The Celtics Are Starting To Play As A Collective Unit, Which Just So Happens To Be The Best Team In The NBA

Tim Nwachukwu. Getty Images.

So ever since the final buzzer last night, I've been wrestling with a take that I personally don't think is too hot, but I can't seem to shake it.

Last night's Game 3 win was massive, no two ways about it. First team to win two in a row, regaining homecourt advantage, all that stuff is great and very, very important. Here's the thing though….

…….the Celtics can play better. Much better in fact. If Game 2 was an example of what their ceiling looks like, Game 3 was a few levels below that. Call it a B/B+ performance if you'd like, but this was not a situation where the Celts played to their ceiling in order to win a game on the road. In fact, they've had better performances in these very playoffs, not just counting Game 2.

Now maybe that feels like nitpicking, and I admit it is. But that's what happens when you see what the Celts are truly capable of. The standard for them is insanely high because their ceiling is insanely high. This isn't something that has me upset or annoyed or anything like that. No no, it has me encouraged. To be able to win on the road in the fashion we saw last night while also understanding that this team can be even better should excite everyone. 

What we all wanted to see is if this team would do their usual routine of making life harder on themselves or would they actually back up the talk and show us that they understand what type of massive opportunity they have in front of them. What we've seen since that Game 1 loss is a team that's angry. A team that looks like they are done fucking around and not playing with focus. Back to back full 48 minute performances are exactly how you regain control of a series, and while this does not mean the Celts won't ever lose again or won't make frustrating mistakes, what it does tell us is they are as mentally tough as any team in the field. On the road, on Embiid's MVP night, and the Celts were in complete control of this game for nearly the entire way. Never trailing after the 8:34 mark of the 2nd quarter, playing smart, playing with force, these are the Celtics we know and love.

With the split secured, the Celts now have an opportunity to be greedy and really tighten the screws of this series. Winning on Sunday to take a 3-1 lead heading back to the Garden is officially on the table, especially if this is the version of the Celts we're going to get, so now the challenge is capitalizing on their momentum. 

But before we get to that, let's first talk about what we saw last night

The Good

- After Game 2, everywhere you looked it was the same shit

"Are the Celtics Jaylen Brown's team or Jayson Tatum's team?"

"Who is the leader of the Celtics?"

"Jayson Tatum doesn't have it, Jaylen Brown is the guy"

Hey, morons. Are we that bored? Are we that unable to talk about what is actually happening on the basketball court that instead you need to try and create this weird divide or narrative pitting the Celts two franchise players against each other? Have we not done this already?

How, in the year of our lord 2023, are we still doing shit like this? It's not too different from the Rob/Smart DPOY debate last year and it's shocking how many people there are out there that still don't seem to get it when it comes to this team and what makes it successful.

It's not about one guy. It's not about who is the leader. It's not about who is the closer. It's not about who is the best defender. It's not about who has a killer instinct and who doesn't. 

It is about how everything works together.

Some nights, Jaylen Brown is going to be the best player on the court. In those games, he puts the team on his back at all times of a game. Other nights, Jayson Tatum is going to be the best player on the court. In those games, he puts the team on his back at all times of a game. 

Other nights they are going to do it together, at the same time. When that happens….

The beauty of this roster is the fact that there isn't really a 1A and a 1B. There are two 1As. Both guys can be the best player on the floor in a big playoff game. You can love and trust them both. Game 3 was the perfect example of what this looks like on the court

After scoring only 7 points in Game 2, Jayson Tatum came out with a force in Game 3. He's the guy that got the Celts off to their hot start, a spot we usually see First Quarter Jaylen handle. Tatum finished with 10 points on 4-8 (2-5) shooting which was huge because it kept pace with Embiid's fast start (12 points) and allowed the Celts to take the Sixers first punch right on the chin without flinching. That first quarter was the best Sixers quarter of the night (29 points), and they only won it by a single point. That's usually not going to work out well for you. 

From there, it was Jaylen's turn. A big 9 points on 4-5 shooting in the 2nd quarter and an even bigger 10 points on 4-7 shooting in the 3rd quarter, Jaylen is the guy who gave the Celts their separation. The shot making was ridiculous and why a player like Jaylen is important to the formula of this team's success. He's the tough individual shot maker. He's the bucket getter when things are broken and you need to take a tough look. The best part? Jaylen only had 1 TO over these two quarters. 

