The Boston Celtics had three games this week, winning two of the three. Boston's offense was on fire this week, averaging 127 points per game. Boston also played their first NBA Cup tournament game this week, which came down to the wire. Though there is still a lot to clean up defensively, Boston ended the week strong and will look to take the momentum into a big week next week.
Author's Note: The NBA Cup is an in-season tournament that was first implemented into the NBA season last year. The teams within each conference are split up into three randomly selected groups (e.g., The Celtics, Cavaliers, Hawks, Wizards, and Bulls make up East Group C). The teams within each group play each other once. The teams at the top of each division (6 teams total), along with two wildcard teams from each conference (the two best 2nd-place finishers within each group in the conference), will then move on to the knockout stage (single elimination). The remaining two teams (one from the Eastern Conference and one from the Western Conference) will play each other for the NBA Cup in Las Vegas.
Boston Lose First NBA Cup Game to Atlanta
Final Score: Hawks win 117-116
In what was the first NBA Cup game of 2024, Boston was set for an exciting matchup against a Hawks team without their star player, Trae Young.
Boston got off to a hot start, scoring 30+ points in the first and second quarters respectively, and leading by 11 at halftime. However, Atlanta stormed back in the second half, stifling the Celtics' offense with their pesky defense.
The difference in the game for Boston was the sloppy play on offense in the second half. Though they had a chance to win at the end of the game, they should not have been in that situation in the first place. Boston turned the ball over 20 times, which is far too many if you want to win a game against a good defensive team. They were out-rebounded 44-34 and out-assisted 35-28; also recipes for losing.
The bench also did not provide the support we are accustomed to seeing in Boston. The starters did well offensively, led by Jaylen Brown's 37 points and Derrick White's 31, but the bench scored only 12 points in total. Payton Pritchard offensively, only scoring 6 points on 2/8 shooting. The other 6 points came from Sam Hauser.
This was a game Boston let slip away. The opportunity was there, especially while the Hawks' best player was out, but they failed to capitalize. The offense wasn't the problem, as they shot 50.7% from the field and 40% from three, but the defense and the turnovers are just not going to cut it.
Boston Dominate in Brooklyn
Final Score: Celtics win 139-114
In what was their highest-scoring result of the season, Boston dominated the Brooklyn Nets, controlling the game the whole way through.
Boston shot the lights out, shooting 53.8% from the field and 47.8% from three. There were times throughout the game when they just could not miss. Boston fixed the turnover problem they had against Atlanta (only committing seven), while also winning the assist (35-26) and rebound (45-34) battles.
After a poor performance last time out against Atlanta, Jayson Tatum bounced back in a big way. He was one rebound shy of a triple-double, producing a 36-point, 9-rebound, and 10-assist performance on 12/19 shooting (5/6 from three). Jaylen Brown also performed well, scoring 24 points and rebounding the ball 12 times.
The bench also came back to life against Brooklyn. Payton Pritchard scored 23 points on 8/13 shooting (5/9 from three), while Sam Houser scored 12 points on 40% three-point shooting.
Boston needed this win after what was their most disappointing loss of the season. The defense, though not great, was better, but the offense proved too much for the Nets.
Celtics Win OT Thriller Against Toronto
Final Score: Celtics win 126-123
Woah.
Where do I start with this one? This game was back-and-forth from the starting tip until the last buzzer in overtime. The Raptors gave Boston their biggest test yet, trading blows with Boston the whole way through, but Tatum's three-point heave as the OT buzzer sounded went in, allowing the Celtics to sneak away with a crazy win.
No one player stuck out for Boston in this one, but rather a team effort all the way around. Brown, Tatum, Al Horford, and Derrick White scored 18+ points, while the rest of the crew shot efficiently. It was not Boston's best game offensively or defensively, it was their late-game experience that prevailed against a inexperienced Raptors team.
It was nice to see a game where the adjustments Boston made won them the game. There will be nights where shots aren't falling, but what makes a team great is their ability to find other ways to win; the Celtics did just that.
Takeaway From The Week
The Celtics had a good week, but their defense has taken a major step back from last year. According to statmuse.com, Boston ranks 8th in defensive rating this year, which is a major falloff from their 3rd-ranked position last year. What made Boston so great in 2023 was their willingness to put in the effort defensively. We have yet to see that effort this season. Though I have all the faith they will eventually turn it around, it is a little concerning to see Boston allow so many open shots to opponents.
With that being said, whenever the Celtics are shooting well, they are nearly unbeatable. According to statmuse.com, they are second in offensive rating, only behind the now 15-0 Cleveland Cavaliers. Boston and Cleveland face off in an NBA Cup contest on November 19th, which should be the game of the year to this point. However, if the Celtics shoot the way we know they can shoot, they can beat anyone at any time.
Stay tuned for more Celtics content, and be sure to check out fansonlysportz.com for more sports media content posted daily.
Catch you next time!
-Matt Hylen
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