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[Boston Celtics]

10 Takeaways from the Celtics storming back against the Pacers

1. Starters lump of coal turned to diamonds​

At the 9:22 mark and the Celtics down 20, Mazzulla pulled all of the starters off the floor out of a timeout, seemingly sending a message due to the lack of effort. The bench unit of Anfernee Simons-Hugo Gonzalez-Sam Hauser-Baylor Scheierman-Luka Garza would come in and immediately make an impact. They rattled off a 10-2 run off the jump and cut the Pacers lead to 8 by the end of the quarter after Brown and White checked back into the game at the 1:15 mark. Boston then outscored Indiana 29-13 in the fourth quarter to seal the comeback victory.

When asked about it postgame, Joe Mazzulla talked about the benching and praised both the starters and the bench guys. “It’s a credit to [the starters] of having an understanding that anybody can impact winning at any time,” he said. “Like these [bench] guys can help us win, these guys can help us win, we need them and they need us. And you take care of the guy next to you. I think it’s just a level of empowerment amongst the guys on the team.”

Joe Mazzulla credits Jaylen Brown, Payton Pritchard and Derrick White on how they dealt with "benching" tonight:

"It's a credit to them of having an understanding that anybody can impact winning at any time.

"Like these [bench] guys can help us win, these guys can help us… pic.twitter.com/yziUO8QSby

— Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) December 23, 2025

Jaylen Brown was asked his thoughts on the benching postgame and echoed an approving sentiment towards Mazzulla’s decision. He said, “To be honest, I was pissed. I was ready to play. I felt like we were mailing it in. It was only 3 minutes in but you know we trust our coaching staff so it was the right decision … the 2nd group is the reason we won the game … it was a great call by Joe.”

Jaylen Brown reacts to Joe Mazzulla benching him and the Celtics starters in the 3rd quarter:

"To be honest I was pissed. I was ready to play. I felt felt like we were mailing it in. It was only 3 minutes in but you know we trust our coaching staff so it was the right decision… pic.twitter.com/dww5Sd9g2i

— Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) December 23, 2025

If Mazzulla didn’t bench the starters in the third quarter, I really don’t think they come back to win this game. This game as also Joe Mazzulla’s 200th win of his NBA coaching career and it came in maybe his best game.

2. Brown guided the sleigh​

Much like Rudolph on that foggy Christmas Eve, Jaylen Brown led the way for the Celtics victory in the fourth quarter. Brown scored 14 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter alone and made some incredible plays to complete the comeback.

Brown was incredibly aggressive when it came to going downhill and attacking the Pacers defense to start the quarter. His first basket of the came on a layup driving on Andrew Nembhard, the second came on a layup attacking Jay Huff, and the third came on this drive of Pascal Siakam to give the Celtics their first lead of the night since early in the first quarter. Brown was stuck in the corner with the shot clock running down, so he used his shoulders to create space on Siakam and contorted his body to make this reverse layup.

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His best play of the night came on his last made shot of the game and gave Pacers fans everywhere PTSD from Game 1 of the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals. With 4.9 seconds on the shot clock, Derrick White inbounded the ball to Brown in the corner. Brown caught it and immediately hoisted a fadeaway jumper over Nembhard who was right on top of him in an almost exact recreation from his three from the 2024 playoffs.

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This game was the 7th game in a row Brown has scored over 30 points in a game and the MVP chants he received at the free throw line tonight should tell you how much the Celtics faithful is loving it. No matter what challenge Brown has been thrown in to this year, he has navigated it to almost perfection. He is becoming a special player and needs to win Eastern Conference Player of the Month for December.

Jaylen Brown's past month:

12/22 vs IND – 31 PTS
12/19 vs MIA – 30 PTS
12/15 vs DET – 34 PTS
12/11 @ MIL – 30 PTS
12/7 @ TOR – 30 PTS
12/5 vs LAL – 30 PTS
12/2 vs NYK – 42 PTS
11/30 @ CLE – 19 PTS (triple-double)
11/29 @ MIN – 41 PTS
11/26 vs DET – 33 PTS
11/23 vs ORL – 35 PTS pic.twitter.com/fD9WQvEZ6e

— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) December 23, 2025

3. Feliz Navidad, Hugo!​

I love Hugo Gonzalez. I could end my thoughts with that right there and I think it will get the point across. Gonzalez had another incredible game. He played a career high 37 minutes and it felt like he didn’t play enough. Hugo was the main catalyst behind the Celtics third quarter comeback and was the definition of a spark plug off of the bench.

Before I talk about his second half performance, I wanted to highlight this play in the second quarter. Derrick White blocked the shot on defense and passed it ahead to Gonzalez. Hugo then proceeded to got to another level of speed and blow by everyone for an easy layup.

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Gonzalez showed more of his offensive bag with this play in the third quarter where he, in stride, caught the ball, drove to the basket, and hit Pascal Siakam with a mean Eurostep.

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On the defensive end, he became a pest, giving of shades of Marcus Smart. After a made basket, Gonzalez was pressing against Andrew Nembhard. Nembhard proceeded to elbow Gonzalez in the throat out of frustration and with a little bit of embellishment, the Celtics got the ball back and Nembhard got a technical foul for arguing it. I love this play from Hugo because it shows that he is going to do everything in his power to win.

We got Spanish Marcus Smart let’s gooo pic.twitter.com/plZMNQ6Mim

— Pull up shoot (@NElGHT_) December 23, 2025

Its hard not to be insanely impressed with the way Gonzalez has been playing. He has shown some elite defensive instincts that most rookies just don’t have and his offense is still serviceable, shooting 53% from the field and 41% from three so far. To quote Jayson Tatum, Hugo is a bad “Bad Mother F——r!”

Jayson Tatum CRASHED Hugo Gonzalez's postgame interview

Tatum: "Yo what i tell you yesterday?"
Gonzalez: "I cant say right now."
Tatum: "You a BAD Mother F––––R"
–@CLNSMedia pic.twitter.com/qFzbJ0tc7K

— Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) December 23, 2025

4. Luka Garza’s Workshop​

After not playing in a game since December 5th, Luka Garza had a double-double in the Celtics win over the Raptors in their last matchup, putting on a clinic on the offensive boards. In this game, Garza continued to show how much of a rebounding monster he truly is. Garza had 9 rebounds in this game in total and 5 of those being offensive rebounds. Garza was single handedly keeping plays alive with his effort on the glass.

This play in the fourth quarter highlights his efforts the best. White missed a three, Garza dove after the rebound. While being boxed out by Jay Huff, he was able to tap it over to Pritchard who missed the layup, but that shouldn’t take away from Garza laying it all out on the line to give the Celtics another chance at scoring.

