Celtics
There are some issues across the edges which can be completely different in regards to the 2024-25 Celtics than the 2023-24 Celtics.
Lastly, after six months of regular-season basketball, the NBA playoffs are in sight.
The Celtics are set to embark on one other postseason journey subsequent weekend, searching for to change into the primary staff in seven years to win back-to-back titles. In some ways, this 12 months’s staff is nearly as good because the one which gained all of it final June. They clinched one other 60-win season on Friday. Jayson Tatum is constant to attain at a excessive stage, Jaylen Brown continues to be taking part in at a star stage, and Derrick White continues his ascent as one of many recreation’s greatest two-way gamers.
Whereas the nucleus and identification of the staff stay the identical, there are some issues across the edges which can be completely different in regards to the 2024-25 Celtics than the 2023-24 Celtics. These issues may be the distinction between Boston profitable one other Larry O’Brien Trophy or falling wanting its final purpose.
So, let’s check out the place the Celtics a greater and worse in contrast so far final 12 months.
Higher: Jayson Tatum’s playmaking
Tatum’s passing and playmaking talents have undeniably gone up a stage this season. He’s averaging roughly an help extra per recreation this season (6.0) than he did final 12 months, giving him a brand new profession excessive.
However Tatum’s spectacular passing goes past simply commonplace assists. He’s creating extra alternatives for his teammates as properly. He’s averaging 11.6 potential assists per recreation this season, which is second amongst all forwards. His 1.1 secondary assists are additionally second amongst all forwards, whereas his factors created off assists per recreation (15.8) is third amongst forwards. Final season, Tatum averaged 8.9 potential assists, 1.0 secondary assists, and 13 factors off assists per recreation.
Tatum’s passing has gotten higher because the season’s gone alongside, too. He’s averaging 12.1 potential assists per recreation to go together with 8.5 adjusted assists per recreation, which leads all forwards, because the All-Star break.
Jaylen Brown has additionally made strides as a passer this season. He’s additionally averaging practically an entire help extra per recreation this season (4.5) than final 12 months (3.6). He’s meting out 8.3 potential assists per recreation this 12 months as properly, up from 6.8 final season.
Worse: Jrue Vacation’s capturing
In his first 12 months in Boston, Vacation waited to have his greatest scoring performances till the postseason arrived. He averaged 18.5 factors per recreation within the Japanese Convention finals in opposition to the Pacers earlier than placing up 14.4 factors per recreation within the NBA Finals.
However there was some good cause to suppose that Vacation would shine with extra area purpose makes an attempt final postseason. Within the 2023-24 common season, the veteran guard had shot 48 % from the sector and 42.9 % from 3-point vary, proving to be one of many extra environment friendly shooters within the league.
There won’t be the identical optimism getting into this postseason. Vacation’s capturing 44.3 % from the sector and 35.3 % from distance. What’s most worrisome, although, is that Vacation’s nook 3-point capturing has cratered this 12 months. After making 61.9 % of his nook 3-pointers final 12 months, Vacation has solely made 30.2 % of such photographs this 12 months whereas capturing extra nook 3s.
It may need been unrealistic to suppose that Vacation might shoot above 60 % from the nook once more this season, however the Celtics will doubtless want his quantity from the common season this 12 months to go up within the playoffs.
Worse: Beginning 5 with Kristpas Porzingis wholesome
The Celtics haven’t been at full well being as a lot as they’d’ve appreciated to have been within the common season. Within the video games that that they had all 5 members of their beginning lineup wholesome, although, their prime unit didn’t play that properly.
Boston’s five-man lineup of Derrick White, Jrue Vacation, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Kristaps Porzingis averaged a -0.1 plus/minus within the 24 regular-season video games they performed collectively this season. That’s down from the 4.1 plus/minus the lineup had within the 2023-24 common season and 4.0 plus/minus it had within the postseason.
The Celtics’ optimum beginning lineup has been a bit higher since Porzingis returned to the lineup following an sickness in the midst of March. The unit has outscored its opponents by 2.8 factors per recreation, but it surely was solely a four-game pattern dimension.
