The NBA Has a Boston Celtics Problem…

The NBA Has a Boston Celtics Problem…

Teams missing their franchise superstar aren’t supposed to look this good. They aren’t supposed to be beating playoff teams, building real chemistry, or suddenly discovering a rotation of guys who weren’t even guaranteed minutes last season. They’re definitely not supposed to form an actual offensive identity on the fly, especially when the league expects them to sink in the standings. But somehow the Boston Celtics have done all of that. They’re now 12 and N collecting recent wins over the Cavaliers, Knicks, Magic, and Detroit Pistons. And they’re doing all of this behind the best and most mature basketball of Jaylen Brown’s career. The biggest unknown coming into this season was whether Jaylen Brown was actually good enough to carry the team without Jason Tatum next to him. not as a co-star, but as the actual offensive engine, you can run an entire NBA team through. And what’s wild is that Jaylen hasn’t just stepped into that role, he all of a sudden looks perfectly comfortable in it. The numbers back up all of this because with Jaylen on the floor, the Celtics have a 121.5 offensive rating. And the moment he goes to the bench, the numbers drop to a 109.7 offensive rating. That’s nearly a 12point swing, the kind of gap you almost never see unless that player is literally driving your entire offensive structure. And so far this season, it’s fair to say Jaylen Brown has been doing just that. Over the last five games, Boston picked up wins over Cleveland, New York, Orlando, and Detroit with Jaylen Brown playing like one of the best scorers in the league. Over that stretch, he was putting up 30.8 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and 2.8 stocks on 55% true shooting. and he’s been able to do all of it while now having to go up against the best defender every night. This isn’t just stepping up. This is star production at the exact moment the team needed him to rise. We’ve seen Jaylen Brown have massive nights when Tatum was available. But this just feels far different. This is JB proving to the team that he can sustain it every single night as the number one option even when all of the defensive attention is targeted towards him. A huge part of this growth has come from the mid-range area which Jaylen was always good at, but this season it’s become his signature weapon. He takes 6.4 long mid-range jumpers every single game. the most out of any player in the entire league. Literally in the 100th percentile in the NBA. And he isn’t just taking tough shots, he’s making them at an elite clip, hitting 53 12% of those looks, putting him in the 83rd percentile in the league. That kind of volume and efficiency puts him in the same tier as guys like SGA, Kevin Durant, and Demard Rozan. Those are the shots that keeps an offense alive when everything starts to break down, when the spacing isn’t perfect. And when you need someone to just get you a bucket. And for Boston, Jaylen has been that guy all season long. The one concern that everybody has with Jaylen is of course the handle. But even that has appeared to take a step forward. Jaylen Brown has the ball in his hands for about 27% of his minutes, putting him in the 98th percentile for his position. And with that kind of a workload, turnovers are bound to happen. Right now, he’s averaging 4.1 turnovers per 75 possessions, which puts him in the 35th percentile. But the raw numbers just don’t tell you the story. This is the first time in his career that he’s been asked to initiate this much offense. And the eye test clearly shows tighter combos, quicker counters, and more controlled pacing. He finally looks like he understands how to weaponize his speed and strength without completely losing his handle. And here’s the big thing. when he eventually returns to his normal secondary role next to Tatum. This version of Jaylen Brown, the smarter playmaker, the cleaner decision maker, and the fully realized scorer is going to be the most effective version of himself we’ve ever seen. Probably becoming the best second option in the sport. He looks like a player who knows how to carry a team when everything’s on his shoulders. And that experience is going to be so great once the load gets even lighter again. Likely making the Celtics feel unstoppable coming into this season. For the Celtics to survive without Jason Tatum, Jaylen Brown stepping into that number one role and playing really well was going to be massive. But they also desperately needed their back court to score the ball. And the problem early in the season was simple. They didn’t. through the first 12 games. Derek White was shooting just 28% from three and Payton Pritchard was at 26%. The two guys who were supposed to be Boston’s second and third scoring options were combining to score 29.8 points per game while both sitting under 50% effective