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5. A Derrick White Christmas​

Derrick White had a solid game in this one with 19 points and once again showed up when the Celtics needed him most in the fourth quarter. After White made a three to cut the Celtics deficit to 1 point early in the quarter, he followed it up with this nasty crossover move to get around Ethan Thompson. Then, thanks to a beautiful Gortat screen by Garza, White had a wide-open lane to dunk it home and give Boston the lead again.

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6. The Simons Express​

When the Celtics benched their starters in the third quarter, it looked like Joe Mazzulla was giving Anfernee Simons his time to shine and lead the offense. Simmons rewarded his trust by scoring 9 big points in the quarter to chip away at the Pacers lead. Simons looked very Damian Lillard-esque on this side-step three, making a beautiful move while having Jay Huff on an island.

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Mazzulla gave praise to Simons after the game, saying, “We talk about depth, we talk about guys sacrificing and all that. There’s no one that’s done that more than him.”

Joe Mazzulla went out of his way to shoutout Anfernee Simons in tonight’s press conference:

“We talk about depth, we talk about guys sacrificing and all that. There's no one that's done that more than him.”

(Q: @JackSimoneNBA) pic.twitter.com/dlTF2Amyxe

— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) December 23, 2025

7. Rockin’ Around the Rim​

Looking at the box score, it is interesting to look at the Celtics shot diet in this game. Boston only attempted 37 three pointers and absolutely dominated the points in the paint battle. Boston outscored Indiana 52-28, feasting on the Pacers weak interior defense. Behind Luka Garza’s efforts, the Celtics also dominated the boards in this game, out rebounding the Pacers 49-36.

8. Pacers Heatmiser to Snowmiser shooting​

Coming into this game, the Pacers were the worst three point shooting team in the NBA at 32%. However, by halftime Indy was shooting an insane 60% (12-20). Their entire game plan was penetrating the Celtics in the paint and kick out to a wide open shooter before Boston could close out. Thankfully for Boston, Indiana went ice cold after that hot start, shooting only 1-20 (5%) from three and 12-44 (27%) from the field in the second half.

9. Spirit of Never Giving Up​

This game showed how incredible the Celtics will to win really is. A standard of never giving up and fighting until the last second has engrained itself into every part of this organization and it is amazing to watch. You can argue it all starts with the way Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum carry themselves as superstars, but you also have to commend Joe Mazzulla and the rest of the coaching staff on getting them prepared to play in any situation on any given night.

When asked about how Mazzulla has instilled this mentality and education to into the team, Brown gave a great answer, calling it “Celtic University.” Brown said, “Where it’s like, you’re in class and you’ve got to pay attention… It’s like being in school and we’re going through breaking down the footage and trying to really expand our knowledge for the game.”

Jaylen Brown says mentality and education have been a key point of emphasis from the coaching staff. Brown and Mazzulla call it “Celtic University”

“Me and Joe call it Celtic University. Where it's like, you're in class and you’ve got to pay attention… It's like being in school… pic.twitter.com/Uf0hj7863o

— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) December 23, 2025

10. No Celtics on Christmas​

For the first time in a decade, the Boston Celtics will not play on Christmas Day. This Pacers game was their last game of the season until after the holiday passes. It’s such a weird feeling. To put into context how long it’s been since the Celtics haven’t played on Christmas, this was the roster of the team:

I’m happy for the players who will be able to spend time at home with their families, but it will definitely feel like something is missing for Celtics fans everywhere. For me, the routine has always been, open presents, eat brunch with the family, watch the Celtics at normally the 5 pm time slot, and finally end the night by watching Christmas movies and eating dinner.

Now, I’m not sure what to do to fill the void of Celtics basketball but the rest of the games should hopefully be entertaining. The only plus side of the NBA’s slate of games this year is that it is better than the NFL games that are on the schedule, which should give a point to the “Christmas is a basketball’s sport” crowd.

Even with no Celtics game, I hope everyone has a safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays!

ONE WEEK AWAY from Christmas Day!

Watch #NBAXmas action all day Thursday, 12/25 on ABC & ESPN with games beginning at 12:00pm/et! pic.twitter.com/nDkl2kxJSt

— NBA (@NBA) December 18, 2025

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/article...-win-vs-the-pacers-jaylen-brown-hugo-gonzalez

 

[Boston Celtics]

A casual fan’s guide to catching up with the Celtics at Christmas

I have a confession: I’m a casual fan.

No, not of the Celtics, silly. I think 20 years of coverage qualifies me for “die-hard” status, but that’s just me. No, I’m a casual fan of the Bruins, Red Sox, and Patriots. It has been decades since I watched a Bruins game all the way through. I actively checked out on the Red Sox and Patriots when Mookie got traded and Tom Brady moved on, but both teams are pulling me back in.

My point is that there’s no shame in being a casual fan of any team. This site tends to cater to the die-hards, for obvious reasons. However, sometimes a casual fan just needs a place to catch up and see where the team stands. For a lot of folks, that happens right around Christmas. So here’s my attempt to get everyone up to speed. (I’m sure that any number of the die-hards will correct anything I get wrong and expand upon my summary in the comments below.

What gap year?

If you don’t recall, last year’s playoffs ended with Jayson Tatum getting injured and the Celtics getting eliminated from the playoffs by the New York Knicks. Shortly thereafter, Brad Stevens shed big contracts and let some impact free agents walk, all in the name of avoiding the dreaded 2nd Apron penalties (basically rules designed to break apart teams like the previous version of the Celtics). Gone are high level contributors like Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet. So most people assumed that the Celtics would be bad for a year. Perhaps they would do a one-year reset, get a high draft pick, and try to build back up the next year. A textbook “gap year.”

(record scratch)

The thing is, the team is actually …really good. Even without Jayson Tatum.

What is this sorcery? Well, to start with, Jaylen Brown is proving to everyone that indeed he could lead a contending team on his own. Also, there’s a lot of talent left over from the title team. Plus, a lot of younger guys have stepped up (more on that later). And finally, Joe Mazzulla is proving that he’s not just the product of a super-stacked 2024 roster.

Add it all up and the Celtics are sitting in 3rd place in the East with a 18-11 record. For point of reference, they were 21-8 on Christmas last year.

When is Tatum going to return?

No one is exactly sure, but all signs point to the elusive “soon,” which is better than anyone could have hoped for in June. Like most people, I had assumed he would miss this whole season with the ruptured Achillies tendon. However, between some fortunate circumstances and the speed at which they treated the injury, he’s on pace to return much sooner. Everyone’s saying the right things about making sure he’s 110% before giving him the green-light. There are still checkpoints he has to pass, but all things seem to be progressing forward. Add in the fact that he’s a gym-rat, basketball-obsessed, workaholic and you can see how people are starting to get excited. He’s even travelled with the team and been a constant presence around the team.

