard’s absurd work ethic​

Who should be the 2025 NBA title favorite, the Celtics or Thunder?​

Celtics history: Ainge trade to Kings; Sichting dealt to Trail Blazers​

Bill Nye helps Celtics star Jaylen Brown debut new 741 sneaker release​

Boston Sports Journal NBA Notebook: Joe Mazzulla a factor in Torrey Craig signing with Celtics​

Hardwood Houdini Payton Pritchard has one of the best actions in the NBA this season​

CLNS Media/YouTube Can Jayson Tatum Catch Larry Bird? | Celtics Beat ​

Did Jaylen Brown Cause Luka Doncic Trade? | Cedric Maxwell Podcast ​

The Cold Wire Payton Pritchard Is Betting Favorite To Win Notable NBA Award​

SI .com Joe Mazzulla Explains Why He Invited Mike Vrabel to Celtics’ Practice​

Joe Mazulla Makes Bold Claim That People Take Advantage of Jayston Tatum​

Which Team in Eastern Conference is Celtics Biggest Threat?​

Essentially Sports After Jaylen Brown’s Public Announcement Celtics HC Forced to Take Major Locker Room Decision ​

NBA Analysis Former All-Star ‘hated’ playing alongside Jaylen Brown on Celtics, now he’s one of his favorite players​

Clutch Points Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla reveals reason for not naming official captain​

Derrick White’s heartfelt reaction to Colorado Wall of Honor enshrinement​

Audacy Why Joe Mazzulla invited Mike Vrabel to Celtics practice​

NBA .com Knicks continue to struggle against Celtics, Cavaliers in battle for East​

Heavy Celtics Guard Favored to Become Second Boston Player in 39 Years to Win Prestigious Award ​

Sportskeeda “The award has officially lost all meaning” - NBA fans spark debate over Celtics $7,500,000 guard leading 6MOTY race​

Indianapolis Recorder Recorder Rewind: Maine Celtics at Indiana Mad Ants ​

Posting and Toasting P&T Interview: Walter McCarty, Part 3 ​

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/2/23/24371163/boston-celtics-daily-links-2-23-25

 

[Boston Celtics]

Lessons from Celtics-Knicks: Is New York even good?

Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

The division rival has shown absolutely nothing recently that suggests they have a prayer against Boston in the playoffs. And maybe it’s not a rut: it’s just reality.

“It’s time to lock in.”

I’ve been critical of how locked this team has been this season, but in his post-game interview on ESPN, Jayson Tatum clearly knows what time it is post All-Star break. But do the New York Knicks? Now 0-7 against the top-3 teams in NBA, do they understand that they’ll eventually have to dial in and beat teams like the Boston Celtics?

And even if they do, are they even good?

Or are they just playing their best players one bajillion minutes? They have no balance, no curveball. It’s Jalen Brunson foul-hunting or Karl-Anthony Towns creation, and Sunday afternoon saw them get approximately no help from approximately no one. They got steamrolled in the first half, made a cute comeback to cut it to four but then resumed getting their knickers absolutely bocked.

The Celtics played pretty well, but the Knicks played a horrendous brand of basketball, motivated not by a coherent strategy to beat the full-strength Celtics but by a total lack of options. Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby were in a contest to see who could accomplish the least, with the Knicks’ two “elite wing defenders” doing not-that for the 28 and 37 minutes they each logged.

“There’s really levels to this,” said ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins postgame, which was exactly what I was thinking. “No one is beating this team in a 7-game series.”

That part wasn’t exactly what I was thinking, but I’ll take some hyperbole after an excellent matinée win. There are teams — the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Denver Nuggets and to some extent, the Cleveland Cavaliers — that have shown they can perhaps beat the Celtics in a series, but they still probably won’t. But the Knicks? These Knicks? No way.

Here are a few questions: is the 6’1” Brunson going to carry this team offensively for three months in the playoffs without injury? Is Towns, who went down with a late injury but returned to the game despite it being over for some reason, going to be able to better than the worst rim protector in the league without Mitchell Robinson? Does Precious Achiuwa do literally anything, against Boston or otherwise?

And those are just general question. The Celtics will ask harder ones, like… how are you going to stop Kristaps Porzingis with your horrid interior defense? What is your plan to slow down Tatum and Jaylen Brown when the mountain of evidence shows Anunoby gets molly-whopped by both of them despite his nominally-elite defensive profile? And can you stay healthy, playing all those guys that much, Thibs?

I actually thought this team had what it took to beat Boston this offseason. But they, uh… don’t. And the Celtics exposing that fact has me very bullish on the rest of this season, much more so than earlier this year. There are indeed levels to this, and Boston is on the top one. The Knicks, though, are somewhere in the middle until they prove otherwise.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/2/...-good-jaylen-brown-jayson-tatum-jalen-brunson

 

[Boston Celtics]

Jaylen Brown and the art of locking in

Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

After New York cut a 27-point lead down to 4 early in the fourth quarter, Brown kicked it into a new gear to push Boston’s lead back to blowout status.

Early in the third quarter, the Boston Celtics jumped out to a 27-point lead over the New York Knicks. New York didn’t throw in the towel, though. Over the next 8 minutes and 48 seconds, they chipped away, ultimately getting Boston’s lead down to as low as 4 early in the fourth quarter.

And then Jaylen Brown happened.

Karl-Anthony Towns tried to put Kristaps Porzingis on a poster, but failed to convert, kicking off a five-on-four fastbreak for Boston. JB got the ball at mid-court, and decided to take the ball straight into the teeth of the defense, crossing over Josh Hart and laying it up at the rim over Mikal Bridges.

On the very next possession, Porzingis got a good look at a three from dead-on, but couldn’t knock it down. Jaylen, crashing from the corner, cleaned up the miss, rebounding it and laying it in within a single motion.

The Knicks were looking to get back on track after failing to score on their last two possessions. They were able to find Mikal Bridges in the corner for a good look at a three, but thanks to a solid closeout by Derrick White, the shot came up short. Brown scooped up the loose ball and was off to the races as he made a beeline to the rim. Two Knicks defenders challenged him at the cup, but it was likely two too few. JB was able to convert the tough layup, capping off a personal 6-0 run. Jaylen went on to score five of the Celtics next eight points, pushing the lead to 20 with just under four minutes to go.

He can often tell when a game needs more toughness, and he’ll always be the first to bring that energy, one of the many reasons the team looks to him as a leader. He certainly brought it in last night’s fourth quarter, and at the perfect time to push Boston’s lead back out of New York’s reach. It was clear Brown was oozing with confidence, so much so that he was caught flexing after out-muscling Precious Achiuwa to tip a rebound over to KP.

At the end of the first half, he was sitting at just 6 points on 2-7 shooting. He ended the game with 24 points thanks to his hot 8-14 shooting in the second half. He also tacked on 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals across the game.

When JB is locked in, he’s a hard man to stop. His decisiveness and aggressiveness help him get to the rim at will, and often times pushed the momentum into Boston’s favor. Unfortunately for the Knicks, they learned that lesson the hard way.

Jaylen was asked postgame about whether he gets any motivation from seeing teams like New York try to bring in wing defenders such as Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby to try to contain him and Jayson Tatum. Brown gave a simple one-word answer: “Absolutely.” He gave no extra explanation as to why, saying that it didn’t need one, and clearly was wearing it as a chip on his shoulder.

Jaylen Brown was resounding when asked by @GwashburnGlobe about whether it’s motivating to see opposing teams sign guys like Mikel Bridges and OG Anunoby with the purpose of defending him and Jayson Tatum:

“Absolutely.” pic.twitter.com/0yiDd2Hpyo

— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) February 23, 2025​

Joe Mazzulla gave some more insight into what he sees from Jaylen in games like tonight and noted that the game wasn’t going JB’s way at first, but “he did a tremendous job just fighting through.” Mazzulla mentioned Brown’s ability to go beyond the scoring by locking in defensively, getting steals and deflections, and running in transition, all great indicators of his aggressiveness. Jaylen can flip the switch at any time, and it’s going to be one of Boston’s most valuable weapons come playoff time.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/2/...ics-new-york-knicks-joe-mazzulla-jayson-tatum

 

[Boston Celtics]

Josh Hart on the Celtics: ‘they’re a heck of a team’

Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

After another dismantling at the hands of Boston, the Knicks forward had nothing but positives for the defending champs.

You can almost never trust the narrator.

Regardless if they were former players, coaches, or executives, TV pundits are almost always the least reliable. Current head coaches are part cheerleader, part manipulator, part motivational speaker. Players can vacillate between self-promoters and sports sound bite AI. Us writers, well, I’m admittedly a fan first and an NBA scribe.

No, for the hard truth, the best source might be the opposing team, especially after the 118-105 beatdown Boston put on New York on Sunday, and the domination they’ve had over them all year.

After a 23-point drubbing on Opening Night followed by another embarrassing showing at Madison Square Garden after the trade deadline and then yesterday’s shellacking, Josh Hart put it simply, “they’re a heck of a team.”

