So what happens the very next night?
Basically, they gave exactly what he asked for.
Now there are a few ways of looking at a game like last night.
Getting those reps in have value.
At the same time, can we not?
A 10 point lead?
That’s one thing.
A 20 point lead?
I need to be able to trust that.
They all count the same whether they’re stress free or they take years off your life.
If you don’t have the wing/perimeter defenders, you’re cooked.
It didn’t really matter who the Pacers threw at Tatum, it was buckets for everyone.
A locked in Tatum means more than just his scoring, and why he’s such a devastating player.
You’re not just getting elite offense, you’re getting elite defense to go along with it.
If you allow him to get downhill, it’s curtains.
That’s another thing that makes Tatum unique.
He doesn’t get the Embiid or Giannis or Luka whistle.
His 30s usually aren’t coming from taking 14 FTA, they mostly come from getting buckets.
How about 25/6/2 on 9-15 (0-3) for Jaylen in his 35 minutes.
Not too bad as the secondary scorer if you ask me.
I think we can all agree, that is what happened.
I just want you to look at something.
5 games with 0, 7 games with 2 or fewer.
Basically, he’s showing us all exactly what we all asked for over the summer.
Better decision making, playing more in control, keeping his eyes up and not playing with blinders on.
But that’s not the point.
That’s sort of my point.
Jaylen doesn’t have to do anything crazy as a playmaker.
He doesn’t need to be Tatum.
He just needs to play smart and make the right/easy play.
The Boston Celtics have been the best team in the NBA since Day 1.
I say all this because stuff like this should be appreciated and enjoyed.
We ALL know the only thing that truly matters is raising the 18th banner.
Nobody would argue that.
They aren’t perfect, no team is.
But they are also having one of the best seasons many of us have ever seen as a fanbase.
That is his barometer.
I haven’t even mentioned the 7'3 basketball cheat code yet.
Haliburton just 2 points on 1-3 shooting against Jrue.
You deal with it because he’s shown the ability to make those shots at a high clip.
He’s the one making the biggest sacrifice, and we haven’t heard one ounce of complaining.
All he does is hoop, which is refreshing.
- OK, we can now all take a moment and enjoy the 7'3 unicorn.
It makes no sense
I’m no doctor, but that ankle looked OK to me.
Will I still be nervous every second KP is on the floor?
If we’ve said it once we’ve said it a million times.
Porzingis is the X Factor.
He’s the one who changes everything on both ends of the floor.
We saw it against the Pelicans, and we saw it multiple times last night.
I’m starting to call them “cut the bullshit ATOs”.
So far, it’s worked pretty much every time.
The beauty with it is it doesn’t always have to result in that player scoring.
One of their faults in previous years was they never really had a “cut the bullshit” play.
That is what they now have, and it makes them way more dynamic.
Last night there was an immediate correction.
- Good to see HAUS3R back to making all his open looks.
I’m happy for him.
I don’t really mind that he has “beef” with Boston either, that’s whatever.
Players use all kinds of things to motivate themselves.
What I do hate is how the Celts couldn’t seem to guard him in this game.
There’s no real excuse for that, and it’s been a thing all year for them.
- If I could make one request for Neemias Queta, it’s to make quicker decisions.
Things are still a little too slow for him, especially around the rim.
He’s basically Year 1 Rob.
Those numbers are so outrageous I didn’t even believe them when I typed it.
It’s losing basketball.
What good is a defensive stop if you’re free to’t finish it off with a DREB?
That is as pathetic as it gets when it comes to protecting your own glass.
They finished with game with 108-87 FGA difference in just 4 quarters, which is a staggering number.
- Then there was the Jrue possession in the final minutes.
I’m sorry, but it has to be said.
Jrue has to cut the bullshit with this stuff.
He was brought in here to be a calming presence at the end of games against ball pressure.
That you couldn’t trust him at the end of games.
Well, does anyone feel great about Jrue handling the ball in the final minutes right now?
Is it just a Celtics thing?
It’s bizarre and it needs to stop.
The Celts have made it through the gauntlet of their schedule with an 11-4 mark.
Things now open up for them and they finally get to see how the other half lives.