If I had to guess, I would expect him back in late February or early March, but that’s pure speculation based off other people’s wild guesses. I am going to try to temper my expectations for the level of play he returns at. I expect minutes restrictions and a general lack of full speed athleticism at first. But again, guesses and speculation.

What’s going right?

As mentioned above, Jaylen Brown is a star and currently playing at “in the MVP conversation” levels. Also, Payton Pritchard has stepped up like he’s playing in Pro-Ams. And of course Derrick White is Derrick White, which is to say perfect in every way.

On top of all that is the development of the younger bench players. While the Celtics are playing their way out of a high draft pick, fans should appreciate the fact that the team is seeing tremendous strides by players born in the 2000’s.

The big question heading into the season was what the team would do at the Center position. Neemias Queta has been a revelation. The 7 footer has established himself as a legit rotation center, and perhaps even a long term starter. Then there’s the all the energetic wings. Jordan Walsh, newcomer Josh Minott, and rookie Hugo Gonzalez are all hyper-aggressive defenders that are all shooting over 40% from 3 right now (probably not sustainable, but still a great sign).

Joe Mazzulla is pushing all the right buttons, motivating with equal parts love and psychotic intensity. There’s a lot of season left, but he should be getting early consideration for Coach of the Year.

What’s going wrong?

As great as things are going, there have been some minor areas of concern. Anfernee Simons is coming off the bench and his per-36 scoring numbers are actually only down slightly from last season. However, he’s a very expensive 6th man and his defense is about as advertised (not great).

Newcomer Luka Garza has been in and out of the lineup, mostly due to his own defensive struggles (but he has shown signs lately, in particular with his rebounding). The other big man brought in this offseason was veteran Chris Boucher, and he simply hasn’t been part of the rotation (appearing in only 8 games thus far).

Lastly, it is worth noting that Sam Hauser has been shooting well below his career averages from 3 this year. Personally, I’m not concerned because I expect a hot streak or two to raise his season average before the end of the year.

Any trades coming?

I would think so. As good as Queta has been this year, the team is still very shallow at center. To the point where they have to use a lot of small-ball lineups just to get by. That has been an area of need since the offseason and the most obvious area of potential upgrade before the trade deadline in February. There’s always room to add a legit starting big man, shifting Queta into a very competent backup/rotation guy. Or a smaller deal could give Queta more depth help.

The Celtics might also want to shed a little more salary to get off some additional luxury tax penalties. Or they could pivot the other direction and add longer term salary for a useful player. They can afford to add some salary this season without exceeding the 2nd apron again – but it would have to be for the right player.

If a significant deal is made, it will likely include moving Anfernee Simons and his $27.7M salary. Brad Stevens has proven himself resourceful and creative in the past. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.

So is this team a real contender?

In short: I don’t see why not.

No team is running away with the East as of yet. The Celtics are right in the mix and at some point will get Jayson Tatum back. If they make a deal for another big man and keep shooting well, I don’t see any need to put a ceiling on this group.

There’s a lot of season left, and that’s the fun of it all. But so far, so good.

So enjoy the NFL playoffs, follow along with the baseball offseason, and catch a few more Celtics games in the coming days. I think you’ll be happy with the way things are going as well.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/article...-to-catching-up-with-the-celtics-at-christmas

 

[Boston Celtics]

Boston Celtics Daily Links 12/25/25

CelticsBlog Unwrapping a gift from each member of the Celtics

ESPN NBA Christmas Day matchups that lived up to the hype

2025-26 NBA championship odds: Thunder remain big favorites; Nuggets, Rockets, Lakers, Knicks next

CLNS Media Why Joe Mazzulla Deserves NBA Coach of the Year for Celtics’ Success

NBC Sports Boston The Celtics’ biggest holiday gift? Being ahead of schedule

NESN Proposed 3-Team Trade Lands Rim-Runner With Celtics

NBA Insider Unsure About Anfernee Simons’ Playoff Fit With Celtics

NBA Analyst Weighs In on Jayson Tatum’s Potential Return

Celtics Linked to Purdue Guard in New Mock Draft

Why Trading Anfernee Simons Isn’t Simple for the Celtics

Celtics Wire Celtics jersey history No. 50 – Ryan Hollins (2012)

Celtics players try to wrap gifts to hilarious effect

The Boston Celtics surprise superfans with gifts under a tree at TD Garden for holidays

Today in Boston Celtics history: Tommy Heinsohn scores 45 on Christmas Day

Who should be on the Celtics naught and nice lists for the holidays?

Celtics’ Derrick White celebrates holidays on new ‘White Noise’ podcast

Boston Sports Journal Karalis: Putting together my Celtics and NBA Nice and Naughty list

Fadeaway World Dangerous Trade Idea For The Boston Celtics To Acquire Ja Morant When Trade Value Is Historically Low

SI .com Brad Stevens Clearly Soured on Long-Term Investment in Jrue Holiday

Is Luka Garza’s Play Sustainable For the Boston Celtics?

Sportsnaut Rumor Points to Huge BOS Celtics Addition For NBA Finals Run

Blog de Basket Ben Simmons signs with a fishing team while waiting to return to the NBA

Bleacher Report Jayson Tatum Injury Timeline Update as Celtics Star Reportedly ‘Determined’ to Play

Clutch Points Is Jaylen Brown the best player in the NBA? ‘Nobody doing it better than me’

ABC News Miami Heat’s Terry Rozier asks judge to throw out betting charges

Locked on Celtics NAUGHTY OR NICE: Boston Celtics, Brad Stevens, and Jaylen Brown DOMINATE Early Season Surprises

Heavy Celtics’ Simons Trade Plan Takes Shape, Per NBA Insider

Fan Recap Hornets Waive Former Celtics Champion After Just 25 Games This Season

10 WBNS Indiana hosts Boston, aims to stop home losing streak

BasketNews Jayson Tatum sends strong message with Christmas Eve workout

Hot New Hip Hop Jayson Tatum Goes “Bruce Lee” On This Jordan Tatum 4

NBA .com Game Preview: Pacers vs Celtics

Hoops Habit The Celtics already have the perfect Christmas gift in mind to topple the East

Andscape Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart’s foundation is fighting cancer, empowering inner-city youth

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/boston-celtics-daily-links/127625/boston-celtics-daily-links-12-25-25

 

[Boston Celtics]

Question Marks: Three keys to Celtics rematch with Pacers

Healthy and rested after a few nights off, the Celtics and Pacers meet again. Boston traveled to Indiana for the second matchup this week with an opportunity to extend their winning streak to four straight. Monday’s 103-95 victory was a tale of two halves with the Celtics outscored 61-43 in the first half, then responding with a 60-34 second half. With several key rotation players still unavailable for the Pacers, and the Celtics looking to maintain their position in the standings, here are three big questions heading into tonight’s rematch.