He expounded. “We’re not trying to close a gap with the Boston Celtics. They’re the champs for a reason,” Hart said after tallying a near triple double in his return from injury. “They’ve got All-NBA guys. They’ve got All-Stars. Heck of a team. We’re not trying to close a gap on them; we’re trying to make sure we get ourselves where we need to be at the end of the year. Right now, we’re not there.”

Can't stop won't stop ️ pic.twitter.com/NEum7JEDLV

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 23, 2025​

And while it hasn’t always been smooth sailing this season, the Celtics have certainly got their groove back, winning nine of their last ten. But the league — especially in the playoffs — is all about matchups and for Boston, they’ve been able to hold at bay the one team that (gulp) critics and experts alike pegged as the most likely team to knock them off their throne. With a stable of wing defenders surrounding the offensive engine of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, they were media-appointed Celtics killers. Let’s let one of those would-be conspirators speak.

“It’s tough. They’ve got three level scorers at every single position. They’ve got the length defensively to make us take tough shots offensively,” Hart said after his team went down 38-19 early. “In the first quarter, they had about three layups and the Sam Hauser three in transition and that really killed us and that was from our bad offense.”

Two-thirds into their regular season, Towns said the Knicks were still “a work in progress” and to his credit, wouldn’t accept trimming a 27-point deficit to four early in the fourth and allowing it to balloon back to 21 as a moral victory. Brunson was less politically correct with his remarks: “I keep saying all this $#!&, but we got to go out there and do it. It’s as simple as that.”

Slicing and dicing the defense pic.twitter.com/RlDoetcSaT

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 23, 2025​

“Tatum is probably going to be First Team All-NBA, Jaylen Brown probably Second Team. Porzingis, White, Jrue. Pritchard, probably Sixth Man [of the Year],” Hart continued. “They got everything. They’re a heck of a team, well-coached team, disciplined team. We gotta step it up.”

No truer words have been spoken.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/2/...eam-new-york-knicks-jaylen-brown-jayson-tatum

 

[Boston Celtics]

Boston Celtics (41-16) at Toronto Raptors (18-39) Game #58 2/25/25

Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images

The Celtics look to win their 5th straight game as they visit the Toronto Raptors for the final game between them this season.

The Celtics visit the Toronto Raptors for the 4th and final meeting between these two teams this season. The Celtics are 2-1 in the 3 games so far. The Celtics won both games in Boston and lost an ugly one to a shorthanded Raptors team in the last game in Toronto. The Celtics won the series 4-0 last season. The Celtics are 72-43 overall all time against the Raptors. They are 28-29 all time in games played in Toronto.

This is the first of back to back games for the Celtics. They will travel to Detroit for the 2nd half of the back to back set on Wednesday. The Celtics are 6-2 on the first night of back to back games and they are 3-1 when the first game is on the road. The Raptors are also playing in the first of back to back games. They are 2-8 on the first night of back to back games and will play at Indiana on Wednesday.

The Raptors changed their roster this off season with free agent signings, trades and the draft. They signed Immanuel Quickley, Garrett Temple, Bruno Fernando, and Jamison Battle as free agents. They traded Jalen McDaniels for Davion Mitchell. They drafted Ulrich Chomche (57), Jamal Sheed (45), Jonathan Mogbo (31) and Ja’Kobe Walter (19).

They lost Jordan Nwora, Gary Trent, Jr, and Malik Williams to free agency. They released Bruno Fernando at the trade deadline. They also traded former Celtic Kelly Olynyk and Bruce Brown, Jr to New Orleans for Brandon Ingram. They also traded Davion Mitchell to Miami for PJ Tucker, who is away from the team and has not played for the team. They also traded for James Wiseman, who was waived.

The Celtics are 2nd in the East, 6 games behind the first place Cleveland Cavaliers, who have won their last 7 games. They are now 4 games ahead of the 3rd place Knicks after the Celtics beat them on Sunday. The Celtics are 23-6 on the road. They are 9-1 in their last 10 games. They are 30-9 against Eastern Conference teams and 9-2 against the Atlantic Division. The Celtics have won their last 5 games.

The Raptors are 13th in the East, 29 games behind first place Cleveland. They are 13 games behind 6th place Detroit, 4 games behind 10th place Chicago and 2.5 games behind 12th place Philadelphia. They are 3 games ahead of 14th place Charlotte. They are 13-18 at home and 3-7 in their last 10 games. They are 11-25 against Eastern Conference opponents and 4-7 against Atlantic Division teams. They are coming off a win in their last game.

The Celtics began the final stretch after the All Star break with a 20 point win at Philadelphia before returning home to beat the Knicks by 13. After this game at Toronto, they will play at Detroit in back to back games. They then have a 7 game home stand against Cleveland, Denver, Portland, Philadelphia, LA Lakers, Utah, and Oklahoma City. After the 7 home games they will play 8 of the next 9 games on the road, including another trip out West.

The Celtics have 5 players on the injury report. The good news is that Neemias Queta, who missed the last game with an illness, and Xavier Tillman, who missed the last 3 games with knee inflammation, are both listed as probable. Since the Celtics are playing in back to back games. Jrue Holiday is out for rest and Al Horford (toe) is questionable. Luke Kornet is out for personal reasons. I don’t expect Al to play and with Kornet also out, I’m going to guess that Sam Hauser gets the start.

For the Raptors, Gradey Dick (thigh) is probable. Jakob Poeltl has missed the last 7 games with a hip injury but is listed as questionable for this game. New Raptor, Brandon Ingram, has yet to suit up for his new team and remains out for this one with an ankle injury. PJ Tucker is not with the team and has not suited up for the Raptors as yet. Two Way player Ulrich Chomche (knee) is also out.

Probable Celtics Starters

Celtics Reserves
Payton Pritchard
Baylor Scheierman
Jordan Walsh
Torrey Craig
Xavier Tillman
Neemias Queta

2 Way Players
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Anton Watson

Injuries/Out
Xavier Tillman (knee) probable
Neemias Queta (illness) probable
Al Horford (toe) questionable
Jrue Holiday (rest) out
Luke Kornet (personal) out

Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla

Probable Raptors Starters

Raptors Reserves
Ochai Agbaji
Jamison Battle
Chris Boucher
Jonathan Mogbo
Jared Rhoden (10 Day)
Jamal Shead
Garrett Temple
Ja’Kobe Walker

2 Way Players
Ulrich Chomche
AJ Lawson
Orlando Robinson

Injuries/Out
Grady Dick (thigh) probable
Jakob Poeltl (hip) questionable
Ulrich Chomche (knee) out
Brandon Ingram (ankle) out
PJ Tucker (not injury related) out

Head Coach
Darko Rajakovic

Key Matchups

Sam Hauser vs RJ Barrett
Barrett is averaging 21.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. He is shooting 47.6% from the field and 36.2% from beyond the arc. In the 2 games against the Celtics this season, Barrett averaged 23.5 points, 10 rebounds, 11.5 assists, 1 steal and 1 block per game while shooting 44.4% from the field and 25.3% from the field.

Jayson Tatum vs Scottie Barnes
Barnes is averaging 19.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. He is shooting 47.6% from the field and 27% from beyond the arc. In 2 game against the Celtics this season, Barnes averaged 17 points 8 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting 42.9% from the field and 15.4% from beyond the arc. Jayson Tatum has been playing very well since the break and hopefully that continues in this game.

Honorable Mention
Derrick White vs Immanuel Quickley
With Jrue out, Derrick White should move to the point. Quickley is averaging 16.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. He is shooting 42.2% from the field and 40.7% from beyond the arc. He missed the first 3 games against the Celtics so this will be the first time that he plays against the Celtics this season.

Keys to the Game
Defense - Defense will always be the key to winning. If the Celtics hope to win the championship again this season, it will have to be with defense first. The Celtics are capable of locking down teams with suffocating defense, but they have to put the effort into it. So far this season, they have put that kind of effort out at times and at other times have slacked off. They were 1st in the regular season and 1st in the playoffs on defense last season. The Celtics are 5th currently with a defensive rating of 109.6. The Raptors are 25th with a defensive rating of 115.6. The Celtics allowed the Raptors to shoot 50.6% from the field in their loss to the Raptors in January. They have to tighten up their defense in this one if they want to win.

Rebound - Rebounding is second only to defense as a key to winning. The Raptors are 19th with 43.9 rebounds per game while the Celtics are 8th with 45.3 rebounds per game. Last season, the Celtics were 2nd pulling down 46.3 rebounds per game. Rebounding is very important to limit second chance baskets and fast breaks. The Raptors are 13th with 14.5 second chance points per game. Much of rebounding is effort and hustle. In their January loss to the Raptors, the Celtics were out rebounded 56-45. The Celtics must put out more effort to beat the Raptors to rebounds in this one.

Don’t Underestimate - Several of the Celtics losses this season have come at the hands of teams they should have beat but didn’t because they failed to give the effort needed to get the win. The first game against the Raptors this season went to overtime when it should have been a blow out. And the Celtics lost their last game against the Raptors because they allowed the short handed Raptors to play harder than them. The Celtics have to come into this game ready to give maximum effort and to play the Raptors like they are the top team in the league. They can’t underestimate them because of their record or their injuries. If they do, they could end up with another lost game that they should have won.

