"Every Basket, I Have To Earn With Meat" - Kristaps Porzingis Is Once Again Proving To Be A True Gift From The Basketball Gods

Brian Fluharty. Getty Images.

Seeing as how it's only the end of January, a midseason game against the Bulls without Zach LaVine wasn't what I would call a "must win", but given the Celts run of inconsistent play and the 40/20 rule being up for grabs last night was most certainly a "can't lose" type of game. That makes sense right? It was a game they had to have to end a little mini 2 game homestand before a 3 game road trip, and seeing as how they dropped the previous game to the Rockets at the final buzzer, this was a game the Celts simply could not afford to drop.

And seeing as how they are now 14-1 after losses this season, it's safe to say they responded.

There's been a lot of talk about how the Celts are "different from last year" and that's true to some degree. You were never getting a complete replica of the 2023-24 season which objectively was one of the 6 best seasons in NBA history. This team's shooting is down a little bit, their home record is legitimately embarrassing (16-9), and their 4th quarter execution for the most part has been among the worst in the NBA. Those things are all true.

But it's also true that the way the Celts have been beating teams through 48 games feels pretty damn familiar. 

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest most of you were surprised to see so many 20+ and 30+ wins this season. I say that because I certainly was, and I watch every dribble. But it's a great example of why I keep stressing that perspective is important. Are things exactly the same as 2024? Of course not. That's life baby. But make no mistake, the 2024-25 Celtics are still kicking the shit out of teams on a regular basis. 

Their 12 total wins by 20+ through 48 games are more than CLE (8), OKC (10), HOU (9), DEN (8), and only trail NYK (13). 

I dunno, call me crazy, but that seems pretty good! Factoring in the early season injuries and the lineup inconsistency paired with the fact that this team went on a 2 month shooting slump, and suddenly the Celts season looks a bit different. Some very frustrating losses for sure, an unacceptable home record no doubt, but big picture? This team is every bit of a monster as we've seen over the last 2.5 years. 

What I imagine most want to see is this team get back to being recognizable. Be the team that we know can lock in defensively, that moves the ball, that plays with effort and energy and most importantly, makes their open looks. Then, once they show they are capable of those things, it's about being consistent with it. That's what I would say is the biggest difference from last year to this year. The consistency. What we witnessed last year was a Basketball Machine. This year, the Celts are more like a McDonald's soft serve machine. When it works, it's the GOAT. The only problem is you have no idea when that machine will actually be functioning and when it doesn't, all hell breaks loose. 

So while it was fun and a much needed mental health boost to see the Celts blow out another opponent, we're at the point now given their 2 month stretch of .500 play where they need to keep building on it before I fully exhale. Take these next to games against NO and PHI heading into the showdown and CLE and I think that goes a long way. 

But before we look too far ahead, we first must dive into what we saw last night.

The Good

- I know by this point I probably sound like a broken record, but my hands are tied. What Kristaps Porzingis has been doing in his second season as a Celtic, and more specifically since his return to the lineup on 1/3 has been so beyond the best-case scenario I don't even know how else to describe it

Think of every Celtics center you've ever watched in your entire life as a fan. For some, that spans 3+ decades. You have never, at any point, in any game, in any season in the history of the Boston Celtics, seen a Celtics center do what Kristaps Porzingis did in this game

I touched on consistency at the top of the blog and how that's been one of the issues so far through 48 games. You know who is not included in that? Kristaps Porzingis. In fact, I would argue he has been the most consistent player on the roster this entire year. As long as he's on the court, he delivers. Now that he's back and healthy, and I mean is this not the very definition of consistent?

As I've said in previous blogs, I have nothing but respect for a player who is open and honest with the media about how they are playing soft and mostly like trash, and then that player goes out on the court and makes damn sure he does his job and produces every single night. We're at the point now where I'd argue that KP is having the 2nd best season of any Celtic right now, trailing only Tatum's year. 

When he first came back, things looks good but the outside shot was struggling, mostly due to rhythm and being in game shape. Through his first 9 games he was only shooting around 33% from deep. His post up game was nails, he was attacking switches with great success, the rebounding and rim protection were there, he just needed to get back to his old self from behind the arc.

Since Game 10 of his season? He's played in 13 more games and is shooting 46.4% from three on 5.3 3PA a night. 

Of all the things that KP brings to the floor that make the Celts nearly unbeatable, it's the spacing and the 3pt shooting that takes him to another level. Look at where he's taking those shots from! He's closest 3PM was from 27ft in this game. The value that brings and what it means for opposing defenses is why he's the cheat code. There is no good option for you. If you bring your center out that far, the Jays are going to feast at the rim. White is going to attack the paint for floaters. If you don't guard KP from 30ft, he's going to shoot it with confidence and make it at an extremely high clip. I will once again remind you that brad Stevens told us this way back when he first traded for KP. It's unfolding exactly as he described

Between the production and the consistency in which he's been available this month, KP has been about as perfect as you could ask for. Not only that, but he continues to deliver behind the mic as well

Do I have any idea what the hell this means? Nope. No clue. Is he saying he has to play with some force? Maybe some "oomph" or some substance? Only he knows and frankly, I don't give a shit. However he feels he needs to play, if this is the result then I agree with him. 

