The Eastern Conference Finals Takes Another Wild Turn As Boston Smothers Miami 102-82 In Game 4

 

    After no-showing for much of the contest then rallying like crazy but ultimately losing Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals 109-103 on Saturday night at TD Garden, the Celtics had no choice but to win this evening at home as they faced the Heat who led the series 2-1. One of the only certainties in this postseason is that Boston will bounce back from a loss as they improved to 5-0 after defeats with a lopsided 102-82 victory that evened the series at two games apiece. When I say that Miami never stood a chance, it is the honest truth since they were down 18-1 (!) right at the start. The Heat set a franchise playoff low with 11 points in the first quarter and they trailed by as much as 32 points while their starting lineup combined for 18 points which does not even seem possible. The all-important Game 5 is at FTX Arena in Miami on Wednesday (8:30, ESPN). 

    Boston's lockdown team defense was the main story as they held Miami to 52 points in the first three quarters. Like his team, Celtics superstar small forward Jayson Tatum (game-high 31 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks) responded the right way after an embarrasing 10-point outing in Game 3. Four other Celtics scored at least 12 points led by point guard Payton Pritchard who scored 14 points off the bench, point guard Derrick White (starting for an injured Marcus Smart) added 13 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals-his best game as a Celtic-shooting guard Jaylen Brown was ice cold but had 12 points and seven rebounds while center Robert Williams returned from missing Game 3 with 12 points, nine rebounds and two blocks in 19 very impactful minutes. Veteran power forward Al Horford only took two shots but he was a force defensively with a game-high 13 rebounds and a game-high four blocks. 

    For Miami, with shooting guard Tyler Herro (groin) out and their best player small forward Jimmy Butler (6 points, 7 rebounds) clearly not himself, they were lost offensively. Heat center Bam Adebayo was a beast on Saturday with a team-high 31 points and 10 rebounds but then he disappeared once again with only nine points. Point guard Kyle Lowry had just three points while Miami's other two starters-power forward P.J. Tucker and shooting guard Max Strus were both held scoreless. Shooting guard Victor Oladipo was the only guy on the Heat that played well in Game 4 as he had a team-high 23 points and six assists off the bench while New Hampshire native and shooting guard Duncan Robinson (14 points, 2 steals) finally seemed to find his shooting stroke in garbage time and small forward Caleb Martin added 12 points and six rebounds off the bench. 

    Boston shot six percent better from the field than Miami (39%-33%) and more importantly, they attempted nearly three times as many free throws (32-of-38 vs. 8-of-14). The C's owned the glass with 21 more rebounds (60-39) and scored 10 more points in the paint (38-28). It was stunning to see such a proud and tough team like Miami get destroyed like that, then again this has been a postseason full of blowouts in the NBA. I could see a lineup change perhaps for the Heat in Game 5 with either Oladipo or Robinson coming in for Strus. We'll have to see if Smart returns for Boston. It will be the biggest game of the playoffs (thus far) for either club since it would be quite difficult to rally from down 3-2 in this series.

The Celts Ran All Over The Heat 127-102 In Game 2 To Even The Eastern Conference Finals At 1

 

    If not for a historically bad third quarter in Game 1 (where they were outscored 39-14), the Celtics would probably have a 2-0 series lead in the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals vs. the Heat. Tonight in Game 2 at FTX Arena, it wasn't even close as Boston truly wiped the floor with Miami 127-102. The series is now tied 1-1 and Boston improved to 4-0 this postseason following a loss. The C's got off to a fast start by leading 35-24 after the first quarter and 70-45 at halftime (their largest halftime lead in franchise playoff history!). The Heat made a tiny run early in the third quarter but it didn't matter one bit as the teams somehow scored the exact same amount in the final two frames: 26 points in the third quarter and 31 points in the fourth quarter. After they both were out for Game 1, C's point guard Marcus Smart barely missed a triple-double (24 points, playoff career-high 12 assists, 9 rebounds, 3 steals) and center Al Horford (10 points) both returned to stabilize things for the deeper and dare I say a little tougher overall squad?

    Miami's star small forward Jimmy Butler had another very good game (game-high 29 points, 6 rebounds) but he didn't go crazy like Game 1 where he dropped 41 points. It's looking like that type of otherworldly performance is how the Heat are going to win because they just don't have that many legit threats outside of Butler. While Boston's star-small forward Jayson Tatum (team-high 27 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists) and shooting guard Jaylen Brown (24 points, 8 rebounds) combined for 51 points-it was also about power forward Grant Williams (19 points) and point guard Payton Pritchard (10 points, game-high plus-39) who were both really solid off the bench for the visitors. Miami's point guard Kyle Lowry remains out with a strained left hamstring so taking his place is the immortal Gabe Vincent (14 points) who was the only other Heat starter to score in double figures. Miami's All-Star center Bam Adebayo (6 points, 9 rebounds) was a complete no-show for the second straight contest, shooting guard Max Strus (6 points) is a one-trick three-point shooting pony and veteran small forward P.J. Tucker left after 22 minutes and never returned with a left knee contusion. Shooting guard Victor Oladipo (remember him?) had 14 points off the bench and the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro was held to 11 measly points.

    Boston's defense was on another level than Miami's that is similarly regarded as a great defensive club. The C's were on fire from downtown, as they shot 50% (20-of-40) on three-pointers and held the Heat to 29.4% (10-of-34) in front of their stunned home fans. There weren't a ton of Celtics fans in the building but the real (and quite wealthy) Massholes that did get in made their presence felt like Barstool Sports' Dave Portnoy who sat right next to the Celtics' bench with his lady friend. For the game, Boston shot seven percent (51.2%-44.2%) better from the field, they only missed two free throws (21-for-23) while they handed out seven more assists (28-21), grabbed twice as many steals (8-4) and blocked two more shots (5-3) thanks to Celts center Robert Williams (3 blocks). The Celtics scored 11 more points off turnovers (20-9) than the Heat, had five fewer turnovers (14-9) and they led by as much as 34 points (!) which is a pretty amazing feat on the road against the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference who had captured Game 1 (118-107) by double digits.

    There is little time to rest as they get right back to it on Saturday night (8:30, ABC) in Boston at what should be a lubed up and very loud TD Garden. Between their variety of options on offense not to mention their typical superb defense that showed up in Game 2, the C's have many ways to beat Miami while the Heat seem more limited outside of Butler being the best player on the floor by a wide margin (which is harder to do since he has only hit one 3-pointer in the first two games combined). If Tucker is out, Miami would be down a great defensive player and one of its true heart and soul guys. I'm not predicting anything just yet because I have too much respect for the Heat to bury them but as a Celtics fan, you have to like the position that they are in after picking up this vital road win in Game 2. They are not intimidated by Miami and honestly, why should they be? Boston is the better team and hopefully that is proven out over the course of this series. 

C's Destroyed The Bucks 109-81 In Game 7 To Advance To The Eastern Conference Final Vs. Heat

 

    After a predictable choke job by the Bruins against the Hurricanes in Game 7 of their first round playoff series on Saturday, thankfully the Celtics did the exact opposite as they ran over the Bucks to the tune of 109-81 yesterday afternoon at TD Garden in Game 7 of their second round playoff series. For the second time in three years, Boston advances to the Eastern Conference Final where they will once again meet Miami but at least this time it is not in the bubble. For the second time against Milwaukee in this round, Celts power forward Grant Williams had the game of his life with a game-high (and career-high) 27 points along with seven made three-pointers (another career-high). Bucks superstar power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was finally bottled up (at least scoring-wise) as he had 25 points, 20 rebounds, nine assists, two steals but also five turnovers. 

