The Celtics Made NBA History Everywhere You Looked As They Officially Become The First Team To 40 Wins

Brian Fluharty. Getty Images.

It wasn't too long ago the Celts lost in overtime to the Knicks in their own building to drop their 3rd straight. That date was January 26th, and it was the first time the Celts had dropped 3 straight since before Christmas. In between that time, the Celts had their second 9 game winning streak of the season, but some shorthanded losses and some late game choke jobs had brought the doomers back out from under their bridge. Suddenly the Celts (at 35-15) were back to being frauds, the same thing that was said about them during their December skid.

They had a choice to make. Either respond and reassert yourself or let things snowball. With teams on their heels for the #1 seed, it was clear what path they had to choose. Since that January 26th loss, the Celts have now won 5 of their last 6. They're the first team to 40 wins and the only team that has won 40 before they've lost 20, and if you pay attention to NBA history you know why that's a big deal. Heading into this stretch of 7 of 8 games being at home, I think most people were hoping for no worse than 5-2. If the Celts take care of their shit tomorrow against the Grizzlies, they'll get that 5-2. 

So close to the break, it's crucial the Celts stay focused and finish strong. Not just because the Bucks have won 10 straight and are only 1.0 game back, but these teams also play each other on Thursday. Even with guys out, the Celts have found ways to win these games which has been nice to see, although I wouldn't exactly say the competition (DET/PHI/CHA) was all that tough in their most recent wins. That's why tomorrow (MEM) and Thursday (MIL) are going to be much better tests. Now is not the time to start thinking about your vacation, now is the time for wins.

Last night marked the 6th straight win over the Hornets, so I'm thinking this is a pretty good matchup. Sadly, at 15-42, I do not see the Play In being in their future. That's why to me, this game wasn't really about them. The Celts avoided the trap game and that's what I care about. They didn't overlook a bad team with a big time matchup on deck, and they played a full 48 to do it. A get in, get out, type win that only should help their confidence moving forward.

With that said, let's relive what was a fun ass night at the Garden

The Good

- One year ago around this date, our lives changed forever. Maybe we didn't know exactly how at the time, but the moment this happened 

our basketball lives were never going to be the same. I can say this with complete certainty, Derrick White has been a tremendous Celtic. Tremendous. Since the day he arrived, he's fit like a glove. I want you to sit there and tell me it does not feel like Derrick White has been on this team for 10 years. He gets it. Brad has a type when it comes to the players and people he wants on this roster, and it looks like Derrick White.

Would you like to see what a comfortable Derrick White looks like on the basketball court? Now I want to warn you, I've watched this a few thousand times. You're going to experience emotions that can be dangerous. My advice is to embrace them. Go ahead, hit play

A comfortable Derrick White makes NBA history

For those who frequent these blogs, none of this is new or surprising to you. We've been tracking Derrick White since the Orlando game when Smart went out. So while to some who may have turned into the ESPN broadcast and been shocked to see Derrick explode like this, those of us who have been watching know this is just par for the course recently

It's pretty clear to see where the inflection point is of this DWhite stretch. For those who don't want to do all the math. since that 1/23 ORL game, we're now up to 19.0/5.1/4.7 on 52/47% splits in the 9 games. Since February started, those numbers are 21.6/6.0/5.2 on 55/50% splits. 

I want to remind you, Derrick White is this team's 6th/7th man who also has started 48 games this season. When healthy, this is coming off your bench. That is flat out insane, especially when you then also remember the other guard off the bench is Malcolm Brogdon.

With Derrick, the key to this successful run remains his approach. Yeah, last night he went a little nuts shooting threes, but I see that as a direct result of his confidence that comes from driving and touching the paint. More and more we're seeing Derrick call his own number in the perfect situations and find ways to get himself into high percentage areas. Since that 1/23 date, White is shooting 87.5% in the restricted area, and 50% in the paint (non restricted). In both of those zones, he's taken 16 and 32 FGA, so 48 total shots in the paint/at the rim. In terms of total FGA, White has taken 115, and 57 of those have been 3PA.