Can Jaylen Brown Continue a Historic December?

Jaylen Brown has been a usage monster this season, and he’s putting together a dominant December. Through seven games, he’s averaging 32 points, seven rebounds, and five assists with 52-42-81 shooting splits. Monday marked his seventh consecutive 30-point game, putting him just two games away from Larry Bird’s Celtics record of nine.

Brown had a nine-point first quarter against the Pacers, but his best work came in the fourth as his 14 points helped them slam the door shut. There was no answer for his rim pressure as he powered through or past every defender Indiana threw at him.

Indiana simply doesn’t have the personnel to match Brown’s physicality on the wing, especially with their rotation thinned out. Andrew Nembhard and Pascal Siakam can compete, but neither offers the kind of one-on-one resistance that should slow Brown’s downhill attacks without help.

Brown is going to put points on the board, but the Pacers will look for ways to force him into tougher decision-making earlier in possessions. If they show bodies in his driving lanes and make him a passer, Boston’s supporting cast has to be ready. If Rick Carlisle can’t push the right buttons, Brown may put himself one step closer to history, cruising to another 30-point evening.

How Does the Bench Look with Jordan Walsh Back?

Monday’s comeback win forced Joe Mazzulla to get creative, and he landed on the right combinations to provide a spark and shift momentum.

Brown, White, Pritchard, and Queta left the game, replaced by Simons, Scheierman, Hauser, and Garza alongside Hugo Gonzalez. That group inherited a 20-point deficit (69–49) and chopped it down to 10 (80–70). From there, Brown returned to take control of the scoring and complete the turnaround.

For Boston, the absence of Jordan Walsh was noticeable early — particularly in their ability to match the Pacers’ pace and physicality. Walsh has consistently provided an instant boost of athleticism, energy, and defensive activity when he’s on the floor. On Monday, it was Gonzalez and Garza who filled that role instead, changing the tone of the game with their effort and presence.

Gonzalez played a team and season-high 36 minutes, finishing as a +21 and reaching double-digit rebounds for the second straight game. Over his last four games, he’s averaging eight points and eight rebounds with a steal and a block per night. Garza, meanwhile, helped stabilize the bench unit with his screening and rebounding, giving Boston a lift when small-ball wasn’t the solution.

With Walsh sidelined by illness, Gonzalez absorbed many of those energy minutes. Now that Walsh is available, the rotation is due for an adjustment. It’s not necessarily Walsh versus Gonzalez — they can complement each other — but with Garza fighting to earn his spot back, some minutes will have to shift.

That’s what makes tonight interesting. If the Pacers get off to a quick start, does Mazzulla reward Gonzalez and Garza with another extended look, or does Walsh’s return pull the rotation back toward its familiar shape?

Can Boston Avoid Another Slow Start?

While the Celtics eventually put the Pacers away, the first half really wasn’t pretty. Monday’s opening 24 minutes were a defensive nightmare, as Indiana—the league’s worst 3-point shooting team—exploded for 61 first-half points. Boston looked a step slow, allowing the Pacers to build up their lead without much resistance.

The Celtics gave up a number of open looks, over-helping and failing to rotate in time. They also had difficulty bothering Siakam, who scored 23 in the first half.

That changed quickly when the defense locked in, holding Indiana to just 34 points in the entire second half and forcing them into a miserable 1-of-20 performance from beyond the arc after the break. Siakam managed just two more points as well.

This isn’t the same Pacers team that Boston is used to, and their 6-24 record reflects that. Indiana has dropped six straight games, and they haven’t tasted victory since December 8th. Without Tyrese Haliburton, it’s clear the franchise has its sights set on the draft in this transitional year.

But they are still a well-coached group that won’t go down easy, and the team is looking to secure Rick Carlisle’s 1,000th career victory. That’s a good recipe for a trap game.

The Celtics need to come out of the gates strong to squash that idea before it turns into confidence. While benching the starters on Monday turned into a stroke of brilliance for Mazzulla, it should be a one-time lesson for that unit rather than the norm. They don’t want to make it a habit of playing behind against worse opponents, and tonight they won’t have the boost of the Garden crowd.

If Boston dictates the terms from the jump, they can keep Carlisle waiting for that milestone and cruise to their fourth straight win.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/boston-...rks-three-keys-to-celtics-rematch-with-pacers

 

[Boston Celtics]

10 Takeaways from the Celtics offensive explosion vs the Pacers

1. Another Jaylen Brown 30-piece​

In Celtics history, when you start to enter conversations with Larry Bird as the only record holder above you, that means you are doing something special. For the 8th consecutive game, Jaylen Brown has scored 30+ points and is one game away from tying Larry Bird’s record of nine. Brown has had a special run in the month of December and is playing the best basketball of his entire career.

Most Consecutive 30 Point Games in Celtics History:

Larry Bird: 9
Jaylen Brown 8 (active)
Paul Pierce 7 pic.twitter.com/6GRWFjYI1A

— Ian Inangelo (@iinangelo) December 27, 2025

This sequence in the third quarter was the best of the night and a microcosm of how good he has been this year. Brown starts by getting the switch on to the Pacers’ Ethan Thompson where he takes him to the post. Brown does a spin into contact and rises up for a beautiful mid-range jumper. Then on the next possession, he forces a steal on Andrew Nembhard, saves it out of bounds, and makes a behind the back pass to Luka Garza for an easy layup. This is just elite level stuff from Brown.

Nah Jaylen Brown really on a different level man can we be real pic.twitter.com/SYx8Gp5IFZ

— NikNBA (@NIKNBAYT) December 27, 2025

2. Pritchard’s Ridiculous Second Quarter​

Payton Pritchard was frying the Pacers all night long, finishing with 29 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists while shooting 10-17 from the field. Where Pritchard did most of his damage was in the second quarter where had 14 of his 29 and was the conductor for the Celtics 47-point quarter.

His first shot of the second quarter was a beautiful ankle breaker that had Quenton Jackson looking lost. Pritchard turned his behind the back dribble into a step-back three that really was a precursor to the big quarter he was about to have.

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Pritchard then went on a run with 5 straight mid range jumpers where he was looking like prime Kyrie Irving with his ball handling — nothing more evident than this one where he had to relocate after getting stopped on a drive. After receiving a pass from Neemias Queta, he hit a crazy cross over on the move that had Siakam stumbling back and splashed a mid-range jumper.

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3. Sam Haus3r​

Sam Hauser has not had a great start to the season, but when it came to shooting the three-ball in this game, he fully turned it around, scoring 23 points on 7-8 shooting from beyond the arc. It really was just a matter of time before Hauser got it going again because this is a guy who can absolutely take over a game.