    The C's started very slowly as they trailed 26-20 after a rock fight of a first quarter. They woke up in the second quarter and led by a slim five-point margin (48-43) after wily point guard Marcus Smart (11 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds) drew a shooting foul in the closing seconds on a shot from half-court. He made all three free throws and that propelled his team into an incredible second half. Boston blitzed Milwaukee in the third quarter (31-21) and really opened things up in the fourth quarter (30-17) as they were on fire on three-pointers (22-of-55 for 40%) while the Bucks were ice cold (4-of-33 for 12.1%) from downtown. The Celtics' two stars-small forward Jayson Tatum (23 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds) and shooting guard Jaylen Brown (19 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals)-were good not great but they didn't have to be other-worldly with Williams' amazing performance along with contributions from other guys like center Al Horford (10 rebounds, 6 assists) and point guard Payton Pritchard (14 points, 5 rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench). 

    Milwaukee's point guard Jrue Holiday (21 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals) closed out a very solid series for him with another fine outing although he was 0-for-6 on three pointers. Bucks center Brook Lopez had a double double with 15 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks while backup center Bobby Portis was the only other guy on Milwaukee in double figures with 10 points and six rebounds off the bench. I don't know if he would have made enough of a difference to change the outcome of the series but you can bet that at least if Bucks small forward Khris Middleton had played in Game 7, they would have made it much more competitive. It wasn't a surprise to see Boston win-they were the betting favorite after all on their home court-but to see the defending champions go down in flames was unexpected to say the least. 

    The Celtics led Game 7 by as much as 28 points and they dished out nine more assists than the Bucks (29-20) so you have to say that the better team ultimately won. C's center Robert Williams was technically active for the first time since Game 3 against Milwaukee but he never saw the floor. I believe that if it was a closer game, Celts head coach Ime Udoka at least would have thrown him out there for a few timely minutes. It was a best case scenario for that Williams since now he gets a few more days to get better and they will definitely need him against Heat center Bam Adebayo who is an absolute Celtics killer. Miami is the top seed in the Eastern Conference so they have home court and with their star small forward Jimmy Butler and shooting guard Tyler Herro (the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year this season), they have given Boston fits in recent years. However, after mowing down the Nets and surviving a long battle with the Bucks, now is the perfect time for the Celtics to eliminate the Heat and reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010. It should be a hell of a series and there is no rest for the weary as it begins tomorrow night (8:30, ESPN) in Miami with each game coming every other day for the entire series.

The Celtics Have Officially Broken The Nets, Taking A 3-0 Series Lead With A 109-103 Game 3 Victory

 

    So it turns out that we should not have feared the Nets at all this postseason. They are complete frauds as proven by Boston's 109-103 win tonight in Game 3 of the first round at the Barclays Center to take a 3-0 series lead. Boston's superstar swingman Jayson Tatum (game-high 39 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, career-high 6 steals) was absolutely brilliant, shooting guard Jaylen Brown added 23 points, five assists and two steals while point guard Marcus Smart notched 14 points, six assists and two steals. Both of Brooklyn's stars were nowhere to be found as power forward Kevin Durant was held to 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists and point guard Kyrie Irving had a similarly uninspiring performance of 16 points, nine assists and three steals in a must-win situation. Game 4 is Monday (7, NBC Sports Boston) at Barclays, you can hear the Nets mumbling "1-2-3 Cancun" already while head coach Steve Nash prepares to return to broadcasting Champions League soccer or some other random gig. 

    Given that no NBA team has ever rallied to win a playoff series when they have trailed 0-3, you figured that Brooklyn would show at least a little pride and play with some urgency from the start tonight. Not so much as Boston led 30-25 after the first quarter and 53-50 at halftime. The C's owned the third quarter (28-22) and hung on in the fourth quarter as the Nets made some three-pointers in garbage time to outscore them 31-28 in the final frame. One of the big storylines of this contest was the juxtaposition of Celts center Robert Williams returning less than a month after arthroscopic surgery on his knee while Ben Simmons continues to appear exclusively on Brooklyn's bench in his cartoonish outfits. Haha we'll see if he still returns in Game 4, what's the point? 

    Boston didn't get as much from their role players in Game 3 but those guys still made some valuable contributions: power forward Daniel Theis had nine points and six rebounds, center Al Horford's (2 blocks) lone basket was a clutch three-pointer in the fourth quarter, point guard Payton Pritchard notched 10 points off the bench for the second game in a row and power forward Grant Williams put up seven points and five rebounds in 32 minutes off the bench. Dorchester native and Nets small forward Bruce Brown was great yet again as he submitted a career-high for the second straight game with a team-high 26 points, eight rebounds and two steals, shooting guard Seth Curry had 10 points, center Nic Claxton (who should be starting!) added 13 points and seven rebounds off the bench while veteran point guard Patty Mills notched 12 points as a substitute. 

    Celtics head coach Ime Udoka has made Nash look like a fool in these first three games. I loved Nash as a player but he is so overmatched in this situation, he rolled with the same lineup in Game 3 and he appears incapable of making any type of in-game adjustments. Then again, what do you expect from a guy that had never been a head coach before this? Boston's defense was really good as they had six more steals than Brooklyn (13-7) and four less turnovers (18-14). The Celtics just outworked and outhustled the Nets, as they posted eight more points in the paint (50-42), 16 more fast break points (25-9) and 12 more points off turnovers (37-25). All three games in this series have been decided by single-digits but there has been no doubt who the better team is. Monday should be fun as I fully expect Brooklyn to fold like you read about.

Trailing By 17 Points, The Celtics Rallied For A 114-107 Win In Game 2 Vs. Nets & 2-0 Series Lead

 

    It took them awhile to get started as they trailed by nine points after the first quarter (33-24) and by 10 points at halftime (65-55) but when the dust settled on Game 2 of the first round tonight at TD Garden, the Celtics came out on top of the Nets by a score of 114-107. With that result, Boston held serve to take a 2-0 lead in the series which heads to Brooklyn this weekend. As you can tell, this was not easy by any means for the Celts who were down by as much as 17 points (62-45) late in the second quarter but they stuck with it and eventually wore down the Nets. Game 3 at the Barclays Center on Saturday night (7:30, NBC Sports Boston) is obviously a must-win for front-running Brooklyn since no NBA team has ever come back from a 0-3 series deficit. 

    Nets star power forward Kevin Durant scored a game-high 27 points but that is pretty misleading since he was once again ice cold from the floor (4-for-17) and had a game-high six turnovers but he made a living at the free throw line (18-of-20). Brooklyn's other star-point guard Kyrie Irving-was nowhere to be found as he put up a pathetic 10 points and eight rebounds in 40 minutes. Boston native and Nets small forward Bruce Brown opened the game on a personal 9-0 run and he parlayed that into an excellent performance: 23 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. Shooting guard Seth Curry was good for Brooklyn with 16 points and off the bench point guard Goran Dragic remained lethal with 18 points. 

    I said after Game 1 that the Celtics have more depth than the Nets and they proved it this evening since all five starters scored at least 12+ points and two of the three bench guys also added double-figures. Boston's star shooting guard Jaylen Brown had a team-high 22 points, six assists and three steals while their other star-small forward Jayson Tatum-struggled with his shot (5-for-16) but still put up 19 points, a game-high 10 assists and six rebounds. Center Al Horford predictably wasn't as good as he was in Game 1 but he still managed to get 16 points, six rebounds and two steals while power forward Daniel Theis was better with 15 points and six rebounds. The NBA's Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart notched 12 points and five assists. Given the stage, power forward Grant Williams had his best game as a Celtic with 17 points, six rebounds and two blocks in 32 very productive minutes off the bench and even second-year point guard Payton Pritchard gave them a lift with 10 points in 16 minutes as a substitute. 

    They had an extra day off between Games 1 and 2 but KD was still in a funk and Kyrie played like he couldn't wait to get the hell out of here. If both of those guys have off nights then the Nets have virtually no chance to win against the more focused and locked in Celtics. Head coach Ime Udoka (who should have been one of the three nominees for NBA Coach of the Year) must have made some good adjustments at halftime as the C's were a different club in the second half. They outscored the Nets 30-25 then knocked them out in the fourth quarter (29-17) in front of Coach K and McLovin among other random celebrities. 

