The Celtics are midway by means of their penultimate preseason recreation in opposition to the New York Knicks. Boston at the moment holds a 78-60 lead over the Knicks, trying like a well-oiled machine, regardless of this being the second time that the workforce’s top-six has performed collectively.
Prepare for some halftime sizzling takes, buddy.
Is the Horford-less beginning lineup fraudulent?
Tonight marked the primary time that Al Horford has ever come off of the bench for the Cs. He regarded on as a lineup of Jrue Vacation, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Kristaps Porzingis opened issues up in opposition to the Knicks’ backups.
5 minutes into the sport, the starters discovered themselves down by as many factors to New York’s model of the “Bus One Boys.” Actually? Is that acceptable in a debut??
Fortuitously, they have been in a position to open up a three-point lead by the point Horford checked into the sport with simply over six minutes to play within the first quarter. Boston’s elder-statesman checked in and scored a fast 5 factors for the Cs.
To be trustworthy, the “Horford off the bench” side of the lineup experiment went higher than I’d anticipated. His regular recreation doesn’t precisely scream power, however the 37-year-old proved to be a little bit of a sparkplug in his bench debut.
In the end, the beginning lineup goes to vary fairly a bit all through the season, in response to head coach Joe Mazzulla. He defined that matchups could have lots to do with who fills out Boston’s beginning 5 over the course of the 2023-24 marketing campaign.
I suppose it actually doesn’t matter what I believed after the primary six minutes of this recreation as a result of the Celtics have simply relentlessly pounded the Knicks offensively, pouring in a whopping 78 first-half factors.
Kristaps Porzingis is likely to be an MVP candidate
In the event you have been to guess the massive Latvian to take dwelling the NBA’s MVP award, then you definitely’d be getting 1,300/1 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. Porzingis has carried over his spectacular preseason play to one more matchup, this time in opposition to the workforce that drafted him.
He got here out firing, scoring an environment friendly 10 first-quarter factors on 4-of-6 capturing from the sphere. The previous Knick completed the half with 13 whole factors, 5 rebounds, one steal, and one block. He was all over the place.
The aggressiveness that Cs followers have gotten to see from Porzingis thus far ought to excite them. With the embarrassment of riches that the workforce is ready to area every night time, he ought to have the best time scoring of his complete profession. Anytime he’s taken initiative within the preseason, he’s regarded comfy and dominant.
It’s nice to see that he’s carrying over what was a career-season for him with the Washington Wizards final 12 months.
Jayson Tatum is trying just like the MVP candidate he ought to be
In the meantime, if you happen to wished to take Tatum to win the MVP, DraftKings Sportsbook would provide you with simply 8/1 odds. It’s a state of affairs that most of the people believes to be a bit extra practical.
After a lackluster preseason debut in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers final Sunday, Tatum is trying like himself once more in opposition to the Knicks. Boston’s No. 0 has regarded like a person possessed, pouring in 23 factors to go together with 5 rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a block. Very like Porzingis — he was all over the place, however extra.
Despite the fact that everyone knows Tatum goes to be himself, no matter how he begins the season, it’s all the time good to be reminded how nice he’s as quickly as doable. There’s no cause why he can’t win the MVP this season and change into the primary Celtic since Larry Chook to take action. He’s nice, the workforce is nice, there ought to be nice issues in retailer for the upcoming season.
Joe Mazzulla is a mad scientist
So, this one shall be fast.
The Celtics broke out the full-court press on this half and it kinda labored. They frazzled the Knicks’ reserves and regarded like a cohesive unit as they induced some chaos.
If I used to be alive within the 90s, I’d be having flashbacks to when Rick Pitino was on the helm.
