Behind the collaborative efforts of eight double-digit scorers, the Boston Celtics clinched an impressive 119-109 win over the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference on February 12.
When your best player buys into the defensive solidity of the team, you know the culture of the organization is something special. With just a few days until the All-Star break, and without some of their key contributors on both ends of the floor the Celtics continue to demonstrate why they are sitting above everyone else in the NBA.
With the Memphis Grizzlies coming to town for a matinee tip-off on Super Bowl Sunday, Boston had the opportunity to win its fourth consecutive game this season, and 14th out of the last 15 against Memphis dating back to 2015.
Behind another prolific shooting night, and a well-balanced attack, Joe Mazzulla’s men pulled away from Ja Morant, and the Grizzlies. Jayson Tatum has only led the Boston Celtics in two out of the last four games, netting 16 points or fewer against Memphis, and Philadelphia. None of that mattered. Derrick White and Sam Hauser have combined for 39.8 points per game during this winning run. Role players like Hauser and White are critical in elevating the ceiling of this ball club, and when they are hot at the same time, there is not much the opposition can do in the half-court.
Coach Mazzulla on our ability to keep winning despite being shorthanded: “Credit to our locker room … Their ability to be professional, regardless of the circumstances, is special.”
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 12, 2023
Even with Tatum having a poor game, this team has figured out how to get results against two of the best teams in the association right now. There is something about this team. This locker room. This culture. From Mike Muscala’s seamless transition into his role in Beantown to the players’ abilities to step up when called upon more often than before, there is a clear reason why this ball club was the first to 40 wins.
There is nobody that seeks the spotlight. Against the team that ranks second in the NBA in rebounding, Boston outrebounded Taylor Jenkins’ squad by 20. Robert Williams III’s impact was felt from the opening tip as Jaren Jackson Jr and the Memphis frontcourt struggled to make an impact on the offensive glass. For the former Michigan State big man, it was only the fifth time all season that he failed to record a block in a game. Boston’s ability to stretch the floor with Mike Muscala as the big opens up the floor, and forces Jackson Jr, and the Memphis frontcourt to play further away from the basket than they would prefer.
In the last four losses, the Boston Celtics failed to reach the 25-asssit total mark. The triumph over the Grizzlies marked not only the fourth straight game with 25 or more assists, but the 19th since Dec. 12, losing just four of those games. In the final 5:10 of the first half, Al Horford, and White assisted on the final five field goals for Boston.
Creating an environment where the basket is almost like a “hot potato” has built a strong locker room environment. Everyone feels like they are contributing in some way. Everyone knows Payton Pritchard wants a larger role somewhere else, but that is still not preventing him from contributing positively to a team that has ambitions of winning a championship at the end of the season.
this group is special ☘️ pic.twitter.com/DwpZUQu9vA
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 13, 2023
Despite losing both the first and third quarters, Boston’s connectivity in the last five minutes of the second period, and down the stretch in the fourth made all the difference in the Celtics securing a 1.5 game lead atop the Eastern Conference. As one of two NBA games on Sunday, all eyes were on Boston. This Cs team seems to thrive on national television, winning the last five games that have been broadcasted on major networks.
The Boston Celtics again on national television
The run in front of the public eye continues as Boston encounters Giannis Antetokounmpo and the hottest team in the NBA on Tuesday night. Although rest may be around the corner, the Bucks will be geared up to send a message to a team that found a way to decrease Antetokounmpo’s efficiency on Christmas Day. Against a team that is surprisingly top-five in defending the three-point shot, the Boston Celtics may struggle to continue this run of 40% of better from beyond the arc. Boston’s ability to lock in against the best of the best in the NBA this year has been remarkable.
The shooting percentages might fluctuate throughout a season, but the belief that this ball club has in each other will not. If the three ball is not working, the Cs have shown they can find other ways to win. This rematch of the Eastern Conference semifinals coming up may be the biggest test Boston has faced so far this season. Despite the absence of regular rotational players, the Celtics will be ready because this culture has embedded itself in each member of the team.