What we saw, was a team that looked a whole lot more familiar to me.
You know who they were tied with?
The Denver Nuggets (6-3).
In 2021-22, the year we saw another deep run, this time to the NBA Finals.
True title contenders can then prove the ability to win through defense.
And if you missed it, well then keep reading.
That is why I would like to kick this off with the play of Jayson Tatum.
I thought Tatum was WAY better last night, pretty much in every area.
And maybe more importantly, nothing felt forced, even down the stretch.
Mind you, he also did all this without taking a single FTA.
- Then there’s the other side of the tone-setting coin via the second best player on the team.
Just compare his night to what we saw the other night.
From a rebounding perspective, Jaylen was much more active (7 vs 1).
Offensively, he moved the ball and consistently made the right decision while keeping his TOs low.
You could argue Jaylen’s defense was one of the biggest reasons the Celtics won this game.
As is tradition, Jaylen Brown took on the best offensive player.
It’s something we started to see in the playoffs last year and has absolutely exploded this season.
Because you know what happens next?
There should now be no debate.
Derrick White possesses the clutch gene.
We have seen enough.
It didn’t matter what it was, it just had to be different.
What we got, could be the difference in winning a title or not.
Possession after possession after possession, we saw the Celtics execute the same play.
Nothing complicated, just a Derrick White/KP 2 man game.
You see the plan.
Once that happens, more often than not opposing teams are going to send a double.
That then forces the defense to get into rotation.
As we know, when the Celtics get a team in rotation, it’s over.
You know what doesn’t get a defense in rotation?
If both defenders stay with Derrick, you have KP wide the fuck open for a wide open 3.
If they don’t switch, you have Derrick going downhill and getting into the paint for his floater.
KP/WHITE 2 MAN GAME.
IT IS VIRTUALLY UNSTOPPABLE.
Listen, we all have to do our part.
The one thing I will say Holiday has a bad habit of is not boxing out.
- Alright, the time has come to once again show you something very erotic.
But what if we took things a step further?
How about scoring differential on the road?
The Bad
- Make no mistake though, that first quarter was horrendous.
Of those 37 points, 10 of them came on fastbreak buckets, which came via live ball turnovers.
Same thing with Hauser.
He had that one three in the fourth quarter but other than that was a non-factor offensively.
I also don’t really know what to make of Xavier Tillman either.
- Tony Brothers is the worst.
Always has been always will be.
The Ugly
- I’m not sure what fits for this section because there wasn’t anything truly pathetic.
Maybe the Tatum tech?
The same guy who isn’t allowed to clap either.
This is just the long list of incidents we’re seeing across the league every night.
Did the ref have to pay a fine?
- Admit it, you too got a little nervous when the 22 point lead got down to 12.
That’s what happens when the wounds of a blown 30 point lead are still fresh.
It shouldn’t have to be that way and yet…..
So here we go, 2 more wins until we see the ultra rare 60/20.
Play like they did last night, and that should be yet another box we can check off.