Move the Ball - The Celtics are 17th in the league with 26 assists per game. They play best when the ball is moving and players move to get open to find the best shots. When the ball sticks, the offense is stagnant and the Celtics struggle to score. They need to make good passes and keep the ball moving rather than lapsing into hero ball. The Raptors are 9th with 28.6 assists per game. In their loss to the Raptors this season, the Celtics had just 24 assists to 35 for the Raptors. The Celtics can’t let the Raptors get comfortable and have to interrupt their passes while moving the ball themselves.

X-Factors
On the Road - The Celtics are once again on the road where they are 23-6, but one of those 6 losses was in Toronto. Travel, staying in hotels, playing on an unfamiliar court and in front of hostile fans all are distractions that can take away from players’ focus. The Celtics need to put all that behind them and focus on playing their game.

Officiating - While rarely is officiating a reason for a win or a loss, it can always be an x-factor. Every game is called differently. Some games are called tightly and some games are allowed to be more physical. The Celtics have to adjust to the way the game is being called and focus on playing and not on the bad calls that are being made or not being made. Raptors coach, Darko Rajakovic will definitely tell you that officiating can be an x factor after he went on a rant about the officials after a game last season and was ejected in December for a profanity laced rant at the ref during a game.

And make sure to check out CelticsBlog’s Playback stream for a live conversation about the game. To participate, just create a free account, connect your LP sub if you have it, and join our community.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/2/...1-16-at-toronto-raptors-18-39-game-58-2-25-25

 

[Boston Celtics]

Celtics overcome feisty Raptors, win in Toronto 111-101

Photo by Kevin Sousa/Getty Images

Small ball Celtics get road win in Toronto on the first night of a back-to-back.

The Boston Celtics traveled to the Scotiabank Arena Tuesday evening to take on the Toronto Raptors. The Celtics lost to Toronto on January 15th by double digits, but over a month later, managed to overcome the feisty Raptors, 111-101.

Derrick White was the fourth quarter hero again with multiple big plays down the stretch. He finished the game with 22 points, Jaylen Brown led the team with 24 points and Jayson Tatum had 19 points and 11 assists.

The Boston Celtics trotted out a truly bizarre starting five with Torrey Craig, Tatum, Brown, White, and Sam Hauser. For prosperity and possibly the only time in his career, Jayson Tatum took the opening tip for the road team. Jakob Poeltl was absent for the Raps, and the result was a free-flowing start to the game, with plenty of fast break points for both before Joe Mazzulla eventually called a timeout up 14-10.

Joe Mazulla’s love affair with double bigs was tested in this game as he opted for strictly wings for the first six minutes of the game. Neemias Queta would eventually be subbed into the game for a semblance of interior defensive presence. Hauser relished the extended early minutes with 2 rebounds, 1 block, and four early points highlighted by a tip-in over two outstretched Raptors. Queta was then rewarded on the fast break as Jaylen Brown laid down a nifty pass to the Portuguese big man for the powerful two-handed slam.

With big men Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis ruled out prior to the game, Queta looked locked in for a big evening off the bench. Speaking of being locked in, Payton Pritchard hit on his first three-pointer of the game as Boston went up 24-16. Pritchard would be joined by Jordan Walsh and rookie Baylor Scheierman in the lineup as Joe rolled the dice on the experimental rotations. The first quarter was a hectic pace, with plenty of highlights as Boston took a 35 to 24 lead.

Jayson Tatum started a Center Tuesday night, sporting a headband for Boston.

Scottie Barnes was super fired up to take on the Celtics in this one, taking Queta strong to the hole and chirping in Tatum’s face. The Raptors second leading scorer poured in six straight points to start the second quarter and push Toronto back with 5 points. Barnes then drove again on Queta and drew another foul, which saw Neemias go to the bench with his third foul.

Boston would have just two points in the first four and a half minutes of the second quarter as Toronto cut the Boston lead to just one point. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum scored on consecutive plays as they broke the scoring drought for the second-placed team. Both teams started hitting three-point shots, Grady Dick hit the Raptors second three-pointer of the game, then Hauser and White connected for the C’s sixth and seventh triples on the evening.

The road Celtics finally started to roll as the second quarter progressed; White hit on another triple for his twelfth point, and Brown drove and connected on a sweet mini hook shot. Tatum started to get going, hitting on a pull-up three-pointer, assisting JB for a dunk in the key, and then hitting a floater as Boston pulled away by 12 points to lead 66-54 at the half.

Toronto started the third quarter strong, scoring the first seven points of the half as Boston struggled to keep pace. The Raps got the lead back to 6 points before Brown stopped the bleeding. With Boston lacking in size tonight, the team would look to everyone to contribute; this was evident on a second-chance weak-side rebound from Pritchard, who then found Tatum in the corner to step into a three-pointer. White had a monster block on Dick. Pritchard would then drive on the bigger-bodied Barnes to sell a head fake and lay the ball in, as Boston would go up by 12, 76-64.

Photo by Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu via Getty Images
Derrick White had two blocks in the second half in Toronto.

White had yet another huge block on RJ Barrett as the lanky guard denied the ball with two hands. Boston then found a waiting Pritchard, who calmly hit his third three-pointer and 15th point of the night. JD Davison would also see time in the third for Boston as Joe Mazzulla gave the stay-ready guys meaningful minutes in Toronto. Hauser hit on his 10th point of the night with a three-pointer at the top of the key, and then Pritchard had a last-second triple as time expired in the third quarter, Boston up by its largest lead of the night with thirteen, 89-76.

Brown was struggling with leg issues all night but returned to action in the fourth hitting on a step-back bucket over Barnes. He then drove on Barnes and connected on a bank shot in the key over a double team. The Raptors pesky length was making life difficult for Boston as soon as they brought the ball over the half way line. The Celtics turned the ball over multiple times to start the fourth and a Agbaji three-pointer saw Boston’s advantage shrink to just 8 points.

White went 4th quarter mode as he scored on consecutive baskets. First, he pulled off a nasty spin move that led to a floater and then he hit a deep three-pointer for his 19th point of the night as Boston steadied 102-93. Raptor rookie Jamal Shead drove and scored his sixth point to get it back to seven. Both teams traded baskets to finish it, as Boston would hold on against a pesky Raptor team.

The Boston Celtics next face the Detroit Pistons tomorrow night in Detroit on the second night of a back-to-back.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/2/...-in-toronto-111-101-jayson-tatum-jaylen-brown

 

[Boston Celtics]

Boston Celtics (42-16) at Detroit Pistons (32-26) Game #59 2/26/25

Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

The Celtics look for their 7th straight game as they head to Detroit for their 4th and final game against the Pistons this season.

The Celtics head to Detroit for their second straight road game, having played in Toronto on Tuesday night. This is the 4th, and final, game between these two teams this season. The Celtics are 3-0 against them so far this season. The Celtics won 106-98 in Detroit on 10/26. They won in Boston 130-120 on 12/4 and, again in Boston, 123-99 on 12/12.

The Celtics won the series 3-0 last season. The Celtics are 254-140 overall all time and they are 129-94 in games played in Detroit. the Celtics are playing on the second night of back to back games, having played in Toronto on Tuesday night. The Celtics are 5-3 in the second of back to back games this season and they are 2-1 when the second game is on the road. They are 2-1 when both the first and second games are on the road.

The Pistons made some moves before the season. They signed Malik Beasley and Tobias Harris as free agents. They signed rookies Ronald Holland II and Bobi Klintman. They acquired Wendell Moore Jr. from Minnesota in exchange for draft considerations. They later waived Moore. They also claimed Paul Reed off waivers. They fired Head Coach Monty Williams and hired JB Bickerstaff as coach. They also parted ways with general manager Troy Weaver. At the trade deadline they added Dennis Schroder in the trade that sent Jimmy Butler to Golden State.

The Celtics are 2nd in the East, 6 games behind the first place Cleveland Cavaliers, who have won their last 8 games. They are now 4.5 games ahead of the 3rd place Knicks after the Celtics beat them on Sunday. The Celtics are 24-6 on the road. They are 9-1 in their last 10 games. They are 31-9 against Eastern Conference teams. The Celtics have won their last 6 games.

The Pistons are among the hottest teams in the league. They are 6th in the East, 16 games behind first place Cleveland, 1 game behind 4th place Indiana and 5th place Milwaukee. They are 3.5 games ahead of 7th place Orlando. The Pistons are 15-13 at home and 8-2 in their last 10 games. They are 22-20 against Eastern Conference teams and they have won 7 straight games.

The Celtics began the final stretch after the All Star break with a 20 point win at Philadelphia before returning home to beat the Knicks by 13. They won by 10 Tuesday night at Toronto and are now playing the second game in as many nights in Detroit. Next after this 2 game road trip, the Celtics then have a 7 game home stand against Cleveland, Denver, Portland, Philadelphia, LA Lakers, Utah, and Oklahoma City. After the 7 home games they will play 8 of the next 9 games on the road, including another trip out West.