- I'm not sure who needed to see this Jaylen Brown performance more. Himself, or the fanbase. As long as teams are going to continue to double Tatum every time he touches the ball, that means guys like KP, Jaylen, White etc all have to make them pay for it. That requires them to not only be aggressive, but efficient. In a matchup like this where the Bulls most certainly didn't have the wing defenders to handle Jaylen in the paint, I was very pleased to see him play to his strengths and take advantage time and time again

28/6/6 on 10-18 (1-5) and a +23 in his 35 minutes without a single turnover, my only real gripe with his night in this game was the 7-11 from the FT line.

We know Jaylen can abuse smaller players once get gets into the paint, so instead I'd like to focus on the biggest improvement of Jaylen's game this season, which of course is his passing. Another 6 AST tonight, it now marked the 18th time this season he's had at least 5+ assists in his 40 games played. For comparison, he had 20 all of last season (70 games).

His AST% of 21.9% is by far the highest of his career, and he's doing all that while maintaining a consistent TOV% of just 11.2%. 

Whenever he talks about this new role and responsibility, people freak out and talk about how his FGA are the same and all that. To me, that misses the point. The ask is not that Jaylen shoots less and passes more, it's that he adds playmaking responsibilities to his plate in addition to everything else he does. In the same way when Tatum took his passing leap in the Bubble, the ask was not that he shoot less and pass more, but that he put more on his plate as an initiator in addition to a play finisher.

That is the transition that we are seeing with Jaylen this year. He's getting much better at reading coverages and understanding where to go with the ball (like Tatum's bubble leap), he's driving with his eyes up and isn't as stubborn when it comes to making a pass to a teammate as opposed to forcing a bad shot through traffic. There are a few areas of Jaylen's season that have taken a dip like his shooting or his defense, but the passing? The passing leap is not only real, it's a legitimate weapon now. This isn't just a once in a while thing either, it's essentially half of his games played he's finishing with 5+ assists with low TOs. 

I'll take that every day of the week.

- Much like Jaylen, I'm not sure who needed to see Derrick White's performance more. As fans, we desperately needed to see it and I can only imagine how he felt after going through his slump. This is now back to back games Derrick White has looked like Derrick White, and I tend to think the rest day helped him

We all know how important White's production is to the entire formula of this offense. He makes the back breaking 3s. Defenses are so focused on stopping Tatum and Brown, that guys like White and KP have to take advantage of their opportunities. It's not really a surprise that while White went through his shooting slumps, those tended to be games the Celtics lost. He's too important of a piece to no show, so a performance like this was a step in the right direction.

What stood out in this win was more than just White getting back to making open 3s. I really liked how in the 4th quarter when things were starting to teeter, White attacked the paint with force and repeatedly converted on his patented floater. Those may not have seemed like big shots, but given their shooting struggles to start the quarter and the Bulls feeling like they were about to rip off a run, those buckets are what calmed everyone down. Once they all took a breath, the blowout was back on. 

I know it sounds like a cop out, but so much of the Celts fixing these recent issues is honestly their players simply playing like their old selves. Nothing crazy, just playing to the standard that they've established for themselves. Being normal and not throwing up 23% from 3 while missing every wide open look you take. I truly feel that the only real problem the Celts have had these 2 months is their shotmaking. A lack of shotmaking bleeds into multiple aspects of a game, and it's no surprise that once the ball starts to go in the defense looks better and the scores become blowouts. 

A guy like White making the most of his opportunities is a big factor in that.

- By now it could not be more obvious. When the Celts play Mazzulla Ball, they win. When they don't, they often lose. What does this mean? It means getting back to taking the appropriate amount of 3PA, but those 3PA are generated through good ball movement. That means your assist numbers and potential assist numbers are high. It means locking in defensively and holding an opponent to around 25 points a quarter. It means playing with pace and shooting with confidence regardless of the result as long as the process to get there is correct.

I honestly don't know why so many people still push back against this. We are now 200+ games plus a title into the Mazzulla Ball Experience. It works. Regular season, playoffs, Finals, it doesn't matter. 

During this skid, the Celts have shifted to fewer 3PA and more midrange jumpers just like the boomers and anti-Mazzulla Ball weirdos demand. The result? The offense has been dogshit. Yet here we are, another example of playing the way they should be playing and it's a blowout win. Who could have possibly seen that coming?

- The efficiency is still complete dogshit (5-15, 2-6), but I loved how Tatum played in this game. I felt like he completely controlled the game despite taking only 15 FGA and only finishing with 5 ASTs, and considering he was doubled pretty much every possession from the opening tip, the way he was able to bend the defense with his gravity to create for others is what it's all about. 