    For the game, Boston shot nearly six percent better from the field (52%-46.1%) and they had 11 more assists (27-16) than Brooklyn. As we thought, the Celts are a true team while the Nets are just a collection of big name talent surrounded by the island of misfit toys. For many reasons, a Celtics win in Game 3 would be huge; I don't want to completely look past the Nets yet since both Games 1 & 2 were decided by single-digits and you have to believe that Durant at some point will look like one of the best players on the planet. With that said, Boston's defense is superior to Brooklyn's which gives you confidence even away from the friendly confines of the juiced up Garden. If Boston can go up 3-0 in the series, I can definitely see Brooklyn completely folding and getting swept like you read about. For now though, let's just be happy that the Celts are up 2-0 and they haven't even played a complete game against the Nets.

The Celtics Closed Out A Horrible 2021 With Their Best Win Of The Season, 123-108 Vs. The Suns

 

    There are many reasons why I have barely posted anything about the Celtics (17-19 overall, 10-7 home) during this miserable 2021-22 campaign: they are mostly an unlikable group, their games are nearly unwatchable and usually quite predictable in terms of blowing almost any lead possible. Fast forward to their traditional New Year's Eve afternoon home game at TD Garden where they dominated one of the best teams in the NBA-the Suns (27-8 overall, 11-4 road)-123-108. Boston led by as many as 30 points in the second quarter (65-35!) and of course Phoenix made a decent run in the third quarter but for once, the C's were able to hang on for what has to be considered their most meaningful victory of head coach Ime Udoka's rocky first year in charge. 

    For more context, the Celtics had lost eight of their last 11 games including three soul-crushing losses in a row entering today: they were up as much as 19 points on Christmas at Milwaukee (24-13) before losing to the Bucks, they fell on Monday at Minnesota (16-19) which due to Covid and injuries fielded basically a G League team and then they wrapped it up by hitting four-of-42 3-pointers and losing by nine at Wednesday to the mediocre Clippers (18-18) at the Garden. Speaking of the 'Rona, Celts superstar Jayson Tatum is still out as he battles it for the second year in a row. Like every other team, the Suns are also missing guys-most notably center Deandre Ayton-because of this never-ending nightmare that we are facing all around this stubborn country. 

    Seven Celtics scored in double-figures led by point guard Marcus Smart (24 points, 9 rebounds) and shooting guard Jaylen Brown (24 points, 11 rebounds) but center Robert Williams (10 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, 5 blocks, 2 steals) was the star of the show as he notched his first career triple-double. When he's healthy and on the court, Williams is one of the most talented big men in the league but unfortunately he is so injury-prone that it makes your head spin. Power forward Grant Williams scored 15 points and despite only having three guys appear off the bench, they combined to score 46 points. Swingman Josh Richardson had 19 points, shooting guard Romeo Langford added 16 points and two steals while guard Payton Pritchard tossed in 11 points (it's nice to see Udoka finally play him a little bit). 

    The Suns have already proven that last season where they went to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993 was no fluke whatsoever. It helps of course to have arguably the best backcourt around in point guard Chris Paul (14 points, 8 assists, 2 steals) and shooting guard Devin Booker (team-high 22 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals). Small forward Cam Johnson put up 20 points, five rebounds and two steals while center Jalen Smith (who?!) had 19 points and seven rebounds plus power forward Mikal Bridges notched 10 points and two steals. The home team led by 11 points after the first quarter (32-20) and by 26 points at haftime (67-41). Phoenix predictably came alive in the second half but even for them, it was too late to have much of an impact on the C's. The Suns took the third quarter (36-33) and the fourth quarter as well (36-33) but the Celtics held on tight to avoid the season sweep by the Suns.

    For the game, Boston had a big advantage when it came to field goal percentage (54.2%-41.0%), they also took 10 more free throws (26-16) and hit eight more of them (23-15), they grabbed 14 more rebounds (51-37), dished out eight more assists (28-20) and thanks to Williams blocked five more shots (7-2). For what it's worth, on paper this next little stretch for Boston seems very winnable: they host the tanking Magic (7-29) on Sunday night (6, NBC Sports Boston), before the Spurs (14-20) come to town on Wednesday (7:30, NBC Sports Boston) then they have a home-and-home with the Knicks (17-19) on Thursday (7:30, NBC Sports Boston) at Madison Square Garden and then the return match here next Saturday night (7:30, NBC Sports Boston). Hopefully Tatum can return at some point this upcoming week but then again, he and Brown famously don't really play well together anymore. Oof, it's a tough time to be a C's fan and I obviously have very low expectations for the rest of this season and beyond barring some huge changes in personnel.

Last Season Dennis Schroder Bet Big On Himself & That Didn't Turn Out So Well, Now He's A Celtic

    We have reached that sad dead zone in NBA free agency where almost all of the top players have long been scooped up and teams are left to fight over the crumbs or in this case, flawed guys that have shown flashes here or there but not enough to be more coveted. Enter guard Dennis Schroder: you might remember him as the bozo that for some unknown reason (was it a terrible agent or his irrational self-worth?) turned down a four-year, $84 million extension last spring with the Lakers. He didn't have a bad 2020-21 by any measure: in 61 starts for LA, he averaged 15.4 points per game, 5.8 assists per game and 1.1 steals per game. Apparently, that didn't impress anyone though (or maybe he's just a complete prick?) since he was still available until this evening when the Celtics reportedly agreed to a one-year contract with him for the mid-level exception ($5.9 million). 

    Boston will be the mercurial German's fourth NBA team (Atlanta and Oklahoma City being the others) in only nine seasons and with any luck, this will be the NBA equivalent of a one-night stand: quite enjoyable for both parties but ultimately nothing more lasting than that. Schroder will want to have a monster season individually with the C's so that when he goes back to free agency next summer, he will get paid much closer to that boatload of money that he laughably left on the table for the Lakers. Likewise, the Celtics desperately needed a starting point guard and this way, they aren't forced to shoehorn Marcus Smart into that spot every game or better yet, they can finally trade him. Haha yeah right, I'll believe that when I see it even with Danny Ainge out of the picture

    It has been an interesting ride in the NBA for Dennis The Menace (I can only assume that fantastic nickname hasn't caught on more because it's too dated?). He was a first-round pick-17th overall-for the Hawks in 2013 and after basically a redshirt year in his rookie season, he averaged 10 points per game his second season and that continued to go up his next three years in A-Town before they flipped him to the Thunder in a massive three-team trade that also involved the Sixers. After two pretty solid seasons in rebuilding OKC, he got to play with LeBron James for one fleeting campaign in LA. There are a couple notable Celtics connections to Schroder: as a Hawk, he had some epic playoff battles with the Celts early in his NBA career. Furthermore, he and former Boston point guard Rajon Rondo are mortal enemies that seem to legitimately hate each other and they always get into a hilarious shoving and shouting match every time that their numerous teams meet.

    The bottom line is that this should be an enjoyable hookup for both Schroder and Boston since nobody can deny his talent: his career-highs are 19.4 points per game (2017-18 w/ATL), 6.3 assists per game (the previous season with the Hawks) and those 1.1 steals per game (twice). You wish that he was a better shooter (just 33.7% career on 3-pointers) which no doubt makes Smart smile but at least he's a good free throw shooter (83.1% for his career). Dennis is listed at 6-foot-3 but only 172 pounds so new Celtics head coach Ime Udoka will surely need to be creative at times to protect him defensively and let the much bigger and stronger Smart take on the league's larger guards. I never thought in my life that I'd cheer for this joker but as long as he doesn't act like too much of a jackass, this is a solid move by Brad Stevens so late in free agency. Realistically, you couldn't have expected a much better player than him and we all like Payton Pritchard but he should never be more than a backup guard at this level.  