field goal shooting. I mean, that isn’t just cold shooting. That’s your entire perimeter structure falling apart at the exact moment you needed stability. But then things changed almost overnight. Over the last eight games, Pritchard and White have completely snapped back into form. Pritchard is suddenly hitting 45% from three on 9.3 attempts per game, which is outrageous volume and is exactly what the Celtics needed to stretch defenses again. and Derek White climbed right back up to 39% on 7.7 attempts per game, giving the Celtics the spacing they were missing over the first month of the season. These aren’t minor upticks. These are full-on shooting resets that have completely transformed the rhythm and the balance of what the Celtics are able to achieve on the offensive side of the floor. And the value goes even deeper than just shooting, especially in Derek White’s case. With White on the floor, Boston holds opponents to 6.6 fewer points per 100 possessions, which once again puts him amongst the best defensive guards in the NBA. His defensive timing, his rotations, his on ball defense, and his ability to disrupt actions before they even develop is yet again at an elite level this season. And for Derek, he just needed the offense to catch up. And he finally had his I’m back moment against the Pistons, going for five points at halftime to a second half explosion of 25 on his way to 27 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and four stops on 54% shooting, including six of 11 from downtown. You could feel in real time that something had clicked. And the crazy thing is that Pritchard’s breakout game happened in a game where they didn’t have Derek White against the Cavaliers. Payton Pritchard dropped a careerhigh 42 points along with three assists while shooting 68% from the field and going six of 11 from downtown. That wasn’t just an offensive spark. That was a guard taking full control of an NBA offense and closing out against a legitimate playoff opponent. And all of the advanced numbers for Pritchard absolutely matches the eye test because with Payton on the floor, Boston scores an extra 6.5 points per 100 possessions. And that’s because of his ability to create off the dribble, his ability to knock down threes at high volume and keep the ball moving on offense. And that’s why this matters so much. These two were never supposed to be stars. They were meant to be reliable, efficient, steady contributors that just helped the offense stable. For the first 12 games of the season, they failed that task. But now, they’re doing exactly what the Celtics need them to do, keeping the lanes wide open for Jaylen Brown to cook at his best, and most importantly, make defenses pay when they try and send help. Derek White is back to being a two-way weapon and Payton Pritchard is giving you allstar level scoring and three-point shooting at an incredibly high level that completely changes the way opponents have to defend the Celtics. And the best part about all of this is how they’re not doing it alone. This is the part nobody saw coming. Boston wasn’t supposed to have any real bench depth. They were supposed to be one of the thinnest teams in basketball, relying on developmental flyers and fringe rotation guys, but somehow those exact players have not only kept them afloat in big moments, but they’ve actually helped Boston win some big time games. Jordan Walsh is a perfect example of that. His counting stats don’t jump off the page. Just 5.3 points, 4.6 six rebounds and to steal a game on 56% effective field goal shooting. But the impact is simply undeniable when Jordan Walsh is in the game. Boston are a plus 10.7 per 100 possessions and the offense spikes to an insane 125.9 offensive rating. That isn’t luck. That’s a young wing who defends, rebounds, cuts, and constantly plays winning basketball. almost reminding me of a Josh Hart type player. But the real onoff monster has been Namias Kada. His numbers have been genuinely absurd with Kada in the game. Boston outscored their opponents by 11.9 points per 100. Their offense continues to harm with a strong 118.5 offensive rating. But the real impact comes on the other side of the ball. Without him, Boston has a 124.2 defensive rating. absolutely horrendous. But with him, that number drops to a defensive rating of 106.6. Genuinely one of the best defenses in the NBA. That’s nearly an 18point swing on the defensive side of the floor. And you’re getting that from a guy who was barely even getting guaranteed minutes last season. That’s absolutely incredible. And contributions like this is exactly why Boston has been able to survive without Tatum. You can’t really rely on one or two players to hold everything together when your superstar is out. The entire structure needs to stay strong. And right now, these break glass in case of emergency guys have really become the real difference from