CelticsWeek #16: Into the break

A little bit of an odd version CelticsWeek this time round, as we’re lumping within the Celtics’ closing two video games earlier than the break to create a jumbo-sized pre-All-Star Break model. Let’s get into it.

Boston Celtics, Weeks 16 and 17: 5-0 file, +74 differential

Wednesday, February 7: W vs Atlanta, 125-117

Friday, February 9: W vs Washington, 133-129

Sunday, February 11: W @ Miami, 110-106

Tuesday, February 13: W @ Brooklyn, 118-110

Wednesday, February 14: W vs Brooklyn, 136-86

The Celtics walked a razor-thin wire for the primary 4 of those video games. It’s the type of stretch that stirs up some angst even because the group stays within the win column. The Wizards are one of many worst groups in basketball, and the Nets aren’t far behind — how are these groups pushing the very best group in basketball so arduous? These are the ups and downs of an 82-game common season, although. It’s simply the way it goes. Main the NBA in file by 5.5 video games, the Celtics have a goal on their again in each sport that they play. What’s necessary is that they closed these video games out and continued to stack up wins.

The Atlanta Hawks have been enjoying fairly sturdy basketball heading into Wednesday’s sport, winners of 4 of their final 5 video games earlier than falling to the Celtics (sans Jrue Vacation). The 2 groups have been carefully knotted for a lot of the night time, earlier than the Celtics surged within the fourth to place the Hawks to mattress. The Wizards sport was uglier — the Celtics protection had no solutions for a lowly Washington offense, permitting 81 first half factors earlier than reclaiming the lead behind a 36-16 third quarter.

Since dropping seven straight video games in January, the Miami Warmth have regained a few of their mojo. Much like Atlanta, they received 4 of their previous 5 video games heading into their tilt with the Celtics, and although they lacked the companies of Jimmy Butler (private causes), they gave Boston all they may deal with. The Celtics took the lead on the finish of the primary quarter and by no means relinquished it, main by as many as 12 factors however having to fend off a late Miami surge to hold onto the win.

Lastly, the Celtics closed out the pre-break stretch on a fairly respectable observe. Dealing with a home-and-home collection with the Nets, they comfortably fended off Brooklyn within the first sport behind a 41-point outing from Jayson Tatum, earlier than completely busting the doorways down within the second. A 50-point whalloping of the Nets at TD Backyard has to really feel good, as does turning into simply the third group in NBA historical past to win a number of video games by 50+ factors in a single season. Tatum and the remainder of the starters hit the bench particularly early in a sport the place solely Payton Pritchard eclipsed the 30-minute mark, offering an early begin to an eight-day trip.

Participant of the Week: Kristaps Porzingis

4 GP, 28 MPG, 26.3 PPG (60% FG, 56% 3PT), 7 REB, 1.5 BLK, +28

It’s been troublesome to discover a window to speak about Porzingis on this house. Although he’s performed at a persistently excessive stage all season lengthy and the Celtics have appeared particularly potent when he takes the court docket, a variety of nagging accidents and the group’s extremely cautious strategy to his well being have made it fairly uncommon to see the colossal large man to play the entire group’s video games in a given week.

Certainly, we’re nonetheless lacking a sport right here — he sat out the highway win towards Brooklyn as a part of his regular back-to-back relaxation swap with Horford — however the different 4 are compelling sufficient to take him excessive. Apologies to Tatum, who had one other sturdy week, but it surely’s time, finally, to speak in regards to the unicorn within the room.

On the macro stage, Porzingis is having the very best season of his profession on a per-minute foundation. He’s scoring 20 factors per sport, grabbing seven rebounds and swatting about two pictures, par for the course for his requirements, however his effectivity has discovered an entire new stage. Taking pictures 64% contained in the arc and 37% behind it, he’s recording a comical 60% efficient discipline objective proportion that simply breezes previous his earlier profession excessive (56.5%, final season). Defensively, he’s as efficient of a deterrent as he’s been in his profession, averaging 1.9 blocks per sport and permitting a defensive discipline objective proportion of 42.5%, greatest amongst facilities dealing with at the least 15 makes an attempt per sport, per NBA Stats.

Offensively, his hyper-efficiency was on show in these video games. Porzingis maximized each shot try he noticed throughout this stretch, and other than the Brooklyn blowout, the Celtics wanted each level. He eclipsed the 30-point threshold towards Atlanta and Washington and tacked on 25 towards Miami, and his averages for the week would look even gaudier if his companies had been obligatory for extra than simply 16 minutes towards Brooklyn — 16 minutes during which he nonetheless managed 15 factors on 6-of-9 taking pictures. He made at the least two threes and blocked a shot in every sport. That mixture of abilities will not be fairly as uncommon because it was when Porzingis entered the league in 2015, however we will’t take with no consideration its worth.