Friday Was Fun, Now Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Programming: The Nets Owning The C's

 

    I thoroughly enjoyed Game 3 on Friday and I hope that you did too because now the Celtics-Nets first-round playoff series is all but over after Brooklyn gave Boston another reality check tonight at the TD Garden with a 141-126 beating that wasn't nearly that close. The Nets' big three of Kevin Durant (game-high 42 points, 5 assists, 2 blocks), Kyrie Irving (39 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals) and James Harden (23 points, playoff career-high 18 assists, 3 blocks, 2 steals) combined for an absurd 104 points as Brooklyn took a commanding 3-1 series lead. Only 13 teams in NBA history have ever rallied from a 3-1 deficit so yeah, Game 5 on Tuesday (7:30, NBC Sports Boston) at the Barclays Center will be the last time that you thankfully see these woefully overmatched Celts for a long time. Let's just hope that Celtics GM Danny Ainge has the guts to make some real moves this summer for the first time in a while since this team is in desperate need of some major tinkering.  

     A tall task for Boston to even the series at two games apiece got even more unlikely right before tip-off as point guard Kemba Walker (left knee medial bone bruise) and center Robert Williams (left ankle sprain) were both ruled out. Williams is sadly made of glass so that wasn't a surprise by any means but it was a bummer that Kemba couldn't play either as bad as he's been in this series. That meant more pressure fell on Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum (team-high 40 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks) and he met the challenge about as well as you could possibly imagine given the impossible deck stacked against him. Point guard Marcus Smart (16 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals) and shooting guard Evan Fournier (16 points) were both predictably ice cold after they were each really good in Game 3's shocking win by the Celts. 

    The Nets also received 14 points from small forward Joe Harris while Boston native Bruce Brown added 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Boston had three bench guys in double-figures, only because there was so much garbage time after Brooklyn led by as many as 27 points. Rookie point guard Payton Pritchard scored 12 points, rookie small forward Aaron Nesmith added 11 points and the ghost of Jabari Parker notched 10 points and six rebounds in front of a sold-out Garden (for the first time at a Celtics game in 14+ months). The Nets improved to 6-1 against the Celtics this season so let's not kid ourselves into thinking that all this dominance is just because of Boston's current injuries. Brooklyn can put the C's and their fans out of their collective misery on Tuesday in what will undoubtedly be another blowout. Haha good times!

With Nobody Watching, The Celtics Likely Won For The Last Time This Season (124-108 At Minnesota)

 

    For a variety of reasons-1) it was a gorgeous summer-like day in New England; 2) the game started at 2 p.m. on a Saturday; 3) it meant literally nothing-I'm guessing that today's 124-108 victory for the Celtics (36-35 overall, 15-20 away) against the Timberwolves (22-49 overall, 12-23 home) was probably their lowest rated game in years on NBC Sports Boston. The penultimate regular season contest of this terrible season had the feel of a preseason game in Springfield, MA. Boston is already locked into the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference but they still don't know who they will host in the Play-In Tournament on Tuesday since the eight through ten seeds (Charlotte, Washington and Indiana) all have the same exact awful record (33-38). Haha can you feel the excitement? 

    Anytime that Celtics power forward Semi Ojeleye (6 points, 7 rebounds) starts for Boston, you know that something has gone horribly wrong. I guess doubly so when center Luke Kornet (12 points, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks) aka the Murder Kornet joins him in the starting lineup. Celts star Jayson Tatum had a game-high 26 points and 11 rebounds in 27 minutes while shooting guard Evan Fournier added 18 points and six assists with rookie guard Payton Pritchard rounding out the starters with 11 points and four steals. 11 guys got to play for Boston (sorry Carsen Edwards) as point guard Tremont Waters (14 points, 7 assists) had what must have been his best performance in the NBA and power forward Grant Williams notched 11 points and six rebounds off the bench as well. 

    The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the C's while the Timberwolves jockey for position in the Draft Lottery. Center Karl-Anthony Towns (24 points, 14 rebounds) posted a double-double and rookie swingman Anthony Edwards-who is making a late push for Rookie of the Year-added 23 points, six assists and three steals. Point guard D'Angelo Russell put up 11 points and six assists with center Naz Reid (12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks) padding his stats off the bench. Boston's regular season finale is tomorrow afternoon (1, NBC Sports Boston) at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks (40-31 overall, 24-11 home). Expect an ugly blowout loss for the Celts not just because New York is way better than them but also since the Knicks are tied with the Hawks for fourth-place in the Eastern Conference so they will no doubt want to get that home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs.

Will The Celtics Win Another Game In The Doomed 2020-21 Regular Season/Play-In Tournament?

 

    No matter how much we all want this Celtics (35-35 overall, 14-20 away) team to go away for awhile, it appears like the team itself is even more determined to end this season as soon as possible. The timing was just too perfect since star Jaylen Brown had surgery on his left wrist's damaged ligaments yesterday right before his lifeless team fell 102-94 last night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse to the Cavaliers (22-48 overall, 13-23 home). The win snapped an 11-game losing streak for Cleveland while Boston's tailspin continued with their fourth loss in a row. In the grand scheme of things, this game meant very little but technically, Boston still has not secured the No. 7 seed yet and they could drop to as low as No. 9. Granted, no matter where they land and if they somehow survive the Play-In Tournament, do you have any hope that they'll make any noise before getting swept by Philadelphia (47-22) or Brooklyn (46-24) in the first round?

    The C's actually led by two points (69-67) going into the fourth quarter before they crumbled. The ghost of Kevin Love has appeared in less than half the games this season (can you blame him?) but he turned in a vintage performance with a game-high 30 points, 14 rebounds and two steals. If the Cavs are ever going to get good again (assuming that LeBron James does not return home again for a second time), they will need point guard Collin Sexton (28 points, 8 assists) to become the star that he shows glimpses of from time to time. Rookie swingman Isaac Okoro added 15 points and six assists in the rare Cavaliers victory. 

    Boston's active star Jayson Tatum had some nice stats (team-high 29 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks) but he shot 11-of-26 from the floor. With little left to play for, the Celts chose to sit down guards Marcus Smart and Kemba Walker while center Robert Williams (will he appear in another game this season?) continues to deal with his apparently deadly case of turf toe. Shooting guard Evan Fournier added 15 points, center Tristan Thompson notched 10 points and rookie guard Payton Pritchard scored 15 points and had seven rebounds off the bench. There are two games left for the C's in the regular season: at Minnesota (22-47 overall, 12-21 home) on Saturday afternoon (2, NBC Sports Boston) and at New York (38-31 overall, 22-11 home) on Sunday afternoon (1, NBC Sports Boston). The first ever Play-In Tournament in NBA history begins on Tuesday.

An NBA Preseason Game In May? It Looked Like The C's Sure Enjoyed Their Trip To Disney World

 

    Nobody rolls over faster than an NBA team that's destined for the draft lottery (as Charles Barkley loves to say about tanking teams "1-2-3 Cancun!") with a few games remaining in their regular season. The Celtics (35-31 overall, 14-18 away) were a first-hand witness to that phenomenon tonight at the Amway Center as they destroyed the hapless Magic (21-45 overall, 11-24 home) 132-96. Point guard Kemba Walker tied his season-high with 32 points while swingman Jayson Tatum (27 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks) played well with shooting guard Jaylen Brown sidelined with an ankle injury. This was never even close since Boston led by 12 points after the first quarter (39-27) and never looked back, outscoring Orlando by at least six points in each subsequent frame. 

    Shooting guard Evan Fournier (18 points, 2 steals) actually got a tribute video from the Magic (in his 1st game back) after he spent parts of six seasons there. Guard Marcus Smart (9 assists) was not suspended after he was ejected from Sunday's loss to Portland (37-29). After two days between games (a rarity in 2020-21), this game could not have turned out much better from Boston's perspective. Nobody on the Celts played more than Kemba's 31 minutes, all nine bench guys for Boston got to play for at least five minutes apiece and each player scored a minimum of two points. Everybody's favorite backup center/full-time giant human Tacko Fall (4 blocks) was able to partake in the fun. Rookie guard Payton Pritchard added 14 points in 18 minutes off the bench. Orlando had nine total players available for the game if you were wondering how seriously they were taking this farce of a matchup. 

