I know, it was not the way Celtics fans wanted to go into All-Star break in losing to the now 13-45 Detroit Pistons. The Celtics led this game 106-94 with 5 minutes left in the 4th quarter and did not close the deal. Then, the Pistons made the comeback on the road. Jeremi Grant made a three that clunked high off the rim and in. Saddiq Bey made a contested three-pointer with less than two seconds on the shot clock while falling out of bounds. It took those miraculous plays to snap the Celtics 9-game winning streak. While it was disappointing to lose by a point to the lowly Pistons, the fanbase should feel good about this team as they head into the All-Star Break. In this article, we discuss four positives from the 9-game winning streak.
5. Stifling defense- it is hard to be a great team in the NBA when your team lacks identity. In the past two seasons, the Celtics struggled because they lacked identity. In the nine-game winning streak, what has come to the fore is that this team is elite defensively. Ime Udoka has drilled this team into adopting his defense-first mentality. The team possesses tremendous length and athleticism allowing them to switch easily on defense and swarm opponents. The defense is led by Rob Williams and Al Horford who can guard the paint and do a good job guarding scorers on the perimeter. According to NBA.com, the Celtics are now ranked 2nd in defensive rating, 2nd in blocks, 4th defensive, and in the top 10 in most defensive statistical categories. The Celtics have the ingredient to a winning formula, and it is playing elite defense.
4. Dominating Points Deferential-in six of the nine wins during the streak, the Celtics won the game by double digits. The Celtics won the last three road games against the Magic, Nets, and Sixers by 33, 35, and 48 points respectively. The performance against the Sixers was noteworthy because it was against Joel Embiid who has put together an MVP-level season. The streak also included good wins against the Heat, Nuggets, Hawks, and the Heat. The Celtics are now ranked 4th in points differential behind the Suns, Warriors, and Jazz with a +5.4. In this winning streak, they did not just win games but they destroyed teams on the floor.
3. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum can coexist-the nine-game winning streak started on January 29 with a 10-point win against the Pelicans. In the game, Tatum scored 38 points while Jaylen scored 31 points. In the 122-92 win against the Heat, Jaylen scored 29, and Tatum scored 20. In the demolition of the Sixers, Jaylen scored 29 while Jayson scored 28 points. These stats highlight that these ultra-talented wings can play together, and getting their numbers together can translate to wins. The key in this streak was the Celtics moving the ball and making assists. In the last three games of the winning streak, the team averaged 25.7 assists. It highlights the need for this team to share the ball instead of playing isolation basketball, and they will succeed.
2. Good trade deadline- the Celtics were trending upward before the trade deadline, and in a matter of weeks, they moved from sellers to buyers. The team got better on deadline day when they decided to trade Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, a first-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft (top-four protected), and a potential first-round pick swap in 2028 to acquire Derrick White. It was a hefty price to pay, but the early indication is that the acquisition of White was a good move. Derrick matches Josh Richardson’s defensive intensity but brings better talent in shooting and passing the ball. The Celtics also traded Dennis Schroder, Enes Freedom, and Bruno Fernando to the Rockets in exchange for Daniel Theis. Theis is an upgrade over Freedom who has trouble on the defensive end of the floor and can make shots from the perimeter. Schroder was on a one-year deal, and with White now in the fold, the Celtics were wise to include him in the deal.
1. Good Chance to be a top seed in Conference- after a rough start to the season, the Celtic fanbase felt the team was heading to mediocrity this season, drop into the play-in game, and likely exit the playoffs in the first round at best. However, the nine-game win streak has catapulted this team into 6th place heading into the All-Star break and only five games behind the Bulls currently at number 1. The Celtics also have a manageable remaining schedule which makes the possibility of a top 4 seed realistic. Yes, this team is fun, tough, wearing teams out defensively, and poised to contend. It will make for an interesting end to the NBA season.