His first two three pointers came in the first quarter when the Celtics were trailing to the Pacers who were on their own hot shooting run. Hauser was wide open after Anfernee Simons found him in the corner for an easy three and the second came on a nice play where he caught the ball in the corner and ran around a Luka Garza three for a pull-up shot.

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After one more three in the second quarter, Hauser then got hot in the third quarter where he rattled off four in pretty quick succession. The first one came when Pritchard got into the paint and kicked out to a wide open Hauser on the wing, second came on a cross-court pass from Brown in the same exact place, third came on a pull up three going around another Garza screen, and finally the fourth came on a pass from Pritchard right when he passed the half court line.

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4. Derrick White’s Defense​

Derrick White is one of the best defenders in the NBA and this isn’t a new sentiment, but games like this really remind me how elite of a player he is on that side of the ball. He finished with 2 steals and 1 block and his impact was felt everywhere.

Three minutes into the first quarter White got his first steal of the game when he hawked down Bennedict Mathurin when he was starting to sprint down the court. White back tapped him and the ball rolled to Jordan Walsh who found a cutting Jaylen Brown for an easy layup.

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White’s ability to draw offensive fouls was something that really impressed me tonight as well. the first came when he was jockeying for position with Pascal Siakam on the block and forced Siakam to push him to the ground. The second came on a great contest on Andrew Nembhard who fouled him on the way up.

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5. Luka Garza’s Impact​

Luka Garza has continued his great stretch of games this season with a perfect performance off the bench with 15 points on 5-5 shooting. Garza did another great job on the offensive side of the ball when it came to always being in the right place at the right time coming out of a screen.

A great example of this came in the second quarter where he received the ball and made a pass back to White. Then he was able to seal off two defenders to receive a great bounce pass as he was cutting towards the basket for a wide-open dunk.

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Another play I loved from Garza was when he set a screen for Pritchard who was driving into the middle of the lane. Instead of rolling to the rim, Garza took a step back to the three-point line where Pritchard found him and he drilled the wide-open shot.

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6. Baylor Scheierman Shoutout​

A very underrated story line from the Celtics season so far is the development that Baylor Scheierman has showed this season in limited playing time. His stats might not jump off of the page in this game. In 20 minutes, he scored 3 points and had 5 rebounds, but Scheierman finished with a +18 on the night, which was the third highest on the team.

When Scheierman is in the game, you know he is going to give all his effort, even in a blowout. In the fourth quarter, Johnny Furphy was trying to post him up. Baylor absorbed the contact and drew the charge that got him and everyone on the Celtics bench hyped. This is an elite skill that Scheierman has acquired as his 1.2 offensive fouls drawn per 100 possessions is in the 95th percentile of NBA players this year.

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I’m glad to see Scheierman carving out a role for himself on this team and hope to see him develop more over the course of the season.

7. McConnell-Walsh Dust Up​

At the 1:24 mark of the third quarter, TJ McConnell decided to shove Jordan Walsh and a little bit of a dust up ensued. On the play, after Hauser’s missed three, McConnell ran into Pacers center Micah Potter which resulted in the easy basket for Pritchard. McConnell must have thought it was Walsh that tripped him, because he immediately went over to confront him, starting this whole brouhaha and ended with both players receiving offsetting technicals. My favorite part of the entire ordeal was Joe Mazzulla being hyped that Walsh was able to get under McConnell’s skin, going over to him during the official review and high-fiving him.

Pacers seem to run into each other leaving Pritchard an open lane to the bucket, then McConnell gets heated pic.twitter.com/ZBAFRrosKj

— Danielle Hobeika (@DanielleHobeika) December 27, 2025

Joe Mazzulla, clearly pleased with Jordan Walsh after his dust-up with TJ McConnell. pic.twitter.com/bS5xJqHpQA

— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) December 27, 2025

Postgame, Walsh said that Joe Mazzulla was “more than happy” to see him get into the shoving match with McConnell. This gave shades of when Walsh was ejected in a Summer League game earlier this year and Mazzulla texted him afterward saying he was proud of him.

Jordan Walsh said that Joe Mazzulla was “more than happy” to see him get into a shoving match with TJ McConnell pic.twitter.com/KvGMA3i7q8

— Ian Inangelo (@iinangelo) December 27, 2025

8. Celtics second quarter run​

The Celtics were down 39-28 after the first quarter with the Pacers recreating their hot shooting start from the game on Monday. Boston then proceeded to take that personally and rattled off 47 points in the second quarter and squashed any chance of Indy coming back in the game. As a team, Boston shot 16-25 (64%) from the field and 6-12 (50%) from three with 0 turnovers. This was one of the best quarters of basketball they’ve played all season long and it was really what swung this game to a Celtics victory.

9. Threes Falling = Celtics Win​

When three pointers fall for the Celtics, they normally win games. This is not breaking news by any means, but it really is just that simple when it comes to the way Boston has been able to dominate games the last few years. This phenomenon occurred vs. the Pacers in this game when they shot 20-39 (51%) from three as a team and really killed any momentum that Indiana was trying to start.

Over their last 10 games, the Celtics have shot 39% from three which would put them top 5 in the NBA. After starting 0-3 this year, Boston’s ability to simply make shots has been a big reason as to why they have a 19-11 record through 30 games and are a top-3 team in the Eastern Conference.

10. This team gets to add Jayson Tatum​

This season has been pretty fun as a Celtics fan to watch play out. Jaylen Brown is playing at an MVP level, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard have been solid when it comes to a bigger work load, and the development of guys like Neemias Queta, Luka Garza, Hugo Gonzalez, Josh Minott, Jordan Walsh, and Baylor Scheierman has been a pleasent surprise that no one saw coming. All of this has been great, but do you know what’s even better? Boston gets to add a consensus top-5 player in the NBA when healthy in Jayson Tatum.

Everyone has been excited about a Tatum return this season and the 5 second video he posted on his Instagram story of Brad Stevens helping him with workouts that involve driving dunks has made the excitement level hit an all-time high.

Brad Stevens joined Jayson Tatum’s workout today in Indianapolis

(Via Jayson Tatum’s IG) pic.twitter.com/UGfDDRvAOQ

— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) December 26, 2025

I think about how this team is going to work when Tatum comes back and I think he is going to fit like a glove. Even if it takes time for his scoring touch to come back, what he provides as a passer and a rebounder will make this Celtics team reach another level. I can’t wait to see him play minutes with Hugo Gonzalez and Jordan Walsh and give defenses nightmares, I can’t wait to see Derrick White and Sam Hauser shoot a million open catch and shoot threes off of Tatum’s gravity, and I especially can’t wait to see the best duo in the NBA with Jaylen Brown playing his best basketball ever, dominate teams on a nightly basis.