    It might have been a textbook fake win but the Celtics will take it since the result put them in a tie with Miami (35-31) for sixth-place in the Eastern Conference. The Celts own the tiebreakers against the Heat so at the moment, they are just barely clear of the play-in tournament (No. 7-10 teams). On Friday (7:30, NBC Sports Boston), Boston goes to Chicago (26-39 overall, 12-20 home) to face a club that hasn't officially been eliminated from playoff contention but that formality will happen any day now. The Bulls have lost their last four games in a row so much like the Magic, this seems like a great time to face them at the United Center. I'm guessing that contest will be at least a little more competitive because you literally could not try less than Orlando did this evening but we shall see.

No Matter What They Do, The Celtics Simply Cannot Have Nice Things In This Doomed Season

 

    It wasn't bad enough that that the Celtics (34-31 overall, 21-13 home) were about to lose to the Trail Blazers (36-28 overall, 20-12 away) tonight at TD Garden, nope the C's had to pour some gasoline on that fire and watch their season continue to burn to the ground. In the final minutes, guard Marcus Smart (11 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists) got ejected for hitting Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic (14 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals) in the nuts coming off a screen and even worse, in garbage time shooting guard Jaylen Brown (16 points, 11 rebounds) and swingman Jayson Tatum (33 points, 5 assists, 6 turnovers) stepped on each other's feet trying to steal an inbounds pass. You can't make this stuff up as both guys had to hobble to the back with ankle injuries. Oh and Portland won their fourth straight game, 129-119. 

    Even in defeat, this Celtics club is super dramatic. Haha they can't just lose and go home, instead a key player risks possible suspension in an important part of the calendar while their two All-Stars could miss games down the stretch as well. There are only seven games left (5 on the road, 2 at home) in their regular season and this loss dropped them down to seventh-place in the Eastern Conference aka the top play-in seed. Oy, they followed up their best win of the year and Tatum's game of his life with another dud where their defense never bothered to show up. The Blazers are a very good offensive team but good lord, give me a break. Allowing 129 points in regulation on your home court is beyond pathetic. 

    If you know anything about Portland, you are probably confident that shooting guard CJ McCollum (33 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists) and point guard Damian Lillard (26 points, 13 assists, 6 rebounds) must have had fine performances and surprise, they did! Lillard's shooting was off (8-of-18 from the floor) but his playmaking for McCollum and other teammates was superb. Small forward Norman Powell (23 points) has been a sneaky great pickup from Toronto and power forward Robert Covington added 10 points and two blocks in the win. I've never been a big Carmelo Anthony fan (who is?) but I will give him credit, he still has something left as he scored 13 points off the bench. 

    Among other things that Boston wasted this evening, swingman Evan Fournier (21 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals) had his best game as a Celtic since he hit 5-of-7 3-pointers. Off the top of my head, I'm going to say that this was the best outing for rookies Aaron Nesmith (16 points) and Payton Pritchard (13 points, 6 rebounds) in the same game. Pritchard was awesome to start this season then predictably tailed off but he's been better lately; Nesmith was MIA for much of the year but randomly, he's been really good the last few games. If Brown and Tatum are injured and miss any time, those three guys are the most likely candidates to pick up the slack for them. 

This was an NBA game straight out of the 1980s meaning that no defense was ever allowed. The Blazers led by a bucket (34-32) after one quarter and it was tied (71-71!) at halftime. Boston had their standard third quarter swoon (getting outscored 32-27) and that carried over in the fourth quarter too (26-21 Trail Blazers). Want some gross stats by the home team? Of course you do! Portland attempted 11 more free throws (26-15) and made nine more of them (22-13); the Blazers had five more steals (8-3), half as many turnovers (18-9) which led to 10 more points off turnovers (25-15). Plain and simple, Boston did not deserve to win this contest. 

    They get two days to rest and recover before a mini two-game road trip goes to Orlando (20-44 overall, 11-23 home) on Wednesday (7, NBC Sports Boston) then at Chicago (26-38 overall, 12-19 home) on Friday (7:30, NBC Sports Boston). The Magic have absolutely nothing to play for at this point besides seeding in the draft lottery while the Bulls have a slim shot of sneaking into the play-in tournament but let's be real, that ain't happening. The main objective here for the Celtics is to avoid the play-in tournament and that starts with beating these two garbage teams on the road later this week. Boston doesn't return to the Garden for a week until they have a back-to-back against the Heat (35-30 overall, 16-16 road) on Mother's Day afternoon (1, ABC) and next Tuesday (7, NBC Sports Boston). Atlanta (35-30) and Miami moved into fifth and sixth-place respectively in the East, one game ahead of the C's.

The Celtics Hit Rock Bottom With A Sickening 119-115 Loss At The Garden To The Tanking Thunder

 

    You could try but it would be hard to come up with a much more depressing single game result than what happened to the rudderless Celtics (32-30 overall, 19-12 home) this evening at the TD Garden. They somehow found a way to lose to one of the worst teams in the NBA-the Thunder (21-41 overall, 12-20 away)-by a score of 119-115. Yes, three of Boston's best players-Jayson Tatum (ankle), Kemba Walker (oblique) and Robert Williams (knee)-were all out but I don't care, if you consider yourself to be a contender let alone a playoff team, you can't lose to a bottom feeder outfit that entered with a 14-game losing streak and on the second night of a back-to-back. I'm pretty sure that mild-mannered Celts head coach Brad Stevens doesn't drink (of course not) but I wouldn't blame him for getting hammered tonight to forget about this loser squad of his. 

    Oklahoma City has been sitting many of their best players for weeks (to get the best draft position possible) so you have to be a truly hardcore NBA fan to name more than a few of the nobodies currently playing for the Thunder. They were led by swingman Luguentz Dort (team-high 24 points), power forward Darius Bazley had a double-double (21 points, 10 rebounds) and seven-footer Aleksej Pokusevski (12 points, 6 rebounds) who somehow weighs under 200 pounds. Off the bench, center Isaiah Roby added 15 points and seven rebounds while shooting guard Ty Jerome also scored 15 points. The Thunder are a G-League team so they obviously gave the C's plenty of chances to come away with the win (27 turnovers!) but Boston could do nothing consistently except brick 3-pointers (11-of-49 for 22.4%) over and over. 

    There were only three Celtics that showed anything that resembled professionalism: shooting guard Jaylen Brown (game-high 39 points, 11 rebounds, 4 steals), rookie guard Payton Pritchard who scored a career-high 28 points in 33 minutes off the bench and center Luke Kornet (10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks) who was another bright spot as a reserve. Guard Marcus Smart (14 points, 6 assists, 5 steals) had one of his patented brutal shooting performances (4-for-17 including 1-of-10 on 3-pointers) which always seem to come at the most opportune times. Swingman Evan Fournier (11 points, 7 rebounds, 5 steals) was similarly terrible when it came to putting the ball in the basket: 4-for-14 from the field and 2-of-9 on 3-pointers. 

    Boston has dropped its last three games in a row and they are right back at it tomorrow night (7:30, NBC Sports Boston) at home against Charlotte (30-31 overall, 14-18 away) who not only kicked their ass on Sunday but they are only a game and a half behind the C's with a game in hand. I hate to say it but this season just has to end for the Celtics before they do anything else like tonight's dreadful showing. Something major has to change with this team over the summer because they are not going anywhere with this current toxic mix of players and coaches. 