Higher: Beginning 5 with Al Horford within the lineup
Conversely, the beginning lineup that the Celtics used for a lot of their postseason run final 12 months because of Porzingis’s accidents has been their greatest lineup this 12 months (minimal of 10 video games performed). Their lineup of White, Vacation, Brown, Tatum, and Al Horford is outscoring opponents by 4 factors per recreation over 24 regular-season video games this 12 months.
Though that was the beginning lineup the Celtics used within the closing three rounds of the playoffs, that quantity is an enchancment from final 12 months’s common season. That unit solely outscored their opponents by a mean of 0.6 factors per recreation within the 2023-24 common season earlier than outscoring their opponents by a mean of 4.3 factors per recreation within the playoffs.
It’s unclear why the beginning lineup with Horford as an alternative of Porzingis has performed higher this season. Porzingis has averaged practically similar stats throughout the board from this season to final 12 months, with the one main variations being 2-point area purpose share (down from 60.6 % to 53.7 %) and 3-point share (up from 37.5 % to 41.2 %).
Tatum, Brown, and White have every individually posted a greater internet ranking with Horford than they’ve with Porzingis in two-man lineups this 12 months as properly, which may be a credit score to Horford’s defensive versatility.
Higher: The bench
Payton Pritchard is a robust favourite to win Sixth Man of the 12 months, and fairly so. He’s arguably change into the league’s greatest bench scorer this 12 months, averaging 14.1 factors per recreation whereas capturing 47 % of the sector and 40.9 % from distance.
Nonetheless, Pritchard isn’t the one member of the Celtics’ bench crew who has been noticeably higher this 12 months. Luke Kornet can be arguably having a profession 12 months, averaging six factors, 5.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 0.9 blocks per recreation, whereas his 15.2 internet ranking is the fifth-best mark within the league (min. quarter-hour per recreation).
Sam Hauser didn’t start the season on a excessive be aware, coping with again points within the first couple of months of the 12 months. However he’s been taking part in on the stage Celtics followers have been accustomed to seeing him play at over the past couple of seasons because the begin of December. He’s averaging 8.7 factors per recreation whereas capturing 43.5 % from 3-point vary in his final 54 video games, along with his 10.1 internet ranking rating twenty fifth amongst gamers who’ve averaged at the least quarter-hour per recreation.
These three gamers, together with Horford, have seamlessly slot in whereas taking part in alongside Tatum this 12 months. 4 of Boston’s 14 greatest two-man lineups (min. 40 video games performed collectively) have been Tatum taking part in subsequent to a type of 4 aforementioned gamers.
The truth is, Hornets coach Charles Lee, who because the Celtics’ prime assistant final season, stated that the bench is why he believes Boston is a greater staff this 12 months than final.
“They have been good final 12 months, and I really feel like they acquired even higher this 12 months,” Lee informed reporters on Friday. “I feel that the bench has gotten deeper. Seeing what Payton Pritchard’s been in a position to do that 12 months, he provides a lot to the staff. Sam and Luke, these guys have actually contributed so much, too, after which your fundamental guys have continued to get higher.”
Worse: Well being
It’s a superb factor for the Celtics that their bench is taking part in higher this 12 months than final 12 months, as a result of they could want no matter they will get out of the unit.
Whereas Boston was with out Porzingis for all however seven video games in its 19-game postseason run to a title final 12 months, it would start its postseason quest this 12 months a bit compromised. Brown has handled a bone bruise in his proper knee over the past month that has restricted him. He reportedly acquired a painkilling injection in his knee to assist try to heal the damage this previous week.
Brown is anticipated to be prepared for Recreation 1 of the primary, in keeping with ESPN. However his damage definitely isn’t splendid as he hasn’t been shy in sharing how the difficulty has bothered him as of late.
Past Brown, the Celtics will enter the playoffs wholesome. However Porzingis missed 40 video games this 12 months because of a number of illnesses, together with an sickness. Hauser had the aforementioned again damage. Vacation performed by an uncommon mallet finger damage earlier in March.
You even have to contemplate that the Celtics have made deep postseason runs in every of the final three years, with Tatum, White, and Vacation persevering with to play basketball final summer season within the Olympics. So, it isn’t out of the realm of risk that fatigue might in the end strike the Celtics because the playoffs put on on and doubtlessly be their downfall of their quest to back-to-back.
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