On Tuesday night, Al Horford (toe), Jrue Holiday (rest), Kristaps Porzingis (illness) and Luke Kornet (personal) were out for the Toronto game. The mid-day injury report for the Celtics has Luke Kornet out for this game due to personal reasons. Jaylen Brown seemed to tweak his leg in Tuesday’s game and is questionable for this game. Sam Hauser (back) and Kristaps Porzingis (illness) are both questionable for this game. Although, after Tuesday’s game, Joe Mazzulla indicated that he expected Porzingis to play in this one.

For the Pistons, Simone Fontecchio dislocated his right finger in Sunday’s win over Atlanta, He missed Monday’s game and is out for this one. Former Maine Celtic Ron Harper, Jr just signed a Two-Way contract with Detroit and is out for this game due to a thumb injury. Jaden Ivey hasn’t played since Jan. 1 after undergoing surgery to repair a broken left fibula and is out for this game. 2-Way player Tolu Smith is out with an Achilles injury. Dennis Schroder is questionable with ankle soreness.

Probable Celtics Starters

PG: Jrue Holiday
SG: Derrick White
SF: Jaylen Brown
PF: Jayson Tatum
C: Kristaps Porzingis

Celtics Reserves
Payton Pritchard
Neemias Queta
Baylor Scheierman
Torrey Craig
Xavier Tillman, Sr
Jordan Walsh
Sam Hauser

2 Way Players
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Anton Watson

Injuries/Out
Kristaps Porzingis (illness) questionable
Luke Kornet (personal) out
Sam Hauser (back) questionable
Jaylen Brown (leg) questionable

Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla

Probable Pistons Starters

PG: Cade Cunningham
SG: Tim Hardaway, Jr
SF: Ausar Thompson
PF: Tobias Harris
C: Jalen Duren

Pistons Reserves
Malik Beasley
Simone Fontecchio
Ron Holland II
Bobi Klintman
Paul Reed
Marcus Sasser
Dennis Schroder
Isaiah Stewart
Lindy Waters III

2-Way Players
Daniss Jenkins
Ron Harper, Jr
Tolu Smith

Injuries/Out
Simone Fontecchio (finger) out
Ron Harper, Jr (thumb) out
Jaden Ivey (lower leg) out
Tolu Smith (Achilles) out
Dennis Schroder (ankle) questionable

Head Coach
JB Bickerstaff

Key Matchups

Jrue Holiday vs Cade Cunningham
Cunningham is averaging 25.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 9.5 assists and 1 steal per game. He is shooting 46% from the field and 36.5% from beyond the arc. In the first 3 games against the Celtics, he averaged 22 points, 7.7 rebounds, 10.7 assists and 2 blocks while shooting 44.6% from the field but just 23.8% from beyond the arc. He had 32 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists in the game against the Clippers on Monday. Slowing him down will go a long way toward slowing down the Pistons.

Payton Pritchard vs Malik Beasley
This is a matchup of 6th Man of the Year candidates. Beasley is averaging 16.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. He is shooting 44% from the field and 42.3% from beyond the arc. In the last game against the Celtics he went 2-4 and that moved him into 100th on the all time 3 points made list. In the 3 games against the Celtics he averaged 15 points and 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 45.5% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need their own 6th man sharpshooter to have a good game on both ends of the court.

Honorable Mention
Jayson Tatum vs Tobias Harris
Harris is averaging 13.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. He is shooting 37% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc. In 3 games against the Celtics, he averaged 14.7 points, 7.3 rebounds 2.7 assists and 1 steal per game while shooting 40.5% from the field and 41.2% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to do a better job of defending him on the perimeter.

Keys to the Game
Defense - Defense will always be key to winning every game. The Celtics are 5th in the league with a 109.6 defensive rating while the Pistons are 12th with a defensive rating of 112.4. The Pistons are 12th in the league, averaging 114.4 points per game. The Celtics have to come into this game with the mindset that they need to play tough defense and not underestimate the Pistons, who have a lot of young and hungry players and who are playing as well as any team in the league.

Rebound - Rebounding is important to give the Celtics extra possessions and to limit possessions for their opponents. The Celtics and Pistons are both averaging 45.3 rebounds per game (8th). In their first meeting, the Pistons out-rebounded the Celtics 44-37. In the second game the Celtics out rebounded the Pistons 43-34 and in the third game, the Celtics out rebounded the Pistons 52-43. The Celtics have to once again crash the boards and out-rebound the Pistons. Rebounding takes effort and the Celtics need to give extra effort to beat the Pistons to rebounds. When they show extra effort on the boards, it often shows up in other areas of the game as well.

3 Point Shooting - The Celtics are first in the league with 48.3 threes attempted per game and first with 17.8 makes per game. They are 9th, shooting 36.9% from three while the Pistons are 13th shooting 36.3% on threes. When the Celtics shoot 3’s in the flow of the game they are usually very good. But when they try to force it, they often go cold. They need to not force 3’s and continue to move the ball and take the best shot. Also, if the 3’s aren’t falling in this game they need to abandon that strategy and take the ball inside. The Celtics also need to defend the perimeter as too often they allow teams to shoot above their averages from beyond the arc.

Move the Ball - The Celtics play best when the ball is moving and players move to get open to find the best shots. When the ball sticks, the offense is stagnant and the Celtics struggle to score. They need to make good passes and keep the ball moving rather than lapsing into hero ball. The Pistons are 9th with 18.9 points off turnovers per game and so along with moving the ball, they also need to make careful passes and not turn it over.

X-Factors
Back to Back on the Road - TThe Celtics are on the road and have to overcome the distractions that come with travel and playing in a hostile arena. They are also playing on the second night of back to back games, having played in Toronto on Tuesday. Hopefully they will have Porzingis, Horford and Holiday available for this one since all 3 sat out Tuesday’s game which would help some with the fatigue of playing back to back.

Officiating - Officiating is always an x-factor. Every crew calls the game differently. Some call it tight and call every bit of contact while others allow more physical play. Some favor the home team while others call both sides evenly. The Celtics have to adjust to the way the refs are calling the game and not allow the no calls and bad calls to affect their focus on playing the game.

And make sure to check out CelticsBlog’s Playback stream for a live conversation about the game. To participate, just create a free account, connect your LP sub if you have it, and join our community.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/2/...2-16-at-detroit-pistons-32-26-game-59-2-26-25

 

[Boston Celtics]

Boston Celtics worn down by red-hot Detroit Pistons, lose 117-97

Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Celtics shot the lights out in the second quarter, but fizzled in the second half on the second night of a back-to-back

Two of the NBA’s hottest teams faced off in the Little Caesar’s Arena in Detroit on Wednesday night, as the Boston Celtics — winners of 10 of their last 11 — hit the road to face off against the surprising Detroit Pistons amidst an impressive seven-game win streak. Playing their second road game in as many nights, though, the Celtics seemed to run out of gas in the second half. The energetic Pistons weathered a hot shooting second quarter and ran the Celtics off the court in the third, and Boston’s six-game win streak was snapped with a 117-97 loss.

Jaylen Brown was ruled out for the night with a left thigh contusion suffered in Tuesday’s win over Toronto, and Luke Kornet missed the game due to a personal issue. In their absence, Jayson Tatum led the way with 27 points for the Celtics, while Derrick White and Payton Pritchard combined for 36 points and 10 made three-pointers. For Detroit, Cade Cunningham recorded a double-double with 21 points and 11 assists, and a massive game from Malik Beasley (26 points, 10-of-15 shooting) proved to be too much for the Celtics to overcome.

The Pistons landed the first punch tonight. They opened the game with an 13-2 run, catching the Celtics reeling and capitalizing on a frigid start from the Boston offense, who connected on just one of their first nine shots. Defense took the forefront in the early going, as the Pistons hardly lit up the nets despite their early lead. Both contenders shot below 40% from the field across the early minutes of the game.

Late in the first, though, Tatum started to take control. He shook Cunningham on a pull-up triple, sending the Pistons’ young star stumbling down the floor, and the highlight play sparked a late surge to put the Celtics in the lead for the first time tonight. Tatum piled up a game-high 12 points in the first quarter, but was credited with four turnovers and seemed frustrated with the officiating in the closing minutes. Benefitting from a spree of Celtic turnovers, the Pistons took a nine-point lead into the second half, 29-20.

JT WITH THE TOUGH STEPBACK pic.twitter.com/kiVTj269xF

— NBA (@NBA) February 27, 2025​

The late surge visibly energized the Pistons, and they carried that momentum into the second quarter. Their lead hit double-digits in the early minutes, and though Derrick White converted a pair of three-pointers, less than two minutes of game time ticked by before Joe Mazzulla felt he needed a corrective timeout. With the Pistons’ shooters finding their rhythm, the Celtics seemed a bit flat-footed, and the lead hovered around 15 for a long stretch.

Boston surged late, though, with a three from Porzingis and a circus shot from White sparked a run that saw the Celtics absolutely scorch the nets from three-point range. Their cold offensive start felt like a thing of the past, as they drilled an absolutely comical eight three-pointers in the closing five minutes of the quarter. In a game that had seemingly been in Detroit’s command for the better part of 18 minutes, the two teams walked into the locker room at the halftime break tied at 55 points apiece.