So just think about it. Nearly half of his total FGA are coming from the paint/at the rim, and he's shooting 87% at the rim and 50% in the paint. That means his layups at the rim and floaters in the paint are dropping. That has him feeling good, to where he then steps behind the arc and goes 27-57 (47.4%). There are no long/contested 2PA. This is Mazzulla Ball. You touch the paint, either shoot it or drive and kick to an open guy, and that open guy takes and makes the three. 

- With how awesome Derrick was, you almost forget Jayson Tatum also made his own NBA history in this game. What is it with this team and doing historic shit? I feel like it happens nearly every night and I'll tell ya, I don't hate it. I love it actually. 

Just a little 41/4/4 on 13-21 (5-10) for Tatum in his 37 minutes with some NBA history mixed in. I'm thinking he loves playing the Hornets because the last time we saw this matchup he had 51 and then another 41 last night, it's clear there is nobody on this roster that has a chance of guarding Jayson Tatum.

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In fact, of all teams in the league, only MIL (41.0) and IND (41.0) allow a higher average than CHA (40.0). The thing is, Tatum has now played CHA four times, so that 40 average is pretty ridiculous. It was nice to see Tatum get back to making some jumpers, I thought he was great in terms of being aggressive and getting to the line (12 FTA) which is the key to every 40 bomb he has, and it felt like he had no trouble manipulating the Hornets defense into whatever he wanted. Sometimes that was for himself, other times it was for a teammate. When you think of what you want the best player on the team to do in a game like this against a bad team, it's this type of performance. 

Engaged on both ends, efficient, and consistent in all four quarters. This is the Tatum we're going to need to see through the rest of the games until the break.

- I have a challenge for you. I would like you to take your time and tell me the last time Brad Stevens ever lost a trade or made a bad trade. I double dog dare you. I'm not talking signing, I'm talking trade.

That's right. You can't. 

Welp, it's time to add Mike Muscala to the list. Brad has done it again I'm afraid despite what the Twitter GMs or the radio trolls want you to believe. Have we not learned by now that Brad is a billion times smarter than all of us and he probably knows what works best for this basketball team considering he built it?  I said it during the trade deadline chaos, whoever Brad says is the guy is the guy. I don't have to understand it, I just know he's earned my love and trust.

So what happens? The Celtics new 3rd/4th center comes into the game, knocks down his first three, ends up 4-8 and looks like he's been on the team all season. Notice a trend? Brad found another guy to bring in at the deadline who fits like a glove. It's not exactly the hardest thing to just pick and pop, but that's fine by me. The goal is to bring in talent that fits next to your two best players, and it was clear on the very first possession that Mike Muscala does that.

At the same time, his defense wasn't bad either! A good positional defender, I saw more than enough from a guy that's a 3rd/4th big. Active hands, high energy, knows where to be, it should only get better once he's allowed to ya know…practice. 

And to think, there were some that cried about how Brad handled this deadline. That he didn't go "all in" because he didn't drastically overpay for Jakob Poeltl. I'm sorry, is Poeltl doing any of what you just watched above? This player cost Justin fucking Jackson and some 2nds. Brad is that dude and if you don't trust him by now, that's a you problem.

- I'll never complain about a wire to wire win. A game where you have 0 lead changes and get up by as much as 28 is a life I would highly recommend to anyone. I'll forever be thankful for the Hornets defense. That thing stinks.

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- If it feels like we're experiencing the November Celtics again, it's because we kind of are. Another 25 3PM in this game, Derrick shooting a billion % from behind the arc, and Sam Hauser not knowing how to miss

As I said in the last blog, it's all about catch & shoot. When Hauser's volume is mostly made up of catch & shoot threes, he's automatic.

The Celts have made that a focus over his last 8-9 games, and the results speak for themselves. Over his last 9, Hauser is up to 46.5% from three. Over that time, he's taken 43 3PA (20-43). Of those 43 3PA, all 43 of them have been catch & shoot. Nothing really off screen, no pullups, just catch & shoot and look at what has happened. 

