Can this Boston Celtics team have an even better season than last year?
The Boston Celtics are off to a hot start this season, starting off 3-0. I know it’s early in the season, but the C’s look like they picked up right from where they left off last season.
As we all know, Boston lost a difficult one this past Finals to the veteran led Golden State Warriors, but even with that defeat in the books, the Celtics had a great season overall. They had the best overall defense last season thanks to their new and improved defensive mindset, led by reigning DPOTY, Marcus Smart.
But, enough about last season, I’m looking forward to what this team can accomplish and so far, they’re looking like they can have a much better outcome than last year.
Through three games last year, Boston was 1-2 and was averaging 108 points per game and letting up 116 per game. This year, through three games, Boston is averaging a staggering 121 (!!!) points per game and letting up 113 per game.
The defense hasn’t been as sharp as it should be and the Celtics will be the first ones to admit that, but when you start the season with three games in the first five days, the fatigue will play a factor as they let up the most points so far this season at 120.
Jaylen Brown is a big reason why Boston Celtics are undefeated through 3 games
While everyone wants to look at Jayson Tatum for the Celtics early success (and as they should), I want to put some respect onto Jaylen Browns name as well. Brown was involved with a lot of offseason trade speculation surrounding Nets superstar Kevin Durant. Many Boston fans were ready to see him go. I was not one of them.
Through three games this season, Browns scoring is down from the first three of last year, but he’s shooting much more efficiently at 52% compared to 50% last year. That two percent may not seem like much, but on a team whose success will be dictated on primarily two players, the two percent is huge.
Not only has Jaylen Brown had a pivotal role this season, but the offseason acquisition of Malcom Brogdon is looking better and better by the day. The 30 year old vet is looking great off the bench and is providing perfect amount of depth that this Celtics team needed last year in the Finals.
12 points and four assists per game are great, but it’s his decision making that I like the most. Only averaging two turnovers per game in 23 minutes is solid production and he’s making life easier for the Celtics starters knowing they have a reliable ball handler coming off the bench. No disrespect to Payton Pritchard of course.
Like I keep mentioning, it is early in the season and I don’t want to over react more than I already am to this team.
The Boston Celtics take on the struggling Chicago Bulls tonight, as they look to improve their record to 4-0 and continue to establish their dominance in this tough eastern division. With their first dat of rest yesterday, I’m looking for the Celtics to have a little more fresher legs than they had on Saturday and to hopefully hold the Bulls to under 100 points with their patent defensive schemes.