Not sure how he did this tbh pic.twitter.com/XTuP4YTx3D

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 27, 2025​

To their credit, the Pistons were not perturbed by the Celtics’ late-first-half onslaught. As play resumed in the third quarter, they opened the second half with a 6-0 run and were able to push Boston back behind by as many as eight points in the early minutes. This is where the rest disparity really began to be felt, as it seemed like the Pistons were able to touch the paint offensively whenever they wanted to. Boston’s blistering three-point shooting was largely absent here, and Detroit’s physicality really appeared to wear the Celtics down. At the end of three, the Pistons’ lead sat at 11 points, 90-79.

And one pic.twitter.com/yoZXB66bIF

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 27, 2025​

Tasked with engineering a comeback, the Celtics stumbled in the opening minutes of the fourth. The Pistons rattled off a lightning-fast 8-0 run, with Beasley cashing in a pair of three-pointers that brought the Detroit crowd to their feet. The mammoth run shifted the question from how the Celtics would weather Tatum’s rest minutes to start the quarter to whether Tatum would re-enter the game at all, having logged 40 minutes in Toronto the night before.

With the Detroit lead quickly approaching 20, the Celtics continued to scrap. Threes from White and Prichard kept the Pistons from calling it a night early. As the clock ticked under eight minutes to play, Detroit’s Ausar Thompson went down with an injury, appearing to roll his ankle while handling the ball, ending his night. Absent their hyper-athletic wing, the Pistons still didn’t relinquish their lead, and with just under five minutes to play, Mazzulla waved the white flag and emptied his bench.

Next up, the Celtics will tackle another red hot team, hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers — owners of the league’s longest win streak at eight consecutive games — in the teams’ final matchup of the regular season this Friday at 7:30 PM EST on ESPN.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/2/...tons-lose-117-97-jayson-tatum-cade-cunningham

 

[Boston Celtics]

Boston Celtics Daily Links 2/27/25

Tim Hardaway, Jr vs Celtics 2/26/25 | Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images

All the Celtics news you need in one convenient place.

Herald Celtics’ winning streak ends with blowout loss to red-hot Pistons​

Kristaps Porzingis admits he had ‘terrible’ game in Celtics’ loss to Pistons​

Globe Streaking Pistons rout the Celtics, 117-97​

Kristaps Porzingis took responsibility for Celtics’ loss vs. Pistons​

Two-way guard JD Davison ready whenever the Celtics need him​

Without Jaylen Brown, tired Celtics were no match for hot Pistons​

Joe Mazzulla weighs in on Malik Beasley’s performance for Pistons​

Celtics Green Comments from the Other Side - Pistons 2/26/25 ​

CelticsBlog Maine Celtics notebook: Drew Peterson caps a thriller ​

Must Cs: Jayson Tatum puts Cade Cunningham on skates ​

Boston Celtics worn down by red-hot Detroit Pistons, lose 117-97 ​

Porzingis after loss to Pistons: ‘we have to hunt again’​

The Boston Celtics’ three-point shooting is the great equalizer — for better and worse ​

10 takeaways from the Celtics’ battle with the Pistons’ physicality​

CLNS Media Celtics Depth Can’t Overcome Pistons Breakthrough with Jaylen Brown Out ​

Celtics .com Keys to the Game: Pistons 117, Celtics 97​

Celtics Log Record-Breaking Shooting Quarter in Detroit ​

NBC Sports Boston Celtics-Pistons recap: Detroit dominates, snaps C’s win streak ​

NESN Three Studs, Three Duds From Celtics Win Streak Ending To Sneaky Pistons​

How Joe Mazzulla Reacted To Pistons Guard Taunting Celtics Bench​

Kristaps Porzingis Offers Harsh Criticism Following ‘Terrible’ Loss​

The Athletic Five key Celtics trends, including Jaylen Brown’s 3-point shooting and big frontcourts ​

NBA Awards Watch: Evan Mobley leads for Defensive Player of the Year with Wemby out​

Mass Live 4 takeaways as Boston Celtics lose to Detroit Pistons in stunning rout ​

Jaylen Brown injury: Boston Celtics coach has update after Pistons loss ​

Boston Celtics star makes blunt admission after disappointing Pistons loss ​

Joe Mazzulla responds to Pistons showboating amid ugly Celtics loss​

Boston Celtics main rival explains mindset ahead of potential playoff preview​

Celtics Wire Celtics jersey history No. 12 - Von Wafer (2010-11)​

How Jaylen Brown became the Celtics captain​

5 reasons why the Celtics are the favorites to win the 2025 NBA title​

Where does Jayson Tatum see himself among Celtics icons at retirement?​

Celtics history: Marbury signed; Cousy’s 28 assists in 173-point game​

The Celtics need to start getting ready for the 2025 NBA Playoffs​

Star forward Jayson Tatum and the Celtics remain NBA title favorites​

Can Celtics star Jayson Tatum actually catch Boston legend Larry Bird?​

Boston Sports Journal BSJ Game Report: Pistons 117, Celtics 97 - Pistons swarm Celtics with tough defense​

Detroit had a point to prove, showing the Celtics off nights can be costly for defending champs​

Hardwood Houdini Joe Mazzulla shared thoughts on Malik Beasley dancing on Celtics​

Chowder and Champions Joe Mazzulla Provides Big Jaylen Brown Injury News After Pistons Loss​

CLNS Media/YouTube What Celtics Need to Do to Be READY for Playoffs w/ Jack Simone | Celtics Lab ​

Joe Mazzulla Reacts to Malik Beasley Celebrations | Celtics vs Pistons Post Game ​

SI .com Boston Celtics Need More From Former Bruin​

Celtics X-Factor That Could Propel Them Ahead of Cavaliers​

Celtics’ Derrick White Hits Bizarre Alley-Oop Three-Pointer As Shot Clock Expires​

YouTube Maine Celtics aim for 10th win in 11 games ​

Fadeaway World Bill Simmons Explains How Jayson Tatum Is Like John Havlicek; Bad News For Celtics Star​

The Sports Rush Jaylen Brown’s Media-Day Statement About Pistons Resurfaces After Celtics Lose 117–97​

Heavy Detroit Pistons Humble Boston Celtics- Posting Longest Winning Streak in 17 Years​

Essentially Sports Kristaps Porzingis Admits Major Fault in Pistons Loss as Joe Mazzulla’s One Confession Brings Worry for Celtics Fans​

Recovering From Unknown Illness, Kristaps Porzingis Takes The Fall As Celtics Surrender To Pistons in 42 Minutes​

Boston Celtics HC Makes Concerning Jaylen Brown Announcement After 20-Point Loss vs Pistons ​

Audacy Takeaways: Celtics have 6-game win streak snapped by Pistons​

Motorcycle Sports The underestimated king of the court, Jayson Tatum, battles the siege of unjust criticism over his supermax contract in the NBA royal court​

Basketball Network Shannon Sharpe thinks LeBron is more disrespected than Tatum ​

Times of India Jayson Tatum ‘The Anomaly’: Decoding Boston Celtics star’s nickname ​

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/2/27/24374381/boston-celtics-daily-links-2-27-25

 

[Boston Celtics]

Upcoming homestand is the Celtics’ ‘final exam’ for the regular season

Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Already??

It’s “finals” time for the Boston Celtics.

No, not those Finals — not yet anyway.

The upcoming seven-game homestand for the Celtics might as well be their final exam for the regular season. It’s hard to believe we’ve already reached the home stretch of the 2024-25 campaign, but we’re here.

Over the next 12 days or so, the Cs will face their last real tests of the year — before the playoffs, that is.

Like all exams, there will be different sections. Of course, there will be the easier multiple-choice portion.

This will consist of games against lower-tier opponents like the Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Utah Jazz. These are all games that Boston SHOULD win, but you can’t be too sure with the inconsistencies that they’ve shown at home this season.

After a league-best home record of 37-4 last year, the Cs are currently 18-10 at TD Garden. While that may not seem too outrageous, it’s felt much worse as of late. Over their last 14 on the parquet, the Celtics have won as many as they’ve lost.

What’s been even more frustrating is that they’ve fallen flat against teams that they were heavily favored against. Losses to the Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, and Atlanta Hawks all left fans disappointed as they left North Station.

This recent standard just isn’t good enough for a team of this caliber. Sure, they’ve been exceptional on the road at 24-7, but there’s a reason why home court advantage is given to higher seeds in the playoffs.

It’s supposed to mean something.

Unfortunately, that hasn’t really been the case for Boston over the past few postseasons. Since Brad Stevens moved into the front office in the summer of 2021, they’ve won 20 of 34 possible playoff games at TD Garden.

They did, however, manage to build off of their incredible regular season last spring, when they won nine of 11 at TD Garden en route to Banner 18.

It would nice to see them re-establish that same level of dominance at home over the next few weeks.