The Porzingis expertise in Boston has been , if fragile, one to date. The Celtics seem like a distinct beast when he’s in a position to play, and although he’s missed a good quantity of video games, he’s additionally prevented any accidents with long term penalties. They want him on the court docket when the postseason arrives.

The Parquet Play: Boston’s (different) big-time dunker

Jaylen Brown stands out as the one within the Slam Dunk Contest, however let’s take a second to understand Jayson Tatum for his work on the rim. He might not have the identical type of violent athleticism or artistic aptitude as his co-star, however for my cash, his brute-force, two-handed jams are practically as satisfying.

Across the League: Commerce deadline fallout

Thursday, February 8 introduced maybe the most-anticipated day of a given NBA common season — the commerce deadline. In all, we noticed 16 trades finalized on the deadline, together with two the day earlier than. Nothing matched the size of the OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam offers earlier within the season, however a number of contenders discovered enhancements on the margins. It’s price taking a second to look at the strikes we noticed that might matter.

The headliner of the day was possible essentially the most related transfer to the Celtics’ pursuits: the New York Knicks fortified their rotation by bringing in Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from the Detroit Pistons. Whereas I believe the duo is perhaps a bit of overstated on their very own — we’re speaking about two gamers properly into their 30s who have been rotation gamers for one of many worst groups of all time — they need to be a web constructive in New York. Quentin Grimes, two second-rounders and wage filler is hardly a steep worth to pay.

On paper, these Knicks are deep now, however we’ve but to see that depth on the court docket and don’t have an thought of the way it will lend itself to postseason success. They’ve misplaced 4 straight video games since buying the Detroit duo, actually hurting within the absences of Julius Randle and OG Anunoby, and a number of the buzz has toned down a contact. The Knicks can roll 9 or 10 deep on high quality NBA gamers (relying on how you’re feeling about Treasured Achiuwa), however they continue to be a playoff contender depending on an undersized lead guard (Jalen Brunson) and a ahead who has struggled tremendously within the postseason (Randle). That’s not a mix traditionally indicative of title rivalry. How they assemble all of those items once they return to full energy will make for one of the crucial attention-grabbing storylines within the Japanese Convention down the stretch.

Elsewhere, outdated good friend Grant Williams discovered himself on the transfer once more, maybe unsurprisingly. By no means fairly feeling like a clear slot in Dallas — and having fallen out of a playoff group’s common rotation for a second season in a row — the Mavericks shipped Williams to Charlotte together with Seth Curry and a probably very worthwhile 2027 first spherical decide (top-two protected) in alternate for fifth-year ahead PJ Washington.

This looks like a poor piece of labor for Dallas. Williams in all probability wanted to be proven to the door, but it surely’s not totally clear that Washington is far of an improve. Stylistically, he brings some shot creation juice that Williams lacks, however on a broad scale, he’s an inefficient scorer who has gotten worse each season and at greatest an unproven defender (Charlotte’s system actually hasn’t set him as much as look good on that finish of the ground). Sending out a lightly-protected first rounder to make this swap may very well be a transfer we glance again on as an utter disaster. Successfully buying and selling a 2028 decide swap (by way of Oklahoma Metropolis) so as to add middle Daniel Gafford ups the chance issue much more.

Different strikes of observe embrace the Thunder buying Charlotte’s Gordon Hayward, giving them a helpful wing who can fill some gaps of their rotation (if wholesome). The 76ers acquired Buddy Hield as a part of their fence-sitting strategy to the rest of the season, as they wait to find whether or not Joel Embiid will return for the postseason. The Suns and Bucks added some protection for comparatively low value, with the previous selecting up wing Royce O’Neal and the latter guard Patrick Beverley. The Minnesota Timberwolves added a helpful rotation guard in Monte Morris as a part of the continued Pistons hearth sale.

Subsequent Up: Trip

Wednesday’s 50-point win despatched the Celtics into a pleasant stretch of relaxation on a excessive observe. Other than Tatum and Brown’s appearances within the All-Star Break (and Brown’s efficiency within the Slam Dunk Contest), the Celtics will probably be off totally via Thursday, February 22. A well-earned relaxation for the very best group in basketball.

Once they return, they’ll face a two-game half-week, touring to Chicago to face the Bulls that Thursday earlier than touring to New York for an intriguing matchup with the new-look Knicks. Undoubtedly, we’ll all be jonesing for Celtics basketball by that time, so we’ll be again with a brand new model of CelticsWeek to look at the group’s return to play — maybe with some bonus protection of this weekend’s All-Star celebrations.