It feels almost set in stone that he is going to return this season and with everything we have seen with this Celtics team already, there is a legitimate chance that Boston could make it out of this weak Eastern Conference with maybe an 80% healthy version of Tatum and that is something I can’t wait to see play out.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/article...e-pacers-jaylen-brown-sam-hauser-jayson-tatum

 

[Boston Celtics]

‘He should be in the MVP conversation’: Jaylen Brown’s growth as a Celtics leader is accelerating

For much of his career, Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown has faced underappreciation while sharing the floor with co-star Jayson Tatum. This season, however, that isn’t the case.

Brown’s maturation in the driver’s seat has been Boston’s greatest gift this holiday season. He’s checked off all the boxes — particularly throughout December — leading the Celtics while elevating both the team’s position in the Eastern Conference and his own standing among the NBA’s brightest stars heading into 2026 — a development that hasn’t gone unnoticed in the locker room.

“To me, it’s just balance,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said after Boston secured its fourth straight victory on Friday night. “He just picks and chooses his spots really well. We’re obviously playing a little bit faster, so he’s getting some easy baskets in transition. I think he’s finding the great balance of knowing when to score within the offense versus letting the guys do their thing.”

For the eighth straight night, Brown scored 30 points, placing him second only to Larry Bird (in 1985) for the most consecutive 30-point games in Celtics history. He went 13-of-20 from the field against the Pacers, adding three rebounds, four assists, and four steals to surpass Paul Pierce (7) and kept the fire burning in his red-hot run to close out the calendar year. If Brown can pull off two more, the four-time All-Star will stand alone in Celtics history, marking the biggest leap of his career at one of Boston’s most critical moments.

It’s also allowed Brown to stand out among everyone in the league this month.

Brown, while chasing Bird’s record, has averaged 32.1 points in December, leading the NBA in scoring during that stretch. He scored 42 points against the No. 2 seed Knicks, 34 versus the conference-leading Pistons, and 30 in a 20-point come-from-behind win over the Pacers, keeping the Celtics just two games back of New York and 4½ behind Detroit.

Doubt about Brown’s ability to lead a talent-depleted Celtics team has shifted to a conversation that teammate Payton Pritchard believes he belongs in.

“He’s just a top player in this NBA,” Pritchard said. “He should be in the MVP conversation, for sure, and he shows it every night. JB is a tough cover — he can shoot it at all three levels, is athletic and strong, and he’s got a good handle and pull-up game. So he’s just a tough cover, and he’s showing it.”

So far, Brown has led the Celtics with a career-best 29.4 points per game, while ranking second on the team in rebounds (6.4), third in assists (4.9), and third in steals (1.1) across 27 games. Compared with the rest of the league, including early MVP favorites, Brown ranks sixth in scoring — trailing only Donovan Mitchell and Tyrese Maxey in the East — while carrying the Celtics to a better record than both the Cavaliers and 76ers.

Brown is proving himself as both an elite scorer and an elite playmaker. He’s opened the floor for teammates, veterans and newcomers alike, to excel in their roles while everyone embraces the next-man-up approach Mazzulla and the coaching staff have crafted. Without Tatum and offseason departures Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet, the Celtics have competed at a remarkable level, keeping them in the hunt for the No. 1 seed.

However, his name is rarely mentioned in discussions for league MVP, but Brown’s impact is evident.

“He just spends a ton of time reading the game and the execution of the game,” Mazzulla said. “And obviously he’s very, very talented, so it has a lot to do with it. I think his desire to continue to work and play versus different coverages — that’s really helped. Then his ability to pick and choose his spots really well.”

Lakers superstar Luka Dončić is the only player with a higher usage percentage (36.7) than Brown (35.5). The offense Brown has generated highlights the maturation that has worked wonders for the underdog Celtics. He’s averaging 10.7 points on pull-up jump shots — fourth among all players — with 19.1% of his points coming from midrange attempts, the fifth-highest rate in the NBA.

If justice is served, the new year should open the floodgates for plenty of Brown-for-MVP chatter, spotlighting what has been an overlooked campaign from the energy-shifter himself.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/article...ns-growth-as-a-celtics-leader-is-accelerating

 

[Boston Celtics]

Boston Celtics Daily Links 12/27/25

Herald Jaylen Brown, Celtics veterans lead Boston to blowout win over Pacers

Globe Jaylen Brown scores 30 points and the Celtics make 20 3-pointers to beat the Pacers 140-122

Celtics star Jayson Tatum could look to Heat’s Dru Smith, who rehabbed successfully from Achilles injury

Celtics practice patience, defeat Pacers on the road

Celtics Green Comments from the Other Side – Pacers 12/26/25

CelticsBlog 10 Takeaways from the Celtics offensive explosion vs the Pacers

‘He should be in the MVP conversation’: Jaylen Brown’s growth as a Celtics leader is accelerating

Luka Garza never felt far from return to Celtics rotation

Sam Hauser needed a game like that

Celtics outpace Pacers, win 140-122

CLNS Media Noa Dalzell: Celtics Are One of the NBA’s Best Teams | You Got Boston

Celtics .com Keys to the Game: Celtics 140, Pacers 122

NBC Sports Boston Celtics-Pacers recap: Brown extends 30-point streak in 140-122 win

NESN NBA Exec Sounds Alarm on Celtics’ Anfernee Simons Trade Market

Former 2nd-Round Draft Pick Floated As Logical Trade Target For Celtics

Celtics’ Guard Makes Bold MVP Case for Jaylen Brown

Celtics’ Payton Pritchard Earns Unlikely Praise After 29-Point Night

Pacers Coach Praises Celtics’ Offensive Firepower After Loss

Jaylen Brown Extends Historic Scoring Streak As Celtics Clobber Pacers

Jaylen Brown Closing In On Insane Larry Bird Record With Celtics

Mass Live Celtics reserve lifting Boston’s offense to new level amid hot streak

Celtics backup center compels surprise change in win over Pacers

Jaylen Brown inching closer to Larry Bird’s legendary Celtics streak

Pacers react to chippy Celtics skirmish: ‘That was great to see’

Sam Hauser is the Celtics ‘Name to Know’ Player of the Game in Friday’s win over Pacers

4 takeaways as Celtics crush Pacers after historic quarter

Celtics Wire The streak of 30-point games continues for Celtics star Jaylen Brown

Jayson Tatum is visiting schools to preach the importance of education

The Boston Celtics just annihilated the Indiana Pacers 140-122 on their own home court

Boston Celtics jersey history No. 50 – PJ Dozier (2018-19)

Who are the top five Celtics since the millennium?