No Durant Or Harden But The Celtics Still Couldn't Beat The Nets Who Swept The Season Series 4-0

 

    As a Celtics (32-28 overall, 13-17 away) fan, if you weren't already scared to death of the Nets (40-20 overall, 24-7 home), you should be now because no matter who is playing for Brooklyn this season, Boston has proven over and over again that they have no clue how to beat them. With tonight's 109-104 victory by the Nets at the Barclays Center, they earned the four-game season sweep over the Celtics. Yes, Jaylen Brown (shoulder), Robert Williams (knee) and Kemba Walker (load management) were all out for Boston but Brooklyn was missing two future Hall of Famers in Kevin Durant and James Harden (and yes it makes me sick that Harden will be a Hall of Famer but get over it). The good news is that the C's would not see the Nets again until the playoffs but on the off chance that they do meet this postseason, how could you have any confidence that Boston will turn this one-sided matchup around? 

    Five different Nets scored at least 13 points, led by sharpshooting small forward Joe Harris (20 points, 2 blocks). You would have figured that point guard Kyrie Irving (15 points, 11 assists, 4 steals) must have carried Brooklyn but he was awful in terms of shooting: 4-for-19 from the field including 0-of-6 on 3-pointers. Former Celtics great Jeff Green added 19 points and two steals while Boston native Bruce Brown notched 15 points and eight rebounds off the bench plus the ghost of Blake Griffin posted 13 points, five rebounds and two steals off the bench as well. The Celtics' lack of depth has been a major issue all season and it really comes to the forefront against a top team like the Nets. 

    There was basically three Celtics that decided to show up for this game: swingman Jayson Tatum (38 points, 10 rebounds) was unstoppable except for the fact that he had five costly turnovers. Point guard Marcus Smart had 19 points, five rebounds and two steals while rookie guard Payton Pritchard added 22 points (in 24 minutes!) off the bench. With the aforementioned injuries, head coach Brad Stevens chose to start Semi Ojeleye (3 points) and Romeo Langford (0 points). I get that neither guy is expected to put up a ton of points but you can't have two black holes like that offensively in the lineup against a quality opponent.

    Boston played well in the first quarter and great in the fourth quarter but they were awful in the second quarter and bad in the third quarter which was enough to cost them the game. The C's were up 25-21 after the first quarter but the Nets ran circles around them in the second quarter (39-26) for a 60-51 halftime lead. Things didn't get better for the visitors in the third quarter (Nets outscored them 28-22) and they responded in the fourth quarter (31-21) but it was too late, no matter how many shots Kyrie missed. The Celts were also playing in the second game of a back-to-back which is not an excuse but just a fact in this crazy condensed schedule. 

    Some of these numbers were eye-opening as the Nets made 13 more free throws (24-11), dished out five more assists (26-21), had twice as many steals (12-6) and eight less turnovers than the Celtics. Brooklyn scored 10 more points in the paint (48-38) than them but the true nightmare fuel that will probably keep Stevens and his coaching staff up for days is the fact that the Nets somehow outscored them by 29 in fastbreak points (32-3). Haha have you ever heard something like that in an NBA game (that wasn't a 40-point blowout)? That's absurd. 

    Boston doesn't have much time to feel sorry for themselves as they go to Charlotte (29-30 overall, 15-12 home) on Sunday afternoon (1, NBC Sports Boston). The Hornets and Terry Rozier are clinging to eighth-place in the Eastern Conference but they are only two and a half games behind the sixth-place Celtics. You'll remember that when we last saw Charlotte, Boston embarrassed them 116-86 on Easter at the TD Garden. The two teams are about to meet twice in four days for a home-and-home set with Rookie of the Year favorite LaMelo Ball expected to return very soon from his wrist injury, in fact he could possibly play this weekend.

Celtics Lock Down The Suns, Picking Up One Of Their Best Wins Of The Season, 99-86

 

    The game itself was far from pretty but the end result was beautiful last night at the TD Garden as the Celtics (32-27 overall, 19-11 home) easily dispatched of the weary Suns (42-17 overall, 19-8 away) 99-86. Phoenix entered having won in overtime at Milwaukee (36-22) on Monday and at Philadelphia (39-20) on Wednesday, so you can understand why they didn't have much energy left by the time they reached the Garden parquet. For what it's worth, Boston was missing three of their best players: shooting guard Jaylen Brown (left shoulder bursitis), center Robert Williams (left knee soreness) and swingman Evan Fournier (health and safety protocol) all missed the rematch between the C's and the Suns. The Celtics were also coming off of one of the worst losses of their season 102-96 to the Bulls (25-34) on Monday so this was a great bounceback victory which gives them wins in seven out of their last eight contests. 

    The Suns are fighting for a top seed in the Western Conference though so they respectfully had all their best players in the lineup: point guard Chris Paul (22 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals), shooting guard Devin Booker (15 points, 5 turnovers before he fouled out), small forward Mikal Bridges (15 points) and center Deandre Ayton (10 points, 9 rebounds) all played their normal minutes. Boston was led by point guard Kemba Walker who tied his season-high with 32 points. Swingman Jayson Tatum (15 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 turnovers) had another ugly shooting performance (3-for-17) but at least he's getting to the free throw line way more than earlier this season and converting them (8-of-8). Guard Marcus Smart added 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists while center Tristan Thompson (9 points, 12 rebounds) missed out on a double-double by one measly point. Rookie guard Payton Pritchard (10 points) continued his late season reemergence in 21 valuable minutes off the bench. 

    The C's smartly jumped on the Suns right away as they led 26-21 after the first quarter and they were up by as many as 21 points in the second quarter before settling into a 53-37 halftime advantage. Phoenix pushed back in the third quarter (28-24) but with Booker out, there would be no comeback in the fourth quarter as Boston edged them 22-21. Neither team shot well but the Celtics did hit twice as many 3-pointers (12-6) as the Suns, they also made 13 more free throws (21-8) and grabbed 10 more rebounds (48-38). For a team that has struggled so much defensively all season, it was refreshing to see the Celts hold an elite opponent to 40.9% shooting from the field and 17.1% on 3-pointers (which has to be a season-best). 

    The middle of the Eastern Conference playoff race is a complete mess so this win allowed Boston to keep pace with fifth-place Atlanta (32-27) and remain a half game behind the fourth-place Knicks (33-27) along with one game ahead of seventh-place Miami (31-28). After three blowout losses to the Nets (39-20 overall, 23-7 home) earlier this season, tonight (7:30, NBC Sports Boston) at the Barclays Center is the last chance for the Celtics to finally beat Brooklyn before they could potentially see them again in the postseason. Kevin Durant (leg) and James Harden (hamstring) are both out, leaving only Kyrie Irving from the Nets' Big Three so even though it's in a back-to-back, this feels like the best time for the C's to come out on top. Brooklyn is 5-5 in their last 10 games due to all the changes in their lineup but they remain in a dead heat with the Sixers for the top spot in the East. This game means so much to both teams therefore it should be a good one.

The Celtics' Six-Game Winning Streak Ends With A Whimper As They Fell 102-96 To The Lowly Bulls

 

    The Celtics (31-27 overall, 18-11 home) had been playing so well lately-winning their last six games in a row-that we all started to forget the earlier problems that plagued them for much of this lackluster season. Unfortunately, their lack of depth, costly turnovers and brutal third quarters all came back in spades tonight at the TD Garden as they lost 102-96 to the Bulls (24-33 overall, 13-15 away). Swingman Evan Fournier (health and safety protocol) and center Robert Williams (left knee soreness) remained out for the C's while they were joined on the sidelines by guards Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart who both were out with illness (not Covid-19, apparently). Even with all those guys not playing, the Celtics should have still beaten a team that is clinging to 10th-place in the Eastern Conference and the final play-in spot. 