For what it’s worth, the Celtics have shown up for higher level marquee home games this season. They’ve gone a combined 8-1 against other Eastern Conference playoff teams (the top-6, now that we’ve got the Play-In Tournament).

They’ll have a chance to protect the parquet in matchups against other contenders like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Oklahoma City Thunder headlining the homestand.

We’ve now reached the essay section of the final exam. In order for Boston to succeed, they’ll have to come prepared. All four of these squads have been playing unbelievable ball as of late — even the Lakers, unfortunately. Over their last 10 games, each of these teams has won at least eight games.

Boston is catching them all at their best, that’s for sure.

A win in Friday’s game against the Cavs would clinch the regular-season series for Boston. So far, the Cs have won two out of three against the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed and have played them as well as anyone.

It ultimately doesn’t mean anything, but clinching the season series would give the Celtics a nice edge over Cleveland heading into a potential playoff series — maybe not enough for a tiebreaker at the top of the East, but at least a mental one.

Denver is the only team of the bunch that hasn’t beaten the reigning champs this season. Granted, they were without three-time MVP Nikola Jokic for the matchup in the Mile-High City.

The Celtics haven’t beaten the Nuggets in a game where Jokic has played since late 2022. With there being a fair possibility that Denver comes out of the West, it would be nice to see Boston win one against the Joker.

Speaking of winning one, it felt like the Cs would be doing just that in OKC back in January against the Thunder. Joe Mazzulla’s team put together what may still be their most impressive half of the season only to go ice cold in the second half. The Thunder took full advantage of a season-worst 24 minutes from Boston and pulled away.

The rematch on March 12 is undoubtedly going to have a ton of hype heading into it, and deservedly so. These two teams are both the favorites to win their respective conferences and will be hoping to see each other in June.

By the way, if you want to talk about hype, look no further than Luka Doncic’s first visit to North Station as a member of the Lakers (and also his first since being dominated in the Finals last June). Anytime we get to see Celtics-Lakers, it’s going to be a big deal, even if the two teams aren’t contenders. With both of them being in the mix this year, the energy in the building should be incredible.

I don’t know what my expectations should be for this. With Boston’s roster being what it is, I naively think they should be able to win every game they play. Is that realistic during this homestand?

Probably not, but whatever, 7-0 or bust.

We ride.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/2/...ity-thunder-los-angeles-lakers-denver-nuggets

 

[Boston Celtics]

Cleveland Cavaliers (48-10) at Boston Celtics (42-17) Game #60 2/28/25

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

The Celtics host the Cleveland Cavaliers in what could be a preview of the Eastern Conference Finals.

The top two teams in the East clash as the Cleveland Cavaliers visit the Boston Celtics. This is the 4th, and final, meeting between these two teams this season. The Celtics won the first game 120-117 in Boston on November 19. The Cavaliers won the second game 115-111 on December 1 in Cleveland. The Celtics won the third game between them 112-105 in Cleveland on February 4.

The Celtics won the series 2-1 last season. They won both of the games in Boston and won the lone game played in Cleveland. The Celtics are 141-88 overall all time against the Cavaliers. They are 86-27 in games played in Boston. This is an important game for the Celtics. If they win, they once again cut the Cavs lead to 5.5 games and they would win the tie breaker between them. If they lose, they drop to 7.5 games back and also lose the tie breaker between them.

These two teams have much in common with how they handled the offseason. Both teams mostly stood pat without making any major trades or free agent signings. The Cavs did make a big move when they fired JB Bickerstaff and hired Kenny Atkinson as their coach and they drafted Jaylon Tyson. They also signed JT Thor to a 2 Way contract. At the trade deadline, they traded Caris LeVert to Atlanta for De’Andre Hunter and signed former Celtic Javonte Green after he was bought out by New Orleans.

The Celtics are 2nd in the East, and are 6.5 games behind the first place Cavaliers who have won their last 8 games. They are 3.5 games ahead of 3rd place New York and 8 games ahead of 4th place Indiana. The Celtics are 18-10 at home and 8-2 in their last 10 games. They are 31-10 against Eastern Conference opponents. They had won 6 straight games before a loss to the Pistons in their last game.

The Cavaliers are first in the Eastern Conference. They are 6.5 games ahead of 2nd place Boston, 10 games ahead of 3rd place New York, and 14.5 games ahead of 4th place Indiana. They are 21-6 on the road and 9-1 in their last 10 games. They are 32-7 against Eastern Conference opponents and have won their last 8 games.

After a 10 point win on Tuesday night at Toronto and a 20 point loss in Detroit on Wednesday, the Celtics are beginning a 7 game home stand. After this game against Cleveland, the Celtics will host Denver, Portland, Philadelphia, LA Lakers, Utah, and Oklahoma City. After the 7 home games they will play 8 of the next 9 games on the road, including another trip out West.

The Cavaliers are playing in their second straight road game, having won in Orlando on Tuesday and had 2 days off before this game. They will play at home against Portland before a game at Chicago. They then play at home against Miami, at Charlotte and at Milwaukee, home vs Brooklyn, at Memphis, and at home vs Orlando. They then have a 5 game Western road trip through the LA Clippers, Sacramento, Phoenix, Utah and Portland.

After missing Wednesday’s game with a thigh contusion, Jaylen Brown is once again questionable for this game. He participated in shoot around so there is hope that he will play in this game. Luke Kornet is questionable for the third straight game due to personal reasons. Jrue Holiday has been ruled out for this game due to a finger injury.

Kristaps Porzingis is a late addition to the injury list with a non-covid illness. He missed the Raptors game with the illness but was able to play against the Pistons, but he struggled in that game and once again he will be a game time decision for this game. I’m guessing that White will start at the point and that Sam Hauser will start in place of Holiday. I’m hoping that Porzingis can play but if not, it’s possible that Horford will start for him. For Cleveland, no one is out as of this time.

Probable Celtics Starters

Celtics Reserves
Payton Pritchard
Torrey Craig
Xavier Tillman, Sr
Jordan Walsh
Baylor Scheierman
Neemias Queta
Al Horford

2 Way Players
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Anton Watson

Injuries/Out
Jrue Holiday (finger) out
Jaylen Brown (thigh) questionable
Luke Kornet (personal) questionable
Kristaps Porzingis (illness) questionable

Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla

Probable Cavaliers Starters

Cavaliers Reserves
Javonte Green
De’Andre Hunter
Ty Jerome
Sam Merrill
Isaac Okoro
Craig Porter, Jr
Tristan Thompson
Nae’Qwan Tomlin
Jaylon Tyson
Dean Wade

2 Way Players
Emoni Bates
JT Thor
Luke Travers

Injuries/Out
None Listed

Head Coach
Kenny Atkinson

Key Matchups

Derrick White vs Donovan Mitchell
Mitchell is averaging 24 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He is shooting 45.5% from the field and 39.5% from beyond the arc. This season against the Celtics, Mitchell averaged 33.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4 assists 1.3 steals while shooting 49.3% from the field and 36.1% from beyond the arc. Slowing Mitchell down will be key to getting a win for the Celtics.

Jrue Holiday vs Darius Garland
Garland and Donovan have formed a very good backcourt for the Cavs. Garland is averaging 21.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He is shooting 49.3% from the field and 42.5% from beyond the arc. In the first 3 games against the Celtics he averaged 18.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 6 assists while shooting 30.2% from the field and 35% from beyond the arc. As with Mitchell, slowing Garland down is key to winning this game.

Honorable Mention
Jayson Tatum vs Evan Mobley
Mobley is averaging 18.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game. He is shooting 57.1% from the field and 36.7% from beyond the arc. Against Boston this season, he averaged 12.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 4 assists and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 37.5% from the field and 11.1% from beyond the arc. The Celtics need to try to keep him out of the paint and off the boards.

Keys to the Game
Defense - Defense is always the key to winning games. The Cavaliers are a good defensive team with a 110.9 defensive rating, which is 7th in the league. The Celtics have a defensive rating of 109.6, which is 5th in the league. Last season, the Celtics were 1st and the Cavaliers were 11th with basically the same rosters. The Celtics must make defense a priority and they have to play that tough defense for 48 minutes and not let up. The Celtics must especially defend the Cavs on the perimeter as they are tops in the league, shooting 39.1% as a team on threes. But they can’t ignore defense around the basket either, because the Cavs are 8th with 51.3 points in the paint per game. The Cavs are going to play tough defense and so the Celtics will need to match or exceed their defensive intensity.

Rebound - Next to defense, rebounding is the biggest key to winning. Much of rebounding is effort and desire and when the Celtics put out the extra effort on the boards, it usually carries through to the rest of their game. Against the Pistons, the Celtics were out-rebounded 51-32 and that can’t happen if they want to win games. The Celtics are averaging 45.3 rebounds per game (9th) while the Cavs are averaging 45.2 rebounds per game (10th). Rebounding is important to winning. The Celtics must work harder to grab rebounds and to box out the Cavaliers on the boards.