This is why you trust a pure shooter. We're back to seeing Sam shoot that shit with an insane amount of confidence to the point where you can tell he's not even thinking about it. It's catch and let that thing fly. I'm back to the point where I don't even expect him to touch the rim on any of these threes let alone miss. The spacing that gives this offense is what made it a historic unit, and we're at the point where I think you have to admit Hauser has broken through his slump and is back to being a weapon.

- I'm starting to think Joe loves burying Gary Washburn

Always trying to start shit, it's clear Joe has no patience for it. He calls it out immediately. This is certainly not the first time this has happened

and it makes me laugh each and every time. Joe is not with the bullshit, and I think that's refreshing. Don't dish it if you aren't prepared to take it is how I see it.

- Good on Grant for finding a way to not be a gigantic negative despite his shot not falling. Just 1-7 (1-5), but he was solid on the glass (5), and was great at moving the ball and finding others (6 assists) to finish a respectable +6 in his minutes. On nights where nothing's dropping, if Grant is still going to play good defense and do the small things that help impact winning, he should be on the floor. Just 1 TO and no real complaining, I thought this was a good showing for Grant despite his broken jumper.

- Quick check on Mazzulla Ball:

127 points in regulation

25 3PM

55 3PA

34 AST

15 TOs

Yup, still rules.

The Bad

- He's been so incredible recently I didn't even think twice about this showing, but not the best game for Brogdon all things considered. A team worst -12 in his 17 minutes, he finished just 1-6 (1-4) and had a brutal 4:3 assist to turnover ratio. Again, I don't give two shits given how awesome he's been since Smart went out, but he did fall into his bad tunnel vision habit. It felt like he was trying to maybe shoot himself out of his struggles which is fine by me since he's been so efficient lately, but it just didn't work.

Brogdon was probably due to for a stinker so I'd rather it come against CHA than in either of the next two. His looks were great/open so it's not like he was taking bad shots, I just think he needs to remember to not be tunnel visioned offensively.

- Not the best performance on the defensive glass I've ever seen. Hornets finished with 11 OREB that led to a 14-8 2nd chance points advantage, and their young center Mark Williams had 5 by himself. It certainly wasn't on Rob who had 16 rebounds (14 DREB) in his 26 minutes, but with him off the floor the Celts certainly had some issues.

- While I'm happy that Payton Pritchard survived the deadline, now that we know he's going to be on this team I am going to need him to play much better. That doesn't mean he needs to hit every shot he takes, it just means I need more postive than negative when it comes to his minutes. As bad as Brogdon may have been, it wasn't like things drastically improved with Pritchard either.

Maybe now that he doesn't have to worry about being traded it will help his mental side, because the team is going to need his minutes from here on out with guys out.

The Ugly

- The only thing that really fits here is the turnovers. It's always the fucking turnovers. Up 28 midway through the 3rd quarter, the Celts build that lead in large part becasue they took care of the ball. Only 5 TOs in the first half, they finished with 7 in the 3rd quarter alone. There was a stretch of 4 or 5 possessions where the Celts didn't even take a shot because they couldn't stop turning it over.

When that happens, it's the same old story. Other teams go on a run, they feel confident, and it's all self inflicted. It felt like the Celts lost their focus a little bit to end the 3rd, and that's probably why Joe was bullshit about it. When you get up like that, your execution becomes even more important, especially if you were maybe hoping to give some guys an early ending. But when you're careless, you lose those opportunities and that's annoying as hell. 

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In the NBA, even the bad teams play hard. The Celts gave the Hornets a sliver of life and they took advantage. While things never got into single digits, that's not really the point. We know that in most cases, the only way the Celts lose games is if they do it to themselves by throwing the ball away. That's been a problem for a while now and it's very annoying.

We now turn the page to Memphis. The same way the Celts couldn't overlook CHA, they cannot do that to the Grizzlies with the Bucks on deck. I'm sure they'll be motivated since the Celts won in their building, and I think anything is on the table with an early afternoon start. The Celts did a good job of digging out of their little 3 game skid hole, but now is the time to keep building.

Love and Trust.