    Center Nikola Vucevic (game-high 29 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals) was probably the best player to be moved at the trade deadline this year and he's shown no signs of slowing down since coming to Chicago from Orlando. Point guard Coby White added 19 points and seven assists while journeyman Garrett Temple scored 13 points (I can just hear Charles Barkley saying his name during Inside The NBA's hilarious "Who He Play For?" segment) and veteran big man Thaddeus Young added 13 points and two steals off the bench. Finally, former Celtic Daniel Theis (6 points and 6 rebounds in 29 minutes) was pretty quiet in his first return to the Garden. As you can imagine, it was a mixed bag for the Celts as shooting guard Jaylen Brown led the way with 23 points while swingman Jayson Tatum followed up his 44-point explosion in Saturday's heart-pounding win vs. Golden State (29-29) with his first career triple-double (14 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists). The only issue with Tatum's game was that he shot 3-of-17 from the field which seems impossible for a player with his immense skills. Center Tristan Thompson added 11 points and five rebounds while spot starting rookie point guard Payton Pritchard tossed in 14 points.

    It wasn't going to be pretty but Boston was in decent shape as they led 30-24 after the first quarter but both teams went ice cold in the second quarter which resulted in a 48-42 halftime advantage for the C's. The Bulls woke up in the third quarter, outscoring the Celtics by a wide margin-32-18. Boston rallied in the fourth quarter a bit (30-28) but it just wasn't enough. Chicago had three times as many offensive rebounds (9-3) which resulted in 14 more second chance points (18-4). The Bulls also recorded nine more assists (30-21), four times as many blocks (8-2) and three less turnovers (15-12) than the careless Celtics.

    For the first time in over a month-which is truly insane-the Celts have two days between now and their next game on Thursday (7, NBC Sports Boston) at the Garden against the Suns (41-16 overall, 18-7 road). Future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul has helped Phoenix exceed expectations in a major way, they have not only the second-best record in the Western Conference but in the whole league. The only other time that these clubs met this season was on Super Bowl Sunday (February 7) in Phoenix, won 100-91 by the home team. For once, the C's will be rested while the Suns figure to be tired after playing at Philadelphia (39-18)-still the top team in the East-on Wednesday night. Dare I say it could be an NBA Finals preview for this summer? Haha yeah right, that's not happening. 

Jayson Tatum (44 Pts) & Stephen Curry (47) Have A Classic Duel As C's Outlast Warriors 119-114

 

    ABC and ESPN executives must have been doing cartwheels late last night as the shorthanded Celtics (31-26 overall, 18-10 home) and Warriors (28-29 overall, 11-19 away) staged an improbable instant classic regular season game. Down two starters (Jaylon Brown and Robert Williams) plus a top reserve (Evan Fournier), Boston won 119-114 at the TD Garden thanks to a true superstar performance by swingman Jayson Tatum (44 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals) which was just enough to survive another unforgettable outing by Warriors icon Stephen Curry (47 points, 11 3-pointers, 7 rebounds) who is the greatest shooter in NBA history. Most importantly, it was Boston's season-high sixth win in a row which vaulted them ahead of idle Atlanta (30-26) and into fourth-place in the Eastern Conference. 

    This matchup had it all, including a crazy dive into the scorer's table by Warriors small forward Juan Toscano-Anderson (6 rebounds) that resulted in a cut on his head and possible concussion while the newest Celtic Jabari Parker scored 11 points in 16 minutes off the bench. Wait what? Celts point guard Kemba Walker (26 points, 8 rebounds) was really good and guard Marcus Smart (16 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals) had the impossible task of slowing down a red-hot Curry. Rookie guard Payton Pritchard (11 points) also gave Boston head coach Brad Stevens some valuable minutes off the bench as well. 

    With Klay Thompson sadly out for the entire season, Golden State is left to scrap for the play-in round of the Western Conference playoffs. As you can tell by the box score, Curry does not have much help at the moment. Former No. 1 pick in 2014 (1 spot ahead of Parker!) small forward Andrew Wiggins (22 points) has never developed into the star that many thought he would be. Swingman Kent Bazemore added 16 points for the Warriors while shooting guard Jordan Poole had 12 points off the bench. Uniquely gifted power forward Draymond Green (5 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds) was held in check after he's had some monster numbers lately. 

    Golden State was hot right away as they led 33-24 after the first quarter and 66-60 at halftime. Truthfully, it felt like a gift that Boston was only down two possessions after two quarters since Tatum hit a tough jumper at the halftime buzzer. The C's made another push to tie it at 89 after three quarters before closing it out 30-25 in the fourth quarter. Boston had five more rebounds (45-40) including six more offensive boards (14-8) which led to 10 more points in the paint (48-38) and 11 more points second chance points (26-15). They also had three more steals (9-6) and eight less turnovers (17-9) than the sloppy Warriors which resulted in 15 more points off turnovers (23-8). 

    This was the start of an important three-game homestand for the Celtics as they host the Bulls (23-33 overall, 12-15 away) tomorrow night (7:30, NBC Sports Boston). Brown was sick (not with Covid-19) so hopefully he can return for that one. Williams is dealing with left knee soreness so we'll see about that and Stevens already said that Fournier is out of the league's health and safety protocol but he won't be suiting up against Chicago. Milwaukee (35-21) is four and a half games ahead of Boston so realistically, the best that they can finish in the East in 2021 is in fourth. Therefore, they have to do everything they can to hold onto that spot with less than a month left to go in the regular season.

The C's Capped Off A 3-0 West Coast Trip With A Win Vs. The JV Lakers (Missing Both LeBron & AD)

 

    My how things have changed in a little over a week for the Celtics (30-26 overall, 13-16 away). They polished off a perfect West Coast road trip with a fun 121-113 victory tonight at the Staples Center against the Lakers (34-22 overall, 16-12 home). Sure this win will have two very large asterisks attached to it since two of the best players in the NBA-LeBron James and Anthony Davis-were sitting in street clothes by LA's bench area but when it comes to this rivalry, who cares who is suiting up? It always matters when these teams meet, regardless of records or rosters. Boston was led by shooting guard Jaylen Brown (game-high 40 points, 9 rebounds) who had one of his best games as a pro, shooting an absurd 17-of-20 from the floor in 32 minutes. The Celtics return home tied with Atlanta (30-26) for fourth-place in the Eastern Conference, a game ahead of sixth-place New York (29-27) and most importantly, 1.5 games ahead of seventh-place Miami (28-27) and out of the play-in round. 

    All of Boston's starters scored at least 12 points; guard Marcus Smart had 15 points and six rebounds, swingman Jayson Tatum (5 rebounds, 5 assists) and center Tristan Thompson (6 rebounds, 5 assists) both notched 14 points while point guard Kemba Walker added 12 points and seven assists. Rookie guard Payton Pritchard also put together his best performance in weeks with 15 points and seven rebounds in 20 impressive minutes off the bench. All you need to know about the scrubs that the Lakers rolled out this evening was that something called Talen Horton-Tucker (19 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals) was their best player, followed closely by the ghost of Marc Gasol (18 points). For once, LA head coach Frank Vogel had to work but what could he really do? Scrap heap guard Ben McLeMore added 17 points off the bench, small forward Kyle Kuzma struggled to get 13 points, center Montrezl Harrell (12 points, 8 rebounds) and small forward Alfonzo McKinnie (10 points) were the other Lakers reserves to score in double figures. 

    The Celts reached 30+ points in every quarter: they were up 31-23 after the first quarter and 61-48 at halftime. LA took the third quarter (31-30) by the narrowest of margins and they outscored Boston 34-30 in the fourth quarter but that was all window dressing, it was never really in doubt for the visitors who led by as much as 27 points. Thanks to Brown's NBA Jam like outing, Boston shot almost 12% better than the Lakers from the field (56.5%-44.9%). Boston hit two more 3-pointers (14-12) and grabbed 12 more rebounds overall (48-36) including 16 defensive boards (41-25!) which led to 14 more points in the paint (64-50). The Celtics also had five more assists (33-28) and three times as many blocks (6-2) as the Lakers. 

