8 in a row.
13 of their last 14.
The Celtics have now lost just 4 games since January 29th.
If you’re not a big calendar guy, I’ll remind you that today is March 30th.
During that stretch, they’re 3rd in offense, 5th in defense, and 2nd in net rating.
These last 27 games account for nearly 32% of the season (23-4).
From January 29, 2025 - March 30, 2025 the Celtics went 23-4.
In 2024, the Celts ended the season with a 29-7 run over their final 36 games.
That’s what has made this year’s run so impressive to me these last few months.
They are winning at a 69 win pace while having nearly ZERO lineup consistency.
Guys are getting their rest, guys are sitting on B2Bs, and none of it has mattered.
That, my friends, is what being a wagon is all about.
The standard remains the standard, and that standard is winning
With that said, let’s dive in.
But when you’re getting a locked in version of Tatum?
It’s the exact opposite.
Guess which version we got in his return from the ankle injury?
Tatum started this game with what I would call a perfect 1st quarter.
Remember, this is a man who has all the answers to the test.
His fingerprints are all over every aspect of the game onbothends of the floor.
The scoring and rebounding parts aren’t all that new.
We’ve seen Playoff Tatum go 30/10 for years now.
In the NBA, there are certain levels you have to deal with.
For some guys, it doesn’t matter what you do, they have a counter.
Tatum’s jump as a passer is what has allowed him to enter this level.
Now, he doesn’t just beat your scheme with his scoring.
The issue becomes when you do that, congratulations, you just allowed Tatum to have single coverage.
Guess how that goes for you.
His AST% has jumped from 21.0% last season to a career best 27.1% this season.
Tatum already has 30 games of at least 7 assists and 13 of at least 9.
Remember, in addition to these 7-10 AST, you’re also getting 30/10.
This is not normal.
Those are the punch in of backbreaking plays that deflate a defense.
It breaks their spirit.
His connection with Tatum is undeniable, and that is why the Tatum + bench lineups are so great.
Think about what we’re seeing right now, this is the Celtics 3rd center!!
Part of their 16-3 run last year included how well he played.
Both in terms of big moments and overall production.
For Jrue, he’s going to get the open looks, which means he has to be efficient.
He has to convert the point blank layups and the open 3s.
That’s all I’m asking for.
That looks like something trending in the right direction to me.
Not a crazy percentage, but enough makes when the Celts needed them.
The ones that cap off great ball movement and force timeouts.
- Overall, it was a weird night for Jaylen.
The Celts entered the 4th quarter up 13 points as they began those non-Tatum minutes.
- A 54-35 rebounding difference is pretty wild, especially with 15 of them coming on the offensive glass.
In reality, he was “meh” at best.
I just don’t think he played that well against a matchup I was certain he would dominate.
- Jayson Tatum’s whistle remains bullshit.
That’s all I’ll say about that.
All we ask is for consistency, it shouldn’t be that hard.
Jaylen’s early TOs in the first quarter were brutal, just poor dribbling/passing decisions.
I’m not saying you have to be perfect.
I can live with traveling, maybe an offensive foul or stepping on the sideline.
It’s the horrific braindead live ball turnovers that really grind my gears.
Get better position on your post ups.
Throw passes with more intention.
Take a geometry class, I don’t fucking know.
For stretches, the Spurs made them pay.
That’s what truly prevented this from being a 20+ point win.
The Ugly
- 8 in a row, I don’t think so!
You’re already thinking about being home, you’re fatigued, teams drop this game all the time.
Maybe I’m selfish, but I want the perfect 6-0 trip.