Effort and Focus for 48 Minutes - The Celtics need to stay focused for 48 minutes. They have to play with extra effort. The Cavs play hard and so the Celtics need to match that effort and play even harder. The team that plays harder and is more aggressive is usually the team that comes out on top and that also gets the better whistle. The Celtics allowed the Pistons to play harder than them on Wednesday and they have to do better in this one. The Celtics also have to stay focused. They have to focus on taking good shots and making them and on playing as a team and making the right play every time. They also have to keep that effort and focus up for 48 minutes with no let up and no collapse. The Celtics effort and focus was missing against the Pistons and if they hope to win this game, they have to give maximum effort and stay focused for 48 minutes.

Move the Ball Carefully - The Celtics need to move the ball in order to find the best shot on each possession. When the ball sticks and players try to do too much, the Celtics struggle. They are at their best when they pass the ball and keep it moving. But they have to make careful passes and not get sloppy because the Cavs average 19.4 points off turnovers per game (4th). Against the Pistons, they Celtics turned the ball over 17 times and that shows a lack of focus. The Celtics have to move the ball carefully and they can’t get caught up in playing hero ball

X-Factors
Playing at Home - The Celtics are playing at home where they have admitted that they need to play better. They have already lost 10 games at home where they lost just 4 all last season. They need to lock in and focus on defending their home court. They need to gain motivation from the crowd and from playing on their familiar court. The Cavs are playing on the road and so will have distractions of travel, a hostile crowd and an unfamiliar court. The Cavs are a good road team and so it won’t be easy but the Celtics have the advantage if they stay focused and play hard.

Injuries - The Cavaliers appear to be at full strength for this game. The Celtics, on the other hand have 3 players questionable for this game. It goes without saying that the Celtics will have a tougher time if Jaylen Brown and/or Jrue Holiday can’t play. They will also miss Luke Kornet if he is out once again, because the Cavs have a good center rotation.

Officiating - Officiating is always an x-factor. Every crew calls the game a little differently with some calling it tight and others letting them play. The Celtics can’t let bad calls and no calls affect their focus on the game. They have to adjust to how the game is being called and focus on the game and not on the officials.

And make sure to check out CelticsBlog’s Playback stream for a live conversation about the game. To participate, just create a free account, connect your LP sub if you have it, and join our community.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/2/...48-10-at-boston-celtics-42-17-game-60-2-28-25

 

[Boston Celtics]

Donovan Mitchell has officially become an elite Celtic killer

Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell drives to the basket against the Boston Celtics | Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

He’s actually the best at it.

Excitement quickly turned into disappointment at TD Garden on Friday night. The Boston Celtics saw an early 22-point lead evaporate as they fell to the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second time this season.

Of course, this game had a ton of buzz heading into it, and rightfully so. It was the final regular-season matchup of the year for the Eastern Conference’s top two seeds, and the stars played like it.

Boston got monster performances from Jayson Tatum (46 points) and Jaylen Brown (37 points), while the Cavs rode Donovan Mitchell’s seemingly eternal hot hand to victory. Mitchell finished the night with 41 points and sank big shots any time he had the opportunity.

He scored 26 in the second half alone, serving as the driving force for his team’s statement win on the parquet — just like he did in Cleveland’s win at home against the Cs earlier this season. The All-Star guard did it all. He drilled momentum-swinging threes, hit several right-handed floaters in traffic, and even threw down a loud dunk in the fourth.

“Tonight he tried to find the matchups that he wanted and things like that to get himself in a good spot,” said Brown postgame.

To be honest with you, I don’t think a single person watching this game was shocked to see Mitchell do this. It’s become the norm against Boston at this point.

He is a certified Celtic Killer. We’re not talking about the Ish Smith-level of Celtic killer where you’re just annoyed that the eighth guy off the bench managed to score 1.

No.

Mitchell is one of the greats.

The man has the highest career scoring average against Boston EVER. His 30.8 points per game is slightly better than Michael Jordan’s 30.7. Anytime you’re topping MJ, you’re doing something pretty incredible.

Since joining the Cavaliers in the summer of 2022, he’s been unbelievable. He’s faced the Cs ten times in the regular season, has scored more than 40 points on four different occasions, and has had 30 or more eight times. Mitchell’s worst game during this span was a 25-point outing in November of 2022.

If Cleveland is playing Boston, Mitchell will be there no matter what.

His overwhelming presence is going to make a potential playoff matchup between these two teams all the more interesting.

“If we potentially see them down the line, we’ll have some good information,” Brown added.

Good information or not, it’s going to be a challenge to slow Mitchell down over the course of seven games.

The playoffs, after all, are where true Celtic Killers write their legacy. Guys like LeBron James, Khris Middleton, and Jimmy Butler have had incredible showings vs. Boston in the spring.

Mitchell was good last year in the second round with 31.7 points per game on 51.5/53.3 shooting splits, but wound up getting injured before Boston won the series in five games. Even in the three matchups he played in, the Cavs only managed to take one.

I suppose we’ll all just have to wait a few months to see if he’s able to do enough to get his squad past the reigning champs. In the meantime, it’s only fair to respect him as one of this franchise’s great foes.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/3/...scoring-utah-jazz-lebron-james-michael-jordan

 

[Boston Celtics]

Boston Celtics Daily Links 3/1/25

Xavier Tillman vs Pistons 2/26/25 | Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images

All the Celtics news you need in one convenient place.

Herald Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown can’t carry Celtics past Cavs in 123-116 loss​

Jaylen Brown took issue with Cavs ‘flop,’ foul call that ‘changed the game’ in Celtics loss​

Globe Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers outlast Celtics: takeaways​

Kenny Atkinson praises Jayson Tatum’s 46 points vs. Cavs​

What the East-leading Cavaliers are saying after ‘measuring stick’ win over Celtics​

Jaylen Brown says Garland flop changed the game against Cavs​

Which teams are capable of denying these Celtics a title repeat?​

Loss shows Celtics’ depth is a concern, but there’s time to address it​

Celtics topple in marquee matchup as Cavaliers all but secure No. 1 seed​

Becoming face of the NBA after LeBron will be a tough job, but somebody has to do it, right?​

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are the best duo in the NBA, and Celtics’ loss to Cavaliers proved it​

Celtics’ Jaylen Brown said he should have done more against Cavaliers’ defensive approach, and other thoughts​

Celtics Green Comments from the Other Side - Cavaliers 2/28/25​

CelticsBlog Despite Jays’ masterclass, Cavs mount big comeback to win 123-116 over Celtics ​

Donovan Mitchell has officially become an elite Celtic killer​

Celtics bench disappears in showdown with Cavaliers ​

10 takeaways from the Celtics’ collapse against the Cavaliers ​

CLNS Media Celtics-Cavaliers Takeaways: Thrilling Matchup Resembles Likely East Finals ​

Celtics .com Keys to the Game: Cavaliers 123, Celtics 116 ​

Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum Log Largest Tandem Scoring Effort vs. Cavs ​

NBC Sports Boston Celtics-Cavaliers recap: Cleveland’s comeback spoils Jayson Tatum’s historic night ​

NESN Four Studs, Two Duds As Steamrolling Start Can’t Save Celtics Vs. Cavaliers​

How Cavaliers Exposed Celtics Flaw That Requires Fix Before Playoffs​

Jaylen Brown Doubles-Down Vs. Game-Changing Call In Brutal Celtics’ Loss​

Hardwood Houdini The steady deonstruction that helped the Cavs stun the Celtics​

Mass Live 4 takeaways as Boston Celtics stunned by Cavs after blowing big lead ​

Jaylen Brown injury: Boston Celtics star reveals outlook after Cavs loss​

Cavaliers star explains crucial lessons from Boston Celtics rivalry ​

Cavs savvy tweak exposes Celtics key vulnerability in comeback win​

Celtics star takes issue with game changing call in Cavs comeback win ​

The Athletic Cavaliers rally from 22 down to beat Celtics, Cleveland’s largest comeback in 11 years ​

Celtics brush off Cavs’ stunning comeback, prepare for potential playoff meeting ​

How Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley keyed Cavaliers’ massive comeback against Celtics​

Boston Sports Journal BSJ Game Report: Cavs 123, Celtics 116 - Tatum & Brown combine for 83, but Mitchell buries Boston again​

This was their last regular season game, but the Celtics and Cavs look destined to see each other again​

Celtics Wire Celtics history: Pitino rant; Babb debut; Scolari born; Richter dies​

Cavs top Celtics 123-116 despite 83 points from Tatum and Brown​

Joe Mazzulla addresses second-half collapse in loss to Cavaliers​

Al Horford on Celtics loss: There’s a tendency to relax when leading​

The Celtics defense is incredible (and Jrue Holiday leads it)​

Celtics jersey history No. 12 - Chris Johnson (2014)​

CLNS Media/YouTube Al Horford Says Celtics RELAXED When They Had Big Lead | Celtics vs Cavs Postgame 2-28 ​

Joe Mazzulla: When You Lose Like That, EVERYBODY Has to Be Better | Celtics vs Cavs Postgame 2-28 ​

Jaylen Brown on Next Cavs Matchup: “We’ll be ready.” | Celtics Cavs Postgame 2-28 ​

