Ten takeaways from Celtics’ historic evening in Memphis

1. First ever 6-0 highway journey in Celtics historical past

With their win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, it’s the first time in franchise historical past {that a} Celtics group went 6-0 on a highway journey. The earlier report was held by the 1973 Celtics after they went on a 5-0 highway journey in February of 1973.

That is the second time in franchise historical past that Boston has gained 6 consecutive highway video games, tying that report with final 12 months’s group. It is usually the fifth time in franchise historical past they’ve had a minimum of 5 straight highway wins by 10+ factors in the identical season and all of these seasons have resulted in a Finals look.

2. Derrick White makes historical past!

Derrick White tied and broke the Celtics franchise report for 3 pointers in a season in opposition to the Grizzlies. White broke the report that was previously held by Isaiah Thomas who scored 245 three pointers within the 2017 season.

White tied IT’s report together with his first three of the sport within the second quarter coming off of a cross and display screen from Kristaps Porzingis over the outstretched arm of Desmond Bane.

The report breaking three didn’t come till the fourth quarter and up till that time, White was struggling to get something to fall for him on this recreation. That was till he acquired the change and had Zach Edey defending him on the perimeter. White pulled up with confidence when he noticed Edey guarding him and made the three and historical past in a single shot.

With Payton Pritchard and Jayson Tatum in hanging distance of the report as properly, who is aware of if White will end with the report. Nevertheless, this achievement shouldn’t be taken evenly as it’s an unimaginable accomplishment for a participant like Derrick White. When he was traded to Boston, he was by no means seen as an elite three-point shooter and has labored onerous to develop into the participant he’s immediately.

3. Al Horford continues to age like wonderful wine

There isn’t plenty of issues higher than watching an Al Horford masterclass on show and in opposition to the Grizzlies, the Celtics acquired that with a season excessive 26 factors and eight rebounds on 9-18 capturing from the sector and 6-13 capturing from three.

Horford was the distinction maker with Jaylen Brown and Luke Kornet out and had his highest scoring output within the common season when his second stint with the Celtics started in 2022 (not together with the playoffs). Horford can also be the oldest Celtic since Robert Parish to attain 25+ factors in a recreation for Boston and scored 26 factors for the primary time since February fifth, 2021 when he was a member of the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.

Horford got here off the bench on this recreation and was aggressive on the lookout for his shot. His first shot of the sport was a made nook three coming off an inbound cross from Jrue Vacation who was on the baseline and Horford didn’t decelerate from there, going 3-5 from three within the first half.

His finest stretch got here within the second half the place he ended the third quarter on a buzzer beater and hit two clutch threes within the fourth quarter to present the Celtics a double-digit lead that they might maintain on to for the remainder of the sport.

4. Jayson Tatum’s nice recreation

Jayson Tatum had a reasonably stable recreation, scoring 25 factors alongside 14 rebounds and a pair of assists on 10-24 capturing. The help whole is perhaps essentially the most stunning quantity, nevertheless it wasn’t for an absence of Tatum not attempting; he had plenty of fairly passes that his teammates simply didn’t convert. That is the bottom help recreation he’s had this season since March sixth when the Celtics blew out the 76ers.

With Zach Edey in foul bother early for the Grizzlies, that gave Tatum a free run to the rim on a number of possessions. One to notice was within the first quarter when Derrick White discovered Tatum going to the rim for an alley-oop layup, catching the Memphis protection sleeping.

Tatum has been using his mid-range jumper much more just lately. It looks like he discovered some success with it once more regardless of the poor capturing evening. On the finish of the second quarter, he had Scotty Pippen Jr. on an island as time was operating out and splashed a facet step jumper proper over him.

His finest play got here throughout a 3rd quarter run the Celtics have been having when Jrue Vacation handed Tatum a grenade within the nook with 4 seconds left on the shot clock. Jaylen Wells was taking part in some tight protection on him, however Tatum had sufficient and used his spin transfer and power to get round him for a layup that simply beat the buzzer.

5. Jrue Vacation’s underrated efficiency

Since Jrue Vacation got here again from his finger harm, his three-point capturing has been lots higher and it regarded nice in opposition to Memphis. Vacation scored 18 factors with 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and was a +21 for the sport.

On the Celtics six-game highway journey, Vacation shot 41% from three-point vary and most just lately over his final three video games he’s as much as 61%. This 18-point efficiency additionally will increase the Celtics report to 53-3 when Vacation scores 14+ factors in a recreation.