Boston sinking to floating. All of this Jaylen ascending, White and Pritchard stabilizing, and the role players really stepping up leads to the one story line that everybody can’t stop talking about. The noise around Jason Tatum’s potential return just will not go away. Every week there’s a new whisper, a small update, a clip that Tatum’s posted on his social media, or even a small piece of optimism coming from the organization. I’ve even heard that Tatum himself has already been looking at possible return dates because he’s that eager to get back on the floor. The predicted timeline has always been a cautious maybe February, maybe March, or maybe not even at all. And that’s totally fair because an injury like this is something you should not rush. And nobody should expect the first team allmb Tatum to instantly walk back through the door and begin to dominate. It’s easier said than done coming off an Achilles tear. But here’s the thing, he might not have to be that guy right away. If Jason Tatum comes back and he’s even 70% of himself, providing scoring gravity, the spacing, and some defense, that alone raises Boston ceiling dramatically. And if he does return in, let’s say, March, and then can play himself up to 85 to 90% before the playoffs, the Eastern Conference suddenly looks entirely different. Because when you look around that conference right now, how many teams do you legitimately trust? How many look like real threats come May or June? In my opinion, it’s not many. This is one of the most open Eastern conferences we’ve had in years. And if Boston continues to play roughly at this same pace, then they’d be trending towards 45 wins. And if Tatum can return and boost them to a couple more wins, then they could easily push for 50. That would actually be a realistic outcome. that would then put them into the playoff picture. Not as the favorites, but definitely not a team anybody would want to have to play in the first round. But the smart decision from a team standpoint depends entirely on what the standings look like when we get to March. If things fall apart completely and they’re let’s say 10 games under 500, then the logic shifts. In that world, it makes more sense to bring Tatum back slowly, secure a strong draft pick, and prepare for a full strength run next season. That’s more of a patient move. But honestly, I don’t think Tatum cares about that opinion. Everything coming out of his camp suggests that he is attacking rehab really aggressively. He’s an ultra competitive dude. He wants to play, and I just have such a hard time imagining him sitting out even after he’s been cleared to play. And that brings up the next big question. What does the Celtics front office do? If Boston stays competitive without Tatum, that completely changes how Brad Stevens has to approach the trade deadline. A big move at the deadline might not be just about next season. It could be a sign that they’re ready to take a real swing at it this year, banking that Tatum is going to look like himself and return to the court. But the smaller moves and maybe more calculated decisions probably mean that the real blockbuster trade that I do believe is coming would probably happen in the following off season. Either way, it feels like something big is coming in Boston. Because if this is what the Celtics look like without Jason Tatum, imagine what happens when he returns. One way or another, I think they’re going to be right back at the top of the East next season. And speaking of contenders, the Oklahoma City Thunder have proven that they are so much more than even that. They’re off to one of the greatest starts we’ve ever seen in the history of the NBA. And if you want to see exactly how they’ve managed to pull it off, then you can watch that full breakdown video right now.

The NBA Was WRONG About the Boston Celtics…
The NBA Has a Boston Celtics Problem…

Jaylen Brown is playing the best basketball of his career, and the Boston Celtics are shocking the NBA with how good this Celtics team looks without their superstar. In this video, we break down how Jaylen Brown has become a true No. 1 option for the Boston Celtics, how the Celtics’ role players have stepped up, and why this NBA season could completely shift once the Celtics get healthy again. If you want the full story of what’s happening with the Boston Celtics, Jaylen Brown, and where this Celtics team fits in the NBA landscape, this is the breakdown you need to see…
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// TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 The NBA Has No Answer For the OKC Thunder
0:44 Jaylen Brown: A Real No. 1 Option
4:53 Pritchard & White Have Finally Settled In
8:55 Role Players Nobody Believed In Are Winning Games
11:09 What Happens When Jayson Tatum Returns?

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/ The NBA Has a Boston Celtics Problem…