Celtics history: Chaney-Washington-Scott trade; most FGAs in one game

Celtics start West Coast road trip off right, beat Pacers 140-122 (PHOTOS)

Celtics halt another early onslaught, beat Pacers 140-122

Brad Stevens traded the front office for the court to work out with Jayson Tatum

The Athletic Referee Bill Kennedy’s coach’s challenge verdicts becoming must-see TV

Back to school: Joe Mazzulla wants young team to keep learning at ‘Celtic University’

Boston Sports Journal Karalis: Runaway win in Indiana is the clearest vindication of ‘Mazzulla Ball’ this season

BSJ Game Report: Celtics 140, Pacers 122 – C’s shake off Indy’s hot start, ride hot shooting to fourth-straight win

Hardwood Houdini Celtics’ free agency steal is making NBA look silly for letting him go

Celtics are sending Sam Hauser a message he can’t ignore

Mazzulla said what everyone should know about Jaylen Brown’s latest step

Celtics are giving Jayson Tatum best gift he could possibly ask for

CLNS Media/YouTube Garden Report: Celtics vs Pacers Postgame Show on CLNS Media – Jaylen Brown Making HISTORY!

TalkBasket Joe Mazzulla: Jaylen Brown picks and chooses his spots really well

Heavy Celtics’ Jaylen Brown is Closing in on Franchise History

Celtics’ Brad Stevens Makes Surprise Appearance in Jayson Tatum Rehab

Essentially Sports Jayson Tatum Injury Update: When Is Celtics Star Expected to Return From Achilles Injury?

NBA .com Starting 5: Bulls, Celtics keep rolling along

Jaylen Brown extends 30-point-plus scoring streak to 8 straight games

Locked on Celtics Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard DOMINATE in Boston Celtics win | Mazzulla Ball VINDICATED

Hoops Habit Unpopular Celtics trade would instantly make Boston a title contender

AS USA Jaylen Brown threatens Larry Bird record as Celtics stars keep exceeding expectations

BasketNews Joe Mazzulla explains why Jaylen Brown is dominating

NBA/YouTube CELTICS at PACERS | FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS | December 26, 2025

Audacy 7 takeaways as Jaylen Brown continues incredible December streak

Fox Sports Portland faces Boston on home skid

Fadeaway World Celtics Win 4th Game In A Row After Jaylen Brown Torches Pacers For 30 Points On Friday Night

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/boston-celtics-daily-links/127714/boston-celtics-daily-links-12-27-25

 

[Boston Celtics]

Parquet plays: how Sam Hauser caught fire in Indy

The Boston Celtics earned their fourth consecutive win with a 140–122 road victory over the Indiana Pacers.

Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard led the way, combining for 69 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists, while Sam Hauser provided a decisive spark off the bench. Hauser caught fire from beyond the arc, scoring a season-high 23 points and knocking down seven of his eight three-point attempts. The performance marked a sharp turnaround after a brief shooting slump — he had eclipsed the 33 percent mark from deep just once over his previous five games.

Coach Joe Mazzulla said postgame that of course it’s good when Hauser hits his shots, but it’s different when guys are looking for him.

“It’s great when he’s making shots but it’s even better when we find him. I thought tonight we did a great job hunting for him — pin downs in transition, getting him going off kicks out.”

And that approach becomes obvious when you look at the film.

Here the Celtics play perfect Mazzulla ball, taking advantage of numerical outnumbering getting Hauser his first three.

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Luka Garza, who did a great job screening all night, sets the screen in transition for Brown and that starts everything. The screen forces the opposing center, Tony Bradley, to be at the level at the screen for just a second. As Garza rolls, Bradley drops, but Brown does a great job attacking which eventually forces the switch. Brown gets off the ball; Hauser sets a Ghost screen and gets to the corner.

Ball finds Brown at the top of the key and that switch he got earlier pays dividends. Pacers take no chances and double Brown as soon as he dribbles. He kicks out and the right passes are made for a score.

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Next Hauser gets an open look because of the Garza big body.

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To start, Hauser smartly rejects the Flare Garza was about to set him because of the aggressive defense of Jarace Walker. Garza and Pritchard get into a two-man game and when the ball finds Garza again, he immediately gets it to Hauser. They get into a pick and roll, and a great screen is followed by a great shot.

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Here the Celtics go to “Finland” action.

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“Finland” is a screen the screener action that the Finnish national team loves to run for Lauri Markkanen and it’s when “77” action is combined with a back/rip screen into a pin down.

77 action, is two on ball screens which can also be called “double drag.”

As you see here, Baylor Scheierman is the first screen and Neemias Queta is the second one.

Then after Baylor screens, Hauser signals to him that he’s going to set the back screen.

Pascal Siakam diagnosis and avoids the screen, but the mission was accomplished. The point of the shooter setting the back screen is to get his defender to either pause for a second, get off his body to help on the screen, or miscommunicate the coverage with his teammate.

Johnny Furphy stops his feet for a little amount of time, but that gives Hauser all the separation he needs. Hauser then runs to the Queta pin down.

This slightly turns into a Flare because of how Furphy played it.

Hauser knocks it down.

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On this play, the Celtics run “Horns Chest” to flow into “Turn Zoom.”

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Chest is an action that the team has really loved this year. This is when a shooter sets an on-ball screen then receives a Flare screen. The on-ball screen can either be a regular one or a Ghost screen.

Usually this is the main action, and the ball would go to Hauser here for a look but right after they get into the Turn Zoom. “Zoom” is a type of dribble handoff where there is a pin down for someone to go get the handoff. The “Turn” part is added here because Jordan Walsh literally turns into the pin down.

The great screen by Walsh gets Hauser so much separation from his defender, and he receives the handoff and drains the three.

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Remember when Mazzulla talked about those pin downs in transition? Here they are.

Celtics are going to have Luka Garza set “Veer” screens on the next two plays. Veer screens are when a big acts like they are going to set an on-ball screen, then sprints into a pin down as you see Queta do here.

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This first one doesn’t get Hauser a three but a back screen after the Veer lets him cut open and get fouled.

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The very next possession, we get a really good one from Garza, opening up Hauser for a shot.

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Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/celtics-videos/127787/parquet-plays-how-sam-hauser-caught-fire-in-indy

 

[Boston Celtics]

Celtics fumble ball late, lose to Trail Blazers 114-108

Boston traveled to Portland Sunday night having won the past six meetings between the two teams. The Trail Blazers came into the game with many injured players, their youngsters hanging tough with the seasoned Celtics to snatch a big 114-108 home win. Jaylen Brown had 37 points for Boston in a historic record-setting game for Boston.

Boston rolled with what is now considered their regular starting five of Brown, Payton Pritchard, Jordan Walsh, Derrick White and Neemias Queta. Chris Boucher was still out for personal reasons and for Portland, they started Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija, Donovan Clingan, Toumani Camara and Kris Murray.