Jayson Tatum on Losing 22 Point Lead to Cavs | Celtics Postgame Interview 2-28 ​

SB Nation Jayson Tatum’s corny proclamation came back to bite him against the Cavs ​

SI .com Donovan Mitchell Shares Lesson Cavaliers Learned In Win vs. Celtics​

Boston Celtics Coach Joe Mazzulla Makes Honest Comment After Cavs Loss​

Cavaliers Coach Gets Candid About Win Over Boston Celtics​

Jayson Tatum Made NBA History In Cavs-Celtics Game​

Chowder and Champions Joe Mazzulla Defends Questionable Late-Game Decision Following Collapse vs. Cavaliers​

Soap Central Jayson Tatum: Online memes erupt as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown get humbled after their loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers​

Essentially Sports Jayson Tatum Issues Strong Position on Donovan Mitchell’s Cavs as Jaylen Brown Drops Major Injury Update​

Jaylen Brown Sends Cold Warning to Cavs as Joe Mazzulla Issues Clear Directive to Celtics Locker Room​

Larry Brown Sports Celtics fans all had the same complaint after meltdown loss to Cavaliers​

Athlon Sports NBA Makes Historic Jayson Tatum Announcement During Celtics-Cavaliers ​

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/3/1/24375764/boston-celtics-daily-links-3-1-25

 

[Boston Celtics]

Denver Nuggets (39-21) at Boston Celtics (42-18 ) Game #61 3/2/25

Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images

The Celtics continue their home stand with a visit from the Denver Nuggets.

The Celtics host the Denver Nuggets for the 2nd and final game between them this season. The Celtics won the first game 118-106 in Denver on January 7. The Nuggets won both games between them last season. The Celtics are 61-40 overall, all time against the Nuggets and they are 40-10 in games played in Boston.

In the off-season, the Nuggets lost their starting two guard, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Orlando Magic in free agency. They also lost Reggie Jackson and Justin Holiday. They have added a couple of very key players in Russell Westbrook and Dario Saric along with DaRon Holmes II. Holmes was lost for the season with a torn Achilles. The Nuggets stood pat at the trade deadline, while the Celtics swapped Jaden Springer for Torrey Craig.

The Celtics are 2nd in the East, and are 7.5 games behind the first place Cavaliers who have won their last 9 games, including a win over Boston on Friday. They are 2.5 games ahead of 3rd place New York and 8 games ahead of 4th place Milwaukee. The Celtics are 18-11 at home and 7-3 in their last 10 games. They are 11-7 against Western Conference opponents. They have lost their last 2 games.

The Nuggets are 2nd in the West, 9.5 games behind 1st place Oklahoma City. They are just half a game ahead of 3rd place Memphis, 1 game ahead of the 4th place Lakers and 1.5 games ahead of 5th place Houston. They are 19-12 on the road and 8-2 in their last 10 games. They are 17-8 against Eastern Conference opponents and are coming off a win in their last game.

The Celtics are playing in the 2nd game of a 7 game home stand. They lost the first game to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. After this game against Denver, the Celtics will host Portland, Philadelphia, LA Lakers, Utah, and Oklahoma City. After the 7 home games they will play 8 of the next 9 games on the road, including another trip out West.

This is the final game of a 4 game road trip for the Nuggets. They are 2-1 so far on the trip, beating Indiana and Detroit and losing to Milwaukee. After this game in Boston, they will play at home against Sacramento and Phoenix before playing 2 games back to back at Oklahoma City. They will then play at home against Minnesota, Los Angeles Lakers, and Washington before another 4 game road trip through the Warriors, Lakers, Trail Blazers,. and Rockets.

Jrue Holiday is doubtful due to a finger injury. Kristaps Porzingis is also doubtful with an illness. Both missed the Cleveland game as well. Jaylen Brown is once again questionable for this game. He missed the Pistons game with a thigh contusion but played against Cleveland. I’m going to guess he will play in this one since both Porzingis and Holiday are doubtful.

For the Nuggets. Aaron Gordon is questionable with an ankle injury. Zeke Nnaji started the last game in his place but he is also questionable for this game with a sprained ankle. If neither can play, Julian Strawther may get the start. PJ Hall is questionable with a concussion. Vlatko Cancar (knee), DaRon Holmes II (Achilles) and Payton Watson (knee) are all out.

Probable Celtics Starters

Celtics Reserves
Luke Kornet
Payton Pritchard
Neemias Queta
Baylor Scheierman
Torrey Craig
Xavier Tillman, Sr
Jordan Walsh

2 Way Players
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Anton Watson

Injuries/Out
Kristaps Porzingis (illness) doubtful
Jrue Holiday (finger) doubtful
Jaylen Brown (knee) questionable

Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla

Nuggets Reserves
DeAndre Jordan
Jalen Pickett
Dario Saric
Julian Strawther
Hunter Tyson
Russell Westbrook

2 Way Players
Trey Alexander
PJ Hall
Spencer Jones

Out/Injuries
DaRon Holmes II (Achilles) out
Vlatko Cancar (knee) out
Payton Watson (knee) out
Aaron Gordon (ankle) questionable
PJ Hall (concussion) questionable
Zeke Nnaji (ankle) questionable

Head Coach
Michael Malone

Key Matchups

Al Horford vs Nikola Jokic
Jokic is has won 3 MVP’s and is in the conversation for MVP every season for a reason. He is averaging 29.1 points, 12.7 rebounds, 10.5 assists and 1.8 steals per game. He is shooting 57.7% from the field and 44% from beyond the arc. Over his career, against the Celtics, he averaged 22.8 points, 10.5 rebounds 6.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He did not play in the first game in Denver. He is a handful and the Celtics need to try to slow him down by any means necessary.

Derrick White vs Jamal Murray
Murray is averaging 21.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He is shooting 47.4% from the field and 40.4% from beyond the arc. In the first game against the Celtics, Murray finished with 19 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. The Celtics will need to defend Murray very well both on 3’s and in the paint as he can put up points in a hurry.

Honorable Mention
Sam Hauser vs Michael Porter, Jr
Porter is averaging 18.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. He is shooting 51.1% from the field and 41.2% from beyond the arc. In the first game against the Celtics he finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists while shooting 38.5% from the field and 28.6% from beyond the arc. Porter is a very good 3 point shooter and so they have to stay with him on the perimeter but he can also score in the paint so the Celtics need to be ready for him to drive as well.

Keys to the Game
Defense - Defense is the key to winning every game. The Celtics are 5th with a defensive rating of 110.0. The Nuggets have a defensive rating of 113.9, which is 15th. The Celtics average 116.9 points per game (6th), while the Nuggets average 121.3 points per game (3rd). The Nuggets are 1st in the league with 59.5 points in the paint per game and so the Celtics must especially defend the paint and keep the Nuggets away from the rim. The Nuggets are 3rd, shooting 38.1% from beyond the arc and so the Celtics also have to defend them on the perimeter.

Rebound - Rebounding is another key to winning every game. The Celtics are 11th in the league, averaging 44.9 rebounds per game. The Nuggets are 4th in the league with 45.9 rebounds per game. Rebounding takes effort and the Celtics have to work harder to grab rebounds to limit the Nuggets second chance points and fast breaks since the Nuggets are first with 20.1 fast break points per game.

Effort and Energy for 48 Minutes - The Celtics must be the more aggressive team. They have to fight for loose balls, defend aggressively, be aggressive in driving to the basket, and just play harder than the Nuggets for the entire game. They can’t play hard for one half and let up in the second half like they did against the Cavaliers. They have to be the team that wants it more and play like it. They especially have to begin the game with energy and not allow the Nuggets to race out to a big lead and they can’t let up throughout the game. They especially have to come out strong in the 3rd quarter and play hard until the final buzzer.

Move the Ball Carefully - The Celtics need to keep moving the ball to find the open man and make it much harder to guard them. However, they have to be careful with their passes and not turn the ball over as the Nuggets average 17.4 points per game off turnovers. The Celtics also need to be careful when they dribble the ball and not drive into a crowd and turn the ball over. The Celtics are usually very good at taking care of the ball but they turned the ball over 17 times against the Pistons. The Nuggets average 31.3 assists per game, 1st in the league. The Celtics are 17th with 25.8 assists per game. The Celtics play much better when they have more assists.

X-Factors
Home Game - The Celtics are once again home and they should get a boost from the home crowd. This is their second straight home game so they have the benefit of not having to travel also. The Nuggets are playing in the final game of a 4 game road trip and may be getting road weary and the final game of a road trip is always a tough one. They also have the distactions of travel, staying in hotels, and playing in front of a hostile crowd. And, they are playing without the help of their mile high atmosphere.

Officiating - I know that I say this every game, but the officiating can always be an x-factor. Every crew calls the game differently whether they call every little ticky tack foul or they let a lot of contact go and let the teams play. We have already seen games where the officiating made a difference in the outcome, both good and bad. Jaylen Brown was adamant that a call on a Cavs flop made the difference in the last game. The Celtics have got to adjust to the way the game is being called and not let the calls affect their focus or their play.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/3/...-39-21-at-boston-celtics-42-18-game-61-3-2-25