I consider these teams doubling Tatum like this a blessing. Not in terms of him needing the reps, I know Tatum can beat a double. I have full confidence that he'll make the right play, whether that's a skip pass or to split the double with a drive. Why I consider it a blessing is because every other Celtic needs the reps of being in this position. Where now they have the pressure to convert offensively. Jaylen, White, Jrue, Horford, KP, Pritchard, Hauser etc, they have to show up and convert on a consistent and efficient basis if teams are going to defend Tatum this way. For me, that's a non-negotiable. 

The NBA is a copycat league. Teams are willing to completely sell out defensively if it means Tatum doesn't get going, which tells you all you need to know about how fucking good he is. I mean, he was shooting terribly, all his teammates were on fire, and this is STILL how Tatum was covered 

A night like this just goes to show you that the Celtics do not need heliocentric Tatum to win. Sorry if that upsets some, and this is not to say Tatum being aggressive isn't important. It's more to say that when you realize how teams are going to defend him, it's more important that the other guys feel confident in their new responsibility of coming through offensively. Tatum will find ways to get his, that should never be a concern. I'll take a night like this from him where he makes the right play every single time regardless of what the defense does. Trusting your teammates is the key to winning a title, and it's what makes this team special. When your best player has the utmost confidence in everyone he's on the floor with, you become a wagon.

- Jaden Springer currently has my brain in a pretzel. This is not something I thought I would be feeling 10 days ago, but now? Now I don't know if I can part with this on ball defense

There's just………something there. I don't know what it is yet, but I'm intrigued. When I think of the types of players the Celts are going to have to potentially face in a playoff run, I sort of want this type of on ball defense on the roster. Especially as Jrue ages. I just don't know if there's something you could get for $4M that is a better fit/has this type of skillset. If the 3pt shot is actually somewhat real? That most definitely changes things even more.

The point is, Springer continues to make the most of his opportunities. Whenever he's on the floor, he finds a way to make a play. The shot is still suspect, he can't really dribble, but to me that's just Young Avery Bradley. He too couldn't shoot or dribble when he was young but that on ball defense was something else. 

What seemed like a no brainer trade a few weeks ago now isn't so certain, and to me that's a great problem to have.

- Really strong non-Tatum minutes in that 2nd quarter to go from +3 to +14 while he sat. The Jaylen led lineups were solid on both ends, the "others" were efficient, and surviving those minutes with Tatum out of the game is the key to the whole operation. Doing that down 2 rotation bench players was impressive, and it's something that needs to continue moving forward. This team has too much talent on it to simply be nothing but Jayson Tatum merchants. 

- Finally, a no screwing around type of performance. Down LaVine, it would be very on brand for the Celts to overlook this game and find themselves in a dogfight. We see it all the time.

Instead? A lead as large as 24, only 2 lead changes and 0 ties. A complete 48 minute performance like you read about.

The Bad

- I don't think it can get any clearer that Jayson Tatum needs a rest day. He hasn't sat since 12/23, and at this point the combination of his shooting struggles paired with his rebound numbers cratering simply tells me he's tired

That's a player whose legs are shot. Just compare that to Tatum's December and it's pretty obvious

The problem of course is Tatum refuses to sit. Ever. Looking at the schedule, I don't really see a game that fits as a "rest day", so we may have to wait a while until we get it. That's why I was surprised he played last night after he was on the injury report and LaVine was out. Buy him a game at home before a big road trip, but he played anyway.

Maybe they're just trying to get him to the All Star Break, but it's not like Tatum will be able to truly rest then either seeing as how he's playing. 

We saw what a rest day just did for DWhite, and I think we are not at that same place with Tatum. He's 6th in total minutes and hasn't sat in over a month. He's due.

- I found it fairly annoying that regardless of who the Celtics play, they continue to be pretty bad at keeping opponents off the offensive glass. Another 10 OREB for 12 2nd chance points against the Bulls, what makes it so bizarre is it doesn't matter what lineup combo is on the floor for the Celts. Single big, double big, their defensive rebounding continues to be average at best, and that's something that needs to be cleaned up.

Part of it might be Tatum's fatigue as his rebounding numbers are down, but we're also seeing opposing guards have 2-3 OREBs a night, and to me that always feels like an effort thing. Guys aren't boxing out and aren't quick to the ball. It's how you keep bad teams close and when you do that, you open yourself up for bad losses. Finishing possession cleanly needs to get back to being the norm.

The Ugly

- As someone who was born and raised in the 508, I found this to be deeply upsetting

Shoutout Tatum for nailing it on the first try. Derrick came around eventually, but needed help. I know for non-MA people Worcester is impossible to say, but these guys have been in Boston for a while. I expected a better showing to be honest.

- In a game that was only really close for half a quarter, there isn't much to put in this section. Maybe the fact that the Celts allowed CHI to float around and that killed any hopes of Walsh minutes? 

Maybe Jrue's 3-9 (0-4) and now a potential wrist injury? That wasn't great. This was honestly one of the Celts most complete games of the year, so we can just wrap things up here.

As I said, this team now needs to replicate this performance and pull off a 3-4 game winning streak before we all collectively exhale. A big showdown with CLE is on the horizon, so it'd be nice if this team could start playing to their standard on a consistent basis. Let's hope last night was a step in that direction.