CelticsWeek #16: Into the break

A little bit of an odd version CelticsWeek this time round, as we’re lumping within the Celtics’ remaining 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 document, +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 form of stretch that stirs up some angst even because the crew 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 perfect crew in basketball so onerous? These are the ups and downs of an 82-game common season, although. It’s simply the way it goes. Main the NBA in document by 5.5 video games, the Celtics have a goal on their again in each recreation that they play. What’s essential is that they closed these video games out and continued to stack up wins.

The Atlanta Hawks had been enjoying fairly sturdy basketball heading into Wednesday’s recreation, winners of 4 of their final 5 video games earlier than falling to the Celtics (sans Jrue Vacation). The 2 groups had been intently knotted for a lot of the evening, earlier than the Celtics surged within the fourth to place the Hawks to mattress. The Wizards recreation 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. Just 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 might 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 first rate observe. Dealing with a home-and-home collection with the Nets, they comfortably fended off Brooklyn within the first recreation 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 changing into simply the third crew 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 recreation 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 constantly excessive stage all season lengthy and the Celtics have seemed particularly potent when he takes the courtroom, quite a lot of nagging accidents and the group’s extremely cautious strategy to his well being have made it fairly uncommon to see the colossal huge man to play all the crew’s video games in a given week.

Certainly, we’re nonetheless lacking a recreation right here — he sat out the highway win towards Brooklyn as a part of his traditional 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 perfect season of his profession on a per-minute foundation. He’s scoring 20 factors per recreation, grabbing seven rebounds and swatting about two photographs, par for the course for his requirements, however his effectivity has discovered an entire new stage. Capturing 64% contained in the arc and 37% behind it, he’s recording a comical 60% efficient subject purpose 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 recreation and permitting a defensive subject purpose proportion of 42.5%, finest amongst facilities going through no less than 15 makes an attempt per recreation, 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 vital 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 no less than two threes and blocked a shot in every recreation. That mixture of expertise will not be fairly as uncommon because it was when Porzingis entered the league in 2015, however we are able to’t take as a right its worth.

The Porzingis expertise in Boston has been a very good, if fragile, one so far. The Celtics seem like a unique 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 courtroom when the postseason arrives.

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

Jaylen Brown often is the one within the Slam Dunk Contest, however let’s take a second to understand Jayson Tatum for his work on the rim. He could not have the identical form 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 seemingly probably 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 may be slightly overstated on their very own — we’re speaking about two gamers effectively into their 30s who had been rotation gamers for one of many worst groups of all time — they need to be a internet constructive in New York. Quentin Grimes, two second-rounders and wage filler is hardly a steep value to pay.

On paper, these Knicks are deep now, however we’ve but to see that depth on the courtroom 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 few 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 are feeling about Valuable Achiuwa), however they continue to be a playoff contender depending on an undersized lead guard (Jalen Brunson) and a ahead who has struggled significantly within the postseason (Randle). That’s not a mixture traditionally indicative of title rivalry. How they assemble all of those items after they return to full power will make for one of the vital fascinating storylines within the Japanese Convention down the stretch.

Elsewhere, outdated pal 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 crew’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 choose (top-two protected) in change for fifth-year ahead PJ Washington.

This looks like a poor piece of labor for Dallas. Williams most likely wanted to be proven to the door, but it surely’s not solely 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 finest 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 might be a transfer we glance again on as an utter disaster. Successfully buying and selling a 2028 choose swap (through Oklahoma Metropolis) so as to add heart Daniel Gafford ups the danger 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 price, 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 fireplace 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 can be off solely by Thursday, February 22. A well-earned relaxation for the perfect crew 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. Unquestionably, 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 crew’s return to play — maybe with some bonus protection of this weekend’s All-Star celebrations.