Then, in the game's biggest moments, when it came time to close to door and will this team over the finish line, Jayson Tatum repsonded. Tatum played every second of the 4th quarter, finished with 10 points on 3-4 (1-2) shooting including the two biggest shots of the game in final two minutes. That turnaround was ridiculous and the step back three was as vintage a Fuck You Three we've seen since the Isaiah days. Tatum looked the MVP right in the eyes and said not today buddy

The #1 problem we knew the Sixers were going to have as we entered this series is even more clear through 3 games. They do not have the players to handle the Celtics two best players. You can try whatever scheme you want, at the end of the day this is a basketball matchup problem. If any of their guards find themselves to be switched on either Jay, that's a bucket. No matter the wing defender the Sixers try, that's a bucket. If they get Embiid in space, as we just saw last night, that's a bucket. 

Tatum was 3-4 against Tobias Harris and 3-5 against Joel Embiid. Jaylen Brown was 3-5 against PJ Tucker and 3-5 against Joel Embiid. They just don't have the defenders to consistently stop this offense. The Sixers are learning things are a whole lot tougher than trying to stop Spencer Dinwiddie

That's the Jays folks

- When this team is at their best, they are elite on both ends of the floor. It's not just about a high flying offense that makes it rain from deep. When this team straps in and guards their yard by imposing their will and not being reactionary, they are a nightmare.

The one thing that felt off in these playoffs despite the wins was the fact that the Celts were giving up way too many points. You can't win consistently in the playoffs giving up 120+ every night. The Celts had a run of allowing at least 30 points in 9 of 10 quarters, and their record reflected why that's not a path to success.

Over the last two games, so 8 quarters, the Celtics have not allowed a 30 point quarter. The results? Sixers had 87 points on the road in Game 2 and just 102 at home in Game 3. They got Joel Embiid back, he got his points, and as a team, the Sixers offense looks broken. 

The main reason for that is simple. Ball pressure. There was no adjustment by the Sixers to find ways to get James Harden out of hell, and that's why the final results shouldn't surprise you

Since Game 1, Jaylen has put James Harden in maximum security prison. That's not hyperbole, that's just the reality of the situation

61 possessions / 1 point / 0-7 shooting / 4 TOs

Live look at James Harden:

But as I said at the top of the blog, the beauty of this team is not the performance of one player. It's what they do as a unit. The Celts as a team have been so much better defensively. The Celts have had a Drtg of 99 over these last two games, which is their best stretch of the playoffs. It even surpasses the first two games against the Hawks (100.5). It should then be no surprise that both of these wins were very similar to those two in that the Celts were basically in control the entire way.

Rob is doing his thing in terms of rim protection, the Celts have a DREB% of 75% in this series, limiting the Sixers to just 7.7 OREB a game which is the lowest of any team that's still alive in the 2nd round. The guards and wings are holding their own and have completely eliminated Tyrese Maxey in terms of his dribble drives to the point where really his only path to score is just taking spot up threes and transition buckets. That's huge. 

Even in a game where the Sixers got more fouls and took more FTA, the Celts defense was still able to lock in and find ways to have clean defensive possessions. If they don't give teams second and third chances and also aren't turning the ball over all that much, it's really really hard to beat them.

- You just know that deep down Al Horford absolutely loves shoving it right in the face of the Sixers and their fans on their own floor

From the reporter that laughed at the idea that Horford is an elite shooter to the fanbase being very weird to Horford and their entire family just because Brett Brown was a moron and didn't know how to use Horford, games against the Sixers feel personal for Al, and that's what makes a night like last night so great. 

The huge three right before the half, the biggest three of the game in the fourth quarter when the Sixers were trying to make one last push, Playoff Al did what Playoff Al does. There's a reason he's so steady and always ready, and why when he went 1-8 from three the other night I didn't give a shit. It's important that he always shoot with confidence and never hesitate, because this is what happens. Trust the work and live with the results, which seem to be pretty good

- This was Joe's best performance of the playoffs, without question. Outside of that early challenge that seemed puzzling at the time, Joe was nails. Not only was the team prepared, but they played ready to go right from the jump. In terms of timeout usage, it was clear Joe had the right pulse of the game and knew when to stop and reset and when to let things play out. When the team started playing like assholes, he stopped everything and got them back on track. That's all you can ask.

His defense adjustments continue to be effective. From the Jaylen on Harden adjustment to how they're using Grant Williams, to how they are keeping things unpredictable when it comes to Embiid, Joe has pushed every right button over these last two games. His substitution patterns have worked, and at no point have we gotten the sense that these moments are too big for him. That's encouraging as well.

My favorite part came postgame though

I love how he's holding Tatum accountable defensively. Even with Tatum being solid on that end, Joe knows he can be even better. That tells me there's real love and trust there, and when the whole team sees the best player on the team can get it, everyone else buys in. Again, Joe knows what he's doing

- It may not have been the most efficient night, but the guard play once again showed up in a big way. I consider this the head of the snake for the Celts, because when their trio produces, defends and doesn't turn the ball over, good fucking luck. 