Jaylen Brown scored the game’s first four points in the opening minute of action. Payton Pritchard returned home to Portland and nailed his first corner triple attempt on a stepback over Sharpe. Boston raced out to an early 9-1, before Portland’s acting head coach and former Spur, Tiago Splitter, called the game’s first timeout.

Shaedon Sharpe scored the Blazers first field goal as he drove and skied for a layup bumping off Neemias Queta’s chest and banking it home. Jordan Walsh drained a three-pointer over 7-foot, 2-inch big man Clingan in front of the Boston bench.

Portland had four early turnovers as Boston was looking to get out in transition and get some easy buckets. Jordan Walsh went to the bench with 3 first quarter fouls as Hugo Gonzalez checked into the game. Clingan hit a straight on three-pointer from the top of the key to make it 16-13, Boston up by 3 with 6 minutes remaining in the first.

Former Blazer Anfernee Simons checked into the game and immediately hit his first triple attempt in his return to Rip City. Jaylen Brown continued to feel good early, he had 13 first quarter points on a super-efficient 6-9 from the field on a mix of mid-range jumpers and contested paint scores.

Donovan Clingan was feasting inside for Portland in the first quarter, the sophomore Center had 11 points and 9 rebounds in the first quarter, before being substituted for crowd favorite, Rookie Yang Hansen. Caleb Love came off the bench and provided a spark for the home team scoring 5 quick points, the Blazers took a 31-30 lead after one quarter.

Baylor Scheierman started the quarter in his first minutes of the game and got his hands on a dribble hand off between Hansen and Avdija before being fouled at mid court and falling to the ground. Portland was not taking care of the ball at all, they had 10 turnovers at the 9-minute mark of the second quarter. However, Boston was not capitalizing and could not get any consistent scoring from anyone outside of Jaylen Brown who was on the C’s bench.

Portland went on 10-4 run to start the second quarter before Jaylen Brown returned to action. “Portland” P drilled a three-pointer from the 45 and Hugo Gonzalez stole an errand pass a half court and jammed home a one-handed dunk to cut it back to 2 points, 39-41.

Portland and Boston traded buckets as Avdija and Brown went back-to-back on four consecutive plays. Pritchard’s second three-pointer off a Jaylen Brown assist gave the Celtics a 51-45 lead. Brown exploded for the Celtics to end the half, with 27 points, on 11-16 shooting and scoring 10 of the last 12 points. Boston took an 8-point lead into halftime, 63-55.

Portland reeled off 7 points to Boston’s 2 to start the second half. Jaylen Brown drove and scored his 29th point of the game, moving into twelfth all time on the Celtics scoring list with 12,289 points. The Blazers took the lead at the seven-minute mark, as Deni Avdija hit a step back jumper over Derrick White.

It was an historic night for Jaylen Brown who tied Larry Bird’s franchise record for consecutive 30-point games with nine straight. Portland outscored the Celtics 25-14 in the first 10 minutes of the third quarter, Avdija leading the way for the home team. Boston bounced back on the scoreboard as Simons scored 6 straight points, the home team took a 1-point lead into the third quarter break at the Moda Center, 86-85.

White was shooting the ball extremely poorly on the night, going just 2 for 12, before he finally hit his third shot on a push attempt over Clingan. Boston was shooting just 23 percent from three midway through the fourth quarter. Both teams traded empty possessions before Jaylen Brown sticked his 34th point of the game.

Sam Hauser was whistled for a foul on Caleb Love, but the Celtics coaches challenged the play and it was ruled successful and overturned at 95-92, Portland. Hauser hit a much needed three-pointer, his first of the night off a sweet Hugo Gonzalez dime. The Spanish rook splashed a huge three-pointer from in front of the Portland bench to tie the game at 98 apiece with 5 minutes to go.

Derrick White had a great chase down block on Sharpe and Jaylen Brown came down the end and drove hard connecting with Deni Avdija’s chin. Brown was whistled for a flagrant foul 1, and Avdija missed both free throws. The Celtics managed to escape the flagrant and the resulting possession with no points conceded.

Brown drove and dished to Queta who dunked it home to make it a one-point game. Sharpe connected on his 25th point of the night with a triple, JB wasn’t done, hitting his own triple and 37th point of the game. Boston was down 1 with a minute to go and was stripped in a double team, Sharpe ran the break was fouled and hit just 1 of 2 shots. Brown then turned the ball over at half court.

Derrick White hit a massive three to get it back to one point once more, Donovan Clingan grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled, the Blazers in the driving seat, 112-108 with 22 seconds to go. Boston unraveled down the stretch to hand Portland the win.

Boston next face the Jazz in Utah on December 30th at 9 pm EST.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/celtics...umble-ball-late-lose-to-trail-blazers-114-108

 

[Boston Celtics]

Jaylen Brown just got another award amid ridiculous December

Jaylen Brown has been named NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played from December 22 to 28, the NBA announced today. Brown averaged 32.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.7 steals this week, while shooting 55.9% from the field, 42.9% from three, and 80% from the free-throw line

The selection marks Brown’s sixth career weekly Player of the Week honor — and his second in three weeks. He was also named Player of the Week in the first week of December. Brown is now averaging 32.7 points per game, the highest scoring average any Celtic has had in a single December.

Brown posted 31 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 steal in a comeback win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday and followed that up with a 30-point, 4-assist, 4-steal performance against the Pacers on Friday.

On Sunday, in a loss to the Pacers, Brown tallied 37 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, marking his ninth consecutive game with 30+ points, a Celtics record he now shares with Larry Bird.

In the Eastern Conference, Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey, Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr., and New York Knicks forward Karl-Anthony Towns were all nominated for Player of the Week.

In the Western Conference, Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard was named Player of the Week.

Could Jaylen Brown be named Eastern Conference Player of the Month? ​

Having earned two Player of the Week selections, Brown is a front-runner for the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Month award for December. Last month, Cade Cunningham won the award in the East, while Denver Nuggets forward Nikola Jokic won it in the West.

Brown has never won Player of the Month before. But this month, he leads the NBA in scoring, averaging 32.7 points per game. He’s also tallying 6.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.

The East’s other strong candidate is Jalen Brunson, who was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week last month, and is averaging 31.1 points, 6.7 assists, and 3.2 rebounds per game.

Brown has been more efficient than Brunson this month, shooting 54.5% from the field and 43.2% from three (Brunson, meanwhile, is shooting 48.4% from the field and 39.4% from three).

Brown has one more game to make his case in December; the Celtics face the Utah Jazz in their final game of 2025 on Tuesday night.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/articles/127978/jaylen-brown-nba-player-of-the-week