First off, welcome everyone to 2025.
That, is especially crazy and I am forever grateful.
We are currently witnessing one of the greatest Celtics Eras in franchise history.
Make no mistake, I did not stutter.
Let me help you
also, as always, shoutout Isaiah.
Given their title, the 2024 Celtics are easily the second most impressive team on that list.
Sounds pretty familiar right?
Again, that’s not me talking, that’s Grande’s graphic.
Yes, there are going to be moments when they play horrendous basketball and lose games they shouldn’t.
Welcome to the NBA in 2024.
But do not let that distract you from appreciating what you are witnessing.
That is an objective fact.
For some of you reading this blog, that is literally your entire life.
What do we know?
Last night’s 50 burger was an example of what that can look like.
This season, they are tied for the most 50 point wins in the season (1).
When this team is locked in, they have a truly overwhelming ability to bury their opponent.
Before we do that though, let’s relive the fun.
Right off the bat, I loved the way he guarded.
His going 4-5 from deep also felt pretty important because let’s face it.
The Celts have been complete dogshit from behind the line for the entire month of December.
Then came the Pritchard and Hauser 3s.
Then Tatum woke up in the 2nd half and he started to bury his 3s.
- Right there with him though was Payton Pritchard.
A man who was truly put on this earth to play Mazzulla Ball.
Not just for bench players, but all players.
Pick anyone you want in the entire NBA, they have fewer 5 3PM games than Payton Pritchard.
Not while Hauser is still working his way out of his slump.
For things to work, Payton has to provide consistent scoring off the bench.
Without that offense, the defense becomes more of an issue.
His shot making is what counterbalances that.
A cool 20/5/3.5 off the bench in 25 minutes a night.
Pritchard’s transition 3PA is such a weapon because as a defender you HAVE to be worried about it.
That changes how you defend the break and it forces them to make a choice.
If you choose the rim when Payton Pritchard has the ball in transition, god bless you.
- I will give pretty much anything to get this version of Sam Hauser the rest of the season.
Their makes are as pure as pure gets.
How do you know when Hauser is locked in?
It also means the shooters are knocking down their looks.
They are serving their purpose of helping space the floor for the two best players to operate.
That is how the Celtics become overwhelming.
When you think you’ve done everything right and one of Pritchard or Hauser STILL drills a 3PM.
It’s deflating for the defense, and then on the next possession congratulations here’s Jayson Tatum.
Payton uncharacteristically struggled, Derrick and Hauser the same thing, Al’s still going through it.
We know that this team at their standard is a wagon.
Sure the competition wasn’t anywhere close, but who cares.
A big part of that is solid guard play, and that’s exactly what the Stock Exchange provided.
- It felt like everyone really needed a classic Mazzulla Ball Experience.
The players, the fans, everyone watching at home etc.
Their 71 points allowed was their lowest in over a decade.
This is what they are capable of when they do not play like assholes, pretty good right?
- Celts are now 12-1 when they make at least 20 3s in a game.
Who knows though, because remember they lost a few games last week.
I mean, you see it.
I’m not going to say it out loud but I know you see it too.
We all see it.
We’ve gone from “just don’t screw up” to legitimate intrigue.
He’s aggressive as hell defensively and holding his own against real NBA talent.
Offensively he’s putting the ball on the floor and attacking.
He’s stepping into open jumpers and is taking (and making) them with confidence.
This really does feel like a rotation wing in the making.
- Shoutout to the deep bench for not shitting their pants and screwing with the point differential.
Dare I say that’s starting to look like a thing of the past?
Mazzulla Ball is contagious as hell, so maybe that shouldn’t have been that much of a surprise.
- Everything about Jayson Tatum’s second half ruled.
The first half, well that was a disaster.
- Drew Peterson combo guard?
I’m just noticing.
The Bad
- I’m not sure where else to put the first 6 minutes of this game.
How is this even possible against the worst defense in the NBA?
All I ask of this team is to just be normal.
You don’t have to overachieve, you don’t have to never miss.
Just shoot your averages!
Either way, the process was good in terms of generating open looks but the execution?
That took a while to show up.
- Serious question, what the hell is going on with this team from the FT line?
Another 9-15 in this game (60%), with Tatum missing 4 by himself.
What the hell even is that?
He’s now under 80% for the season and shot just 75% over the last 5 games.
at just 73.9% (5-5).
That is a sentence I should never, ever be typing when talking about this team’s FT shooting.
Giving away points and it being your best players that do it is unacceptable.
This shooting rut has been brutal, especially with how important Al’s spacing is with no KP.
That can’t happen.
I’m also not even sure how uch of this is even his fault.
This hasn’t exactly been the intended role for Al given how much he’s starting.
If you were interested in a challenge, we’re about to get it.
You see the Cavs have handled their West Coast trip, winning in DEN/GS/LAL so far.
Now, it’s the Celts turn with a MIN/HOU/OKC/DEN, with MIN/HOU being a B2B.
There aren’t many this year, but this is definitely a measuring stick stretch.
Let’s hope 2025 looks a whole lot like 2024.