For Smart, he was there throughout all four quarters. He's having the best playoff run of his career at the moment and I'm not sure it is particularly close. Another game with only a single turnover, big buckets, great defense, he's been exactly what the Celts need.

For Derrick, it's very encouraging that he seems to be finding his three point shot again. What I want to continue to see though is him not be afraid to attack the paint. His floater is a legit weapon, and I thought Derrick did a great job of recognizing the open space in the Sixers zone and making sure he cut offensively and didn't just stand behind the arc. Those are the small things that can really help an offense, especially when you can convert a floater at an extremely high rate. 

For Brogdon, I mean his 4th quarter three was just so massive. He struggled to start the game with a bad combination of missed layups and tunnel vision, but when this team needed big buckets late, Brogdon delivered. Add in his 6 assists and 1 TO and it almost feels like cheating to have this caliber of production be your 3rd guard. 

- 22-23 from the FT line. The Celts have been incredible from the line in these playoffs, and we all know how important these things are. Can't give away points in the playoffs. That's asking for trouble.

- Celts allowed only 7 2nd chance points which was nice. A collective effort on the glass (45-42) with four starters having at least 6 rebounds (3 with at least 7). Clean defensive possessions and low turnovers (12). That's the path.

- Shoutout to Grant for still being alive. Watching his face he pushed into the center of the earth was absolutely crazy

How that did not shatter his entire face I'll never understand. Grant might have the strongest skull of any human on the planet if he can walk away basically unscathed from a play like that

No concussion or anything? What a crazy moment.

Meanwhile, Grant has continued to play his way out of the doghouse. There's no reason why he shouldn't continue to see minutes in this series, and that makes me happy for the guy who clearly has had his ups and downs this year. 

The Bad

- It's hard to know how much of this was actually the Celtics and how much of it was just a Scott Foster special, but there was way too much "fouling" defensively. The Celts finished with 23 fouls which led to 27 FTA for the Sixers, and to me that was the only reason this game was ever close.

In the first quarter, the Sixers scored 29 points with 12 of them coming from the FT line. They couldn't make shots, but they lived at the line. As we've seen with these two teams, if the Celts limit the Sixers from the line, their offense has a tough time scoring consistently. Making the Sixers beat you with made field goals is not how they want to play. 

- To that point, 16-37 from deep tells me the Celts did not do the best job at limiting the perimeter. Some of those were baiting PJ Tucker to shoot and he actually converted (3-4), but too often did we see them leave Melton (4-7) and Niang (2-5) wide open. While it's not surprising the Sixers shot better after returning home, I didn't love the frequency in which they were pretty wide open. That's something I'd like tightened up in Game 4.

- Turning the ball over 12 times is good. Allowing 20 points off those turnovers, not so good. 

- After getting out to that hot start, it felt like the Celts fell victim to going to for the homerun play for a stretch instead of using that initial separation as a springboard to be even more aggressive and hunt for higher efficiency looks. They of course went on a shooting drought which allowed the Sixers to come back in the game, and it's why we saw Joe take that timeout. You could tell they were starting to play the wrong way.

It's not about 3PA, it's about the quality of 3PA and how they are generated. When the Celts started 5-6 or whatever, they ALL came off beautiful ball movement. Once they had that lead, it was dribble pullups/end of clock looks that are the type of 3PA you want to avoid.

The Ugly

- The shots may have gone in, but I'd still like to see more player and ball movement over the final 3-4 minutes of games. It wasn't as bad as we've seen in previous games, but there's still too much standing around with Tatum dribbling for my liking. You have point guards for a reason. Use them. 

It's possible we tend to think that because the Celts won and came through in those big moments that things were perfect. I disagree. They executed, but the process to get there was pretty gross at times and something that needs continuous improvement. Trading slow offense/misses for FTA got dicey there for a moment, and it did look like there was some initial confusion on the Sixers zone for a possession or two. The good news is the Celts figured it out in real time. That's what matters.

What I care about is making sure they understand that just because the shots went in does not mean this is an approach that is them at their best. It told us that on any given night, you can just give Tatum the ball and let him win you a game. Most nights though, they're going to have to play with better movement.

- From when Rob went down until we learned he was fine was arguably the longest wait of my entire life. Loved the hustle and am so relieved there's nothing to worry about. At least, that's what I want to believe. End this series quick and let Rob rest.

Winning Game 3 was great, but it means less if you turn around and lose Game 4. Now is the time to step on your opponent's throat. In a playoff series, there's always an opportunity for a statement win. That is what Game 4 is. Win it, and the series takes a drastic turn.

Love and Trust