    Boston returns home for three important games starting with a primetime matchup with the Warriors (28-28 overall, 11-18 away) on Saturday night (8:30, ABC). Then they host Daniel Theis and the Bulls (22-32 overall, 12-15 away) on Monday (7:30, NBC Sports Boston), I can't wait for his tribute video! Chicago's star guard Zach LaVine went into the league's health and safety protocol earlier today so don't expect to see him for that matchup. Finally, the Celtics take on the Suns (40-15 overall, 17-7 away)-one of the NBA's biggest surprises this season-on Thursday (7, NBC Sports Boston). Steph Curry is liable to drop 50 points on their head but with the way that the C's are playing now, they should take care of Golden State and Chicago setting up a juicy rematch with Phoenix who beat them 100-91 on Super Bowl Sunday in the desert.

UPDATE 4/16/21: The Celts signed former No. 2 pick Jabari Parker to a two-year deal and to make room on the roster, they waived center Mo Wagner. 

The C's Won The Second Game Of A Back-To-Back For The First Time in Seven Tries, 111-94 In OKC

 

    Let's just say that when Boston (23-23 overall, 10-16 road) trailed Oklahoma City (19-26 overall, 8-14 home) by four points (80-76) going into the fourth quarter tonight at the Chesapeake Energy Arena, I wasn't expecting them to blow out the Thunder. Whatever the cause, the Celtics closed with their best final frame of the season including a 19-0 run-outscoring OKC 35-14-on their way to a 111-94 win that brought them back to the .500 mark. Boston's pair of All-Stars-swingman Jayson Tatum (game-high 27 points, 5 rebounds) and shooting guard Jaylen Brown (23 points) were the best players on the court all night which isn't saying much against a club that couldn't care less about winning at this point of a rebuilding season. On the off chance that you watched any of this, I'm certain you'll remember it for one thing only: center Luke Kornet dropping eight points (including a pair of 3-pointers) and five rebounds in 13 electric minutes off of Boston's bench. 

    Plenty of other guys stepped up for the C's as well: center Robert Williams (9 points, 14 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks) just missed a double-double; ditto for point guard Marcus Smart (8 points, 8 assists); even power forward Grant Williams (7 rebounds, 2 steals) did a few positive things. Besides the Green Kornet, some other Celtics bench players were really good too: rookie guard Payton Pritchard had 12 points and eight rebounds while guard Carsen Edwards scored 12 points in 16 minutes. Rookie French point guard Theo Maledon led OKC with a team-high 22 points, eight rebounds and two steals. Something called Moses Brown a center for the Thunder managed to get a 20-20 game (21 points and 23 rebounds) which is insane. Small forward Lugentz Dort scored 10 points in the loss while small forward Kenrich Williams added 12 points and two steals off the bench for the Thunder.

    Kemba Walker being out on the second night of a back-to back due to load management isn't a new phenomenon. You'd think that the sluggish Celts didn't know that as they played quite an uninspired first half. The Thunder outscored them 25-21 in the first quarter and 27-26 in the second quarter for a 52-47 halftime advantage. Boston inched closer in the third quarter (29-28) but as is usually the case in the NBA-it was all about the fourth quarter where the stars make their money. The Celtics shot 4.8% better from the floor than the Thunder (45.8%-41), they dished out six more assists (22-16), made three more steals (10-7) and had four less turnovers (16-12). There's no doubt that the most important numbers from this were the points in the paint (56-40) and points off turnovers (26-9) which both fell in Boston's favor. 

    It finally sets up nicely for the C's as they get to have some fans for the first time in well over a year at their next game-Monday (7:30, NBC Sports Boston) at the TD Garden against superstar Zion Williamson who dropped 38 points tonight in a win for them. Besides the excellent support from the stands, the Celtics have to be thrilled to not only travel home but also to start planning for an epic season-high seven game homestand that begins with New Orleans (20-25 overall, 6-14 road) and ends after Easter, on April 9 vs. Minnesota (11-35 overall, 5-18 road) aka worst team in the league. The C's have already lost that overtime game in New Orleans back on February 21 (which feels like 5 years ago) so the least they can do is pay them back with a beating of their own.

Boston Heads Into The All-Star Break On A Four-Game Win Streak After A Defeat Of Toronto's JV

 

    For their last game before All-Star weekend, the Celtics (19-17 overall, 12-5 home) couldn't have asked for a much better situation. The Raptors (17-19 overall, 9-11 away) limped into Boston without five players-including two of their best in Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet-due to health & safety protocols along with head coach Nick Nurse and some of his assistants. Toronto gave it their best effort and they made it way harder on the Celts than it should have been but thankfully, the C's hung on for a no defense allowed 132-125 victory at the TD Garden. Eight Celtics scored in double figures as they completed a perfect homestand (4-0) at just the right time after last week when they were on the verge of a complete disaster of a season.

    Boston's young All-Star swingmen Jayson Tatum (team-high 27 points, game-high 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals) and Jaylen Brown (21 points, 7 rebounds) of course led the way and you'd hope that they'd sit out the festivities in Atlanta this weekend but unfortunately, that's not how NBA players roll in the personal brand driven world of 2021. Point guard Kemba Walker (15 points, 6 assists, 2 blocks) can always use a rest with his gimpy knee so the next game being in a week should help him although you could also argue that he was just getting into a bit of a groove. Power forward Tristan Thompson was the other starter to reach double digits in points (13) for Boston. Toronto only had eight guys available so it made sense that the Celtics could eventually wear them down as they played 10 guys and four of their five bench players were really good: power forward Grant Williams (17 points) had one of his best games as a pro, point guard Jeff Teague added 14 points, center Robert Williams (10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks) and rookie guard Payton Pritchard (10 points, 2 steals) both ended the first half on a high note. 

    How were the shorthanded Raptors able to hang in there for that long? Well basically it came down to the 3-point line as they hit an incredible 21-of-50 (42%) 3-pointers. Power forward Chris Boucher had a game-high 30 points and five rebounds off the bench for Toronto while shooting guard Terence Davis scored 22 off the bench before leaving late with a sprained ankle. Point guard Kyle Lowry was really the only star that played for the Raptors and he more than carried that load with 14 points and an absurd 19 assists. Shooting guard Norman Powell scored 25 points for Toronto while old friend Aron Baynes had 13 points and nine rebounds and small forward Stanley Johnson notched 14 points (remember when he was a lottery pick in 2015? Weird times). 

    The first half was basically an AAU summer league game as Toronto outscored Boston 34-31 in the first quarter and found themselves with a surprising 70-66 halftime lead. The Celtics dominated in the third quarter (35-22) and was able to hang on in the fourth (33-31 Raptors) despite a barrage of 3-pointers by Toronto. Boston made 15 more free throws (29-14), they grabbed 11 more rebounds (39-28) including 10 more defensive boards (30-20) on the rare occasions that anybody missed their shots. The C's also blocked six more shots (7-1) and scored 10 more points in the paint (54-44) which makes sense since the Raptors were missing their starting forwards and center-a less than ideal situation against one of their top rivals. 

    After Tatum and Brown have their fun in Atlanta, they'll rejoin the group in Boston next week as they prepare for a brief two-game road trip against one of the best teams in the NBA and then one of the worst. The C's make the short trip to red-hot Brooklyn (24-13 overall, 13-6 home) on Thursday (7:30, TNT) and follow that with a visit to Houston (11-23 overall, 5-10 home) on Saturday night (8, NBC Sports Boston). The Nets are 9-1 in their last 10 games and I feel like it's only a matter of time before they take over first-place in the Eastern Conference from the Sixers (24-12 overall). On the other end of the league landscape, the Rockets are tanking for that No. 1 pick like you read about. They have lost 13 games in a row which is quite depressing. It was such a weird first half for the Celtics (would you expect anything less in a pandemic?), but they somehow still find themselves sitting in fourth-place in the East. This is the same club that was recently out of the top eight in the conference so I guess we should be happy that they've recovered and gotten their season back on the right track.