Vacation’s first three of the evening got here off a bounce cross from Kristaps Porzingis and it was an enormous shot for him after he missed his first 4 photographs that have been means off. This was signal to see his confidence was shaken after a rocky begin and from the Celtics final matchup with the Grizzlies the place he went 8-26 from the sector and 4-17 from three.

His greatest threes got here within the third quarter when it was a back-and-forth recreation. Vacation acquired a cross court docket cross from Sam Hauser for a large open three that gave the Celtics a six-point lead halfway by way of the quarter. The following shot got here off an awesome block from Tatum and after some passing across the arc, Vacation ended up with the ball and after some hesitation, splashed a 3.

6. Porzingis taking part in with meat

Ever since Kristaps Porzingis mentioned he “earned buckets with meat” again on January twenty ninth, the Celtics have been on a scorching streak. Boston is 25-4 since Porzingis’ remark and ever since he has come again from his sickness, Kristaps has been taking part in nice.

One nice Porzingis basket got here when the Celtics regarded just like the Showtime Lakers with this possession that began with a Payton Pritchard steal. Vacation picked it up and handed it forward to Tatum who handed it again to Vacation on the bounce. Vacation then discovered a trailing Porzingis for an alley-oop slam for one of many highlights of the evening.

Porzingis continued to penetrate the paint as he obtained a cross from Derrick White as he was reducing to the basket. Porzingis ran into Zach Edey and spun round him for the jam.

It truly is nice to see Porzingis wholesome and hopefully, we will get extra of this for a full playoff run as a result of he’s going to be enormous for the Celtics.

7. Xavier Tillman’s begin

Xavier Tillman has had a tough season to say the least. Tillman has not discovered a spot within the rotation after his Recreation 3 of the NBA Finals efficiency final season and has most just lately been coping with accidents which have had him out fully.

Nevertheless, for the primary time since November eighth, Tillman acquired the beginning with Jaylen Brown and Luke Kornet out of the lineup. Tillman performed components of 4 seasons with the Grizzlies earlier than getting traded to the Celtics ultimately 12 months’s commerce deadline and was a reasonably beloved determine in Memphis.

Though Tillman solely completed with 2 factors on 0-5 capturing, it was good to see him get some run once more and he appreciated the chance from Joe Mazzulla.

He mentioned, “Me getting the chance to come back again right here, and simply say thanks to the followers, my former teammates, it was fairly superior.”

Coming right down to the previous few video games of the season, we may see Tillman getting extra taking part in time as extra guys relaxation for the playoffs. We’ll need to see if he can present any flashes in that point to get within the rotation once more, however tonight was an awesome second and superior gesture for Tillman to thank the Memphis trustworthy yet one more time.

8. Dominated the rebounding battle

When wanting on the stats from this recreation, one quantity that stands out essentially the most is how the Celtics dominated the Grizzlies on the glass. Boston had 54 rebounds on this recreation in comparison with Memphis’ 45. The Celtics additionally had 12 offensive rebounds and that was enormous for Boston having the ability to generate 10 second probability factors.

9. Chasing finest highway report replace

With the Celtics win over the Grizzlies and a 6-0 west coast highway journey, Boston gained their thirty second highway recreation of the season. With two highway video games remaining, the Celtics have an opportunity to tie the 2015-16 Warriors for the very best highway report in NBA historical past.

The final two highway video games are a back-to-back with the New York Knicks and Orlando Magic on April eighth and ninth.

Not solely are the Celtics combating for the very best highway report in NBA historical past, they’re additionally in hanging distance of the all-time report for scoring differential by a group. At present, the report is held by the 1972 Lakers with a 11.32 differential, however this 12 months’s Celtics are at present second with a ten.36 differential. Boston can also be combating off OKC for the second spot because the Thunder are an in depth third place at 10.25.

10. Preparing for struggle

With seven video games remaining within the Celtics season, the playoffs are on the horizon and Jayson Tatum sounds prepared. In his post-game interview with Abby Chin on NBC Sports activities Boston, Tatum mentioned “it’s nearly time for struggle” when requested on how he feels this group is at at present.

Trying on the Celtics report over the previous two months or so, I’m inclined to imagine him. The Celtics appear to be peaking on the proper time and out of doors of their losses to Cleveland, Detroit, and OKC of this two month stretch, they’ve regarded just like the dominant group that gained the championship final 12 months.

Count on plenty of gamers to get a while off on this closing stretch of video games as a result of like Tatum mentioned, the Celtics are about to go to struggle within the playoffs. Boston is the king now and everybody goes to try to raid the dominion to take them down.