The Development Of The Two Jays Is Real And It's Spectacular

Greenie12/07/2019 2:47 PM

Here's are some fun facts to start your Saturday morning off on a good note. The Boston Celtics are 5-0 at home against five of the top seven teams in the league. They've beaten the Bucks, Raptors, Mavericks, Heat, and Nuggets all in convincing fashion. Is that good? That feels good. At 16-5 they are in sole possession of the 2 seed in the East and have the league's third best record. They own the second best point differential in the conference, while giving up the fewest points per game of any playoff team and the third fewest in the entire NBA. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have a combined age of 44 years old. The Boston Celtics now officially have three players averaging at least 20 points per game. Pretty sure they are the only team in the league with that. This might be my favorite paragraph that I've written all season.

Just like the MIA win, the Celts continue to pass these early season tests. Did the schedule help them out finally with another good team coming into the Garden on a second night of a back to back? Sure did and guess who still doesn't give a shit. The Nuggets played the Knicks and won by 37 with all their starters playing like 22 minutes, it was not your normal B2B situation. So for the Celts to come out with this type of performance, and don't let the final score fool you it was not this close, to remain a perfect 9-0 at home has me feeling all sorts of ways. I can't remember a time I felt like this last season watching this team, and you forget this team is about to ADD a healthy Gordon Hayward to the mix who was only basically their best player to start the year.

There was so much to love about this performance we may as well just dive right in, but I want to warn you what you may see in this blog could cause an immediate blood rush to your private regions. It's the weekend, you're probably at home, so if you need to remove yourself quickly and take care of that before you continue that's cool we'll wait for you.

The Good

- When this season started deep down we were all hoping that there was actually going to be a legit jump from our two franchise cornerstone wings. After Danny decided not to trade everyone for AD this summer it was clear they made the decision to invest in the young guys and see what happens. Well, what happened was both didn't just take a baby leap, they've skyrocketed to two All Star caliber players in just their 3rd year of real minutes. Take Jayson Tatum for example

Yeah his efficiency on the season isn't all that great yet, but when this dude is on, he is ON. Take last night for example. Tatum was efficient, he was fully in his bag offensively, and nothing was forced. Games like this when Tatum is fully engaged in all areas and finishes with 26/7/5 on over 50% shooting from both the field and three, it gives you an idea of just how dominant this dude can be. Mind you, this was all with an 0-3 start in the first quarter. We saw everything from his ability to dribble drive and get to the rim, his legit three point shooting, hell we even saw him finish some floaters around the rim which hasn't happened since he was a baby.

You add in how Tatum had the 2nd lowest Drtg on the team at 81, and held his primary matchup in Will Barton scoreless, and this was the version of Tatum that has Celtics fans so excited. When he is bringing in on both ends, is hitting the glass AND is facilitating for others, he's absolutely devastating.

- But you want to know the best part? He's not alone. Whatever jump you think Tatum has made this season, you need to multiply that by about 1000000000 when talking about Jaylen Brown. For me, I think his season so far is a result of a few things. First is the opportunity. None of that bullshit from last year exists, Jaylen is getting legit minutes and isn't getting pulled the first time he fucks up. That's big for him and his confidence. Think of when you were playing and you could play free knowing what your role was going to be and that you were going to get consistent minutes. Changes everything. The other part to me is his extension. Not having to worry about that has made all the difference in the world because Jaylen can just play. What happens when you put those together? This

Already a monster in transition, we're seeing more elements being added to Jaylen's game. The handle is the most obvious, I didn't think Jaylen would ever get to this level but not only is it no longer a weakness, I'm ready to call it a strength. For anyone who has watched Jaylen in his Celtics career, that's a wild sentence to type but it's also true.

Then we have his improved jumper from the corner. Did you know he shoots 58% from the right corner and 35% from the left? Guess who is now a legit three point weapon when you also factor in his 40% from the above the break. Remember when people said Jaylen couldn't shoot? Can't say that anymore.

The fact that both of these guys only had a combined 2 TOs is what dreams are made of. High usage, effective scoring, not sloppy with the basketball, what more is there to love?

- Well how about the defense. You know the backbone of this team and what is going to make them successful. This team is back to defending at a high level after that little skid they had when they went out West, and maybe it's the Garden but the work they put in on that end at home is what is ultimately going to raise their ceiling.

