Anyone who's watched the Boston Celtics as of late has been blown away by their offensive efficiency, and Bill Simmons is no exception. The prominent analyst and Celtics appreciator recently spoke about this topic on an episode of his self-named show.
"Having the second-rated offense has been confusing," Simmons said. "I don't understand that at all, and I watch this team, and I actually really love watching this team, but I don't understand how they have the second-rated offense ... It's offensive rebounds and weird threes, and pull-up contested threes."
This team is of course still not better without its best player, but it has been remarkable how they've been able to produce such efficient offensive basketball with Jayson Tatum yet to play a single minute this season. Jaylen Brown's leap has helped a lot, and Joe Mazzulla's mastery of schemes has brought this team to a level no one envisioned.
Simmons' confusion for this weird team is warranted. They're not living off pristine ball movement or endless drive-and-kick sequences. The Celtics are generating points through second chance opportunities, a physical style of play, and a willingness to take difficult shots without hesitation. Those principles have permeated the entire roster and made winning possible even without a top-ten player available.
The Celtics have formed a new offensive identity this season
Jaylen Brown has been the clear beneficiary of this development. His decision-making has improved and he's embraced the responsibility of being the primary offensive engine. Brown is staying aggressive while trusting his teammates and letting the game come to him, which has elevated Boston’s efficiency.
Mazzulla deserves credit for embracing the chaos rather than trying to smooth it out. Boston is comfortable playing through broken possessions and offensive rebounds. Doing so has created a rhythm that opponents struggle to disrupt, especially when the Celtics start stacking extra possessions.
What makes this stretch even more impressive is that it doesn't really feel fluky. The Celtics are not simply relying on hot shooting nights or one player carrying the load. Their offense is built on volume and confidence, and that's the kind of stuff that translates regardless of who's available.
When Tatum eventually returns, Boston will have the luxury of adding him to a system that already works instead of purely rebuilding around him. That's what makes this version of the Celtics so dangerous: they've found ways to win without compromising their identity.