Sure they let Big Honey get whatever he wanted, but everyone else? The Nuggets shot 41/16% as a team. Jamal Murray and Gary Harris combined for just 17 points. They're a pretty good backcourt last time I checked. But when you're put in the Jaylen Brown/Marcus Smart torture chamber this is what happens.

- I am going to continue to say it. If you are still slandering Enes Kanter you are doing it just to be a hater. This might have been one of his best games as a Celtic and yes I understand he's going to make some defenses mistakes along the way, but the presence he gives on the glass and as a low post scorer and EXACTLY what this team needs. His 8/4/3 in 18 minutes was huge and Brad continues to find the right spots to play him in. To have someone who actually gets you extra possessions is so foreign to my brain but I think I sort of love it.

- The Celtics never trailed in this game. Not for even 1 second. A wire to wire win with a lead as high as 23. Oh and zero times tied too. Complete domination.

- While the Jays may have been the story, you look down and Kemba has 19 points on 50% shooting

just a quiet assassin who has no problem whatsoever watching his teammates flourish. Man that is refreshing as hell. Then when it comes time for the knockout punch, here's Kemba off the dribble coming off a screen to make a three right in your eyeball. Remember he didn't play in their last meeting, that's when he got hurt, so I'm pretty confident in saying had they had Kemba in that game, they probably sweep this team.

An underrated part of Kemba's season though is how he is bringing the intensity and energy on the defensive end. Brad always talks about taking away air space and making the opponent feel you, and that's what Kemba does defensively. He's not the biggest, but he's tough as fuck and he is sticking to guys like glue. What a pleasant surprise that's been,.

- Call me crazy, but I would say mission fucking accomplished

- More great Semi minutes and it's probably why Brad rewarded him with 29 minutes. You want to talk about someone having a good couple weeks, Semi has been huge off the bench in Hayward's absence. Solid defense, the occasional three, no mental mistakes. Love it.

- Even the bench was efficient, it was that kind of night.

- What if I told you the Celtics actually had a good first quarter? I'm talking a 33 point 54/44% first quarter. I'm not lying, I saw it with my own eyes and it didn't make sense but you know what? It'd be cool if they did that more often.

- I. Love. Them.

The Bad

- So the rebounding wasn't the best. The fact that the Nuggets were even able to hang around in the first place was because the Celts couldn't stop giving up offensive rebounds. They finished allowing 12, and the second chance points difference of 25-10 wasn't exactly ideal. Considering the Celts only had 4 OREB themselves, this was one of the rare games they've been outdone on the glass in this fashion.

- Jokic gave everyone the business, especially around the rim. Not sure what you do when Jokic is feeling it like he was in this game around the basket, I guess just let him get his and stop everyone else. He's just so massive one the Celts went small it was kind of a wrap for them in terms of slowing him down.

- I get it, Kanter has issues giving up passing lanes in P&R. Especially when he's matched up with more athletic bigs like Plumlee, but as I said earlier he does so many other good things I don't really care. Doesn't mean it wasn't bad though.

- The trade off for a good first was the typical shitty second quarter where we saw the Celtics blow their 15 point lead and get it down to 6 but come on, you had to know that was coming at some point. Sine when does this team not make things just a little harder for themselves?

The Ugly

- Hard to find something to fit this part of the blog, I guess this foul that was called on Kemba might suffice

everyone knew it was bullshit, Brad challenged it and he won. Good right? Wrong. Because this resulted in a jump ball that the Celtics lost. So they were right that this was a bullshit call, and it did save the Jokic FTs and a foul on Kemba, but because there was no "possession" they ultimately lost the ball. That feels wrong. No wonder Brad hates challenges.

- Remember, there are people still out there that live among us that did not like the Jaylen Brown extension. They did not think he was worth the money. Those people are allowed to vote. Think of that for a minute.

- I already hate every single person that utters the words "Gordon Hayward coming back is going to mess this up, they should trade him for Steven Adams or Andre Drummond". You can say it. Just know that I hate you with the fire of a thousand suns.

So here we sit. The talking heads and salty Sixers fans told us this team was screwed after Horford and Kyrie left. That their defense was a problem and their big situation was going to kill them. If 16-5 is being screwed then bend me every which way and give it to me because this team FUCKS. A big B2B next week with IND/PHI, so I need all the momentum I can have heading into next week. We're a quarter of the way through the season and we keep getting performances like this, so I think it's OK to start thinking that this team may very well be for real.

Now, let's have ourselves a Saturday. Cheers.